Product Engineer, Accessory

Product Engineer, Accessory

LIVING OUR VALUES

All associates are guided by Our Values. Our Values are the unifying foundation of our companies. We strive to ensure that every decision we make and every action we take demonstrates Our Values. We believe that putting Our Values into practice creates lasting benefits for all of our associates, shareholders, and the communities in which we live.

JOB SUMMARY

As an Accessory Product Development Engineer at Gulf States Toyota, you will play a crucial role in the engineering development and launch of automotive accessories. Under the guidance of Sr. Manager, Accessory Product Engineering, you will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Demand & Supply, Quality, Operations, Sourcing, and third-party suppliers to achieve organizational goals, encompassing cost, quality, installation, and performance targets. Leveraging your comprehensive understanding of automotive industry standards, vehicle integration, manufacturing processes, and automotive accessories, you will manage projects through the developmental process from concept to development to Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) and finally launch. Additionally, you will contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by implementing Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE) improvements and lean initiatives. Your support will extend to vehicle and accessory launches into production, encompassing activities such as Bill of Material (BOM)/configuration management, design for manufacturability, and packaging.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Reliable, consistent, on-site attendance is a requirement. This position requires you to be punctual and dependable in order to meet the needs of the business; including attending and participating in meetings and presentations.
• Be the GST subject matter expert in mechanical or electrical automotive accessories.
• Manage Stage-Gate process throughout the accessory development cycle
• Create component and system level Design Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (DFMEA) & Design Verification Plan & Report (DVP&R) in alignment with OE industry standards, internal GST accessory product expectations, and regulatory requirements (FMVSS, DOT, etc)
• Bill of Materials (BOM) & Management: Develop and maintain the Bill of Materials (BOM) for each vehicle model & applicable accessory. Ensure accuracy, completeness, and proper configuration management of the BOM & accessory weights throughout the product lifecycle.
• Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VA/VE): Utilize VA/VE methodologies to identify cost & installation optimization opportunities. Evaluate product designs, materials, and manufacturing processes to achieve cost & BOM time reductions while maintaining or improving product quality and performance.
• Utilize problem-solving methodologies to promptly solve issues and determine root causes as they arise. Adjust and implement policies and processes to capture lessons learned and improve best practices that pre-emptively incorporate identified root causes.
• Support new vehicle launch and model year carry-over activities
• Support GST supplier relationships - Maintain engineering relationships + collaborate with Quality & Sourcing to ensure supplier readiness/performance. Participate in the identification & qualification of new suppliers
• Participate in the continual improvement of accessory development and launch processes.
• Participate in the review of warranty and other indicators of field performance and customer satisfaction.
• Participate in the review of warranty and other indicators of field performance and customer satisfaction.
• Participate in determining the direction of the accessory portfolio and help optimize the accessory product category
• Facilitate VPC readiness for the installation of accessories
• Responsibly receive, transmit, and handle consumer and customer data per applicable policies and procedures.
• Review and follow data privacy practices, policies, and guidelines.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelors degree from an accredited four-year college or university (required) in an Automotive, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering related field (strongly preferred); plus at least 5-8 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Strong knowledge and expertise in mechanical or electrical automotive accessories
• Strong knowledge of the automotive industry and vehicle functions/systems
• Experience in managing the Stage-Gate process throughout the accessory development cycle, ensuring adherence to project milestones and deliverables.
• Experience in utilizing VA/VE methodologies to identify cost and installation optimization opportunities.
• Strong understanding of OE & regulatory automotive testing and validation requirements for accessory product categories as assigned.
• Experience in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, such as SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or CATIA, with a strong understanding of 2D and 3D modeling techniques.
• Familiarity with common manufacturing processes for accessory product categories as assigned.
• Experience in problem-solving, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
• The ability to effectively communicate and interface with diverse audiences is critical. Some experience leading and coaching work team(s) is necessary as is the ability to motivate and inspire others to take the initiative to make improvements
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite is necessary.
• Demonstrate excellent technical analysis and diagnostic skills.
• Excellent judgment, analytical, and interpersonal skills, including written and verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with all levels of executives, associates, and other contacts

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Compliance

Carries out responsibilities in accordance with GST policies, dealer franchise agreements, and TMS operating standards, and applicable federal and state laws; including the EPA, OSHA, MSDS, & Texas health and safety laws.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS*

• Valid Drivers Licenses
• Certification or affiliation with ASQ, SAE, or other quality, engineering, or automotive associations are plus

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of the job, the associate is required on a daily basis to analyze and interpret data, communicate, and remain in a stationary position for a significant amount of the work day; and frequently access, input, and retrieve information from the computer and other office productivity devices. The associate is regularly required to move about the office and around the facility. The associate is occasionally required to travel to other sites for business. The associate may occasionally be required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The associate may occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While the job is generally performed in an office environment, the associate is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, areas in which moving mechanical parts, fumes, toxic or caustic chemicals are present, and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the office environment is typically quiet, but the associate may be occasionally exposed to loud noise levels.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

Minimal travel is required for this position (up to 10% of the time and on a domestic basis).

The Friedkin Group and its affiliates are equal opportunity employers and maintain drug-free workplaces by conducting pre-employment drug testing.

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TOTAL REWARDS

Our Total Rewards package is an integral part of how we recognize our associates contributions as well as attract, retain and reward the most qualified employees. We are committed to providing a fair and competitive compensation structure that includes base pay and performance based rewards, where applicable. Compensation is based on various factors including, but not limited to, skill set, experience, qualifications and job-related requirements. Our benefits include medical, dental, and vision along with wellness programs, retirement plans, paid leave and much more! To learn more about these programs and many more, take a tour of our Benefits Page at https://www.friedkin.com/benefits.