Chief Architect - Mid Vehicle Zone

e with cross-functional influence, guiding vehicle architectures across global programs during early advanced development phases.

You'll be the technical authority and decision-maker for bodyside structures and closures, responsible for steering a complex matrix of teams to develop high-quality, compliant, and manufacturable solutions that set the industry benchmark. You will help define the future of vehicle body construction-across both ICE and EV platforms-by balancing structural performance, design intent, customer requirements, manufacturability, and cost.

If you're energized by innovation, thrive in ambiguity, and want to shape what future vehicles feel and function like, this role is for you.

What You'll Do

• Vehicle Architecture & Integration

  • Lead the development of the body side and side closure architectures (including doors, pillars, hinges, and apertures) as part of the Mid Vehicle Zone from clean-sheet through production intent.
  • Coordinate the integration of multiple subsystems, ensuring vehicle-level harmony across structure, closures, sealing, and glass interfaces.
  • Translate functional imperatives and regulatory requirements into engineering solutions that meet structural, NVH, sealing, and aesthetic targets.

• Technical Leadership & Decision Making

  • Act as the principal technical authority on BIW and closure design strategies, including material selection, joint strategy, packaging, and manufacturability.
  • Evaluate and approve GD&T schemes, tolerance stack-ups, and variation risk assessments using tools like 3DCS and VSA.
  • Lead technical reviews, design gates, and peer checkpoints with global teams across engineering, design, CAE, manufacturing, and validation.

• Simulation & Validation Integration

  • Collaborate closely with CAE and test groups to interpret performance simulations and physical validation results for crash, durability, thermal, NVH, and sealing.
  • Correlate virtual models with test data to drive robust, validated designs.
  • Guide teams through DOE studies, FEA interpretation, and failure root cause resolution when physical and digital outcomes diverge.

• Manufacturing Feasibility & Material Innovation

  • Define part geometry and construction strategies that account for formability of steel, aluminum, and composites using stamping, casting, and molding processes.
  • Ensure manufacturability by partnering with stamping, welding, and assembly teams to resolve tooling challenges and optimize build quality.
  • Lead discussions on material coefficients of thermal expansion, galvanic corrosion, and lightweighting approaches across mixed-material joints.

• Regulatory Compliance & Quality

  • Ensure architectural solutions meet or exceed FMVSS, IIHS, ECE, and internal performance standards, including pedestrian safety, side impact, and structural crashworthiness.
  • Drive design-for-compliance early in the architecture phase to avoid costly late-stage validation issues.
  • Collaborate with validation and quality teams to resolve launch and field issues tied to dimensional variation or fit-and-finish.

• Cross-Functional Influence & Mentorship

  • Indirectly manage a broad, global team of engineers and specialists, setting technical direction and resolving conflicts across vehicle programs.

  • Mentor and develop junior team members, sharing knowledge on BIW fundamentals, best practices in closures engineering, and systemic problem-solving.

  • Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and accountability through collaborative leadership and first-principles engineering.

This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.

Additional Description

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

• Technical Masters in Mechanical Engineering or Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

• Patents or innovation awards in vehicle body systems

• 15+ years of progressive experience in automotive body structures and closure systems

• Proven track record developing clean-sheet BIW architectures and launching multiple vehicle programs

• Expert-level experience with GD&T, dimensional engineering, part integration, and variation analysis

• Strong proficiency in Siemens NX (Unigraphics) and familiarity with Teamcenter PLM

• Experience with formability tools such as AutoForm, PAM-STAMP, or Dynaform

• Familiarity with CAE post-processing tools LS-DYNA, NASTRAN, OptiStruct, HyperView

• Knowledge of weatherstrip sealing, rubber molding integration, and greenhouse trim strategies

• Deep understanding of material behavior and joining techniques for steel, aluminum, and composites

• Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional environments, ideally with both OEM and Tier 1 experience

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

• Prior experience with EV body structure architecture and battery integration

• Participation in advanced or pillar-less closure concepts

• Design for Six Sigma Black Belt certification or equivalent

• Red-X problem solving certification

• Experience mentoring global engineering teams

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

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