Position Summary

The Lead VAVE Engineer identifies, develops, and implements product and process improvements that reduce total product cost while maintaining or improving performance, quality, safety, manufacturability, and customer value.

This role works collaboratively with Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, Sourcing, and Suppliers to drive cost reduction through design optimization, part standardization, material selection, supplier collaboration, and manufacturing improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Product Cost Optimization

• Lead Value Analysis / Value Engineering activities across product lines.
• Develop and maintain a prioritized pipeline of cost reduction opportunities.
• Analyze cost drivers including purchased components, fabrications, assemblies, labor content, and material usage.
• Drive engineering changes that improve profitability without reducing customer value.

Supply Chain and Supplier Collaboration

• Partner with Supply Chain and Sourcing to identify and prioritize cost reduction opportunities.
• Lead supplier workshops focused on design optimization, alternate manufacturing methods, material alternatives, and supplier process improvements.
• Evaluate supplier proposals and convert viable ideas into implemented savings.

Engineering and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead cross-functional reviews with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sourcing, and Suppliers.
• Develop business cases and cost-benefit analyses for proposed improvements.
• Ensure recommendations meet product performance, safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Support implementation through the engineering change process.

Design for Manufacturing and Product Simplification

• Improve manufacturability and assembly efficiency.
• Reduce part count, unique components, product complexity, and assembly effort.
• Drive standardization, commonization, modular design, and DFM/DFA practices.

Benchmarking and Continuous Improvement

• Benchmark competitive products, supplier capabilities, and industry best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve customer value while lowering product cost.
• Generate concepts that deliver measurable cost and operational improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Five or more years of experience in automotive, commercial vehicle, on-highway truck, off-highway, or industrial equipment industries.
• Experience in product design, manufacturing processes, supplier collaboration, and engineering-led cost reduction.
• Knowledge of sheet metal, weldments, machined parts, castings, purchased components, and assemblies.
• Working knowledge of CAD, GD&T, DFMEA, APQP, and DFM/DFA principles.
• Ability to lead cross-functional projects and communicate technical and financial recommendations clearly.

Success Measures

• Annualized cost savings delivered and implemented.
• Strength and conversion rate of the VAVE project pipeline.
• Reduction in product complexity, part count, and assembly effort.
• Supplier-generated savings successfully implemented.
• Margin improvement achieved through engineering-led cost optimization.