Value Optimization Engineer - Mechatronics

About the Company

Position Overview The Value Optimization Engineer (Mechatronics) plays a pivotal role in identifying, driving, and executing cost reduction and value engineering initiatives across global mechatronics systems and components.

About the Role

In this role, you will lead benchmarking, teardowns, idea generation, and engineering feasibility studies to achieve technical cost-reduction targets without compromising quality, performance, or customer experience. You will collaborate cross-functionally across global regions to harmonize tools, processes, and cross-pollinate technical proposals across metafunctions.

Responsibilities

1. Benchmarking, Standardization & Idea Generation

• Lead Benchmarking & Standardization: Coordinate and lead benchmarking activities across Metafunctions, including A2MAC reviews, teardown workshops, and vehicle hoist/part/system evaluations.
• Idea Generation & Workshops: Organize and facilitate ideation workshops with suppliers, engineering teams, and internal stakeholders.
• Feasibility & Competitive Analysis: Perform initial engineering evaluations and feasibility studies for new ideas. Conduct competitive benchmarking analysis to support business cases while maintaining or improving quality and performance.
• Cross-Pollination & Global Alignment: Collaborate actively with regional engineering counterparts to maximize idea sharing and deploy technical proposals globally.

2. Design to Cost & Metafunction Support

• Upfront Development Support: Partner with Metafunction teams to embed Design-to-Cost (DtC) principles during early-stage product development.
• Systems & Components Benchmarking: Support Metafunction teams with technical teardowns and benchmarking to identify structural, material, and manufacturing cost drivers.
• Supplier & Stakeholder Engagement: Support the Product Costing & Optimization (PC&CO) team in engaging suppliers and internal leaders to foster a value-optimization mindset across the supply chain.

3. Initiatives, Budgeting, & Tools Management

• Budget Planning: Define and submit Metafunction budget requirements to PC&CO to secure Global Finance (COO) approvals.
• Tool Optimization: Manage, support, and continuously optimize tools (e.g., eVOS, MCM) for Metafunction Value Optimization (VO) activities across all global regions.
• Standardization of Processes: Establish, document, and deploy common methods, tools, and processes across regional teams.

4. Tracking, Reporting & Internal Controls

• KPI Management: Track and maintain VO KPIs (Status vs. Target charts), delivering actionable progress updates and risk assessments.
• Regional & Subsystem Results Overview: Present consolidated regional VO performance overviews and break down results by specific mechatronics subsystems.
• Compliance & Governance: Guarantee strict adherence and conformity to Internal Control System (ICS) rules and governance frameworks.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience:
• 3–7+ years of experience in product development, design engineering, or value engineering/cost engineering (preferably within Automotive, Aerospace, Industrial Automation, or Electronics).
• Direct experience in mechatronics subsystems (actuators, sensors, electronic control units, harness assemblies, or electromechanical systems).

Required Skills

• Technical Skills:
• Demonstrated track record in Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VAVE), Design to Cost (DtC), and competitive benchmarking tools (e.g., A2MAC, vehicle teardowns).
• Hands-on experience with VO tools and software systems (e.g., eVOS, MCM, or similar PLM/Costing platforms).
• Strong understanding of product cost drivers, manufacturing processes, and BOM structures.
• Soft Skills & Mobility:
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent cross-functional and cross-cultural communication abilities.
• Self-starter capable of operating autonomously in a fully remote environment.
• Travel Availability: Flexibility to travel regionally and internationally (typically 10%–25%) for physical benchmarking, teardowns, supplier visits, and team workshops.