Advanced Chassis & Vehicle Dynamics Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA; Chelsea (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking an Advanced Vehicle Dynamics Engineer to benchmark, evaluate, and develop chassis and suspension systems for future vehicle programs. You will combine subjective assessments, objective data analysis, and simulation to shape ride and handling targets.

The role requires a strong grasp of vehicle dynamics, suspension architecture, and NVH principles, with hands-on testing and cross‑functional collaboration across engineering teams.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Automotive Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience in automotive engineering and product development.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle dynamics, chassis systems and suspension architecture.
• Experience with suspension design and development.
• Experience in Ride & Handling development, tuning, or evaluation.
• Knowledge of Kinematics & Compliance (K&C).
• Understanding of NVH principles and modal alignment.

Responsibilities

• Benchmark and evaluate chassis, suspension, and vehicle dynamics performance for current and future programs.
• Develop vehicle dynamics targets and performance objectives for ride and handling.
• Define and evaluate suspension architecture, geometry, and key hard points.
• Perform CoG calculations and support vehicle dynamics assessments.
• Develop tire specifications and their impact on dynamics.
• Conduct subjective and objective vehicle evaluations and data analyses.
• Apply dynamics principles to identify improvements and design changes.
• Support K&C testing, analysis, and development.
• Collaborate with multiple engineering teams to optimize dynamics performance.
• Utilize modeling and simulation tools to evaluate concepts.
• Communicate findings to cross‑functional teams and leadership.
• Manage multiple engineering activities to meet timelines.

Skills

Vehicle Dynamics

Chassis & Suspension

Ride & Handling

Benchmarking

CoG Calculations

Subjective Eval

Data Analysis

Modeling & Simulation

ADAMS / MBD

Cross-Functional

Problem Solving

Education

ABET-accredited B.S. in Mechanical/Automotive Engineering

M.S. preferred in Mechanical/Automotive Engineering

Tools

ADAMS / MBD

Teamcenter

Job description

Job Description

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company that provides solutions for engineering, technology, and product development projects. For decades, we’ve been helping our clients develop products that are changing the world, whether that’s by shaping the future of space exploration, saving lives with medical devices that set a new standard of care, or creating the fully autonomous electric taxi of tomorrow. Our team of more than 600 people works across industries including aerospace, medical devices and life sciences, unmanned systems and robotics, automotive OEM and tier 1 suppliers, commercial vehicle, electric vehicles, rail, and more. Our offices across the US have different industry focuses and engage with our clients in different ways, ranging from working on‑site at client facilities to performing product development at our delivery centers.

ALTEN Group, our parent company, has been a leader in engineering and information technology for more than 30 years. ALTEN Group operates in 30 countries across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and employs more than 36,000 people, 88% of whom are engineers. The company covers the whole development cycle and offers a choice of service levels, from technology consulting to complete project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you join a group of people passionate about collaborating to solve some of the world’s most technical engineering challenges. Our success is tied to taking care of our employees by building relationships and providing opportunities for mentorship and career growth. We offer comprehensive benefits for all full‑time employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer matching; paid time off (PTO); paid parental leave; and mentorship to help you take your career to the next level. You don’t have to take our word for it that we are a great place to work—we were named on the 2023 Top Workplaces list thanks to feedback from our proud employees.

Job Description

The Advanced Vehicle Dynamics Engineer will be responsible for benchmarking, concept evaluation, and development of chassis and suspension systems for future vehicle programs. This role requires a strong understanding of vehicle dynamics, suspension architecture, chassis systems, and the cause-and-effect relationship between vehicle attributes and performance.

The engineer will support the development of vehicle dynamics targets and concepts through a combination of subjective vehicle assessments, objective test data analysis, engineering calculations, physical testing, modeling, and simulation.

Key Responsibilities

• Benchmark and evaluate chassis, suspension, and vehicle dynamics performance for current and future vehicle programs.
• Support the development of vehicle dynamics targets and performance objectives for ride and handling.
• Define and evaluate suspension architecture, geometry, and key vehicle hard points.
• Perform Center of Gravity (CoG) calculations and support vehicle dynamics attribute assessments.
• Develop and evaluate tire specifications and their impact on vehicle dynamics performance.
• Conduct subjective vehicle evaluations and drive assessments to identify ride, handling, steering, and overall vehicle dynamics characteristics.
• Analyze objective test data and correlate results with subjective vehicle performance.
• Apply vehicle dynamics principles to identify cause-and-effect relationships and recommend design improvements.
• Support Kinematics & Compliance (K&C) testing, analysis, and development.
• Work with chassis, suspension, tires, steering, brakes, controls, CAE, and other engineering teams to optimize vehicle dynamics performance.
• Support physical vehicle testing and data collection.
• Utilize modeling and simulation tools to evaluate vehicle dynamics concepts and support engineering decisions.
• Develop engineering recommendations based on benchmarking, test results, simulation, and vehicle assessments.
• Support advanced concept development and technology evaluation for future vehicle programs.
• Communicate technical findings and recommendations effectively to cross‑functional engineering teams and leadership.
• Manage multiple engineering activities and projects while meeting program objectives and timelines.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an ABET‑accredited university or equivalent.
• Experience in automotive engineering and product development.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle dynamics, chassis systems, and suspension architecture.
• Experience with suspension design and development.
• Experience in Ride & Handling development, tuning, or evaluation.
• Experience with Ride & Handling target setting.
• Knowledge and experience with Kinematics & Compliance (K&C).
• Understanding of Modal Alignment and fundamental NVH principles.
• Strong understanding of vehicle dynamics cause-and-effect relationships.
• Experience with subjective vehicle evaluation and/or objective vehicle testing.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a cross‑functional engineering environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline from an ABET‑accredited university or equivalent.
• Experience with ADAMS or similar Multi‑Body Dynamics (MBD) simulation software.
• Experience with vehicle dynamics modeling and simulation.
• Hands‑on experience with physical vehicle testing and development.
• Automotive racing or motorsports experience.
• Experience with Teamcenter or other PLM systems.
• Experience correlating simulation results with physical test data.
• Experience with advanced chassis and suspension development programs.

Key Skills

• Vehicle Dynamics
• Chassis & Suspension
• Ride & Handling Target Setting
• Vehicle Benchmarking
• CoG Calculations
• Suspension Hard Points
• Subjective Vehicle Evaluation
• Objective Test Data Analysis
• Physical Vehicle Testing
• Modeling & Simulation
• ADAMS / MBD
• Cross‑Functional Engineering
• Problem Solving

ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status.