Director, Engineering

McLaren Engineering; Livonia (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

McLaren Engineering seeks a Director of Engineering – Product Launch to lead the end-to-end introduction of McLaren-developed products into Linamar facilities. You will drive launch readiness, coordinate cross-functional teams, and ensure designs are fully industrialized for quality, cost, and timing goals.

You will establish a global launch framework, mentor staff, manage engineering transfers, and report progress to senior leadership while mitigating risk and enabling stable ramp-up across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 10+ years of related automotive experience.
• Master’s degree in a technical field preferred.
• Must demonstrate progressive increases in responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop product development organizational structure and capabilities for Priority 1 products.
• Directly manage others and is responsible for staffing, driving performance of each direct report, and the team through yearly STAR DGO…
• Own end-to-end engineering execution for the launch phase of all McLaren products transferring into Linamar manufacturing facilities.
• Serve as the engineering authority for launch readiness, ensuring products are fully industrialized and design intent is clearly communicated and transferred.
• Establish, deploy, and govern a standardized global launch framework for McLaren-to-Linamar product introductions.
• Act as the primary engineering interface between McLaren Engineering, Linamar receiving plants, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management teams.
• Lead cross-functional launch reviews, including DFMEA/PFMEA alignment, process readiness, run-at-rate, and PPAP approval.
• Ensure product designs meet manufacturability, tooling, automation, capacity, and cycle-time requirements at receiving facilities.
• Oversee tooling and equipment strategies, supporting buy‑off, validation, and production readiness for launch builds.
• Accountable for engineering support to achieve first-time quality and stable ramp-up performance at launch.
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and internal Linamar quality systems.
• Lead structured root cause analysis and implementation of permanent corrective actions for launch-related issues.
• Define, track, and report key launch performance indicators including timing, quality, cost, scrap, and ramp‑up metrics.
• Provide clear risk assessments, mitigation plans, and executive-level launch status updates.
• Capture lessons learned and deploy best practices to improve future product launches and engineering transfers.
• Drive continuous improvement in launch processes, documentation standards, and engineering handover methodologies.
• Build organizational capability in advanced product launch, APQP execution, and global manufacturing transfer.
• Partner with senior leadership to align launch execution with McLaren and Linamar strategic and commercial objectives.

Skills

Drivetrain/Powertrain knowledge

Leadership/Staffing

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Director of Engineering – Product Launch

Responsible for leading and overseeing the successful launch of all McLaren-developed products into Linamar manufacturing facilities. Provides technical and organizational leadership during the critical launch phase, ensuring designs are fully industrialized, transferable, and capable of meeting quality, cost, and timing objectives. Works closely with cross-functional and cross-site stakeholders to drive launch readiness, mitigate risk, and achieve stable production ramp-up across multiple Linamar locations.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop product development organizational structure and capabilities for Priority 1 products.
• Directly manage others and is responsible for staffing, driving performance of each direct report, and the team through yearly STAR DGO…
• Own end-to-end engineering execution for the launch phase of all McLaren products transferring into Linamar manufacturing facilities.
• Serve as the engineering authority for launch readiness, ensuring products are fully industrialized and design intent is clearly communicated and transferred.
• Establish, deploy, and govern a standardized global launch framework for McLaren-to-Linamar product introductions.
• Act as the primary engineering interface between McLaren Engineering, Linamar receiving plants, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management teams.
• Lead cross-functional launch reviews, including DFMEA/PFMEA alignment, process readiness, run-at-rate, and PPAP approval.
• Ensure product designs meet manufacturability, tooling, automation, capacity, and cycle-time requirements at receiving facilities.
• Oversee tooling and equipment strategies, supporting buy‑off, validation, and production readiness for launch builds.
• Accountable for engineering support to achieve first-time quality and stable ramp-up performance at launch.
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and internal Linamar quality systems.
• Lead structured root cause analysis and implementation of permanent corrective actions for launch-related issues.
• Define, track, and report key launch performance indicators including timing, quality, cost, scrap, and ramp‑up metrics.
• Provide clear risk assessments, mitigation plans, and executive-level launch status updates.
• Capture lessons learned and deploy best practices to improve future product launches and engineering transfers.
• Drive continuous improvement in launch processes, documentation standards, and engineering handover methodologies.
• Build organizational capability in advanced product launch, APQP execution, and global manufacturing transfer.
• Partner with senior leadership to align launch execution with McLaren and Linamar strategic and commercial objectives.

Academic/Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 10+ years of related automotive experience.
• Master’s degree in a technical field preferred.
• Must demonstrate progressive increases in responsibility.

Required Skills/Experience

• Extensive understanding of driveline/powertrain technology and business; understanding of engineering disciplines and processes.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents and communicate effectively to employees, customers, senior management, public groups, and boards of directors.
• Ability to comprehend and apply advanced mathematics principles and engineering tools.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems, including advanced problem-solving methods.

Working Conditions

• Physical demands include lifting or moving items up to 30 pounds, standing, walking, reaching, climbing, and stooping. Hand and finger use is required to handle equipment and keys on a keyboard.
• Vision requirements include close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision, with the ability to adjust focus.
• Work in a well-ventilated environment with adequate lighting and temperature; occasional exposure to outdoor temperatures.
• Noise level is usually quiet to moderate; occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts and vehicles.
• May require up to 20% travel.
• Work hours may be subject to change based on the discretion of the department manager.

Facility Specific

• Ensure compliance with all legislative requirements in the facility’s geographic location, including ISO 45001, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949 standards.
• Ensure compliance with Linamar’s internal operating system known as ‘GOS’ (Global Operating System).
• Support, foster, promote, and demonstrate Linamar’s core values and leadership behaviours.
• Maintain department 5S requirements.

Support and promote Linamar’s core values and leadership behaviours and maintain department 5S requirements.