Fastener Engineer - GM Defense

General Motors; United States; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors seeks a Technical Lead for Fastening Systems to drive enterprise strategies, standardize practices, and enable robust fastening designs across vehicle programs. You will influence multiple organizations, lead architecture reviews, and champion cost optimization and quality improvements.

The role requires deep technical depth in fastening, joint design, torque management, and manufacturing readiness, with collaboration across Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, Manufacturing, and

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of engineering experience.
• Expertise in fastening systems, joint design, torque management, and mechanical assembly.
• Experience leading enterprise-level technical initiatives across multiple organizations.
• Strong understanding of automotive product development and manufacturing processes.
• Experience working with suppliers and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Proven ability to influence decisions at senior leadership levels.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as GM’s technical authority for mechanical fastening systems, standards, and design practices.
• Develop and maintain enterprise fastening strategies, specifications, and best practices.
• Lead fastening architecture reviews across vehicle programs.
• Drive standardization initiatives to reduce complexity, improve quality, and lower cost.
• Support design reviews for structural, safety-critical, and military applications.
• Provide technical leadership on fastener selection, torque strategies, joint design, coatings, corrosion prevention, fatigue performance, and validation requirements.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Assembly, and Supplier Quality teams to resolve fastening-related issues across development, launch, and production.
• Support field issue investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Guide future fastening technology roadmaps including automation, advanced joining technologies, and digital engineering solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Communication

Mechanical fastening

Joint design

Torque management

Manufacturing processes

Supplier engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering or MBA

Job description

Job Description

The Role:

General Motors is seeking a highly experienced Technical Lead to serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for Fastening Systems. This position is responsible for establishing fastening strategies, ensuring technical excellence across vehicle programs, and supporting robust fastening designs, standards, and execution.

The successful candidate will work across Engineering, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing, and Supplier organizations to drive fastening design quality, standardization, cost optimization, and manufacturing readiness. The role requires strong technical depth and the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple organizations.

Success Metrics

• Achievement of fastening technical milestones across vehicle programs.
• Improvement in fastening quality, warranty, and manufacturing performance.
• Increased fastening standardization and cost optimization.
• Successful execution of validation and implementation plans.
• Technical capability growth across engineering organizations.

What You’ll Do (Responsibilities):

Fastening Technical Leadership

• Serve as GM’s technical authority for mechanical fastening systems, standards, and design practices. Leverage GM COTS fastening systems.
• Develop and maintain enterprise fastening strategies, specifications, and best practices.
• Lead fastening architecture reviews across vehicle programs.
• Drive standardization initiatives to reduce complexity, improve quality, and lower cost.
• Support design reviews for structural, safety-critical, and military applications.
• Provide technical leadership on fastener selection, torque strategies, joint design, coatings, corrosion prevention, fatigue performance, and validation requirements.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Assembly, and Supplier Quality teams to resolve fastening-related issues across development, launch, and production.
• Support field issue investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Guide future fastening technology roadmaps including automation, advanced joining technologies, and digital engineering solutions.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead technical task forces and influence engineering decisions without direct authority.
• Present recommendations to executive leadership and program governance boards.
• Mentor engineers and technical specialists across multiple organizations.
• Build strong partnerships with vehicle engineering, purchasing, quality, manufacturing, and supplier leadership teams.
• Develop technical training, knowledge-sharing forums, and best-practice documentation.
• Represent GM in industry technical discussions and supplier engagements.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications):

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of engineering experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in fastening systems, joint design, torque management, and mechanical assembly.
• Experience leading enterprise-level technical initiatives across multiple organizations.
• Strong understanding of automotive product development and manufacturing processes.
• Experience working directly with suppliers and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to influence decisions at senior leadership levels.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing complex technical risks and driving resolution plans.
• Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, aslee or refugee).

What Can Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications):

• Master’s degree in engineering or MBA.
• Expertise in automotive fastening standards and specifications.
• Experience with supplier sourcing, global supply chains, and risk management.
• Knowledge of military, aerospace, or high-reliability fastening applications.
• Experience supporting vehicle launches and production readiness activities.
• Lean Manufacturing, DFSS, Six Sigma, or equivalent certification.

#GMD

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc)This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, aslee or refugee).

About GM

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