Lead Product Engineer

MANN+HUMMEL; Gastonia (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Job summary

MANN+HUMMEL in Gastonia, NC is seeking a Lead Product Engineer to drive the design and development of liquid filtration systems. You will lead complex designs, ensure alignment with specs, cost targets, and project timelines while mentoring engineers and collaborating across global teams.

You will coordinate CAE activities, support validation, and help optimize production processes. A strong background in automotive/heavy-duty and DFMEA is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aeronautical Engineering.
• 3–5 years of lead engineering experience.
• Experience leading cross-cultural engineering teams.
• Ability to define tasks with precise outcomes and deadlines.
• DFMEA familiarity.
• Basic understanding of internal combustion engine systems.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organization and task management.
• Experience in new product development.
• Willingness for overnight travel (10-20%).
• Experience with NX/Catia/Creo preferred.
• Background in Automotive/Heavy-Duty industry preferred.
• Knowledge of plastics engineering, metal stamping/casting, or filtration projects is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of liquid filtration system products, conceptualizing complex designs to meet specifications, cost, and timelines.
• Maintain accountability and responsiveness in customer communication to ensure satisfaction.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evaluate designs, feasibility, and cost for development and manufacturing.
• Work with operations to align designs with production strategies and optimize processes.
• Coordinate CAE activities for design validation and cost optimization.
• Collaborate with Testing to establish validation methods and recommend design changes.
• Work with GBTS for engineering and CAD tasks.
• Mentor PDE I and PDE II team members.
• Support Kaizen/DLS workshops and annual objectives.
• Complete required tasks for each Gate per xSEP process.

Skills

Lead experience

Cross-cultural teams

Clear communication

Task definition & deadlines

DFMEA

Internal combustion basics

Problem solving

Organization & planning

New product development

Domestic travel 10-20%

NX/Catia/Creo

Automotive/Heavy-Duty

Plastics/metals knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aeronautical Engineering

Tools

NX/Catia/Creo

Job description

Role Summary Company: MANN+HUMMEL
Location: Gastonia, NC
As a Lead Product Engineer at MANN+HUMMEL, you will play a pivotal role in driving the design and development of liquid filtration system products. Your responsibilities will include leading the conceptualization of complex designs, ensuring alignment with specifications, cost targets, and project timelines. Additionally, you will foster cross-functional collaboration, contribute to manufacturing process enhancements, and mentor team members to effectively achieve project objectives.

Main Tasks

• Lead the design and development of liquid filtration system products, conceptualizing complex designs to meet internal/external specifications, cost, and timelines
• Maintain a high level of accountability and responsiveness in customer communication, ensuring customer satisfaction and positioning the company as the preferred choice
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evaluate product designs, determine feasibility, and minimize costs for development and manufacturing
• Work closely with operations to align product designs with production strategies, understanding and optimizing process capabilities
• Coordinate Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) activities for product design validation, analyzing results to optimize performance, robust manufacturing, and cost
• Collaborate with Testing to establish validation methods, interpret results, and recommend design changes based on test outcomes
• Work with Global Business and Technology Solutions (GBTS) for engineering and CAD tasks
• Mentor and delegate tasks to assist in the development of PDE I and PDE II team members
• Actively participate and support Kaizen/DLS workshops and contribute to annual objectives
• Complete required tasks for each Gate as per the xSEP process

Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aeronautical Engineering

Skills:

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in a lead engineering role.
• Proven experience in leading cross-cultural engineering teams effectively
• Proficiency in communicating clearly and delegating tasks across diverse linguistic backgrounds
• Ability to define tasks with precise outcomes and deadlines aligned with project timelines
• Strong follow-up and progress monitoring skills, adaptable to flexible schedules for coordinating with global colleagues
• Familiarity with Design Failure Mode Effects Analysis (DFMEA)
• Basic understanding of internal combustion engine systems
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Effective organization and task management to meet project deadlines
• Experience in new product development
• Availability for overnight domestic travel (10-20%)
• Experience with NX/Catia/Creo preferred
• Background in Automotive and/or Heavy-Duty industry preferred
• Knowledge of plastics engineering, metal stamping and casting, or previous involvement in filtration projects a plus

We offer

Benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.
• Opportunities for career advancement and professional growth within a global organization.
• A dynamic and inclusive work environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, and innovation.