Platform Chief Engineer - Bus Platform

International; Lisle (IL); On-site; USD 164,000 - 246,000; Full time

Job summary

International Motors, based in Lisle, Illinois, seeks a Platform Chief Engineer - Bus Platform to lead vehicle-platform engineering, balancing performance, cost, quality, and delivery across the program lifecycle.

You will drive platform strategy, guide cross-functional teams, and govern engineering decisions while partnering with sales and program management to meet customer requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with at least 6 years of product design/development and/or computer science experience
• Master's degree with at least 5 years of experience and lead experience
• PhD with at least 4 years of experience and lead experience

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering leadership for vehicle-level performance, quality, cost, timing, and product execution.
• Represent Engineering to Commercial team; align customer, market and engineering priorities.
• Define platform strategy, scope, and performance requirements; guide cross-functional decisions.
• Drive platform initiatives; ensure alignment with program objectives and business goals.
• Partner with Program Management to identify risks and maintain commitments.
• Lead governance through Change Control Boards and cost-management activities.
• Lead Application Engineering team for platform execution and support.
• Collaborate across Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Sales, Service, Quality, Regulatory, and Commercial teams.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Executive presentation

Business acumen

Tradeoff analysis

Strategic thinking

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

School bus experience

Regulatory awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology or Computer Science

Master’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology or Computer Science

PhD in Engineering, Engineering Technology or Computer Science

Job description

Position Overview

International Motors is seeking a highly accomplished Platform Chief Engineer - Bus Platform to provide technical and business leadership for one of our vehicle platforms within the Research & Development organization. This role serves as the primary engineering leader responsible for vehicle-level performance, quality, cost, timing, and customer satisfaction throughout the product lifecycle.

Responsibilities

Platform Leadership

• Provide overall engineering leadership and accountability for vehicle-level performance, quality, cost, timing, and product execution.


• Serve as the principal engineering representative to the Commercial team, ensuring alignment between customer, market, and engineering priorities.


• Represent Commercial requirements within R&D, vehicle programs, and strategic planning activities.

Product Strategy & Program Execution

• Support development of platform strategy, program charters, scope definition, and vehicle performance attribute requirements.


• Guide cross-functional decision-making and tradeoff analysis related to vehicle packaging, performance, quality, cost, manufacturability, and delivery.


• Drive execution of platform initiatives while ensuring alignment with program objectives and business goals.


• Partner with Program Management and functional leaders to identify risks, resolve issues, and maintain program commitments.

Engineering Governance & Cost Management

• Lead engineering decision-making processes through participation in Change Control Boards (CCB) and related governance forums.


• Ensure feature implementation balances customer value, platform complexity, quality, and cost considerations.


• Support product cost management through Tracked Typical Reviews and ongoing cost optimization initiatives.


• Drive disciplined engineering change management processes across the platform.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead and develop the Application Engineering team responsible for platform execution and support.


• Collaborate with Custom Engineering to ensure timely delivery of Special Quote (SQ) content and customer-specific solutions.


• Build strong partnerships across Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Sales, Service, Quality, Regulatory, and Commercial organizations.


• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and customer focus.

Quality, Customer Support & Product Advocacy

• Engage in resolution of engineering, manufacturing, and field quality concerns to achieve product quality objectives.


• Serve as a technical consultant to Sales and Dealer organizations for special quotations, specification reviews, order configuration, and customer support.


• Support Aftersales teams by providing engineering expertise related to product support, serviceability, and customer satisfaction.


• Represent the platform at customer events, industry engagements, and trade shows as required.

Regulatory & Compliance Leadership

• Ensure platform compliance with all applicable regulatory, safety, environmental, and certification requirements.


• Maintain awareness of evolving industry regulations and proactively integrate requirements into product development activities.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology or Computer Science and at least 6 years of product design/development and/or computer science experience


• At least 3 years of lead experience

OR

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology or Computer Science and at least 5 years of product design/development and/or computer science experience


• At least 3 years of lead experience

OR

• PhD in Engineering, Engineering Technology or Computer Science and at least 4 years of product design/development and/or computer science experience


• At least 3 years of lead experience

Additional Requirements

• Qualified candidates, excluding current employees, must be legally authorized on an unrestricted basis (US Citizen, Legal Permanent Resident, Refugee or Asylee) to be employed in the United States. We do not anticipate providing employment related work sponsorship for this position (e.g., H-1B status)

Desired Skills

• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills.


• Strong business acumen and customer-focused decision-making.


• Ability to evaluate and lead complex tradeoff decisions involving performance, cost, quality, and timing.


• High sense of urgency, ownership, and accountability.


• Proven commercial vehicle product development experience.


• Strong leadership and team development capabilities.


• Ability to influence without direct authority and build consensus across diverse stakeholders.


• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving and analytical skills.


• Demonstrated ability to build lasting relationships across engineering, commercial, and operational functions.


• School bus development experience.


• Knowledge of school bus industry, requirements, and regulations.

Benefits and Compensation

This position offers competitive market-based compensation, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee wellbeing. You can learn more about the benefits offered for this position by visiting https://careers.international.com/#benefits.The expected salary offered for this position will fall within the stated range, with the final offer based on the candidates' applicable skills, knowledge, and experience.

Salary Minimum: USD $164,000.00/Yr.

Salary Maximum: USD $246,000.00/Yr.

Company Overview

About TRATONWith its brands Scania, MAN, International, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus, TRATON SE is the parent and holding company of the TRATON GROUP (https://traton.com/) and one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. The Group’s product portfolio comprises trucks, buses, and light-duty commercial vehicles. “Transforming Transportation Together. For a sustainable world.”: this intention underlines the Company’s ambition to have a lasting and sustainable impact on the commercial vehicle business and on the Group’s commercial growth.

About InternationalFrom a one-man company built on the world-changing invention of the McCormick reaper in 1831, to the 15,000-person-strong company we are today,few companies can lay claim to a history like International. Based in Lisle, Illinois, International Motors, LLC* creates solutions that deliver greater uptime and productivity to our customers throughout the full operation of our commercial vehicles. We build International® trucks and engines and IC Bus® school and commercial buses that are as tough and as smart as the people who drive them. We also develop Fleetrite® aftermarket parts. In everything we do, our vision is to accelerate the impact of sustainable mobility to create the cleaner, safer world we all deserve. As of 2021, we joined Scania, MAN and Volkswagen Truck & Bus in TRATON GROUP, a global champion of the truck and transport services industry. To learn more, visit International.com.

*International Motors, LLC is d/b/a International Motors USA in Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Utah.

EEO Statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to access the online application system or participate in the interview process due to your disability, please [e-mail] request assistance. Kindly specify Job Requisition Number / Job Title and Location in response. Otherwise, your request may not be considered.