Principal Business Development Engineer (E-Compressors)

The Judge Group; Farmington Hills (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier recruitment firm is seeking a Principal Business Development Engineer to drive growth in the U.S. automotive market for E-Compressor products. This role requires extensive experience in the automotive industry, especially in thermal management. Responsibilities include developing strategies to acquire customers, collaborating with R&D teams, and managing project lifecycles. Ideal candidates will have a strong technical background, including a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, and fluency in English. Competitive salary offered.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the automotive industry, including 5+ years in E-Compressor or thermal management systems.
• Proven track record in business development or technical sales within OEM/Tier 1 networks.
• Strong technical knowledge of compressor systems, electric drives, and thermal management technologies.
• Familiarity with U.S. OEM standards and customer expectations.
• Experience with Japanese automakers is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Fluent in English; Japanese language skills are a strong advantage.
• Comfortable working across cultures and time zones, especially with teams in China.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to acquire new U.S. customers for E-Compressor products.
• Collaborate with the China-based R&D team to align product capabilities with customer requirements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with U.S. OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
• Lead technical discussions and presentations to support customer engineering and sourcing decisions.
• Translate customer needs into actionable technical requirements for global teams.
• Manage the full project lifecycle: pre-sales, prototype testing, launch, and post-sales support.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify new opportunities in automotive thermal management.
• Serve as the U.S. point of contact for cross-functional coordination across engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing.

Job description

Principal Business Development Engineer (E-Compressor / Thermal Management)

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This range is provided by The Judge Group. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$110,000.00/yr - $160,000.00/yr

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Job Title

Principal Business Development Engineer

Employment Type

Full-Time, Direct Hire

Location

Farmington Hills, MI

Salary Range

$110,000 – $160,000 per year

Job Description

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Business Development Engineer to lead new business development efforts in the U.S. automotive market. This role will act as the primary liaison between American automotive customers and our overseas R&D team, driving growth for our E-Compressor product line.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to acquire new U.S. customers for E-Compressor products.
• Collaborate with the China-based R&D team to align product capabilities with customer requirements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with U.S. OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers (e.g., GM, Ford, Stellantis, Tesla).
• Lead technical discussions and presentations to support customer engineering and sourcing decisions.
• Translate customer needs into actionable technical requirements for global teams.
• Manage the full project lifecycle: pre-sales, prototype testing, launch, and post-sales support.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify new opportunities in automotive thermal management.
• Serve as the U.S. point of contact for cross-functional coordination across engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the automotive industry, including 5+ years in E-Compressor or thermal management systems.
• Proven track record in business development or technical sales within OEM/Tier 1 networks.
• Strong technical knowledge of compressor systems, electric drives, and thermal management technologies.
• Familiarity with U.S. OEM standards and customer expectations.
• Experience with Japanese automakers is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Fluent in English; Japanese language skills are a strong advantage.
• Comfortable working across cultures and time zones, especially with teams in China.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.

Core Competencies

• Technical Sales & Engineering Expertise
• Customer Relationship Management
• Market & Competitive Analysis
• Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving
• Adaptability & Learning Agility

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing