Product Technical Leader

US01 VALEO NORTH AMERICA; Seymour (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Valeo North America is seeking a seasoned R&D leader for Customer Applications, driving cross-disciplinary collaboration across engineering disciplines. You will oversee project scopes, budgets, and timelines, aligning with customer requirements while advancing innovative automotive components.

The role emphasizes leadership of 5+ years in automotive R&D, managing teams or project contributors, and delivering robust, cost-controlled solutions within a global tech environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Mechatronics Engineering.
• 5+ years of automotive component R&D development experience.
• Experience directing direct or indirect reports.
• Experience with high-tech automotive components is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and synchronize R&D contributors to meet project targets.
• Interface with customers and internal teams for R&D subjects.
• Control R&D effort, costs, and changes through ECN (Engineering Change Notifications).
• Ensure on-time, on-budget delivery with top quality.

Skills

R&D leadership

Cross-disciplinary lead

Task delegation

Technical liaison

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Valeo is a tech global company, designing breakthrough solutions to reinvent the mobility. We are an automotive supplier partner to automakers and new mobility actors worldwide. Our vision? Invent a greener and more secured mobility, thanks to solutions focusing on intuitive driving and reducing CO2 emissions. We are leader on our businesses, and recognized as one of the largest global innovative companies.

What You Will Win

As part of a global community of talented people, you will grow and thrive working on advanced technologies for greener, safer and smarter mobility. Our company culture gives all our employees the opportunity every day to #Dare.Care.Share. You will receive a best in class, total compensation package that provides a comprehensive benefits program with real financial value.

What You Will Do

• Be accountable for the whole scope of technical activities in a headlight or tail light development project
• Lead and synchronize R&D contributors / disciplines for project targets achievement
• Assign tasks to disciplines according to customer and project need
• Be the first technical contact for the project internally and externally
• Control and monitor R&D effort and costs
• Have strict control on Engineering Change Requests
• Proactively control of technical project risks
• Work on problem solving, focused on root cause analysis to find effective solutions
• Accountable for technical issues escalation in the project and report progress in action plan
• Arbitrating technical solutions with Discipline contributors when necessary
• Act as the first technical contact of the project internally & externally
• Interface with the customer for the R&D subjects of the project, break down and cascade internally customer requests and needs
• Coordinate cross-disciplinary teams to ensure timely and accurate delivery of components for product development
• Ensure product development is completed within the defined budget, meeting the highest quality standards and design robustness
• Ensure the implementation and integration of standardized platform solutions within the project
• Proactively identify and mitigate project risks, implementing active resolution plans
• Organize reviews and technical meetings, addressing key issues and ensuring alignment between stakeholders
• Monitor all topics from DRs, define action plans and ensure no late resolution
• Work on problem solving, with the support of the disciplines, monitor the progress and ensure no late resolution
• Report progress and elevate critical issues to the Project Manager or R&D Manager as required
• Accountable for the deliverables
• Responsible for the R&D detailed budgeting
• Responsible for the detailed scheduling to ensure R&D activities align with key customer and organizational milestones
• Develop a detailed breakdown of R&D activities to meet project milestones and align with the overall schedule
• Manage R&D contributors
• Daily management of 1st level R&D contributors - disciplines dedicated to the project, assign to them the work packages and tasks needed, according to project needs and ensure timely delivery of assigned tasks
• Lead weekly R&D meetings with all contributors, focusing on key issues such as the SLI (Single List of Issues), schedule critical paths, and budget management.
• Documented discussions with clear meeting minutes
• Ensure synchronization between disciplines by coordinating internal milestones and maintaining alignment across teams
• Facilitate and arbitrate technical solutions in collaboration with discipline contributors when required
• Conduct regular reviews with relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment between project needs, resource availability, and deliverable timelines

What You Should Have

• You have a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or a similar engineering discipline
• You have 5 or more years of experience in automotive component R&D development
• You preferably have experience at a company that engineers high tech automotive components
• You have experience managing/directing direct or indirect reports

Thanks to its strategy focused on innovation, Valeo aims at reducing CO2 emissions and developing intuitive driving to propose greener, safer, and smarter mobility.

The fantastic (r)evolution towards the vehicle of the future provides amazing career opportunities and challenging jobs!

Diversity by nature At Valeo, innovation is driven by the diversity, authenticity and energy of its talent.

More than 100,000 employees across the globe!

Job Details

• Job: Customer Applications
• Organization: Product Technical
• Schedule: Full time
• Employee Status: Regular
• Job Type: Permanent contract
• Job Posting Date: 2026-10-02

Join our team

• one of the largest global innovative companies, with more than 20,000 engineers working in Research & Development
• a multi-cultural environment that values diversity and international collaboration
• more than 100,000 colleagues in 31 countries... which make a lot of opportunity for career growth
• a business highly committed to limiting the environmental impact of its activities and ranked by Corporate Knights as the number one company in the automotive sector in terms of sustainable development