Project Engineer II

dtna; United States; Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k match

Paid vacation

Holidays

Parental leave

Healthcare plans

Tuition assistance

Wellness programs

On-site fitness

Volunteer time off

Job summary

Daimler Truck North America is seeking a Product Cost Excellence professional to drive material cost reduction and enable faster, higher quality engineering decisions. The role reports to the Product Cost Excellence team and collaborates with Engineering, Purchasing, Finance, and Quality to surface early cost opportunities.

The position is hybrid (4 days in-office / 1 day remote) and focuses on governance, messaging to senior leadership, and rigorous project management through the OLT process.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or 2–4 years of experience required, or 6 years of relevant experience in lieu of degree.
• Experience working cross‑functionally with Engineering or technical teams.
• Strong communication skills, including executive-level presentations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at varying maturity levels.
• Proficiency with SharePoint, MS Project, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience reporting to executive level.

Responsibilities

• Manage and support initiatives through the unified OLT process.
• Create and maintain detailed project timelines for cost optimization initiatives.
• Coordinate vehicle walkaround activities to surface early cost/complexity opportunities.
• Facilitate cross functional meetings, design reviews, feasibility discussions, and OLT preparation.
• Partner with Engineering, Purchasing, ME, Finance, and Quality to validate technical measures and ensure alignment.
• Support initiatives through engineering-driven levers, measure validation, and wave planning.
• Maintain clear ownership, governance, and status visibility for all initiatives.
• Track action items and manage OLT presentation readiness.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive presentations

MS Project

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Attention to detail

Project tracking

Education

Bachelor's Degree or 6 years of relevant experience

Tools

SharePoint

MS Project

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Inside the Role

Product Cost Excellence (PCE) is a critical DTNA function focused on reducing material cost, and enabling faster, higher quality engineering decisions. Working cross functionally with Engineering, Purchasing, Finance, Manufacturing, Quality, Product Validation, and Changeover, this team drives cost and complexity results from idea generation through OLT approval and into implementation.

The Product Cost Excellence team operates under a unified process that integrates both technical and commercial levers, supporting DTNA's Material Cost Program, and ensuring clear decision governance. This role provides visibility to senior leadership, ownership of cross functional initiatives, and the opportunity to directly influence DTNA's cost competitiveness.

Posting Information

We provide a scheduled posting end date to assist our candidates with their application planning. While this date reflects our latest plans, it is subject to change, and postings may be extended or removed earlier than expected.

We Take Care of Our Team

Position offers a starting salary range of $86,000 to $110,000 USD

Pay offered dependent on knowledge, skills, and experience

• 401k company contribution with company match up to 8% as well as non-elective company contribution of 3 - 7% depending on age
• starting at 4 weeks paid vacation
• 13+ calendar holidays
• 8 weeks paid parental leave
• employee assistance program
• comprehensive healthcare plans and wellness programs
• onsite fitness (at some locations)
• tuition assistance and volunteer paid time off
• short-term and long-term disability plans

What You Drive At DTNA

Project Management & Execution

• Manage and support initiatives through the unified OLT process.
• Create and maintain detailed project timelines for cost optimization initiatives.
• Coordinate vehicle walkaround activities to surface early cost/complexity opportunities.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Facilitate cross functional meetings, design reviews, feasibility discussions, and OLT preparation.
• Partner with Engineering, Purchasing, ME, Finance, and Quality to validate technical measures and ensure alignment.
• Support initiatives through engineering-driven levers, measure validation, and wave planning.

Governance & Reporting

• Maintain clear ownership, governance, and status visibility for all initiatives.
• Track action items and manage OLT presentation readiness.

Knowledge You Should Bring

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university/college required with 2 to 4 years of experience OR 6 years of relevant experience in lieu of degree, required.
• Experience working cross‑functionally with Engineering or technical teams.
• Strong communication skills, including executive-level presentations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at varying maturity levels.
• Proficiency with SharePoint, MS Project, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and problem‑solving skills.
• Reporting experience to executive level.

Exceptional Candidates Might Have

• Experience with cost reduction, value engineering, or complexity optimization.
• Experience with KPI development.
• Exposure to product engineering, PAR, or engineering change management processes.
• Knowledge of material cost, manufacturing processes, or supply chain levers.
• Experience working with AI-enabled or analytics tools.

Where We Work

This position is open to applicants who can work in (or relocate to) the following location(s):-

Portland, OR US. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Schedule Type

Hybrid (4 days per week in-office / 1 day remote). This schedule builds our #OneTeamBestTeam culture, provides an unparalleled customer experience, and creates innovative solutions through in‑person collaboration.

About Us

At Daimler Truck North America, we recognize our world is changing faster than ever before. By listening to the needs of today, we're building to solve with cutting‑edge solutions in sustainability and future driving technology across electric, hydrogen and autonomous. These solutions, backed by years of innovative success and achievement, continue DTNA's legacy as the undisputed industry leader. Our evolving brand portfolio is second to none, including Freightliner Trucks, Western Star, Demand Detroit, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis, and Financial Services. Together, we work as one team towards our envisioned future - building a cleaner, safer and more efficient tomorrow for all.

That is what we are working toward - for all who keep the world moving.

Additional Information

• This position is not open for Visa sponsorship or to existing Visa holders
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work permanently in the country the position is located in at the time of application
• Final candidate must successfully complete a criminal background check
• Final candidate may be required to successfully complete a pre‑employment drug screen
• Contractors, professional service