Prototype Program Lead

Stellantis; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Vehicle lease program

Family building benefit

Tuition reimbursement

Volunteer hours

Job summary

Stellantis North America is building a DMAD team to lead design and manufacturing of advanced demonstrators. This leadership role drives cross-functional projects across engineering, procurement, and manufacturing to accelerate prototyping and product maturity.

You will manage 5–10 internal staff plus contractors, set priorities, mentor engineers, and ensure QCDP delivery. Fluency in English required; automotive BIW, hardware prototyping, and risk management experience are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• Minimum 8 years of working experience in the Automotive Industry.
• Experience in BIW transformation, vehicle architecture and synthesis and prototyping processes.
• English: able to lead meetings in English.

Responsibilities

• Lead the team by defining priorities to ensure that all expected results and deliverables are achieved.
• Ensure the quality and relevance of team deliverables in accordance with project milestones.
• Direct activities and processes to contribute to performance objectives (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Performance).
• Supervise outsourced deliverables and drive continuous improvement plans.
• Anticipate staffing requirements (internal and external) in line with project schedules.
• Define and monitor internal resources and, where needed, external resources.
• Coach and support team members and ensure competency development.
• Conduct performance reviews and training plans.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Job description

We are hiring and building a Design & Manufacturing of Advanced Demonstrators (DMAD) team in North America. DMAD supports innovation across all Group entities and regions. We act as a strategic enabler for both upstream research phases and downstream development and industrial activities. Our ambition is to deploy our unique model globally, bringing excellence in advanced prototyping to key regions,including North America.We are a high-impact execution team:Specifications makers, Full-stack engineering capabilities, Strong multidisciplinary expertise, Cross functional project management, Rapid prototyping & technical integration andAgile, decision-driven execution.

Key Activities:

• Lead the team by defining priorities to ensure that all expected results and deliverables are achieved.
• Ensure the quality and relevance of team deliverables in accordance with project milestones.
• Direct activities and processes to contribute to the performance objectives assigned to the department across QCDP dimensions (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Performance), including value optimization, mass reduction, and complexity reduction targets.
• Supervise outsourced deliverables by ensuring the robustness of input data, assessing deliverable quality, and driving continuous improvement plans.
• Anticipate staffing requirements (internal and external) in line with project and deliverable schedules.
• Manage workload and define internal or external resources required to support and execute programs. Manage external resources to ensure deliverables are achieved.
• When applicable, develop and maintain knowledge of key suppliers and establish operational plans for using their capabilities and expertise.
• Participate in structured problem-solving activities (Problem Resolution, DFSS) and maintain best practices through lessons learned across regions and global teams.
• Define and manage team standards and verify their application across all projects.
• Leverage competitive benchmarking activities in collaboration with the Global Technical Team when relevant.
• Ensure standards are developed in cooperation with methods and expert teams.
• Coach and support team members and ensure required competencies are developed through training and mentoring.
• Conduct individual performance reviews, regular one-to-one meetings, and competency assessments.
• Define and monitor individual training plans.
• Implement and lead safety initiatives aligned with team activities, including shop-floor safety walks.

Responsibilities:

• Managerial and operational responsibility for teams.
• Accountable for resources and results.
• Internal team composition: non-management and management employees.
• Typical team size: 5 to 10 employees plus contractors.
• Activity scope: primarily local/regional.
• Technical scope: programs, projects, serial-life activities, or engineering standards.
• Forward-looking strategic vision.
• Custodian of regional standards and reference frameworks.

Working Relationships:

• Reports to the Discipline Manager.
• Provides guidance and direction to team members.
• Shares strategic vision when requested by management.
• Cooperates with internal and external stakeholders.
• Contributes to strategy discussions with internal and external partners.
• Builds and manages relationships with external service providers.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
• Minimum 8 years of working experience in the Automotive Industry
• Experience in BIW transformation, vehicle architecture and synthesis and prototyping processes
• English: able to lead meetings in English

Key Skills & Qualifications:

• Proven leadership and cross-functional team coordination skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and technical decision-making abilities.
• Experience managing engineering risks, requirements, and validation activities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to work in fast-paced and evolving development environments.

Our Benefits — Designed with You in Mind

Comprehensive Health & Well-being Coverage
From your very first day, you'll have access to medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage — ensuring you and your family stay healthy and protected.

Generous Paid Time Off
We believe in work-life balance. That's why we offer: 17+ paid holidays, including shut-down from December 24th through New Years Day every year. Vacation, float & wellbeing days, sick time and fully paid parental leave when your family needs you most.

Competitive Retirement Savings Plans
We help you plan for the future with:

• An employer match on contributions to your 401k, Roth, and Catch-Up plans
• An employer contribution, even if you don't contribute

Income Protection & Insurance Options
Benefit from included and optional disability, life, and other insurance programs — because your peace of mind matters.

Company Vehicle Lease Program
Eligible employees and their immediate families can enjoy company vehicle lease options with included insurance, maintenance, and unlimited mileage. Plus, take advantage of exclusive discounts on Stellantis products.

Family Building Benefit
We proudly support all paths to parenthood- including fertility and infertility treatments, adoption services, and gestational surrogacy.

Support for Your Growth and Giving Back
We believe in investing in your future and your passions:

• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan refinancing programs
• 18 paid volunteer hours each year to make a difference in your community

And so much more!
When you join us, you're not just building a career — you're joining a company that supports you, inside and outside of work.