Senior Engineering Manager

Gentherm; Novi (MI); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Gentherm is recruiting a Senior Engineering Manager in Novi, Michigan to lead a team of engineers and deliver high-impact, customer-focused solutions. You will translate strategy into execution, drive continuous improvement, and ensure design excellence across programs.

This role emphasizes leadership, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and delivering reliable engineering outcomes that support business growth and customer success.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of progressive industry experience.
• Minimum of 5 years in Automotive Engineering Management.
• Excellent customer engagement, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of product engineers to execute strategic initiatives.
• Translate objectives into actionable plans and optimize processes.
• Ensure safe, cost-efficient, timely design within industry standards.
• Provide technical guidance and strengthen customer relationships.
• Oversee documentation and CI/VAVE initiatives for product lines.
• Coordinate program launches and manage engineering meetings with customers.

Skills

Leadership

People mgmt

Project mgmt

Customer engagement

Engineering mgmt

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering

Job description

Your Career. Your Impact. Your Future.

At Gentherm, we believe the next big breakthrough begins with you. As a global leader in thermal management and pneumatic comfort technologies, we develop advanced systems that deliver meaningful solutions to enhance health, wellness, comfort, and efficiency in everyday life. Our products and innovations are created for you, by you.

Be part of our team where a human-centric mindset drives everything we do-from the technologies we build to the careers we support. With decades of expertise, we have pioneered advanced solutions that have become a standard expectation for consumers around the world.

The same thoughtful approach we take in developing our technologies guides how we support your career: purposeful, impactful, and tailored to you. Because when you thrive, innovation thrives.

Senior Engineering Manager

Impact and Opportunity

The Engineering Manager leads and develops a team of product engineers to successfully execute strategic engineering initiatives and deliver high-impact solutions. This role drives operational excellence within the Applications Engineering function by translating strategic objectives into actionable plans, optimizing processes, and ensuring consistent execution. Through strong leadership, collaboration, and technical guidance, the Engineering Manager empowers the team to deliver innovative solutions, strengthen customer relationships, and provide best-in-class service that supports business growth and customer success.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Manage Product Engineers to ensure Gentherm North America has adequate and technically competent, efficient and robust engineering resources and technical solutions to support all approved projects and programs
• Responsible for ensuring that product is designed within various industry standards according to applicable specification in a safe, cost efficient and timely manner while following the PCP process
• Ensure that adequate test/validation methods are used to model product "in field" behavior, through either new test methods or as related to industry standard; Reliability review of validation test results
• Provide feedback in design feasibility; Review DVPR as well approve use of surrogate data
• Support the financial and commercial objectives set for Gentherm North America and actively support cost reduction initiatives
• Oversee the organization of manufacturing and industrial engineering related documentation for new and existing products and the maintenance of correct engineering and technical disciplines
• Ensure the continuous improvement of existing product design and internal processes to increase customer satisfaction (CI and VAVE initiatives)
• Drive the team towards development of new product concepts and/or improved versions of existing products
• Act as a technical liaison between the customer and Project Management to identify project timelines from design phase through production and service
• Manage engineering development meetings as well as facilitate program launches with the customer

Minimum Qualifications

• 8 to 10 years of progressive industry experience
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Automotive Engineering Management Role
• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering
• Excellent customer engagement, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, with the ability to build strong relationships, influence stakeholders, and effectively communicate technical solutions and business value.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience leading, developing, and mentoring high-performing teams to achieve business objectives, foster collaboration and drive continuous improvement.

Nice to Know

Travel: Up to 25% local travel

Leadership Responsibilities: Manages a team of 9 people

Competencies:

Deliver Results

• Understand the mission and output of your team; set SMART objectives and deliver

Drive Change

• Focus on agility and commitment to continuous improvement; Understand and act on internal and external drivers of change

Build Capability

• Foster a culture of learning and development; Support individual growth through continuous feedback to achieve personal and professional goals

Cultivate Innovation

• Openly embrace, create, implement and support new and innovative ideas, processes and technology that deliver business result

Gentherm is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building an inclusive culture through Our Network of Engagement (ONE) where we value our differences and work together to positively impact the lives of our employees, customers, and communities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.