Subsystem Architect - GM Defense

GM Defense; Milford Charter Township (MI); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle program

Job summary

GM Defense is seeking a Subsystem Architect to identify architecture options, lead trade studies, and translate customer needs into subsystem requirements across interior/occupant accommodations, chassis, thermal, and electrical domains. You will partner with design, manufacturing, quality, and program teams to ensure feasible, cost-effective solutions, and support demonstrator builds and documentation.

As a senior contributor, you will drive data-based architecture decisions, manage risk, and

Qualifications

• BSE or BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of professional engineering experience in vehicle, subsystem, or product engineering.
• Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).
• Demonstrated experience in vehicle integration, subsystem architecture, or system-level engineering.
• Deep experience across the full breadth of a subsystem, including requirements, interfaces, packaging, performance, cost, validation, and implementation, gained through work on multiple programs.
• Proven ability to evaluate multiple technical alternatives and make data-driven recommendations based on cost, mass, performance, packaging, and timing.
• Strong understanding of engineering theory and the principles of operation of mechanical and/or electrical systems.
• Experience leading or supporting structured trade studies, decision matrices, and technical down-selection activities.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams, including engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, finance, and program management.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex trade-offs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to identify technical risks, assumptions, and integration constraints early in the product development process.
• Experience creating clear, concise engineering recommendations for leadership and program decision forums.

Responsibilities

• Identify subsystem architecture options and building-block alternatives for new GM Defense vehicle and product applications.
• Lead trade studies that compare technical alternatives using packaging, performance, cost, mass, and timing as primary evaluation criteria.
• Translate product and customer needs into subsystem-level architectural requirements, assumptions, and decision criteria.
• Partner with design, systems, manufacturing, purchasing, quality, finance, and program teams to assess solution feasibility and integration risk.
• Develop recommendation packages that clearly communicate trade-offs, key assumptions, risks, and proposed path forward.
• Support early concept development by evaluating carryover, modified, and new-design subsystem solutions.
• Assess subsystem compatibility with overall vehicle and product architecture, including physical integration and interface impacts.
• Drive alignment on subsystem decisions by facilitating technical reviews and cross-functional discussions.
• Support issue resolution when subsystem architecture decisions affect program execution, integration, build, or test outcomes.
• Support the planning and execution of concept demonstrator builds, including ordering component parts and coordinating material needs.
• Assist in developing build instructions and related technical documentation to enable efficient concept demonstrator assembly.
• Resolve build issues during concept demonstrator execution by working with engineering and build teams to identify root cause and implement corrective actions.
• Assess and address subsystem and vehicle performance issues observed during concept demonstrator builds and evaluations, driving improvements into future architectural recommendations.
• Create and maintain engineering analyses, comparison matrices, and decision documentation to support leadership reviews and program checkpoints.
• Contribute to program planning by identifying architecture-related timing risks, dependency impacts, and decision gates.
• Assist Chief Engineers, Program Engineering Managers, and engineering leaders with technical recommendations, scenario analysis, and product definition decisions.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of overall vehicle and program success.

Skills

Subsystem architecture

Trade studies

Requirements management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decisions

Engineering analysis

Communication/presentation

U.S. Person

Education

BSE/BS in Engineering

Tools

DFMEA

DVP&R

Job description

The Role

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, and autonomy and connectivity solutions for global defense, security and government customers. By leveraging GM’s advanced commercial vehicle platforms, engineering expertise and large-scale manufacturing, GM Defense rapidly adapts proven technologies into military-grade, mission-ready solutions that help customers improve mobility, readiness and sustainment while managing cost and complexity.

Job Description

GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power and propulsion, and autonomy and connectivity solutions for global defense, security and government customers. By leveraging GM’s advanced commercial vehicle platforms, engineering expertise and large-scale manufacturing, GM Defense rapidly adapts proven technologies into military-grade, mission-ready solutions that help customers improve mobility, readiness and sustainment while managing cost and complexity.

The Subsystem Architect is responsible for identifying and evaluating alternative subsystem building blocks for new GM Defense products for global military and government customers, as well as industry partners, while also supporting the planning and execution of concept demonstrator builds. This role leads structured trade studies to compare feasible solutions and recommend the best overall product approach based on packaging, performance, cost, mass, and timing. In addition, this role helps turn selected concepts into demonstrator hardware by supporting component sourcing, build planning, issue resolution, and performance assessment. As a senior individual contributor, you will work across engineering teams to define subsystem concepts, align technical decisions, and drive data-based architecture recommendations that support program objectives.

This posting supports multiple Subsystem Architect openings in the following areas: 1) Interior/Occupant Accommodations 2) Chassis 3) Thermal, and 4) Electrical Architecture. Successful candidates will bring deep technical expertise in one or more of these domains while applying a common architectural and trade-study approach to support overall product success.

What You’ll Do

• Identify subsystem architecture options and building-block alternatives for new GM Defense vehicle and product applications.
• Lead trade studies that compare technical alternatives using packaging, performance, cost, mass, and timing as primary evaluation criteria.
• Translate product and customer needs into subsystem-level architectural requirements, assumptions, and decision criteria.
• Partner with design, systems, manufacturing, purchasing, quality, finance, and program teams to assess solution feasibility and integration risk.
• Develop recommendation packages that clearly communicate trade-offs, key assumptions, risks, and proposed path forward.
• Support early concept development by evaluating carryover, modified, and new-design subsystem solutions.
• Assess subsystem compatibility with overall vehicle and product architecture, including physical integration and interface impacts.
• Drive alignment on subsystem decisions by facilitating technical reviews and cross-functional discussions.
• Support issue resolution when subsystem architecture decisions affect program execution, integration, build, or test outcomes.
• Support the planning and execution of concept demonstrator builds, including ordering component parts and coordinating material needs.
• Assist in developing build instructions and related technical documentation to enable efficient concept demonstrator assembly.
• Resolve build issues during concept demonstrator execution by working with engineering and build teams to identify root cause and implement corrective actions.
• Assess and address subsystem and vehicle performance issues observed during concept demonstrator builds and evaluations, driving improvements into future architectural recommendations.
• Create and maintain engineering analyses, comparison matrices, and decision documentation to support leadership reviews and program checkpoints.
• Contribute to program planning by identifying architecture-related timing risks, dependency impacts, and decision gates.
• Assist Chief Engineers, Program Engineering Managers, and engineering leaders with technical recommendations, scenario analysis, and product definition decisions.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of overall vehicle and program success.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• BSE or BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of professional engineering experience in vehicle, subsystem, or product engineering.
• Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).
• Demonstrated experience in vehicle integration, subsystem architecture, or system-level engineering.
• Deep experience across the full breadth of a subsystem, including requirements, interfaces, packaging, performance, cost, validation, and implementation, gained through work on multiple programs.
• Proven ability to evaluate multiple technical alternatives and make data-driven recommendations based on cost, mass, performance, packaging, and timing.
• Strong understanding of engineering theory and the principles of operation of mechanical and/or electrical systems.
• Experience leading or supporting structured trade studies, decision matrices, and technical down-selection activities.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams, including engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, finance, and program management.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex trade-offs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to identify technical risks, assumptions, and integration constraints early in the product development process.
• Experience creating clear, concise engineering recommendations for leadership and program decision forums.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Master’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Experience defining subsystem building blocks and architecture strategies for new vehicle or mobility products.
• Background in vehicle-level packaging and interface management across multiple systems.
• Experience performing concept evaluations involving carryover, derivative, and all-new subsystem solutions.
• Familiarity with systems engineering methods, requirements management, DFMEA, DVP&R, and change control processes.
• Experience developing quantitative comparison tools for architecture selection and design trade-off decisions.
• Knowledge of manufacturing, assembly, and serviceability considerations that influence subsystem architecture choices.
• Experience supporting defense, government, or other highly regulated product development programs.
• Ability to synthesize technical, business, and program inputs into clear recommendations that improve overall product outcomes.

Company Vehicle

Upon successful completion of a motor vehicle report review, you will be eligible to participate in a company vehicle evaluation program, through which you will be assigned a General Motors vehicle to drive and evaluate. Note: program participants are required to purchase/lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years unless one of a limited number of exceptions applies.

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc). This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}. This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate. The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).

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