Zone Manufacturing Engineer - General Assembly (Vehicle Assembly)

General Motors; Warren (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors in Warren, MI seeks a Zone Manufacturing Engineer to own a defined General Assembly zone from concept through launch to steady-state production. You will work largely autonomously, applying your expertise in tooling, process flow, and material movement to ensure safe, efficient assembly.

You will lead new programs and model changes, define tooling and automation requirements, and coordinate with cross-functional teams to drive improvements and lessons learned into future launches.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of experience in Manufacturing.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems independently.
• Strong written and verbal communication and collaboration across functions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple, highly complex projects autonomously.
• Willingness to work weekends/holidays and travel during launches.

Responsibilities

• Lead all new programs, model changes, and current production activities within an assigned General Assembly zone.
• Define tooling, conveyors, material handling, and automation requirements for the zone.
• Develop and maintain visual management for the zone during project installation and validation; lead review meetings.
• Support build events at the plant, resolve launch issues, and capture lessons learned for future launches.
• Lead development of robust manufacturing processes and ensure equipment/tooling readiness.
• Coordinate with cross-functional partners to align tooling, processes, and standards across departments.
• Maintain documentation, zone tooling requirements, and support tool/parts readiness for long-term reliability.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Project management

Communication skills

Autonomy

Travel readiness

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

PFMEA

General Assembly tooling

Conveyors & automation

Job description

At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We're turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard -from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features.

Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

The Role

As a Zone Manufacturing Engineer, you will own a defined zone in General Assembly and lead it from concept through launch to steady-state production. You will work largely autonomously with occasional guidance, applying your expertise in equipment/tooling, process flow, and material movement to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality vehicle assembly. This role operates in both centralized manufacturing engineering and plant environments where creativity, initiative, and independent judgment are critical.

What You’ll Do

Zone Ownership & Launch Execution

• Lead all new programs, model changes, and current production activities within an assigned General Assembly zone.

• Ensure all tooling, conveyors, material handling, and automation requirements for the zone are defined, procured, installed, and validated per launch timelines.

• Define all zone-related changes, including product and manufacturing requirements (tooling, workstation setup, facilities, conveyance, etc.).

• Develop and maintain visual management for the zone during project installation and validation; lead regular review meetings.

• Support build events at the plant, resolve launch issues, and ensure lessons learned from previous launches are captured and applied.

Process & Tooling Engineering

• Lead development of robust manufacturing processes, including sequence and flow of operations for effective utilization of people, material, machines, and facilities.

• Design, specify, and integrate equipment and tooling, from concept through construction, plant installation, launch, and continuous improvement.

• Develop tooling Statements of Requirements (SORs) and manage tooling, stations, or specific technology projects to timing, cost, and performance targets.

• Support the design, build, and validation of tools with suppliers; provide technical direction and oversight to external partners.

• Ensure design documentation and spare parts planning are completed to support long-term equipment reliability.

• Complete all tooling/equipment-related launch tasks and documentation required by the launch team.

Cross-Functional Integration & Planning

• Lead interfaces with cross-functional partners (Process, Materials, Product Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Operations, etc.) to develop and align on common tooling, processes, and standards across the department and related groups.

• Participate in product and cross-functional meetings to support product/process interface and manufacturability.

• Participate in regular integration planning meetings (install requirements, phasing, pull-ahead plans, conveyance interface, etc.).

• Support development of material plans and part presentation for zone process content.

• Lead deep-dive reviews of process development and implementation for the assigned zone.

Material Flow & Logistics Integration

• Develop efficient material flow concepts and strategies for future material movement into and within the zone.

• Support creation of business cases for critical tooling-to-container interfaces and material presentation strategies.

Quality, Risk & Safety

• Complete process risk assessments (such as PFMEA) for assigned programs to identify and mitigate process risks.

• Support execution of build validation plans and integrate lessons learned into zone designs and processes.

• Participate in safety observation activities and partner with safety/ergonomics teams to ensure tools, workstations, and processes meet or exceed company standards.

Systems, Documentation & Governance

• Maintain status of process change requests and related documentation in engineering and manufacturing systems.

• Support virtual or digital builds to validate process and tooling readiness prior to physical builds.

• Maintain zone tooling requirements and cross-check against standard and special tool lists.

• Define specialized power tool and fastening requirements and coordinate with appropriate stakeholders.

• Ensure maintenance training is on track for all critical equipment in the zone.

• Support program financial reviews related to zone tooling, equipment, and process investments.

Work Environment

• Work will involve some weekends, holidays, off-shift support, and travel, which may be extensive at times during product program launches.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• 2-4 years of experience in Manufacturing.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field; equivalent relevant manufacturing experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems independently and drive issues to resolution.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across functions and levels.

• Proven ability to manage multiple, highly complex projects and assignments with a high degree of autonomy and accountability for results.

• Demonstrated initiative in going beyond assigned work to improve outputs and support others.

• Strong project management skills (planning, risk management, stakeholder alignment, and execution to timeline).

• Flexibility with changing work hours and environments to meet project timelines and support plant operating schedules.

• Willingness and ability to work weekends and holidays as required.

• Ability to travel, sometimes extensively, during product program launches.

• Demonstrated analytical ability and interpersonal skills to build relationships, solve problems, and resolve issues with team members and stakeholders.

What Can Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• 1-2 years of experience in the automotive industry.

• Extensive knowledge of company safety and design standards.

• Experience with:

  • General Assembly tooling, conveyors, and automation.

  • Development and application of PFMEA or similar risk assessment tools in launch environments.

  • Digital build tools and manufacturing engineering systems, including standard tooling and equipment databases.