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Technical Specialist - Advanced Seat Structures

  • Emplacement
    • Warren, Michigan
  • Type d'emploi Full time
  • Posté
  • Job Requisition JR-202615891

Description

This role is categorized as hybrid. The selected candidate will be expected to work on-site at the Warren Tech Center at least three days per week, or as otherwise determined by the hiring leader.

  • This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

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..

About the role:
The Technical Specialist – Advanced Seat Structures is the senior individual contributor and domain expert for future seat structure architectures, mechanisms, and enabling technologies. You will lead clean-sheet and advanced concept work (new architectures, mechanisms, composite/lightweight structures) and convert ambiguous customer and vehicle requirements into executable, reusable seat structure strategies. This role operates primarily in advanced vehicle development, partnering closely with Advanced Vehicle Development (AVD), seat just-in-time (JIT) suppliers, Safety, Body-in-White (BIW), Design, Manufacturing, and global regions to define the advanced seat structures roadmap and prepare downstream program teams for successful execution.

Key Responsibilities:

Advanced Architecture & Concept Development:

  • Lead development of advanced front and rear seat structure architectures from clean sheet through hand-off to execution teams.
  • Translate vehicle-level targets into robust seat structure layouts and mechanism concepts.
  • Use CAE, packaging, and kinematic studies to evaluate structural load paths, stiffness, modal behavior, and occupant comfort.
  • Capture and standardize advanced architecture enablers (interfaces, mechanisms, joints, materials) for reuse across multiple programs and regions.

Innovation, Benchmarking & Technology Roadmap:

  • Lead global competitive benchmarking of seat structures, mechanisms, and materials to identify industry trends and best-in-class solutions.
  • Partner with JIT suppliers and GM R&D to scout, evaluate, and prototype new structure and mechanism technologies that support future customer experiences.
  • Maintain and update the Advanced Seat Structures roadmap, linking technology opportunities to brand strategies, regulatory changes, and manufacturing constraints.

Safety, Regulatory & Structural Performance:

  • Ensure advanced concepts are structurally viable and capable of meeting global safety and regulatory requirements (e.g., FMVSS, ECE, IIHS).
  • Define structural targets and validation strategies for new architectures (e.g., whiplash, rear impact, ABTS load cases, seat-belt/buckle integration).
  • Support Safety, Performance Integration, and CAE teams in early trade-off studies for advanced concepts.

Manufacturability, Automation & Complexity:

  • Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering, GA plants, and JITs to define automation-friendly seat structure concepts, including joint strategies and part family approaches.
  • Evaluate trade-offs between content, complexity, mass, and investment for advanced structures; develop data-driven business cases.
  • Promote reuse, corporate common components, and carry-over opportunities across programs and regions to reduce cost and complexity.

Knowledge Management & Mentorship :

  • Own and maintain advanced-structures core knowledge (design guidelines, best practices, DFMEA templates, KCDS, interface control documents).
  • Lead technical design reviews, peer reviews, and learning sessions for the global seat structures community.
  • Mentor Design Release Engineers and designers on advanced structure development and ensure smooth transition from advanced work to production execution.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence:

  • Act as the primary interface with AVD, Design/Studio, BIW, Safety, Seat JITs, and regional engineering teams (e.g., China, Korea, South America).
  • Synthesize complex technical topics (comfort vs. MTM, feature trade-offs, mass/investment impacts, manufacturability limits) into clear, data-driven recommendations.
  • Represent Seat Structures in cross-functional advanced workstreams and strategy forums related to future interiors, customer experience, and automation.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
  • 7+ years post-graduation engineering experience, with significant time on automotive seat structures or closely related structural systems.
  • Proven track record developing seat structures from concept through launch, including supplier collaboration and plant support.
  • Deep understanding of seat-to-vehicle packaging, occupant ergonomics, and structural integration with BIW/floor systems.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in structural analysis (e.g., FEA, modal/rigid-bed analysis) and ability to translate CAE/test results into design recommendations.
  • Strong knowledge of global seating safety and regulatory requirements and how they influence architecture decisions.
  • Evidence of operating independently on complex, ambiguous technical problems and converting them into executable concepts and strategies.
  • Experience with benchmarking and competitive analysis, with the ability to translate insights into GM-relevant solutions.
  • Solid business acumen with experience preparing and communicating cost/mass/investment trade studies.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to convey complex structural topics to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Demonstrated collaboration and influence skills across functions and regions, without direct people leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in Mechanical, Structural, or closely related Engineering discipline.
  • 10+ years of engineering experience, including substantial time in advanced/AVD-style roles or advanced structure/mechanism development.
  • Recognized technical leadership in seating, structures, or mechanisms.
  • Demonstrated leadership of clean-sheet seat structure architectures that delivered step-change improvements in comfort, headroom, mass, or cost.
  • Experience with composite or other lightweight structural materials and related manufacturing processes applied to seat structures.
  • DFSS Black Belt and/or advanced problem-solving certification (e.g., Red X) with demonstrated application to structural and system-level issues.
  • Direct experience contributing to highly automated manufacturing strategies for structural systems.
  • Familiarity with GM engineering processes, GVDP, and collaboration with regional engineering centers on advanced seating concepts.

#LI-JN1

Ce poste est hybride. Cela signifie que le candidat retenu doit se rendre sur un site donné au moins trois fois par semaine {ou à une autre fréquence imposée par son supérieur hiérarchique}.

Le candidat retenu devra voyager <25 % pour ce poste. 

Ce poste ne donne pas droit à des indemnités de déménagement. Les éventuels frais de déménagement seront à la charge du candidat retenu. 

Renseignements sur la diversité

General Motors est résolue à être un lieu de travail qui est non seulement exempt de discrimination illégale, mais aussi un endroit qui favorise véritablement l'inclusion et l'appartenance. Nous sommes convaincus que la diversité de la main-d'œuvre permet de créer un environnement dans lequel nos employés peuvent s'épanouir et développer de meilleurs produits pour nos clients. Nous encourageons les candidats intéressés à consulter les principales responsabilités et compétences requises pour chaque rôle et à postuler à tout poste qui leur correspond. Dans le cadre du processus de recrutement, les candidats peuvent devoir, le cas échéant, réussir une évaluation liée au poste ou une présélection d'emploi avant d'être embauchés.  Pour en savoir plus, consultez notre processus de recrutement.

Déclaration concernant l'égalité d'accès à l'emploi (É.-U.)

General Motors est fière d'être un employeur souscrivant au principe de l'égalité d'accès à l'emploi.  Tous les candidats qualifiés seront pris en compte, sans égard à la race, à la couleur, à la religion, au sexe, à l'orientation sexuelle, à l'identité de genre, à l'origine ethnique, aux situations de handicap ou au statut protégé d'ancien combattant. 

Aménagements (É.-U. et Canada)

General Motors offre des occasions à tous les chercheurs d'emploi, y compris les personnes handicapées. Si vous avez besoin d'un accommodement raisonnable pour vous aider dans votre recherche d'emploi ou la soumission de votre candidature, envoyez-nous un courriel à l'adresse [email protected] ou appelez-nous au 800 865-7580. Veuillez inclure dans votre courriel une description spécifique du type d'accommodement demandé, ainsi que le titre d'emploi et le numéro de demande du poste auquel vous postulez.