Lead Design Engineer Perceived Quality

Perceived Quality (PQ) Principal Engineer 

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Automotive Excellence

We’re seeking an experienced and motivated Perceived Quality (PQ) Principal Engineer to join the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (AME) team. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of new vehicle concepts across Exterior and Interior Trim systems, supporting cutting-edge EV and TMPV programs, as well as third-party consultancy projects.

As a PQ Principal Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in delivering world-class manufacturing feasibility, dimensional management, and perceived quality for next-generation vehicle platforms. You will collaborate closely with global teams, providing technical direction, supporting root cause investigations, and driving PQ methods and benchmarking.

Key Responsibilities

• Support projects during design stages, providing PQ direction for Exterior & Interior Trim.
• Lead and contribute to the development of PQ methods, processes, and standards
• Generate and maintain Gap & Radii (Gap & Rad) plans to support trim system development.
• Conduct competitor vehicle PQ benchmarking and trend analysis to influence conceptual designs.
• Mentor and guide engineers in achieving PQ targets through robust design and execution.
• Lead digital reviews and sign-offs for PQ-related activities, particularly on interior systems.
• Support part/assembly maturation and root cause analysis for production and design concerns.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in India and the UK to drive alignment on standards.

We're looking for someone that can demonstrate the below experience:
- Hands-on CAD engineer, minimum 10 years experience in interior trim development, whether that be Linings, Seats, IP, Consoles, Door Trims, etc.

- Someone that is able to look at defects in competitor vehicles and explain what the root cause might be. As this role will require working with suppliers and advising them how to overcome the issues. This is an essential element of the role as one needs to be able to foresee potential issues and ask the right questions to ensure that these issues are identified and prevented before they are committed to tooling.

- Creating interfaces to support Gap Plan execution (specifically interior focused)
- CAD skills, creating 2d sections in Catia

They're looking for someone that is very experienced in PQ and has the ability to create interfaces. Also as LeadLevel - must be a strong presence in meetings, being able to drive solutions and confident to challenge Design.

Further skill & Experience

• Strong experience in Perceived Quality within automotive design and manufacturing.
• Proficient in Catia V5 (Part Design and Geometric Surface Design) with hands-on CAD capabilities.
• Familiarity with TeamCenter PLM (desirable).
• Excellent knowledge of component integration and interface development.
• Strong analytical mindset with problem-solving and root cause analysis capability.
• Experience in developing Product Attribute Targets (PATs) and supporting attribute strategy.
• Confident leading cross-functional discussions and technical reviews.
• Effective communicator and team collaborator across global teams.

What We Offer

• Work at the forefront of automotive innovation in a highly collaborative and diverse environment.
• Exposure to global vehicle development programs and strategic manufacturing projects.
• Opportunity to shape processes, mentor teams, and influence product excellence.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.