Manager - VA (Upperbody Architecture)

Responsibilities & Key Deliverables

Key Responsibilities

Upper Body Architecture Development

• Lead the definition and development of vehicle upper body architecture from concept to production.
• Establish architectural layouts for the upper body structure, ensuring alignment with vehicle platform strategy and product requirements.
• Define and manage critical interfaces between Body-in-White (BIW), Closures, Glass, Roof Systems, Exterior Trim, and Interior systems.
• Ensure optimized package space while balancing structural performance, occupant comfort, visibility, styling, and manufacturability.
• Drive architectural decisions supporting modularity and platform commonality.

Vehicle Integration & Packaging

• Lead upper body packaging activities, ensuring compatibility between structural, functional, and aesthetic requirements.
• Resolve cross-functional packaging conflicts involving roof, windshield, side glass, pillars, doors, tailgate, sealing systems, and interior trim.
• Support Digital Mock-Up (DMU) reviews and package validation throughout product development.
• Coordinate engineering changes impacting upper body architecture.

Structural & Interface Management

• Define architecture requirements for:
• Roof structure
• A, B, C & D pillars
• Windshield and backlite interfaces
• Side glass systems
• Door apertures
• Roof rails
• Tailgate/liftgate interfaces
• Weather sealing systems
• Exterior trim interfaces
• Ensure proper dimensional control, gap & flush, tolerance stack-up, and assembly feasibility.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with Styling, BIW, Closures, Exterior, Interior, Safety, Manufacturing, CAE, Validation, Supplier Engineering, and Program Management teams.
• Lead architecture and integration reviews across vehicle development milestones.
• Drive engineering trade-off decisions considering cost, weight, performance, timing, quality, and customer expectations.
• Mentor engineering teams on architecture principles, interface management, and vehicle integration.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure upper body architecture meets applicable safety and regulatory requirements, including:
• Roof crush performance
• Side impact requirements
• Occupant protection
• Pedestrian protection (where applicable)
• Visibility regulations
• ECE, FMVSS, AIS, and global standards
• Support crashworthiness and structural optimization activities in collaboration with CAE teams.

Validation & Engineering Support

• Support virtual validation, prototype builds, and production trials.
• Analyze architecture-related issues during development and validation.
• Lead root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure robust engineering change management throughout the product lifecycle.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop and standardize upper body architecture guidelines and best practices.
• Drive modular architecture initiatives across vehicle platforms.
• Capture and implement lessons learned for future vehicle programs.
• Promote innovation in lightweight design, manufacturability, and system integration.

Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 12–14 years of experience in Automotive Body Engineering, Vehicle Architecture, or Vehicle Integration.
• Strong expertise in Upper Body Architecture and Body Structure Integration.
• Experience across complete vehicle development cycles from concept through production.
• Experience working with automotive OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers is preferred.

Industry Preferred

Preferred Industry Experience

• Passenger Vehicles
• Electric Vehicles (EV)
• Hybrid Vehicles
• Commercial Vehicles

Automotive OEMs or Tier-1 Suppliers

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 12–14 years of experience in Automotive Body Engineering, Vehicle Architecture, or Vehicle Integration.
• Strong expertise in Upper Body Architecture and Body Structure Integration.
• Experience across complete vehicle development cycles from concept through production.
• Experience working with automotive OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers is preferred.

General Requirements

• Upper Body Architecture
• Vehicle Architecture & Integration
• Body-in-White (BIW)
• Vehicle Packaging
• Structural Interface Management
• Closures Integration
• Roof Systems
• Glass & Sealing Systems
• Exterior and Interior Interface Management
• Gap & Flush Engineering
• Tolerance Stack-up Analysis
• GD&T
• Digital Mock-Up (DMU)
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
• Design for Assembly (DFA)
• DFMEA
• Engineering Change Management
• Root Cause Analysis
• Regulatory Compliance (FMVSS, ECE, AIS)

Preferred Tools

• CATIA V5/V6
• Siemens NX
• Teamcenter/PLM
• ENOVIA
• 3DCS or Variation Analysis Tools
• DMU/Vis Mockup
• Microsoft Office
• JIRA (preferred)

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