MANAGER, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Gentherm is expanding its business portfolio beyond the traditional automotive sector and into new markets. To support this strategic growth, the Advanced Engineering department is seeking a Manager to lead, coach and inspire a cross functional engineering team whose role it is to rapidly design, develop, and prototype innovative solutions for potential customers.

This role will focus on designing, developing and integrating thermal and pneumatic comfort systems into products across diverse industries such as automotive seating, furniture commercial trucks, two-wheelers, and medical applications. While our portfolio is broad, our core mission remains consistent: to create products that positively impact people. Whether through enhancing comfort or delivering measurable health benefits, our goal is to provide best-in-class user experiences and outcomes.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical direction to the advanced engineering team, while remaining a collaborative team player who actively contributes to engineering work
• Provide mechanical design support to advanced development team members
• Design, develop, and integrate electro-mechanical systems combining pneumatic, thermal technologies, sensors, embedded controls and app interfaces
• Create and develop system and component geometry using 3D CAD, schematics, and simulation tools to meet design and performance requirements.
• Build, test, and evaluate products (prototype and final product) to ensure functionality, reliability, and compliance with relevant safety standards
• Lean into incremental innovation by iterating on product features and functionalities with a fail-fast mentality
• Communicate project status on an ongoing basis and identify any associated risks.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure the successful execution of product development according to Agile methodology to meet milestones.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and engineering teams to translate concepts and/or scientific data into tangible product designs.
• Acts as the link between different engineering functions in bringing multiple and complex requirements into new solutions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor Degree in Engineering: Mechanical, Electrical or Biomedical engineering.
• Minimum 8 years of proven experience in consumer product development and or automotive
• Proven experience in transforming innovative ideas into market-ready products, including designing specifications, releasing design documentation, generating test and validation data, and ensuring manufacturability
• Strong grasp of engineering first principles for problem-solving and design optimization.
• Proficient with CAD modeling and design (SolidWorks preferred).
• 2+ years of experience in data acquisition and analysis using MATLAB, Excel, LabVIEW, Python, or similar platforms.
• Expert-level knowledge of communication protocols (CAN, LIN, USB, Ethernet, etc.) and wireless technologies (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth).
• Demonstrated ability to be creative and resourceful (e.g., sourcing external partners, collaborating with customers to solve new problems).
• Excellent technical project management skills, including planning and organization, decision-making, problem-solving, and project management.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience leading a team
• Experience with AGILE-style product development.
• Experience with B2C product development
• Background in the medical device industry (not required, but highly valued).
• Proficiency in airflow measurement and analysis, including use of CAD tools (SolidWorks, AutoCAD) and CFD simulation software (ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX, Siemens StarCCM).

NICE TO KNOW

TRAVEL: Less than 5%

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBLITIES: 4 direct reports

COMPETENCIES:

• Deliver Results
  • Understand the mission and output of your team; set SMART objectives and deliver
• Drive Change
  • Focus on agility and commitment to continuous improvement; Understand and act on internal and external drivers of change
• Build Capability
  • Foster a culture of learning and development; Support individual growth through continuous feedback to achieve personal and professional goals
• Cultivate Innovation
  • Openly embrace, create, implement and support new and innovative ideas, processes and technology that deliver business results

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT (US):

All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. In order to best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. Gentherm is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.