Reliability Group Lead Engineer

GM Performance Power Units - Concord, NC

Reliability Group Lead Engineer - Onsite

Job Summary

GM Performance Power Units is seeking a highly motivated Reliability Group Lead Engineer to support the development, testing, and trackside operations of our Formula 1 Power Unit. Based in Concord, North Carolina, this role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a foundational area of our F1 program and assist in building a world-class reliability team. The Reliability Group Lead Engineer will guide a team of engineers and analysts working with development, operations, and trackside functions to deliver the tools, processes, and improvement initiatives that will lead to race wins for our advanced hybrid power unit, targeted for debut with the Cadillac F1 Team in 2029.

Key Responsibilities

• Power Unit Reliability Ownership: Lead the reliability engineering function for the F1 power unit across all subsystems (ICE, turbocharger, MGU-K, and control electronics), ensuring each component meets its design life target within FIA-regulated allocation limits per car per season.
• Failure Analysis & Root Cause Investigation: Direct systematic investigations into component and system-level failures working with both destructive (metallography, sectioning, hardness testing, microstructural analysis) and non-destructive methods (X-ray/CT, dye penetrant, ultrasonic) to characterize failure modes and identify root causes across design, manufacturing, and operational domains.
• FMEA / DFMEA Leadership: Own and drive Failure Mode & Effects Analysis processes, working cross-functionally with design, test, and manufacturing teams to prioritize risk mitigation and feed findings back into the design loop prior to hardware build.
• Component Life & Duty Cycle Management: Establish and maintain component damage models that track accumulated duty cycles across dyno testing, practice, qualifying, and race environments. Work with the operations and race engineering teams to inform PU usage strategy and avoid unplanned component replacements that would trigger FIA grid penalties.
• Telemetry Monitoring & In-Season Reliability Tracking: Interpret live and post-session PU telemetry data to identify emerging reliability concerns before they become failures. Contribute to mission control support structures during race weekends.
• Factory-to-Trackside Knowledge Loop: Serve as the primary technical link between factory reliability findings and the trackside PU engineering team, ensuring lessons from dyno development, teardown analysis, and in-season failures are rapidly incorporated into operating limits, calibration boundaries, and build standards.
• Corrective Action & Continuous Improvement: Develop and track corrective actions arising from failure investigations, partnering with design and manufacturing teams to implement design changes, process improvements, or material substitutions that improve robustness without compromising performance or violating FIA technical regulations.
• Regulatory & Compliance Alignment: Ensure all reliability engineering work is conducted with full awareness of FIA Technical Regulations governing PU component specifications, homologation requirements, and the permitted development tokens or reliability exemptions within the applicable regulatory cycle.
• Test Planning & Dyno Support: Contribute to the design of dyno test programs to accelerate reliability development, including damage testing, thermal cycling, and endurance sequences. Interpret test results to validate design changes and sign off on component readiness for track use. Determine reliability targets and specify run cycles to achieve them.
• Reporting & Cross-Functional Communication: Produce clear and concise technical reliability reports for senior engineering leadership, design teams, and regulatory stakeholders. Present reliability metrics, trend data, and risk assessments in a structured manner to support resource allocation and program decisions.
• Team Leadership & Mentoring: Provide technical guidance and day-to-day direction to junior reliability engineers and cross-functional working groups. Help establish team processes, documentation standards, and reliability engineering best practices appropriate to an F1 power unit environment.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 6-10 years of engineering experience, with at least 3-5 years in a reliability, failure analysis, or powertrain development role within motorsport, aerospace, or high-performance automotive.
• Track record of operating under obligation of results; accountable for defined reliability outcomes (failure rates, component duty life targets, corrective action closure) rather than activity-based deliverables.
• F1 or top-tier single-seater experience strongly preferred.
• Prior exposure to both factory-based development and trackside operations is highly valued.
  
  

Technical Skills

• Deep understanding of high-performance ICE systems (including turbo), particularly under the 2026 F1 regulations.
• Solid knowledge of hybrid power-unit architecture. (ERS, MGU-K, control electronics)
• Proficiency in FMEA/DFMEA and reliability risk assessment methodologies.
• Experience with failure analysis techniques: fracture mechanics, fatigue analysis, metallographic examination, SEM/EDS, NDT.
• Familiarity with data analysis platforms common in F1. (ATLAS, System Monitor, or equivalent)
• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings and understand manufacturing processes including CNC, additive manufacturing, and precision assembly.
• Knowledge of component life modeling and duty cycle tracking for regulated motorsport environments.
• Understanding of FIA Technical Regulations as they pertain to PU component allocations, homologation, and reliability development windows.
  
  

Interpersonal & Organizational Skills

• Strong cross-functional communicator capable of operating effectively across design, manufacturing, trackside, and quality teams.
• Ability to work under significant time pressure, including race weekends and post-race teardown schedules.
• Comfortable operating in a confidential, competitive R&D environment with strict IP controls.
• Willingness and availability to travel internationally to race events and customer sites. (up to ~20 race weekends/year for some trackside-hybrid roles)
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with 1D simulation tools for powertrain thermal/mechanical modeling.
• Background in hybrid/high-voltage ERS systems, battery cell behavior, or energy management.
• Familiarity with PLM tools for configuration management and part number governance.
• Previous exposure to FIA audit processes or technical compliance documentation.
  
  

Ready to be part of a team that pushes boundaries both on and off the track? At GM Performance Power Units, we are developing a new era of performance for the Formula 1 grid. Joining us means entering a startup racing environment backed by a legacy of engineering excellence, giving you the rare opportunity to help build a world-class program from day one. We believe in rewarding innovation and powering potential. As part of our team, you’ll benefit from a competitive and comprehensive package designed to support your performance, well-being, and future, helping you thrive at every level.

That Includes Access To

• Bonus scheme
• Private healthcare
• 401(k) plan including company match
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage
• 32 days annual leave
• Free financial advisor access
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Subsidized on-site dining
• On-site gym
• Discounted
• GM vehicle purchase/lease program
• Free on-site EV charging for personal GM vehicles
  
  

It’s all part of our commitment to creating a workplace that’s as high-performing and forward-thinking as the people who make it succeed.Join us—and help power what’s next.

Why Join Us

You’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and performance of a next-generation Formula 1 power unit. Our culture rewards precision, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of performance.

Please note: GM Performance Power Units and all affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity employer(s). Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information regarding the EEOC, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf.

Only direct hires need apply to or inquire about job postings at GM Performance Power Units. We are not accepting calls, resumes or applications from recruiting firms at this time.