What are the responsibilities and job description for the Design Engineer Manager position at VC5 Consulting?
A leading automotive accessories company in the greater Houston area is seeking a Design Engineering Manager to serve as the technical backbone of their new product development lifecycle. In this role, you will lead a team of Design Engineers from initial concept through post-launch quality review, acting as the final authority on product approvals and supplier accountability. You will collaborate cross-functionally with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain stakeholders to ensure every product that reaches market meets rigorous standards for appearance, fit, and function. This is a high-visibility leadership position reporting to the Director of Engineering and Manufacturing, where your decisions directly influence product quality, launch timelines, and long-term brand integrity.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and develop a team of Design Engineers throughout the full product development lifecycle, from concept design through production launch and post-launch quality evaluation.
Serve as the technical gatekeeper for all product designs, enforcing OEM-standard approval processes including APQP and PPAP to ensure compliance with global manufacturing standards.
Conduct and lead External Design Reviews with suppliers, managing corrective actions and making final Go/No-Go decisions on product launches based on technical and quality criteria.
Apply DFMEA methodology to proactively identify and resolve design flaws in CAD drawings and prototypes before they escalate into costly production or field issues.
Validate that all accessories are fully install-ready by ensuring Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA) principles are applied so technicians can install parts efficiently, safely, and repeatably.
Develop and execute quality plans, manage supplier relationships to enforce compliance standards, and champion continuous improvement initiatives across product and process development.
Requirements:
Expert-level knowledge and hands-on application of formal automotive quality approval processes, specifically APQP and PPAP, in a production or OEM-adjacent environment.
Demonstrated experience using DFMEA as a predictive quality tool to evaluate CAD designs and physical prototypes and prevent downstream manufacturing defects.
Proven DFM/DFA expertise with a track record of ensuring components are engineered for straightforward, repeatable field installation without requiring specialized workarounds.
High-level experience leading External Design Reviews with third-party suppliers, including managing corrective action processes and holding vendors accountable to quality and launch milestones.
Strong supplier relationship management skills, with experience driving compliance to quality standards and coordinating timely product launches across a multi-vendor supply base.
A hands-on, floor-level leadership style with the presence and discipline to walk production and assembly environments, validate product performance, and mentor engineers in real time.
Role Details:
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Work Setting: On-Site
Location: Tomball, Texas 77375
If you are an automotive engineering leader who combines OEM-standard quality rigor with a hands-on approach to team development and supplier accountability, we encourage you to apply and take ownership of this high-impact role.
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