Paint Material/Commodity Sr Engineer

Let's introduce ourselves

The Paint Material Commodity Engineer will be responsible for the strategic sourcing, technical evaluation, cost optimization, and lifecycle management of paint and coating materials used in automotive manufacturing. This role collaborates with engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and purchasing teams to ensure paint materials meet performance, quality, cost, sustainability, and production requirements. They will take ownership of systems that control material formulation/validation, robotic application, production tracking, and quality control. Because they manage paint from the supplier to the final car body, they require cross-functional technical knowledge.

What you'll do

Technical Responsibility

• Develop and execute commodity strategies for automotive paint materials, including, but not limited to pretreatment chemicals, electrocoat coatings, primers, basecoats, clearcoats, sealers, and related consumables.
• Ensure coatings meet requirements for:
• • Durability (weather, corrosion, UV resistance)
  • Appearance (color, gloss, texture)
  • Adhesion and coverage
• Work with product design teams to match coating specifications with materials

Supplier & Vendor Management

• Lead supplier selection, qualification, and performance management to ensure quality, delivery, cost competitiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate and select paint/coating suppliers based on performance and cost
• Manage commodity budgets, forecasting, sourcing activities, and contract negotiations and pricing.
• Lead commodity sourcing strategy and manage supplier quality and performance.

Cost Optimization

• Drive cost reduction initiatives through material optimization, value engineering, supplier negotiations, and process enhancements.

• Analyze cost of coatings and application processes, initiate efficiency improvements to reduce waste
• Support budgeting and savings targets

Manufacturing Support

• Work with production teams on:
• • Paint process improvements, both manual applications and automated processes
  • Process layout and manning plans
  • Process defect analysis to improve overall KPI delivery
  • Lead Problem Solving initiatives across all process lines

Testing & Compliance

• Ensure compliance health, safety, and environment regulations, including VOC, REACH, OSHA and other applicable automotive standards.
• Analyze supplier performance metrics, quality concerns, warranty issues, and corrective actions to ensure continuous improvement.
• Provide production perspective towards tooling and equipment evaluation.
• Ability to trouble shoot and understand root cause of problems and then suggest and implement solutions to those problems
• Cross functional collaboration
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks and complete work on assigned timeline
• Ability to multitask and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Has demonstrated core competencies

What you'll bring

Fundamental Skills:

• Materials science or chemical engineering knowledge
• Understanding of coatings chemistry
• Supplier negotiation and sourcing skills
• Data analysis and cost management
• Cross-functional collaboration (engineering, procurement, quality)
• Experience with online build processes meeting QDFIPS targets.
• Ability to perform time studies and cycle time analysis.
• Strong customer-focus and service mindset.
• In-depth understanding of automotive paint material systems and processes.

Preferred Systems Skills:

• Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Teams) - Intermediate
• SharePoint
• Power BI
• Siemens

Soft Skills:

• Punctual and team player, with the ability to lead those teams
• Detailed oriented and cooperative with diverse backgrounds.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to drive action without authority.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
• 5 years in automotive manufacturing paint operations, fluid delivery systems, or coatings R&D.
• Experience in automotive paint systems, coatings, chemical materials, or commodity management within an automotive manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of automotive paint processes, corrosion protection, coating technologies, and supplier quality systems.
• Experience with strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, cost analysis, and contract management.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, and communication skills.
• Must be available for international travel and possess the flexibility to work weekdays, weekends, and extended hours as necessary to meet project requirements.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Let's talk benefits

• Join Volvo Cars and enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits designed with you in mind. Our programs offer choice, flexibility, and exceptional value, including competitive medical, dental, and vision plans, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and a wellness program with discounts and gifts, most of which start on day one of employment. You'll also have access to voluntary benefits and a robust retirement savings plan with employer contributions.
• As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer The Family Bond by Volvo Cars, a global paid parental leave policy covering all employees, including adoptive, permanent care foster, and surrogate parents. Additionally, employees and their eligible family members can lease a new Volvo at discounted rates through the Volvo Employee Lease Program (VELP). At Volvo Cars, our benefits extend beyond the workplace to enhance your life and support your family.

Volvo Car is an equal opportunity employer. The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the US without sponsorship.