Job Description

Position Overview

A leading automotive manufacturing organization in the Lewisburg, TN area is seeking a New Product Launch Engineer to lead new automotive programs from initial award through successful production launch and handoff to full production.

This individual will serve as the manufacturing lead for new product launches, taking ownership of program timing, budgets, manufacturing feasibility, tooling and equipment, process development, product quality, and overall launch execution.

This is a highly hands-on, technical position and not a desk-only program management role. The New Product Launch Engineer will work closely with manufacturing, engineering, tooling, quality, purchasing, vendors, and automotive OEM customers while spending significant time on the plant floor.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead new automotive programs from initial award through prototypes, pre-production, production startup, safe launch, and handoff to full production.
• Develop and manage program timelines, budgets, milestones, launch schedules, and overall deliverables.
• Serve as a key liaison between automotive OEM customers and internal manufacturing teams throughout the launch process.
• Lead front-end manufacturing decisions involving manufacturability, process development, tooling, fixtures, equipment, and automation.
• Perform engineering and manufacturing feasibility studies for new and existing programs.
• Coordinate the sourcing, development, installation, and launch of tooling, fixtures, automation, and manufacturing equipment.
• Work closely with Process and Manufacturing Engineering to develop new production processes and improve plant layout and manufacturing efficiency.
• Ensure APQP milestones and program gates are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Support PPAP, production validation, and customer-specific launch requirements.
• Coordinate activities between engineering, production, quality, tooling, purchasing, suppliers, and continuous improvement teams.
• Manage prototypes, pre-production samples, production trials, and customer safe-launch activities.
• Develop and review quotations for new programs, engineering changes, tooling, equipment, and manufacturing requirements.
• Review engineering changes and determine their impact on tooling, processes, cost, timing, and product quality.
• Manage program financial milestones, budgets, and cash-flow requirements.
• Work directly with tooling and equipment suppliers to ensure new manufacturing systems meet company and customer specifications.
• Identify opportunities for manufacturing cost reductions, process improvements, and increased production efficiency.
• Provide technical presentations and program updates to customers and internal leadership.
• Track program risks and implement corrective actions to maintain launch timing and objectives.
• Regularly communicate program status, costs, timing, quality concerns, and launch readiness to plant leadership.
• Travel to customer, supplier, and other manufacturing locations as required.

Required Qualifications

• Experience within an automotive manufacturing environment, preferably with a Tier 1 supplier or automotive OEM.
• Demonstrated experience with new product launches, NPI, program launches, or production startups.
• Experience working with stamped sheet metal components and welded assemblies.
• Strong understanding of automotive manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, equipment, and production systems.
• Working knowledge of APQP and PPAP requirements.
• Experience managing program schedules, milestones, budgets, and customer deliverables.
• Experience working directly with automotive OEM customers and/or Tier 1 suppliers.
• Ability to evaluate manufacturing feasibility and contribute to the development of new manufacturing processes.
• Experience coordinating tooling, equipment suppliers, and outside vendors.
• Strong cross-functional communication, organization, and project leadership skills.
• Hands-on technical mindset with the ability and willingness to spend significant time on the manufacturing floor.

Preferred Experience

• Automotive Tier 1 manufacturing
• Metal stamping and forming
• Welded sheet metal assemblies
• Robotic and/or resistance welding
• Body-in-white or automotive structural components
• Tooling and fixture development
• Manufacturing or Process Engineering
• APQP / PPAP
• New Product Introduction (NPI)
• Production launches / SOP
• OEM customer management
• Manufacturing feasibility studies
• Capital equipment and automation
• Engineering changes / ECNs
• Cost reduction and continuous improvement

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will combine a strong manufacturing engineering background with new product launch and program management experience.

This individual should understand how stamped and welded automotive components are manufactured and be capable of helping determine the tooling, equipment, fixtures, process flow, automation, and overall manufacturing strategy required to successfully take a new product from concept through full-scale production.

Candidates currently working as a Launch Engineer, Program Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Advanced Manufacturing Engineer, NPI Engineer, Project Engineer, or technical Automotive Program Manager may be a strong fit for this opportunity.

You should be proficient in:

• Bachelor's Degree
• Project Management
• Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)
• Automotive Manufacturing Systems
• New Product Launch
• Program Management