Powertrain & Durability Test Engineer

Description

Position Summary

Provide engineering support for light-duty conventional and electrified powertrain calibration, development, durability testing, and field-issue resolution. Coordinate vehicle preparation, test execution, technical analysis, and reporting to support engine and transmission performance, emissions compliance, OBD functionality, drivability, software and hardware validation, and overall vehicle robustness. Work with cross-functional powertrain engineering teams, emissions laboratories, workshops, test drivers, suppliers, and global engineering partners.

 Primary Purpose

Coordinate and execute powertrain durability testing for development vehicles in the United States. Generate timely, high-quality test results; maintain vehicle test readiness; monitor technical status; identify and troubleshoot faults; and support countermeasure validation. Contribute to the evaluation of conventional and electrified powertrain and drivetrain systems, including calibration, software, hardware, diagnostics, OBD, emissions, and drivability performance.

 Key Responsibilities

1. Vehicle preparation and test readiness: Coordinate preparation of durability vehicles; confirm required software, calibration, hardware, instrumentation, and configurations are installed before testing. Align with calibration, development, workshop, diagnostics, and test-fleet teams on updates, maintenance, repairs, parts, and prerequisites. Perform or coordinate pre-test checks of diagnostic data, fault memory, readiness, drivability, and vehicle condition. Track availability, open technical topics, planned updates, and readiness risks.
2. Durability testing and mileage accumulation: Coordinate daily mileage-accumulation and durability activities against defined driving profiles, locations, maintenance schedules, and program requirements. Monitor progress, vehicle usage, driver feedback, downtime, and deviations from the approved plan. Coordinate with internal teams and external service providers; escalate risks affecting test quality, vehicle safety, schedule, or data integrity.
3. Emissions, OBD, and powertrain testing: Coordinate emissions-lab scheduling, vehicle delivery, test configuration, and test-result receipt. Review emissions and OBD results for completeness and plausibility; identify irregularities and coordinate follow-up testing. Support investigation and resolution of powertrain, emissions, OBD, drivability, engine, transmission, and electrified-powertrain issues. Collaborate with calibration and component experts to define measurement requirements and confirm test conditions.
4. Technical monitoring, diagnostics, and problem solving: Monitor vehicle status using driver reports, diagnostic tools, measurement data, workshop findings, and test results. Perform first-level technical analysis and support root-cause analysis using structured problem-solving methods. Develop, coordinate, and verify countermeasures with responsible engineering teams. Coordinate repairs, parts, workshop support, software updates, and effectiveness checks. Document issue history, analysis, decisions, countermeasures, and validation results clearly and traceably.
5. Reporting and program coordination: Maintain accurate technical and administrative status in reports, trackers, and databases. Prepare concise weekly stakeholder updates covering test progress, open issues, vehicle downtime, decisions, risks, and next steps. Track KPIs such as test progress, vehicle availability, issue closure, downtime, and planned versus actual activity. Participate in internal and global status meetings and prepare clear technical reports and presentations for a broad, global audience.
6. Process, quality, and supplier support: Improve durability testing, vehicle preparation, issue management, reporting, and cross-functional coordination. Clarify requirements and review internal and external partner deliverables; identify process gaps. Support process documentation, corrective actions, lessons learned, audits, and future test requirements. Promote safe vehicle operation, high-quality data, efficient test-asset use, and compliance with applicable procedures.

Requirements

 Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Automotive, Electrical, or a related engineering field.
• 4 years of professional experience, to include 2 years of light-duty engine or powertrain development experience, including combustion, emissions control, OBD, drivability, calibration, or durability testing.
• Experience with light-duty engine control units; Bosch control-unit experience strongly preferred.
• Working understanding of light-duty emissions and OBD regulations and their application to vehicle development and testing.
• Proficiency with powertrain development and data-analysis tools such as INCA and MATLAB/Simulink.
• Ability to interpret diagnostic information, measurement data, test results, and vehicle fault reports.
• Ability to conduct structured root-cause analysis, develop technical countermeasures, and verify effectiveness.
• Strong organization and project-coordination skills, including managing multiple vehicles, priorities, stakeholders, and deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including concise technical reporting for a global audience.
• Ability to work effectively in a large, cross-functional, intercultural organization.

 Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with durability fleets, mileage accumulation, proving-ground or public-road testing, and development-vehicle operations.
• Knowledge of vehicle architecture, CAN bus systems, ECU communication, powertrain and drivetrain systems, and vehicle diagnostics.
• Experience with diagnostic and measurement tools such as Monaco or comparable applications in addition to INCA.
• Experience coordinating emissions laboratories, workshops, test drivers, suppliers, or external service providers.
• Familiarity with conventional, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or battery-electric powertrains.
• Experience with technical status reporting, KPI tracking, risk identification, and process improvement.

Core Competencies

• Technical analysis and structured problem solving.
• Powertrain, emissions, OBD, and drivability knowledge.
• Vehicle test planning and execution.
• Cross-functional coordination and stakeholder communication.
• Technical documentation and status reporting.
• Quality focus, ownership, and attention to detail.
• Adaptability in a fast-moving development environment.

Special Requirements

• Valid U.S. driver’s license.
• Ability and willingness to drive development vehicles on public roads, test trips, and proving grounds in accordance with company requirements.
• Approximately 10–25% travel within the United States.
• Client-specific driver-safety training (F2 equivalent) to be completed after the start date.
• Frequent use of speech, vision, hearing, and hands for computer use, measurements, presentations, and vehicle operation; frequent sitting, standing, and reaching.