Principal Automotive Cost Engineer / Consulting Lead

This posting represents an advanced recruiting initiative to identify highly qualified candidates or consultants for a strategic engineering role within our European division. While immediate hiring may vary based on business timing, we are proactively building a pipeline of top-tier talent to support upcoming client engagements and growth initiatives.

Role Summary

The Principal Automotive Cost Engineer / Consulting Lead is a senior, client-facing role responsible for delivering advanced manufacturing and component-level cost intelligence to global automotive manufacturers across the United States, EMEA, and APAC regions . This position supports both solution development and ongoing client delivery , working with geographically distributed client teams to drive consistent, high-quality outcomes across regions. The role leads consulting engagements that span component and commodity cost estimation , Design-for-Manufacturing (DFM) , Design-to-Cost (DTC) , sourcing strategy, and lifecycle cost optimization. In parallel, the position serves as a technical and strategic leader for Galorath Automotive Consulting Solutions , integrating Galorath’s cost-engineering platforms into client workflows, enabling global client teams through training and advanced support, and contributing to industry thought leadership. The successful candidate is effective operating at part-level technical detail and executive decision altitude , while supporting global delivery, regional adoption, and continuous improvement of Galorath solutions worldwide.

Core Responsibilities

Client Consulting & Cost Engineering Delivery

• Lead automotive consulting engagements focused on:
  • Manufacturing and assembly cost estimation
  • Component and commodity-level should-cost analysis
  • DFM/DFA and Design-to-Cost initiatives
  • Sourcing strategy, make/buy analysis, and supplier negotiations
• Develop defendable, transparent cost models across:
  • Individual parts and sub-assemblies
  • Component families and commodities
  • Systems, platforms, and vehicle programs
• Support cost-informed decisions from early concept and design through launch and steady-state production.

Component & Commodity Cost Expertise (Generalized)

• Build and maintain cost models for automotive components and commodities , including:
  • Materials (metals, plastics, composites, electronics, textiles, etc.)
  • Manufacturing processes and routings
  • Purchased parts and supplier‑provided assemblies
• Establish and normalize:
  • Material cost tables
  • Process and cycle‑time assumptions
  • Regional labor and overhead benchmarks
• Perform comparative cost analysis across:
  • Design alternatives
  • Suppliers and sourcing regions
  • Manufacturing processes and levels of automation
• Support purchasing and supply‑chain teams with target costing, cost breakdowns, and negotiation support.

DFM / DTC & Cross‑Functional Engagement

• Partner with Engineering to evaluate cost impacts of:
  • Design changes
  • Material substitutions
  • Tolerance and specification decisions
  • Manufacturing process selection
• Identify primary cost drivers and communicate trade‑offs clearly to engineering, manufacturing, finance, and program leadership.
• Influence decisions before cost is locked into the design.

Galorath Product Integration & Advanced Client Support

• Lead implementation and integration of the SEER suite (e.g., SEER‑MFG, SEER‑H, SEER‑3D, SEER‑SEM) into client environments.
• Configure and calibrate cost models aligned to:
  • Client manufacturing realities
  • Data availability
  • Decision maturity
• Provide advanced technical support to clients, including:
  • Model validation and troubleshooting
  • Assumption development and refinement
  • Executive interpretation of results
• Act as a feedback conduit between clients and Galorath product teams to inform roadmap and feature evolution.

DFM / DTC Tool Ecosystem Leadership

• Apply and benchmark Galorath solutions alongside other major DFM/DTC and cost‑engineering platforms, including:
  • Siemens digital manufacturing and PLM tools
  • aPriori
  • FACTON
  • Boothroyd‑Dewhurst (DFMA)
  • Comparable commercial or internal cost‑engineering systems
• Advise clients on tool selection, integration strategies, and cost‑engineering maturity progression.

Client Training & Enablement

• Design and deliver client training on:
  • Galorath tools and methodologies
  • Parametric and process‑based cost modeling
  • Component and commodity cost analysis
  • DFM/DTC best practices
• Train engineers, cost analysts, and program teams to independently apply cost insights to real decisions.
• Mentor client teams toward sustainable, long‑term cost‑engineering capability.

Industry Thought Leadership

• Contribute to Galorath’s automotive thought leadership through:
  • White papers, blogs, and technical articles
  • Conference presentations and industry panels
  • Client webinars and executive briefings
• Represent Galorath as a trusted authority in automotive cost engineering, DFM/DTC, and cost‑informed decision‑making.

Technical Capabilities

• Advanced experience with:
  • Parametric, analogical, and bottoms‑up cost modeling
  • Learning curves, yield loss, scrap, rework, and overhead modeling
• Strong understanding of automotive manufacturing processes, including:
  • Machining, stamping, casting, forging
  • Injection molding and composites
  • Manual and automated assembly
• Ability to interpret CAD models, engineering drawings, GD&T, routings, and BOMs.
• Familiarity with ERP, PLM, and MES environments common to global OEMs and Tier‑1 suppliers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial), Finance, Economics, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated success in senior, client‑facing consulting roles supporting automotive OEMs and Tier‑1 suppliers.
• Strong executive‑level communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Full professional proficiency in German and English, with the ability to operate effectively in a technical and business environment, is required.
• Minimum of 10 years of automotive industry manufacturing cost estimation experience , encompassing:
  • Production‑level manufacturing cost estimation and cost engineering
  • Component and commodity cost modeling and should‑cost analysis
  • Cross‑functional engagement with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Purchasing
  • Application of DFM/DFA and Design‑to‑Cost principles in automotive programs

What Success Looks Like

• Clients rely on Galorath as a strategic cost‑engineering partner, not just a tool provider.
• Component‑ and system‑level cost visibility influences decisions early.
• Galorath platforms are embedded into client workflows and decision processes.
• Client teams are trained, enabled, and independently effective.
• Galorath’s automotive credibility and industry leadership continue to grow.

Place of Performance

• This role is based in Germany and requires frequent travel to client locations, primarily within Germany and broader Europe.

Join Galorath and Become an Employee Owner!

Benefits

We offer a great benefits package including:

• Competitive Compensation
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - our contributions are significantly greater than most companies throughout the country.
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Company-sponsored Long Term Disability
• AFLAC Voluntary Benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts (dependent & healthcare)
• Paid Vacations, Holidays, and Sick Leave
• 401K Plan

To learn more about Galorath, please visit us at