Chassis Project Cost Engineer

Position Summary

The Project Cost Engineer will lead transparent cost calculation, bottom-up costing, and manufacturing cost analysis for Chassis and BIW components. This role focuses on high-pressure die casting, mega-casting, forging, and foundry operations to evaluate supplier quotes, drive target costing, and optimize manufacturing processes during product development.

Key Responsibilities

• Component Cost Analysis: Perform detailed bottom-up cost calculations (CBD / Should-Cost models) for Chassis and BIW assemblies, including cast subframes, knuckles, control arms, structural nodes, and forged suspension parts.
• Manufacturing Process Evaluation: Assess foundry, casting, and forging operations evaluating cycle times, tonnage requirements, material utilization, scrap rates, machine hourly rates, and tooling setup costs.
• Supplier & Procurement Support: Participate in technical commercial negotiations, audit supplier cost breakdowns, and identify cost drivers alongside Procurement and Engineering teams.
• Design-to-Cost (DtC) & Value Engineering: Collaborate with R&D and Design Engineers to optimize part geometries for manufacturing feasibility, weight efficiency, and lower unit cost without compromising performance.
• Benchmarking & Market Intelligence: Track raw material market indices (e.g., Aluminum, Steel, Iron) and maintain database benchmarks for tooling, machining, and foundry production lines.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience: 3–5+ years of experience in automotive cost engineering, manufacturing engineering, or technical procurement.
• Process Knowledge: In-depth technical understanding of:
• High-Pressure Die Casting (HPDC), Low-Pressure Die Casting (LPDC), and Sand Casting.
• Hot and cold forging processes.
• Post-processing, heat treatment (T6/T7), CNC machining, and non-destructive testing (NDT).
• Cost Engineering Tools: Hands-on experience with costing software (e.g., Siemens TcPCM, Facton, or custom Excel CBD models).
• Engineering Tools: Proficiency in CAD viewing/measurement tools (CATIA, Siemens NX) to evaluate 3D models for process requirements.