Test Engineer - Team Leader

Company Description

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2021, Continental generated sales of €33.8 billion and currently employs more than 190,000 people in 58 countries and markets. On October 8, 2021, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary. The ContiTech group sector develops and manufactures, for example, cross-material, environmentally friendly and intelligent products and systems for the automotive industry, railway engineering, mining, agriculture and other key industries. Guided by the vision of "smart and sustainable solutions beyond rubber," the group sector draws on its long-standing knowledge of the industry and materials to open up new business opportunities by combining various materials with electronic components and individual services.

Job Description

This role is responsible for ensuring the reliability, performance, and continuous improvement of testing capabilities while supporting engineering and product validation activities. In addition, the position provides first-line leadership and supervision to the laboratory team, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality execution of testing operations in alignment with business and engineering objectives.

Functions

• Directly supervise lab technicians by assigning daily work, providing coaching and performance feedback, developing training plans, and building a stable, high-trust team environment consistent with Continental's leadership philosophy.


• Represent the testing lab in cross-functional discussions with Production, MPE, Maintenance, Quality, and Plant leadership; coordinate and optimize daily lab operations—quality, cost, utilization, and equipment availability.


• KPI tracking and reporting (turnaround/lead time, cost, quality, throughput) and support resource planning for staffing, shift coverage, and equipment/capacity needs; elevate deviations and capital requests to the Management Team..


• Own implementation of occupational safety guidelines at the site—including machine guarding, hydraulic/pneumatic system safety, and Chemical Hygiene Plan compliance—and lead risk assessments for lab instrumentation.


• Serve as the primary technical owner of MTS servo-hydraulic and electromechanical test systems, biaxial testing with Digital Image Correlation (DIC), and DMA techniques; personally execute complex testing investigations, design test matrices, and provide technical training to lab technicians.


• Read and interpret mechanical test data (stress-strain curves, fatigue life, DMA results, biaxial strain fields) and communicate findings to internal stakeholders; maintain advanced understanding of fracture mechanics, viscoelastic behavior, and fatigue concepts.


• Assure proper function of all mechanical test stations through routine calibration, preventive maintenance coordination with MTS service resources, and application of SPC methodology to support Quality activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.


• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience in a mechanical testing or materials characterization laboratory.


• Minimum 2 years of experience leading, mentoring, or directly supervising technical or lab personnel; demonstrated ability to coach and develop others.


• Hands-on experience operating mechanical testing systems (MTS servo-hydraulic or electromechanical, DIC, and DMA equipment); familiarity with MTS FlexTest controllers and TestSuite software preferred.


• Experience with fixture design and setup for tensile, compression, fatigue, peel, and/or DMA testing.

Additional Information

At Continental we are committed to building an inclusive and discrimination-free ecosystem in Mexico, these principles are rooted in our corporate philosophy and culture. Therefore, it is totally forbidden to request a pregnancy or HIV test as part of our selection processes.