Join our Chassis Cost Engineering team and help shape smart, competitive, and sustainable cost decisions for key vehicle components. In this role, you will have the opportunity to combine your technical expertise, cost transparency, and analytical thinking in a dynamic automotive engineering environment.
As a Cost Engineer, you will work on chassis components such as springs or shock absorbers, steering mechanisms, axles, wheels, and/or braking systems. Your insights will help guide sourcing decisions, product changes, benchmarking activities, and strategic discussions with internal teams and suppliers.
How You Will Contribute
• Create transparent bottom-up cost calculations for a variety of chassis component parts throughout the entire product lifecycle
• Analyze requirement specifications, technical drawings, and CAD data to define target costs and identify cost drivers
• Evaluate manufacturing processes (e.g., aluminum die casting, precision machining, injection molding, and assembly) to optimize production costs
• Create target cost structures, validate supplier quotations, and derive technology benchmarks
• Assess supplier processes, machine concepts, capital expenditure, and cycle times
• Support procurement in technical supplier discussions, price negotiations, and strategic sourcing decisions through transparent bottom-up cost calculations
• Review and validate supplier quotations to ensure competitiveness
• Collaborate closely with R&D and Engineering from the early concept phase and help drive design-to-cost initiatives for your parts and modules
• Propose alternative materials, manufacturing technologies, or design simplifications to optimize product costs without compromising quality or performance
• Prepare clear technical and commercial decision briefs for management and specialist departments
• Support procurement material assessments and supplier compensation evaluations:
o Assess supplier compensation requests when negotiated volume assumptions have not been achieved
o Evaluate supplier compensation requests when key negotiation assumptions have changed significantly, including material costs, energy, and labor
• Detailed analysis and evaluation of relevant manufacturing processes:
o Turning, milling, extrusion, bending, stamping, cutting, welding
o Coating systems (internal coating, cathodic dip coating/e-coat, corrosion protection)
o Attachments & joining
• Perform competitive analysis (e.g., Tesla, BMW, Audi, BYD, etc.)
What You Bring
· A degree in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, plastics/metal engineering, production engineering, or a comparable qualification
· Solid technical knowledge of chassis components and related manufacturing processes
· Experience in cost engineering, manufacturing process analysis, or comparable technical fields
· Confident handling of technical drawings, process parameters, machine layouts, and investment calculations
· Strong analytical and commercial mindset, with the ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly and effectively to different audiences
· A high level of initiative, strong communication skills, and a collaborative team spirit
· Fluent in spoken and written English; German language skills are highly beneficial
What You Can Expect
• A technically challenging role where your expertise creates meaningful impact and strong business value
• The opportunity to influence cost, technology, and supplier decisions in a strategic business area
• Collaboration with an interdisciplinary, motivated team that values open exchange and practical solutions
• Modern tools and methods in cost engineering, along with international exposure to supplier and production networks
Ready to make an impact? If you enjoy connecting engineering details with commercial impact, this is a great opportunity to contribute to future-oriented cost engineering decisions and help shape competitive automotive solutions.
