Manager - VA (Upperbody Architecture)

Location: Bangalore, India

Responsibilities & Key Deliverables

Key Responsibilities

Upper Body Architecture Development

• Lead the definition and development of vehicle upper body architecture from concept to production.

• Establish architectural layouts for the upper body structure, ensuring alignment with vehicle platform strategy and product requirements.

• Define and manage critical interfaces between Body-in-White (BIW), Closures, Glass, Roof Systems, Exterior Trim, and Interior systems.

• Ensure optimized package space while balancing structural performance, occupant comfort, visibility, styling, and manufacturability.

• Drive architectural decisions supporting modularity and platform commonality.

Vehicle Integration & Packaging

• Lead upper body packaging activities, ensuring compatibility between structural, functional, and aesthetic requirements.

• Resolve cross-functional packaging conflicts involving roof, windshield, side glass, pillars, doors, tailgate, sealing systems, and interior trim.

• Support Digital Mock-Up (DMU) reviews and package validation throughout product development.

• Coordinate engineering changes impacting upper body architecture.

Structural & Interface Management

• Define architecture requirements for:

• Roof structure

• A, B, C & D pillars

• Windshield and backlite interfaces

• Side glass systems

• Door apertures

• Roof rails

• Tailgate/liftgate interfaces

• Weather sealing systems

• Exterior trim interfaces

• Ensure proper dimensional control, gap & flush, tolerance stack-up, and assembly feasibility.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with Styling, BIW, Closures, Exterior, Interior, Safety, Manufacturing, CAE, Validation, Supplier Engineering, and Program Management teams.

• Lead architecture and integration reviews across vehicle development milestones.

• Drive engineering trade-off decisions considering cost, weight, performance, timing, quality, and customer expectations.

• Mentor engineering teams on architecture principles, interface management, and vehicle integration.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure upper body architecture meets applicable safety and regulatory requirements, including:

• Roof crush performance

• Side impact requirements

• Occupant protection

• Pedestrian protection (where applicable)

• Visibility regulations

• ECE, FMVSS, AIS, and global standards

• Support crashworthiness and structural optimization activities in collaboration with CAE teams.

Validation & Engineering Support

• Support virtual validation, prototype builds, and production trials.

• Analyze architecture-related issues during development and validation.

• Lead root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.

• Ensure robust engineering change management throughout the product lifecycle.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop and standardize upper body architecture guidelines and best practices.

• Drive modular architecture initiatives across vehicle platforms.

• Capture and implement lessons learned for future vehicle programs.

• Promote innovation in lightweight design, manufacturability, and system integration.

Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 12–14 years of experience in Automotive Body Engineering, Vehicle Architecture, or Vehicle Integration.

• Strong expertise in Upper Body Architecture and Body Structure Integration.

• Experience across complete vehicle development cycles from concept through production.

• Experience working with automotive OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers is preferred.

Industry Preferred

Preferred Industry Experience

• Passenger Vehicles

• Electric Vehicles (EV)

• Hybrid Vehicles

• Commercial Vehicles

Automotive OEMs or Tier-1 Suppliers

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 12–14 years of experience in Automotive Body Engineering, Vehicle Architecture, or Vehicle Integration.

• Strong expertise in Upper Body Architecture and Body Structure Integration.

• Experience across complete vehicle development cycles from concept through production.

• Experience working with automotive OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers is preferred.

General Requirements

• Upper Body Architecture

• Vehicle Architecture & Integration

• Body-in-White (BIW)

• Vehicle Packaging

• Structural Interface Management

• Closures Integration

• Roof Systems

• Glass & Sealing Systems

• Exterior and Interior Interface Management

• Gap & Flush Engineering

• Tolerance Stack-up Analysis

• GD&T

• Digital Mock-Up (DMU)

• Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

• Design for Assembly (DFA)

• DFMEA

• Engineering Change Management

• Root Cause Analysis

• Regulatory Compliance (FMVSS, ECE, AIS)

Preferred Tools

• CATIA V5/V6

• Siemens NX

• Teamcenter/PLM

• ENOVIA

• 3DCS or Variation Analysis Tools

• DMU/Vis Mockup

• Microsoft Office

• JIRA (preferred)

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion