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Principal Designer

faurecia S.A. · Auburn Hills, MI, USA ·

Pay:
100.000 - 125.000
Job type:
Full Time

Principal Studio Designer – Forvia

Forvia is a global leader in sustainable mobility technology, designing and delivering automotive experiences that matter at scale.
Responsibilities

Studio Design Leadership

Lead automotive studio design projects involving internal teams and external partners.
Balance hands‑on design contribution with hands‑off leadership and direction.
Provide senior‑level expertise in product definition, design development, and execution.
Lead and participate in studio design critiques, reviews, and workshops.
Support and strengthen design studio practices and methodologies.
Customer Interface & Business Development

Serve as a primary design representative with OEM customers and internal stakeholders.
Build, maintain, and actively develop customer relationships.
Leverage your customer and ecosystem network to support early‑phase concepts, RFQs, and new business acquisition.
Confidently present, defend, and evolve design proposals directly with customers.
Promote Forvia technologies and innovations through strong studio storytelling and design vision.
Product, Process & Technical Alignment

Translate OEM and Forvia requirements into clear, actionable design specifications.
Analyze and clarify customer requirement documents and functional specifications.
Ensure studio concepts are grounded in technical feasibility, ergonomics, and system integration.
Apply strong understanding of automotive interior systems, including:

Displays and interaction systems (HMI / UX)
Seating comfort and kinematics
Instrument panels, center consoles, and door panels

Lead project‑based design contributors across local and global Forvia design studios.
Mentor designers and provide input on studio capability development.
Collaborate across Forvia’s global design studio network.
Support broader management and innovation initiatives as a senior studio leader.
Willingness to travel frequently to customers and studio locations.
Profile & Competencies

Experience & Education

Bachelor’s degree in Design.
5+ years of experience in automotive or product design.
Minimum 5 years within an automotive design studio environment.
International experience a plus.
Design & Technical Skills

Strong background in studio‑based, system‑level automotive design.
Understanding of user‑centered design (UX/UI, design thinking).
Experience with product and service concept creation (use‑case driven, architecture‑aware).
Strong visualization and communication skills.
Proficiency in tools such as Alias, Maya, Blender, Gravity, Substance, Adobe Creative Suite, Vizcom, and AI‑enabled design tools.
Behavioral Profile

Extroverted, customer‑oriented, and commercially minded.
Comfortable networking, influencing, and negotiating at a senior level.
Existing OEM relationships strongly preferred.
Entrepreneurial mindset with high accountability and ownership.
Decisive, proactive, and comfortable making tough calls.
Global mindset with the ability to operate across cultures.
Benefits

Engaging and dynamic environment focused on sustainable mobility technologies.
Access to extensive training; employees receive an average of more than 22 hours of online and in‑person learning per year.
Multicultural environment that values diversity and international collaboration.
Commitment to achieving CO₂ Net Zero, with initiatives focused on recyclability and circular economy.

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