VDDV Technical Specialist – Vehicle Thermal Management 3D & Front-End Airflow

Job Description

At General Motors our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen but to be felt. Were turning todays impossible into tomorrows standard from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design intelligent software and next-generation safety and entertainment features.

Every day our products move millions of peopleas we aim to makedriving safer smarter and more connected shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

Hybrid: This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to Warren MI three times per week at minimum.

The Role

The VDDV Technical Specialist Vehicle Thermal Management 3D (MTM3D) & Front-End Airflow (FEAF) is the global technical authority for integrated FEAF and underhood/underbody thermal CFD within Virtual Design Development & Validation (VDDV). This lead sets the technical strategy methods and standard work for FEAF and VTM3D drives the roadmap toward 100% virtual thermal development and ensures that VDDV delivers highfidelity highvalue simulation to support program decisions calibration and validation.

This is an individual contributor Technical Specialist role with broad global influence and accountability not a direct people leader role. You will operate and lead at the intersection of Thermal Development Aerodynamics Energy Propulsion Calibration AVD and Studio and are accountable for the technical sufficiency consistency and scalability of FEAF and VTM3D methods and results across regions.

Success requires deep technical expertise in thermal/CFD strong systems thinking and demonstrated capability to influence crossfunctional leaders and grow the skills of the broader engineering community.

What Youll Do

Technical Strategy & Roadmap FEAF & VTM3D

• Define and maintain the global technical vision and roadmap for FEAF and VTM3D VDDV in support of GMsvirtual development and validation strategy (e.g. 100% virtual FEAF and thermal compliance for key GMWs / VTS).

• Own and evolve the FEAF/VTM3D methods portfolio (steady/transient CFD hot FEAF ROAT leakage recirculation driveline thermal cabin electronics/UH/UB CIST support etc.) including 1D/3D coupling with VTM1D and other plant models.

• Lead identification and deployment of new capabilities (e.g. transient fullvehicle thermal GPU acceleration FSI for shutters AI/MLassisted estimators and design tools).

• Partner with Thermal VPO FEAF Systems Owner VTM1D TS Aero TS S&S and Energy to ensure FEAF/VTM3D capabilities and deliverables align with VTS/SSTS/CTS regulatory requirements and business priorities.

Methods Standard Work & Governing Documents

• Own FEAF/VTM3D standard work procedures best practices and checklists and ensure they are current harmonized and applied globally.

• Define minimum method standards for each GVDP gate (PFI DSI VPI VDR/VDC etc.) including load cases mesh/physics requirements boundary conditions validation approach and documentation.

• Establish sponsor contribute and review DFSS / Tech Sufficiency projects that improve accuracy robustness and efficiency of FEAF/VTM3D models (e.g. correlation vs. CWT/Yuma/natural environment material models BCs etc.).

3Program Technical Leadership & Escalation

• Serve as the toplevel FEAF/VTM3D technical reference for all programs supporting EGMs LDEs VPOs and Performance Integration in tradeoff decisions (FEAF vs Aero packaging styling cost energy etc.).

• Provide direct technical leadership on the most critical or complex issues (e.g. MEO launch concerns ROAT shortfalls fuel system thermal integrity driveline thermal cabin electronics DCFC hotsoak offroad duty cycles).

• Lead or support pre and postlaunch investigations where FEAF/VTM3D plays a key role including issue framing analytic plan definition rootcause analysis and recommendation of design/calibration/controls changes.

• Ensure FEAF/VTM3D content in peer reviews PITs VAPIR/VVA LADV and VPIT meetings is technically sound riskbased and framed for decisionmaking.

CrossFunctional Integration & Ownership

• Act as the Tech Specialist FEAF/VTM3D VDDV owner for all related performance requirements deliverables and peer reviews working closely with:

  • VPO FEAF / VPO Thermal / VPO PTC

  • Systems Owner FEAF Systems Owner BEVHeat

  • Aero Program teams and Aero TS/CFD TS

  • Thermal LDEs AVD Thermal Architect Energy/VTM1D Driveline VDDV

  • Studio DREs (baffles CRFM fascia grille shutter OAT sensors etc.) and Program Release

• Align FEAF/VTM3D work with controls and calibration needs (e.g. fan/shutter calibration DCFC behavior CIST thermal SIL inputs) coordinating closely with Software & Services and Calibration teams.

• Shape and drive balanced criteria/requirements across FEAF Aero N&V Brake Thermal and Studio emphasizing earlyphase power of subtraction and avoiding latecycle rework.

Innovation Automation and AI/ML

• Lead or colead FEAF/VTM3D innovation initiatives including:

  • Automation of model build meshing BC setup and reporting (AAW successors templatebased workflows TcViz/ANSA/STAR integration).

  • AI/MLbased tools for early FEAF prediction grille design synthesis temperature estimators automatic result screening and TKV/geometry checks.

  • Development and use of performance databases (FEAF VTM3D ROAT component temperatures) to drive synthesis benchmarking and requirements refinement.

• Evaluate and influence CFD/CAE vendor roadmaps (e.g. STARCCM PreonLab optimization tools) and pilot emerging methods with appropriate rigor.

Teaching Coaching & Community Leadership

• Chair or cochair the Global FEAF/VTM3D Focus Group setting agenda sharing best practices and driving closure of lessons learned and MEO actions.

• Develop and maintain Degreed / LMS learning pathways bootcamps and office hours for FEAF/VTM3D methods (including global regions).

• Mentor VDDV engineers (all levels) and emerging technical leaders with emphasis on:

  • Thermal/CFD fundamentals and good engineering judgment

  • Model construction debugging and rootcause skills

  • Effective communication of simulation results to nonCAE stakeholders

• Represent FEAF/VTM3D VDDV in internal and external technical forums (e.g. focus groups conferences vendor events technical councils).

What Youll Need (Required Qualifications)

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering or related discipline with strong emphasis on thermal sciences and fluid mechanics

• 10 years of relevant engineering experience with substantial time in CAE/CFDbased thermal and/or airflow development.

• Demonstrated leadrole experience in airflow and/or thermal simulations (EV and/or ICE).

• Proven track record of virtual development leadership (methods correlation process definition) beyond singleprogram execution.

• Deep handson expertise with CFD tools (e.g. STARCCM or equivalent) and CAD/PLM (e.g. Teamcenter NX VisMockup) for complex vehicle models.

• Strong understanding of thermal systems air handling cooling circuits and energy flows (e.g. radiators CAC emotors/inverters batteries driveline components exhaust).

• Working knowledge of 1D system tools and 1D/3D coupling (e.g. GTSUITE) and the role of FEAF/VTM3D in controls/calibration and SIL/HIL workflows.

• Familiarity with program GVDP/GVDPlike processes VTS/SSTS/CTS and key thermal/FEAFrelated GMWs

• Demonstrated Technical Specialistlevel behaviors:

  • Recognized subjectmatter expert who is regularly sought out across organizations.

  • Proven ability to define strategy and roadmap not just execute tasks.

  • Strong teaching/coaching track record (focus groups training mentoring). Able to build and run simulations.

  • High quality written and verbal communication including VPlevel forums.

• Ability to lead without direct authority aligning crossfunctional teams and external partners around common methods and decisions.

• Proficiency with Python or similar scripting for automation of CAE workflows.

• Comfortable working with data / analytics (e.g. building and mining performance databases using dashboards).

• Experience with DFSS / structured problem solving and correlation of virtual to physical test.

• Occasional travel may be required to proving grounds test labs or external partners for correlation benchmarking and technical collaboration.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Thermal/Fluids CFD or related discipline.

• Prior experience as a VDDV Technical Specialist global focus group chair or equivalent technical leadership role.

• Direct experience with:

  • FEAF/ROAT virtual development and correlation

  • Driveline thermal cabin electronics/sensor farm or CIST modeling

  • AI/ML applications in CAE (surrogates prediction optimization)

• Demonstrated impact reducing development time CPU cost and/or physical test scope through virtual methods.

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