Technical Specialist Thermal System Innovation

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.

The Role

Technical Specialist - Thermal System Innovation

The Thermal System Innovation Technical Specialist is recognized as a subject matter expert in thermal system innovation strategy development and future roadmap creation. This role is responsible for defining maturing and driving the thermal innovation roadmap across key cross-functional partners including Design Studio Software and Services Research and Development advanced engineering and other strategic this role you will identify where General Motors should lead translate emerging opportunities into actionable plans and help ensure thermal innovation is connected to practical product and technology execution.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical depth in automotive thermal systems along with a demonstrated ability to work across organizations to shape direction influence priorities and create momentum. This person must be highly motivated forward-looking and energized by building what is next. They must be comfortable operating in ambiguity connecting customer needs and competitive insights to engineering opportunities and helping teams move from concept to useful strategy tools and implementation paths.

This role requires close collaboration with groups that are critical to future thermal leadership including Design Studio Software and Services Research and Development systems teams and other partners influencing vehicle concepts customer experience and digital capability. A key part of the role is identifying where artificial intelligence and related digital methods can improve engineering productivity concept development analysis workflows benchmarking and decision quality then partnering with others to develop and apply those tools effectively.

The Technical Specialist must use a high degree of independent judgment technical leadership creativity and initiative. This person should be equally comfortable shaping long-range strategy facilitating cross-functional technical discussions supporting advanced concepts and influencing decisions without direct authority. The candidate must hold self and others accountable for measurable high-quality timely and cost-effective results without compromising integrity safety or quality. Strong communication skills and the ability to present technical strategies and recommendations clearly to leadership and cross-functional teams are essential.

What Youll Do

Technical

• Serve as the technical owner and subject matter expert for thermal innovation roadmap development across future vehicle architectures customer-facing thermal features and enabling engineering capabilities.
• Develop and drive the thermal innovation roadmap in alignment with subsystem needs vehicle strategies customer experience priorities and long-range technology direction.
• Build strong working relationships with Design Studio Software and Services Research and Development advanced engineering teams systems teams and other critical partners to ensure thermal opportunities are identified early and translated into actionable development paths.
• Lead innovation projects that support the thermal roadmap including future concepts new methods and cross-functional technical workstreams needed to strengthen GM leadership in thermal systems.
• Identify where artificial intelligence automation and digital workflows can create meaningful value in thermal engineering then partner with technical experts analysts software teams and tool developers to define develop and apply those capabilities more effectively.
• Translate future customer needs competitive trends technical gaps and emerging technologies into prioritized thermal strategies technology themes and implementation plans.
• Lead and support benchmarking of competitive thermal systems integration strategies customer-facing features and innovation approaches to identify opportunities for GM to differentiate.
• Support and/or lead cross-functional teams as necessary to ensure innovation concepts are coordinated with vehicle integration software strategy system requirements and execution realities.
• Provide technical direction for trade studies virtual analysis concept evaluation and other structured assessments to support data-driven decisions.
• Drive development of innovation themes from early concept through strategic recommendation including technical framing success criteria risks dependencies timing and implementation paths.
• Help define and mature tools methods workflows and documentation needed to support thermal roadmap execution and improve team effectiveness.
• Develop clear technical narratives roadmaps presentations and review materials for engineering and leadership forums.

Leadership and Communication

• Influence across organizations to align teams around common thermal innovation priorities and long-range strategic direction.
• Lead through influence often directing technical work across teams without direct authority.
• Build credibility with both technical and non-technical stakeholders by translating complex thermal topics into clear opportunities tradeoffs risks and actions.
• Bring together groups with different objectives and perspectives to form shared roadmaps and practical next steps.
• Encourage bold thinking healthy technical debate and a strong external focus on where GM must lead versus follow.
• Promote a culture of innovation urgency ownership and accountability while maintaining strong collaboration across partner teams.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in leadership reviews technical forums cross-functional discussions and strategic planning sessions.
• Help create momentum around new thermal capabilities digital tools and future-focused development approaches.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering Thermal/Fluids Engineering Aerospace Engineering Systems Engineering or related technical field
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in automotive thermal systems engineering advanced engineering systems strategy innovation planning or related technical roles
• Demonstrated experience working across multiple functions to build alignment on technical direction roadmap priorities innovation themes or strategy rollout
• Strong technical foundation in automotive thermal systems with knowledge in several of the following areas:
  • HVAC and cabin comfort
  • Coolant and refrigerant loops
  • Propulsion thermal management
  • Energy management
  • Thermal controls and software-enabled thermal features
  • Vehicle-level thermal integration
  • System requirements decomposition and tradeoff analysis
• Proven ability to identify emerging opportunities and translate them into actionable technical strategies roadmaps and development paths
• Experience leading or influencing cross-functional technical work without direct authority
• Strong analytical ability and engineering judgment to evaluate new concepts resolve complex technical issues and navigate competing priorities
• Strong communication and influencing skills including the ability to engage Design Studio software teams research teams engineering teams and leadership
• High level of interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively across indirect teams and diverse organizations
• Demonstrated innovation ownership accountability and urgency in driving outcomes
• Demonstrated use of artificial intelligence or related digital tools to improve productivity engineering analysis benchmarking workflow efficiency or decision quality
• Strong motivation to help position General Motors as the industry leader in thermal systems

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering Systems Engineering Thermal Sciences or related field
• Experience in advanced vehicle development concept development innovation planning or long-range technology roadmap creation
• Working knowledge of GM engineering processes development milestones technical review systems and documentation expectations
• Experience collaborating with Design Studio Software and Services Research and Development or strategy groups on future product concepts or enabling technology direction
• Experience developing or deploying engineering tools models methods or workflows that improved team capability or decision quality
• Familiarity with AI-enabled engineering tools data analytics workflows automation and digital product development methods
• Strong competitor benchmarking experience including identifying technical differentiators and translating findings into roadmap actions
• Knowledge of 1D thermodynamic analysis CFD virtual development tools system simulation methods or other advanced analytical tools
• Understanding of DFSS methodologies; Black Belt or Red X knowledge preferred
• Experience supporting advanced technology initiatives special projects or early concept maturation activities

Why This Role Matters

This role is critical to ensuring General Motors is not only executing todays thermal requirements but also shaping what industry-leading thermal capability must look like in the future. The right candidate will help connect innovation to execution strengthen collaboration with key strategic groups and build the roadmap tools and momentum needed for GM to lead in the thermal space.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day individually and collectively to drive meaningful change through our words our deeds and our culture. Every day we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one were looking out for your well-beingat work and at homeso you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex race color national origin citizenship status religion age disability pregnancy or maternity status sexual orientation gender identity status as a veteran or protected veteran or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required where applicable to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment email us or call your email please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.