Cost Planning Principal Engineer

What Makes a Honda, is Who makes a Honda
Honda has a clear vision for the future, and it’s a joyful one. We are looking for individuals with the skills, courage, persistence, and dreams that will help us reach our future-focused goals. At our core is innovation. Honda is constantly innovating and developing solutions to drive our business with record success. We strive to be a company that serves as a source of “power” that supports people around the world who are trying to do things based on their own initiative and that helps people expand their own potential. To this end, Honda strives to realize “the joy and freedom of mobility” by developing new technologies and an innovative approach to achieve a “zero environmental footprint.”

We are looking for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, continuous improvement values, and a strong work ethic to join our team.

If your goals and values align with Honda’s, we want you to join our team to Bring the Future!

Job Purpose

• To achieve HDMA business targets, it is critically important to determine whether a given part/system design is cost competitive and a reasonable value for the money.
• The Cost Planning Engineer deeply understands the Design Category's cost situation. This position can identify concerns with cost accuracy or efficiency and suggest options for cost reduction and optimization. The Cost
• Planning Engineer has sufficient technical background to understand the cost drivers to be able to judge reasonableness of cost/investment in a given part or system.

Key Accountabilities

• Expertise:
  • Demonstrate ability to generate an accurate cost estimate from given part characteristics and manufacturing process. Regularly consult with Design, Purchasing and Supplier to understand latest application of technology and purchasing strategies and their impact to Cost. Utilize experience, logic, comparative analysis to generate proposals for design cost optimization. Utilize experience to identify areas where consolidation and bundling can improve sourcing cost structure and share insights with Purchasing team.
• Verification:
  • Verify reasonableness of cost targets received by carefully examining the logic and assumptions that were used in creating them. Raise awareness if target cannot be logically validated but prepare alternative solution with appropriate justification in such cases. Once established, develop a reasonable path to achieve said part-by-part targets and verify that the design is maturing in that direction. Propose creative solutions as needed to balance the overall unit when certain parts cannot realize the target.
• Correlation activity:
  • Lead all cost discussion events at the layout check, drawing check and the correlation events . Provide leadership and guidance at each event; Demonstrate insights to help resolve difficulties. Summarize the results and report it at the Group Maru-Q event.
• Department Verification:
  • Attend and support any discussion for parts cost / investment.
• R-themes support:
  • For Research Themes that are cost-related, provide the business viewpoint for the new technology or strategy being proposed. Consult with procurement and review quotes for accuracy to ensure business benefit.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

• Must have a college-level Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related STEM field of study.
• At least 8 or more years of experience combining product development and design team leadership.
• Must have demonstrable technical expertise in part materials and manufacturing process.
• Ability to determine if a design is optimized for cost / investment.
• Should be well-proficient in use of CATIA, Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint for analysis and reporting. Any data visualization tools expertise will be an asset.
• Works well in a Team setting or independently in a fast-paced environment.

Workstyle

• This is an onsite job. One remote workday per week may be possible with prior departmental approval.
• Position may require working overtime on a need basis.
• Travel requirements: Approx 5% ~ 10% annually, largely domestic and rarely international.

What differentiates Honda and makes us an employer of choice?

Total Rewards: 

• Competitive Base Salary (pay will be based on several variables that include, but not limited to geographic location, work experience, etc.)
• Regional Bonus (when applicable)
• Manager Lease Car Program (No Cost - Car, Maintenance, and Insurance included)
• Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx)
• Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, shutdown
• Company Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability 
• 401K Plan with company match + additional contribution
• Relocation assistance (if eligible)

Career Growth:

• Advancement Opportunities
• Career Mobility
• Education Reimbursement for Continued learning
• Training and Development Programs 

Additional Offerings:

• Lifestyle Account
• Childcare Reimbursement Account
• Elder Care Support
• Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Repayment
• Wellbeing Program
• Community Service and Engagement Programs
• Product Programs

Honda is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.