Director of Engineering - Body Structures & Closures

About the Role Director of Engineering – Body Structures and Closure systems for the Delivery business unit at Oshkosh Defense. Sets design and technical direction for body and closure systems, ensuring targets for cost, performance, and timing while mentoring the team. Responsibilities Provide technical direction, evaluate and select technologies and architectures for vehicle applications. Plan and estimate program needs, guide the Body and Closures team. Collaborate with Manufacturing, Purchasing, Program Management, Suppliers and Corporate stakeholders. Direct Body and Closures Engineering activities for all delivery vehicles (Structure, Hardware, Sealing, Paint & e‑Coat systems). Direct internal, external resources and supplier activities to meet agreed technical and commercial targets. Ensure delivery of Body and Closures systems to meet technical performance requirements (Legal and Regulatory, Durability, Crash, NVH, Sealing and other key attributes) and cost targets. Work closely with Suppliers, Manufacturing and Operations to ensure released designs are manufacturable and production‑ready. Define, plan and estimate Body and Closures activities needed to deliver assigned programs. Develop comprehensive delivery plans using Oshkosh policies, industry tools and best practice. Coordinate with supporting functions (Vehicle Engineering, Program Management, FEA, Test, Quality, etc.) to align plans. Create and maintain compliance and delivery metrics, support tracking and reporting. Represent Body & Closure systems as the technical expert internally and externally. Select appropriate Body technologies and architectures that meet commercial objectives. Work with Purchasing to create RFIs and RFQs for Engineering Services and Production suppliers. Establish and maintain department meetings, design reviews and communications. Prepare and approve body status and open issues reports for design recommendations and milestone review. Conduct and direct problem‑solving investigations (test issues, manufacturing feedback, etc.) and develop counter‑measures. Define the organization, methods, skills and capabilities for delivering from concept to SOP. Maintain effective communication with suppliers, customers and outside resources concerning technical issues. Enforce compliance with Oshkosh corporate and technical standards and policies. Approve overall Body and Closures system design release (prototype and production) and associated tooling investments. Develop an environment in which subordinates understand authority, responsibility and workloads. Co‑develop skills, assign development assignments, coach, mentor and conduct performance reviews. Apply knowledge of current Body & Closures technologies, engineering processes and manufacturing innovations. Qualifications (Minimum) Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent. At least 12 years of experience in engineering, contracts, lean and value stream management or related area. At least 5 years of management experience. Ability to travel up to 25%. Qualifications (Standout) 15+ years of experience in product design and development of Body & Closure systems in automotive or truck segments. 5+ years in senior management directing Body & Closures engineering from concept to launch. Broad industry knowledge of design, engineering methods, tools and techniques. Deep understanding of Body and Closures performance requirements such as legal, durability, crash, NVH. Detailed knowledge of CAD, BOM management, PLM, DFMEA, DVP, 8D, DoE, fault trees, SPC, VSA, GD&T. Knowledge of FEA, test, validation techniques. Experience with body materials (steel, aluminum, plastics, composites) and manufacturing methods (stamping, casting, extrusion, rollout, molding, joining). Business Acumen and integration of state‑of‑the‑art design and manufacturing methods. Advanced degree in relevant discipline preferred. Experience in different body architectures and segments (unibody, body‑on‑frame, passenger car, heavy truck, vocational). Core Competencies Inspires and motivates others; genuine leader. Builds collaborative relationships and drives mutual benefit. Coaches and develops team; provides feedback and encourages growth. Encourages innovation and inclusion; champions creative ideas. Aligns organization purpose with practical strategies and goals. Strategic thinking and global perspective. Benefits Pay range: $136,800.00 – $253,200.00 (target pay varies by experience, education, skills). People‑first culture with opportunities for growth. Reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Equal Opportunity Employment Oshkosh Corporation is a merit‑based Equal Opportunity Employer. Job opportunities are open to all qualified individuals and selection decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristic. Hiring Process Note Oshkosh will provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. For assistance, contact View email address on click.appcast.io. Working Conditions Physical demands include frequent standing, walking, sitting, reaching, hearing, talking, visual, typing, occasional driving, manual dexterity, repetitive motion, lifting 25lbs. Non‑physical demands include analysis, communication, math, reading, sustained mental activity. Environmental demands: work alone, frequent task changes, tedious work, occasional public contact. Work schedule: routine shift hours; occasional overtime, weekend or shift rotation. #J-18808-Ljbffr