Product Test Engineer

Senior Product Cost EngineerBlue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird's complete product and service portfolio, visit Senior Product Cost Engineer is responsible for developing and executing the product cost strategy for a next-generation commercial chassis platform from concept through production launch. This role owns engineering cost modeling, design-to-cost execution, value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE), design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA), and cost optimization across the complete vehicle. Working alongside Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Strategic Sourcing, this position ensures cost objectives are achieved without compromising safety, quality, reliability, manufacturability, or vehicle performance.This engineer will influence vehicle architecture, supplier selection, manufacturing processes, and engineering decisions by providing data-driven cost analyses, technical trade studies, and design recommendations throughout the product lifecycle.This is a high-impact role for an experienced engineer who thrives in ambiguity, challenges conventional thinking, and wants meaningful ownership over one of the primary drivers of program profitability and launch success.Essential Duties And ResponsibilitiesProduct Cost Ownership: Own product cost development, tracking, and optimization across the complete commercial chassis platform from concept through production launch.Design-to-Cost Strategy: Establish and drive design-to-cost objectives by partnering with engineering teams to balance cost, performance, quality, manufacturability, durability, and customer requirements.Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE): Lead VA/VE activities to identify cost reduction opportunities through design optimization, material selection, process improvements, supplier innovation, and product simplification.Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DFM/DFA): Drive DFM/DFA principles throughout product development to improve manufacturability, reduce assembly complexity, minimize labor content, and improve production efficiency.Cost Modeling & Trade Studies: Develop detailed component, subsystem, and vehicle-level cost models to support architecture decisions, supplier sourcing strategies, make-versus-buy analyses, and engineering trade-offs.Cross-Functional Cost Leadership: Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Development, Quality, Finance, and Program Management to ensure technical decisions support program cost objectives.Supplier Cost Collaboration: Work directly with suppliers to evaluate technical proposals, identify cost reduction opportunities, benchmark competitive solutions, and support commercial negotiations through engineering analysis.Product Change Cost Analysis: Evaluate engineering changes for piece cost, tooling investment, manufacturing impact, lifecycle cost, warranty exposure, and overall business case.Manufacturing & Launch Support: Support prototype builds, manufacturing launch, and early production by identifying cost optimization opportunities while maintaining production readiness and launch timing.Continuous Cost Improvement: Establish ongoing cost reduction roadmaps throughout product development and production while maintaining product performance, quality, and customer expectations.Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution where product definitions, supplier strategies, manufacturing processes, and cost targets continue to evolve.Software Release Management: Manage calibration revisions, software releases, configuration control, and production-ready datasets supporting prototype, validation, manufacturing, and production programs.Compliance & Functional Performance: Ensure vehicle control strategies meet emissions, safety, diagnostics, cybersecurity, and applicable commercial vehicle regulatory requirements.Launch & Production Support: Support prototype builds, validation testing, manufacturing launch, and early production by rapidly resolving controls-related issues and optimizing vehicle performance.Operate in Ambiguity: Create structure and drive execution in environments where vehicle architectures, software, propulsion technologies, and performance requirements evolve simultaneously.Knowledge, Skills And Abilities For SuccessStrong understanding of automotive or commercial vehicle product cost development and cost engineering methodologiesExperience leading Design-to-Cost, VA/VE, DFM, and DFA initiativesAbility to evaluate engineering trade-offs involving cost, performance, quality, manufacturability, serviceability, and durabilityExperience developing component, subsystem, and vehicle-level cost modelsStrong understanding of manufacturing processes including fabrication, machining, casting, molding, welding, stamping, assembly, and automationExperience supporting supplier sourcing, quoting, should-cost analysis, and cost negotiationsStrong analytical, financial, and engineering problem-solving capabilityAbility to influence technical decisions across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and supplier organizations without direct authorityStrong communication, presentation, and decision-making skillsBasic Education And Experience RequiredBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or related engineering discipline7+ years of experience in product cost engineering, manufacturing engineering, product development, value engineering, or commercial vehicle engineeringAll candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire.Preferred ExperienceDemonstrated experience developing product cost strategies from concept through production launchExperience leading VA/VE, Design-to-Cost, DFM, and DFA activities on production vehicle programsExperience working cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Strategic Sourcing, Finance, and suppliersExperience supporting supplier technical reviews, should-cost analysis, or cost optimization initiativesExperience with commercial vehicles, body-on-chassis platforms, vocational vehicles, or heavy-duty vehicle programsExperience supporting clean-sheet vehicle development or major platform redesign programsExperience with supplier cost modeling, manufacturing cost analysis, and competitive benchmarkingExperience supporting sourcing strategy, supplier negotiations, and industrialization activitiesExperience applying Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) methodologiesMaster's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or Business AdministrationExperience supporting accelerated product launches in low-process or rapidly evolving engineering organizationsWe're Looking For Someone WhoTakes ownership of complex engineering cost challenges and drives them to resolutionThrives in fast-paced environments where product definition and priorities evolve rapidlyThinks at the complete vehicle level and understands how engineering decisions influence total product costChallenges conventional approaches and identifies innovative opportunities to improve cost without sacrificing quality, reliability, or customer valueBalances engineering excellence with manufacturing realities, supplier capabilities, launch timing, and business objectivesCommunicates effectively across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, suppliers, and executive leadershipWants meaningful ownership over the engineering decisions that define the commercial success of a new vehicle platformIncludesContinued Professional DevelopmentBenefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, 14 paid holidays, vacation time and 401k matchingWork ConditionsThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Office environment and production environmentMust work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to heat, cold and noiseFast-paced production area with moving objects and sheet metalOccasional periods of standing or sitting for extended periods of timeYou must wear appropriate PPE when and where requiredFrequent weeks working 40+ hoursFrequent communication with people throughout the dayBlue Bird® is an equal opportunity