Vice President, Automotive Manufacturing, Validation & Launch Program, AI/Automation (Charlotte)

Vice President, Automotive Manufacturing, Validation & Launch Program, AI/Automation

Charlotte, NC. Relocation Offered: YES

Competitive Salary [about $325K] Bonus, Full Benefits, World Class, Global Corporation

SUMMARY:

As Vice President, Verification & Validation, you will lead the transformation from document-centric V&V to an AI-enabled, model-based continuous validation ecosystem leveraging digital twins, fleet data, and an end-to-end digital thread. You will define and drive the enterprise strategy for verification and validation across vehicle systems, ensuring safety, compliance, robustness, and speed of execution across the full product lifecycle. This strategic leadership role requires deep expertise in automotive engineering, MBSE, SysML v2, requirements traceability end-to-end, AI-enabled validation methods , and data-driven decision-making, combined with exceptional leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Ideal Candidate : The ideal candidate has done whole-vehicle validation & launched multiple vehicle programs in their career. We are looking for someone who is tech-forward, thinking about the opportunities to leverage AI/automation in their respective field. Proven track record of transforming validation organizations, processes, and toolchains toward model-based, software-centric, AI-enabled, and data-driven approaches.

Develop and execute a forward-looking verification and validation strategy that drives the shift from document-centric processes to AI-enabled, model-based continuous validation .

• Build and lead a high-performing V&V organization across systems, software, hardware, and vehicle integration, fostering innovation, technical excellence, and operational rigor in support of software-defined vehicle (SDV) development.
• Establish and scale validation frameworks leveraging digital twins, simulation, virtual verification, HiL/SiL/MiL, CI/CD validation pipelines, automated regression testing, and fleet data analytics to enable earlier defect detection and continuous learning.
• Partner closely with systems engineering, software, hardware, product, manufacturing, and quality teams to define validation requirements and ensure end-to-end requirements traceability through a robust digital thread across the development lifecycle.
• Drive adoption of MBSE, SysML v2, digital thread practices, requirements traceability (e2e), test automation, scenario-based validation, and AI-assisted test generation to improve validation coverage, speed, and quality.
• Leverage connected vehicle and field performance data to enable closed-loop validation, AI-based coverage analysis, machine learning for defect prediction, and data-driven prioritization of validation activities.
• Champion the use of GenAI for requirements review and test review, increasing consistency, completeness, and efficiency across validation workflows.

What you’ll bring:

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 15+ years of experience in automotive engineering, including senior leadership responsibility in verification and validation of complex vehicle systems, software-defined vehicles, and/or electric vehicles.
• Proven track record of transforming validation organizations, processes, and toolchains toward model-based, software-centric, AI-enabled, and data-driven approaches.
• Deep expertise in MBSE, SysML v2, digital thread, digital twin, continuous validation, virtual verification, simulation environments, and test automation frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of requirements traceability (end-to-end), HiL, SiL, MiL, scenario-based testing, CI/CD validation, automated regression testing, and validation toolchains across hardware, software, and systems integration.
• Experience leveraging fleet data, telemetry, connected vehicle data, AI-assisted test generation, AI-based coverage analysis, machine learning for defect prediction, and GenAI for requirements and test review.
• Strong understanding of automotive safety, cybersecurity, regulatory, and quality standards, including ISO 26262, SOTIF, and safety case development in modern validation organizations.
• Demonstrated experience building and leading high-performing technical teams, driving cross-functional alignment, and influencing executive stakeholders.

Candidate Details: 15+ years experience// Seniority Level - Executive

Management Experience Required – Yes//Minimum Education - Master's Degree

Screening Questions:

Have you validated and launched multiple vehicle programs?

Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate has done whole-vehicle validation & launched multiple vehicle programs in their career. We are looking for someone who is tech-forward, thinking about the opportunities to leverage AI/automation in their respective field.