Director, Design Engineering, Electrical

Director, Design Engineering, Electrical

Blue 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

Reporting to the SVP of Engineering, the Director leads a team of Electrical Engineers who work to design and architect electrical systems, components, and controls for both body and chassis with all powertrains and vehicle configurations. This individual will work with design engineers and managers, for new designs that contribute improvements in reliability, manufacturing and cost reductions. The Director shall assure that product designs, specifications, and labor are maximized to improve the manufacturability at the lowest cost for all products.

The Director will work within the Product Development organization and cross functionally across the Blue Bird enterprise to maximize internal and external customer satisfaction.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Direct the Electrical and Controls Engineering team across multiple sites.
• Establish goals and objectives for the group and evaluate individual and group performance and projects for quality, safety and reliability.
• Direct the capital spending plan to include recommending capital improvements and preparing business cases.
• Lead launch of new technology and processes, including the next generation electrical architecture.
• Evaluate existing design weaknesses and propose solutions to drive robustness.
• Manage projects from concept to launch.
• Challenge company norms and drive solutions that drive correctness, validation and speed to market.
• Mentor engineers in design of electrical systems, DFMEA, DFM, and create robust electrical design guidelines that will drive improvements in bus quality/warranty.
• Identify field issues and drive root cause and corrective action.
• Partner with Purchasing to develop a technically qualified supply base.
• Lead team to assist the SQ team with PPAP of new harnesses and electrical components.
• Partner with Powertrain team for EV electrical systems development.
• Serve as a technical authority on Electric Vehicles and Electrical Safety.
• Communicate project status weekly to management.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, skills and abilities for success include:

• Analytical, balanced, dynamic, methodical approach to problem solving; good work ethic, integrity, and professional conduct
• Significant project management experience and ability to initiate and direct multiple projects simultaneously
• Must demonstrate leadership, conflict resolution and motivational skills, assertiveness, and positive attitude
• Able to develop budgets, and engage in financial planning and cost analysis by estimating production labor and equipment costs
• Excellent organizational skills and a focus on timely delivery of specified deliverables goals and objectives
• Good team and interpersonal skills, along with ability to work with cross-functional teams at all levels of the organization and foster teamwork
• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to organize and present ideas concisely and clearly
• Ability to analyze complex data sets.
• Experience in Cap Ex management
• Experience in process development and line balancing techniques
• Competent user of MS Office products including Project
• Broad management expertise across several disciplines within a job family or several different job areas.
• Auto, truck or bus industry experience
• High and low voltage electrical experience

Basic education and experience required:

• BS in Electrical Engineering required
• 15+ years of manufacturing product engineering…