Senior Manufacturing Cost Engineer

Senior Manufacturing Cost Engineer Southfield, MI - World Headquarters

Reporting to the AME Costing Manager, the Senior Manufacturing Cost Engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining manufacturing cost models that support quoting, program launches, engineering changes, and continuous improvement activities within a JIT automotive seating environment. This role works closely with AME, Operations, Finance, Purchasing, Program Management, and Commercial teams to ensure manufacturing assumptions are accurate, competitive, and aligned with plant performance objectives.

The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of automotive manufacturing processes, labor standards, capital equipment, and cost drivers associated with high‑volume assembly operations.

• Develop manufacturing cost estimates and cost models to support customer quotations and new business opportunities.
• Create detailed cost estimations for labor, equipment, overhead, and capital assumptions for new program launches.
• Support program teams with cost evaluations related to engineering changes, launch activities, and operational improvements.
• Partner with Operations and Industrial Engineering to validate labor standards, cycle times, and plant capacity assumptions.
• Support capital planning activities, including ROI analysis and equipment justification.
• Monitor actual manufacturing performance versus quoted assumptions and identify gaps and corrective actions.
• Support continuous improvement activities across seating assembly operations.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field with education and/or experience in finance.
• 4+ years of experience in manufacturing, industrial, or cost engineering within the automotive industry.
• Experience supporting automotive seating, interiors, or high-volume assembly operations preferred.
• Strong understanding of labor standards, manufacturing processes, and cost modeling methodologies.
• Experience with program launches, customer quotations, and capital equipment analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills required;
  Foundry and Power BI experience preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively across engineering, operations, finance, and commercial teams.

• Tier 1 automotive supplier experience.
• JIT/JIS manufacturing environment.
• Seating assembly, metal structures, foam, trim, or final assembly operations.
• Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.

Lear Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse workplace.