Development Engineer

Job Overview: Provides expert technical leadership for electrical/electronic systems support, serving as the primary liaison between product development and manufacturing operations. Leads complex control unit and software issue resolution, validation activities, launch readiness, and preventive quality initiatives. Advises leadership on technical risks, priorities, and trade-offs while supporting organizational capability development. Functions as an individual contributor and does not hold ownership for product design, software development, release management, or operational approvals Responsibilities: Shape E/E support priorities, diagnostic methods, and long-term engineering capability Lead specialist-supported resolution of systemic ECU, software, and network concerns across hardware, configuration, and production interfaces Guide major ECU/software change feasibility, compatibility, implementation, and readiness across systems Align containment, permanent corrections, and deviation validity and closure with accountable owners Guide development ECU/software test strategies and evidence standards; advise on supplier evaluations and certification support as applicable Challenge launch and update readiness; align traceable development configurations, production-release separation, and approval controls with owners Align Charleston and North American E/E support needs with Research & Development team Promote traceable issue, change, deviation, and milestone records. Guide production and field risk assessments; advise on corrective strategies, trade-offs, maturity, and decisions. Escalate unresolved risks or higher-approval decisions to owners Mentor senior engineers and build specialist networks and technical judgment without personnel management Drive prevention and measure readiness, recurrence reduction, and resolution quality Qualifikationen Qualifications: Bachelor's in electrical engineering, mechatronics, automotive engineering, or related discipline, or equivalent education and experience; advanced degree beneficial 8+ years of progressive automotive E/E experience with sustained technical leadership in production support or development Deep development ECU/software experience and proven systemic problem-solving across organizational boundaries Experience establishing methods, advising leadership, and developing technical leaders; automotive lifecycle and launch experience p referred Knowledge and Skills: Deep ECU/software expertise and broad E/E architecture, sensor/actuator, power, grounding, and production knowledge Systems thinking across CAN, LIN, automotive Ethernet, hardware/software dependencies, and workstreams Expert judgment in diagnostics, root-cause strategy, uncertainty, systemic risk, and validation alternatives Strong change-governance, deviation, configuration-traceability, and launch-maturity knowledge Guide authorized diagnostic, measurement, and flashing practices, addressing software limitations, compatibility, safety, and cybersecurity Establish scalable methods with owners; balance production needs and long-term robustness while coaching technical leaders Business-fluent English, executive technical communication, intercultural negotiation, and constructive challenge Knowledge of Monaco software required. Proficiency with engineering data, documentation, and issue tools; translate diagnostic trends into improvements Mercedes-Benz development and documentation/change-management familiarity preferred; German beneficial MB.OS Knowledge is a plus EXCELLENT COMPENSATION & BENEFITS PLAN WITH 401k MATCHING Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC ("MBV") is a plant in Ladson, South Carolina that assembles Sprinter vans for the U.S. and Canadian market under the brands Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. The midsize Mercedes-Benz Metris vans are also reassembled at this location Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC has invested more than 500 million U.S. dollars in the new Sprinter plant, which officially opened in 2018. Today the MBV facility provides more than 1,600 jobs and supports at least 600 additional jobs in the region through its suppliers. More than 200,000 Sprinter and Metris vans have been assembled in North Charleston and delivered to destinations across the U.S. since 2006. Therefore, MBV celebrates a 15-year legacy of SKD production in 2021. The U.S. is the second largest market for Sprinter vans, after Germany