Honda Motors

Mechanical Design Principal Engineer - Chassis

Honda Motors$110K — $130K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred) or equivalent experience.
  • 8+ years of experience in Powersports or Automotive engineering.
  • 2+ years in a supervisory or project leadership role.
  • Strong leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills.
  • Proficient in FTA, FMEA, CAD software, and Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

  • Direct and approve engineering output for quality and accuracy.
  • Lead technical problem-solving for development and production issues.
  • Supervise and contribute to a design team across multiple projects.
  • Assign and balance workload to meet development schedules.
  • Coach and mentor the team to enhance capabilities and quality.
  • Communicate effectively across functions to resolve issues and align expectations.
  • Represent the function in discussions with stakeholders regarding technical direction.

Benefits

  • Competitive base salary and regional bonus when applicable.
  • Manager lease car program, including maintenance and insurance.
  • Industry-leading medical, dental, and vision benefit plans.
  • Paid time off, including vacation and holidays.
  • Company-paid short-term and long-term disability benefits.
  • 401K with company match and additional contributions.
  • Relocation assistance if eligible.
Full Job Description
Job Purpose

Provide technical leadership and management for a Powersports design function by guiding engineering output, supervising team execution, and ensuring delivery of high-quality specifications, designs, and development results. This role integrates technical expertise with organizational leadership to achieve business objectives, advance product development, maintain global quality standards, and strengthen overall engineering capability.

Key Accountabilities

  • Direct and approve engineering output by reviewing design specifications, calculations, drawings, and documentation to ensure accuracy, quality, and alignment with targets.
  • Lead technical problem solving for development and mass production issues, driving root cause analysis, countermeasures, and risk mitigation.
  • Lead, supervise, and contribute within a design team to realize development deliverables across multiple concurrent projects.
  • Assign and balance workload, priorities, and resources to achieve development schedules and business targets.
  • Provide coaching, mentoring, and technical guidance to develop team capability and ensure consistent output quality.
  • Drive effective communication within the function and across other functions/ departments to resolve issues, align expectations, and ensure smooth execution.
  • Represent the function in discussions with management, suppliers, and global affiliates to advocate technical direction and resource needs.
  • Grow technical capability through knowledge sharing, mentorship, and development of best practices.
  • Improve design processes, tools, and methods to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and repeatability (e.g., PDCA, recurrence prevention).
  • Promote cross-functional learning and adoption of standardized engineering practices.
  • Lead hiring and performance evaluation processes to maintain a capable and balanced organization. Support workforce planning process.
  • Assist in establishing team and individual goals aligned with business objectives.
  • Contribute to management activities such as planning, policy adherence, and operational continuity when needed.


Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

Minimum Educational Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree in Engineering for relevant field. (eg: Mechanical).
  • Equivalent experience may be considered.


Minimum Experience:
  • 8+ Years related work experience preferably in Powersports or Automotive field
  • 2+ Years supervisory/project leadership in a similar organization.


Other Job-Specific Skills:
  • Capable at providing direction to direct reports according to established policies and management guidelines.
  • Strong leadership, coaching and mentoring skills.
  • Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
  • Ability to interact/communicate effectively with staff/management in a global organization.
  • Able to resolve conflict and lead crucial conversations.
  • Must be able to operate with high level of confidentiality.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Outlook).
  • Competent in FTA, FMEA, dimensional tolerance stack-ups and application.
  • Competent analytical, problem solving, judgement, decision-making and prioritization.
  • Competent drawing and layout skills/techniques using CAD software, including understanding of CAE principles.
  • Competent in creating a plan and schedule.
  • Competent in understand product development schedules.


Working Conditions

  • Travel: Average of 3-5 times annually. Amount varies based on project demands/responsibilities, conferences, etc.; includes possible overseas travel.
  • Physical: Primarily works at a desk or scope; frequent keyboarding. Limited kneeling, standing, squatting, reaching or bending.
  • Hazards: Risks found in a typical office & shop setting. May be exposed to explosives/flammables, pressurized equipment, toxic chemicals and moving parts.
  • Overtime: Overtime expected based on project demands/responsibilities.
  • Maintains professional conduct and follows all departmental, safety DEPARTMENT, and COMPANY policies, Procedures, AND rules.


What differentiates Honda and makes us an employer of choice?

Total Rewards:
  • Competitive Base Salary (pay will be based on several variables that include, but not limited to geographic location, work experience, etc.)
  • Regional Bonus (when applicable)
  • Manager Lease Car Program (No Cost - Car, Maintenance, and Insurance included)
  • Industry-leading Benefit Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, Rx)
  • Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, shutdown
  • Company Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
  • 401K Plan with company match + additional contribution
  • Relocation assistance (if eligible)

Career Growth:
  • Advancement Opportunities
  • Career Mobility
  • Education Reimbursement for Continued learning
  • Training and Development Programs

Additional Offerings:
  • Lifestyle Account
  • Childcare Reimbursement Account
  • Elder Care Support
  • Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Repayment
  • Wellbeing Program
  • Community Service and Engagement Programs
  • Product Programs

About Honda Motors

Honda Motors is a leading manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment. The company was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda and has since grown to become one of the largest automotive companies in the world. Honda Motors is known for its innovative designs and commitment to sustainability, with a focus on developing environmentally friendly vehicles. The company operates in over 30 countries and has a strong presence in the United States, Japan, and Europe.
Learn more about Honda Motors
Size
204,035 employees
Market Cap
$41.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
$414.5 billion
Founded
1948
5 Year Trend
+0.8%
Revenue
$13,004.8 billion
NASDAQ

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