Principal Technology Manager- Propulsion

Job Description

The Role:

We are seeking an experienced, visionary leader to join the Propulsion Technology team at General Motors as a Principal Technology Manager – Propulsion. In this role, you will help define how every future GM vehicle feels on the road by setting the propulsion technology strategy and building the roadmap that brings it to life across all current and next-generation products.

As the Principal Technology Manager for Propulsion, you will be the directly responsible individual for the propulsion strategy, roadmap, and content plan, and for initiating key work across GM’s software and electronics engineering organizations. The decisions you make will direct millions of dollars of annual investment and guide the efforts of numerous engineering teams around the globe.
 

You will work cross-functionally with leaders and colleagues across the company – including vehicle program teams, software, electronics, propulsion hardware, and controls – to align on a compelling vision and an executable plan. You will stay ahead of industry trends, scout and assess emerging technologies, create and showcase future propulsion experiences, and translate them into a clear, actionable technology roadmap.

The ideal candidate is deeply passionate and highly knowledgeable about propulsion (Gas engines, diesel engines, electric motor drive units, hybrid optimization, high voltage batteries, propulsion thermal, etc), electronics, and controls, and is driven to deliver technologies that are:

• Customer-centric – elevating confidence, comfort, and driving enjoyment
• Software-defined and future-ready – enabling rapid innovation over the life of the vehicle
• Strategically and financially sound – creating sustainable competitive advantage for GM

This is a rare opportunity to shape how millions of customers experience their vehicles every day and to play a central role in GM’s journey toward a software-defined, electrified future.

What You’ll Do (Responsibilities):

• Set and communicate propulsion technology vision to optimize vehicle/system performance and elevate key KPIs.
• Own a propulsion roadmap and content plan across programs, architectures, and hardware/software variants.
• Lead cross-functional alignment (executive leadership, engineering, programs, suppliers, finance, etc.) on strategy, roadmap, and content decisions.
• Translate strategy into execution by driving technology initiatives/PRDs, rollout plans, and make-vs-buy decisions.
• Analyze the market, competitors, and technologies to identify opportunities, gaps, risks, and new capability needs.
• Develop and justify business cases for new technologies and secure leadership alignment and funding.
• Define, track, and report KPIs on technology adoption, performance, and customer/business impact; monitor product health and drive continuous improvement.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications):

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent.
• 10+ years propulsion systems experience (Gas engines, diesel engines, drive unit electric motors, high voltage batteries, propulsion thermal, etc.)
• 3+ years leading propulsion architecture Pugh trade off studies that drive vehicle contenting and business cases.
• Proven cross-functional leader with a track record of negotiating alignment on technology plans and content across diverse stakeholders in fast-paced development environments.
• Strong systems background developing new electro-mechanical systems with embedded electronics and software.
• Exceptional communicator able to integrate vision, strategy, and deep technical detail into clear narratives for all organizational levels.
• Highly autonomous program leader managing multiple complex initiatives, resolving ambiguous technical problems without precedent, and delivering results.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications):

• Advanced education– Master’s degree in Engineering and/or Business Administration, combining deep technical rigor with strong business acumen.
• Propulsion tuning expertise – hands-on experience with propulsion hardware performance tuning and calibration, with a strong understanding of how propulsion interacts with braking, suspension, and driveline.
• Propulsion domain authority – broad, system-level knowledge of propulsion system requirements and propulsion architectures, enabling smart propulsion tradeoffs that optimize whole-vehicle performance.
• Strong embedded systems background – deep knowledge of embedded hardware, systems, and software development, well-suited for modern mechatronic propulsion solutions.
• Experience implementing systems and features across multiple hardware variants, vehicle platforms, and electrical architectures.
• Significant experience leading propulsion architecture Pugh analyses that balance performance, cost, and enterprise business case.
• Customer-driven improvement mindset – history of collecting customer feedback and leading product improvements that enhance driver and user experience.

Company Vehicle:

Upon successful completion of a motor vehicle report review, you will be eligible to participate in a company vehicle evaluation program, through which you will be assigned a General Motors vehicle to drive and evaluate.

Note: program participants are required to purchase/lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years unless one of a limited number of exceptions applies.

#LI-DH2

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}. This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us 

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

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We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

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