Perceived Quality Project Engineer
We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.
As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.
When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.
Overview
- Perceived Quality (PQ) is a customer’s initial impression of a vehicle’s quality—often a gut reaction shaped by design, materials, workmanship, and user experience.
- The PQ PPL plays a key role in driving projects to meet their targets through early involvement, strategic guidance, and the development of detailed specifications (“the recipe”).
- By leveraging physical evaluations and virtual models, the assessor ensures quality is built into the product from the start and aligned with customer expectations.
Key Responsibilities
- Benchmark Client and competitive vehicles
- Set and communicate PQ targets; provide guidance and status updates to internal and cross-functional teams
- Conduct virtual assessments using CAD systems and viewing VRED models
- Perform in-person assessments at CTC, plants or supplier locations as needed
- Drive issue resolution through escalation processes
- Attend working-level meetings and provide PQ input
- Collaborative projects with Local and Global PQ Counterparts to improve our processes and expand our knowledge
Education & Skills Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
- Minimum of 5 years of automotive experience in a fast-paced environment.
- Minimum of 2 years working on customer-visible systems/components (A-surfaces)
- Strong interest in cars, trends, and emerging technologies
- Ability to work with urgency and deliver outputs within tight timelines
- High-energy, proactive, and hands-on individual with strong convictions and leadership presence; capable of effectively selling ideas and solutions
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills—able to clearly articulate observations, concerns, and recommendations to cross-functional teams
- High-level proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and AI-based tools for analysis, visualization, and reporting
Preferred Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in the automotive industry
- Background in one or more of the following areas: Engineering, Design, HMI, Program Management, Brand, Product Planning, Marketing, Consumer Insights, Quality
- Expertise in planning, prioritizing, and goal setting; ability to manage multiple projects and create detailed action plans
- Exceptional teamwork, interpersonal, and communication skills; able to build strong internal and external relationships
- Familiarity with Teamcenter, NX/Vis Mockup, and VRED is beneficial
Work Environment
- Occasional travel to Plants and Suppliers as needed
ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status.
Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.
Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.
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