Embedded in a worldwide network Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America continuously strives to remain at the forefront of successful automotive research and development. MBRDNA is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with key areas of Autonomous Driving, Advanced Interaction Design, Digital User Experience, Machine Learning, Customer Research, and Open Innovation. In Redford, Michigan, the focus is on Powertrain and eDrive technology as well as in Long Beach, where the teams test durability of the latest driver assistant and telematic systems. The Digital Hub in Seattle focusses on developing a cloud architecture and building out the cloud platform for the next generation of connected car services. The Testing and Regulatory Affairs Division in Ann Arbor and the Advanced Vehicle Design in Carlsbad complete the competence center.


Position Overview
Management of a diverse team with the focus on:
• USA durability testing request from Daimler, including passenger car, VANs, and AMG product lines and other expert departments as required (brake measurements, NVH, etc…)
•Efficient coordination and controlling of US endurance tests including supplier management
•Management and maintenance of durability measurement equipment
•Leadership and budget responsibility



Responsibilities
- High-Level Responsibilities:
•Work with durability sponsors to create clear work scopes, objectives, and deliverables for all projects, with a multi-year forecast and planning
•Manage the durability team to deliver on these ongoing and future projects (targets, deadlines, status and final results)
•Financial controlling of projects and team budgets with regular monitoring of performance using metrics and KPIs
•Manage the service provider network, with regular meetings with service provider management around perform and continuous improvement for all testing locations.

Management of durability testing operational topics as follows:
•Execution of vehicle testing in close coordination with colleagues at RD/AST, VAN and AMG departments
•Management of loggers and sensor hardware for US durability fleet
•Service provider selection and location strategy
•Based on durability testing findings identify, document and report needs for action to ensure successful US market launches of Mercedes-Benz products. Locally support durability departments with measurement technology and specific technology knowledge.
•Measurement support for other Daimler expert departments requiring on-road USA testing (NVH, drivability, etc.)

Continuous Improvement:
•Identify improvement opportunities for existing or new vehicle testing strategies that improve the value or efficiency of durability operations
•Regularly track performance metrics for the internal team related to cost, quality, and timing deliverables and assure the performance is achieved
•Regularly track and improve service provider metrics and KPIs
•Review the overall durability testing plan and strategy to optimize the durability profiles and test requirements to identify strategies to reduce testing time or operational costs to our Sponsor departments
•Lead the USA-relevant strategies and technologies related to powertrain and road load data acquisition, recording, storing and accessing for vehicle durability testing.
Quality:
•Quality control and management of durability processes and car line measurement support
•Evaluate durability documentation processes
•Evaluate durability measurement performance (data quality and data transfer process)
•Controlling and management of durability service provider performance
•Coordinate employee exchanges between customer department and MBRDNA team to optimize quality of team output

Human Resources, Budget, Strategy:
•Demonstrate strong leadership and teamwork abilities within the durability team to lead the coaching and development of all team members and ensure success of our projects and our people. 
•Ensure the matching of employee qualifications and technical resources with actual requirements
•Initiate and execute qualification measures or upgrade equipment according to identified demand. Evaluate employees on yearly basis according to Daimler standard processes.
•Ensure that amount of all SLA project agreements cover all yearly running cost and transparency on actual status of budget.
•Collaboration for the operational and strategic development of the Los Angeles Tech Center.
•Ensure compliance with all MBRDNA corporate guidelines.