Vehicle Architecture Expert

MunichFull-timeIntelligent manufacturing / Industrial Internet / Industrial automation - R&D

Responsibilities

Location: Munich, Germany Department: Vehicle Architecture Reporting to: Head of Vehicle Architecture (China Headquarters) Role Type: Resident Technical Expert (Individual Contributor role with cross-functional partnership) ⸻ Role Overview XPeng is seeking a highly experienced Vehicle Architecture Expert to be based at its Munich R&D Center. This role serves as the strategic technical liaison between the vehicle architecture function in China and the European market, providing regulatory insight, local customer expectations, competitor benchmarking, and architecture-level thought leadership to support global product programs. ⸻ Key Responsibilities

1. Vehicle Architecture Development • Support definition and evolution of global vehicle architecture platforms tailored for European requirements. • Lead conceptual package studies, structural layout, thermal strategy, and integration considerations at architecture level. • Drive architectural consistency across programs in coordination with headquarters.
2. Regulation & Compliance Integration • Provide in-depth understanding of European regulatory frameworks (e.g., ECE, Euro NCAP, homologation requirements) and translate into architectural constraints & requirements. • Advise headquarters on certification implications for architecture choices.
3. Market & Competitive Insight • Conduct systematic benchmarking of OEM platforms and competitor architectures in core segments. • Deliver actionable reports on structural strategies, weight optimization, NVH, and customer expectations relevant to European markets.
4. Cross-Region Technical Enabler • Facilitate collaboration across local engineering teams, suppliers, and validation partners. • Support evaluation of prototypes and contribute learnings back to central teams. • Coordinate across time zones and cultures to align objectives and deliverables.

Qualifications

Qualifications Must-Have • Master’s or PhD in automotive engineering, mechanical engineering, or related discipline. • 15–20+ years of hands-on vehicle architecture experience in global OEM environments. • Direct involvement in full-cycle platform development and architecture definition. • Strong command of European regulatory systems & certification. • Fluent in English; German proficiency is a plus. Preferred • Experience at BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen Group, Volvo, or similar. • Track record in EV/BEV platform architecture. • Prior cross-regional collaboration experience. • Led or shaped architecture strategy at program level.

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