Overview
Vehicle Architect Jobs in Brooklyn Park, MN at CFMOTO USA
Title: Vehicle Architect
Company: CFMOTO USA
Location: Brooklyn Park, MN
CFMOTO is seeking an experienced Vehicle Architect to lead the technical definition, performance attribute development, and systems integration of future off-road vehicle platforms. This role is responsible for translating customer needs and product strategy into a cohesive vehicle architecture that achieves vehicle-level performance, cost, quality, timing, and manufacturability targets.
The Vehicle Architect serves as the technical leader throughout vehicle concept and development, establishing vehicle requirements, driving system-level tradeoff decisions, and ensuring alignment across all vehicle systems. The ideal candidate combines deep vehicle engineering expertise with strong system-thinking skills and a passion for creating industry-leading products.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Vehicle Architecture & Performance
- Define vehicle layouts, packaging strategies, hard points, and system architectures for new vehicle programs.
- Establish vehicle-level performance targets and engineering requirements based on customer needs, benchmarking, and product objectives.
- Ensure architecture decisions support vehicle performance, cost, manufacturability, serviceability, and platform strategy.
Technical Leadership & Integration
- Serve as the primary technical leader during vehicle concept and development.
- Lead architecture reviews and coordinate activities across Product Management, Industrial Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, Validation, and Purchasing.
- Negotiate technical tradeoffs and drive decisions between competing requirements.
Benchmarking & Innovation
- Analyze competitive products and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for differentiation.
- Develop innovative architecture solutions that improve customer value, vehicle performance, and development efficiency.
- Drive platforming and component commonization strategies across vehicle families.
Systems Engineering
- Ensure effective integration of chassis, powertrain, controls, electrical, body, ergonomics, and accessory systems.
- Identify and resolve system conflicts early in the development process.
- Support prototype and mule vehicle development to validate architecture decisions and reduce technical risk.
Compliance & Collaboration
- Ensure vehicle meets regulatory requirements and internal engineering standards.
- Collaborate with global engineering teams, suppliers, and technical partners.
- Support the development of engineering standards, requirements, and best practices.
Qualifications
Education & Experience Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering field.
- 10+ years of experience in powersports, automotive, off-highway, motorsports, or related vehicle development.
- Proven experience with vehicle architecture, packaging, systems integration, and vehicle-level tradeoff decisions.
- Strong understanding of vehicle dynamics, chassis systems, powertrain integration, controls, ergonomics, and manufacturing processes.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams and influence technical decisions.
- Ability to safely ride and evaluate off-road vehicles.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree in Engineering or Systems Engineering.
- Experience leading complete vehicle programs from concept through production.
- Experience with NX CAD, vehicle simulation tools, and systems engineering methodologies.
- Motorsports, racing, or high-performance vehicle development experience.
The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of job-related factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to skill sets, experience, training, certifications, education, location and other business and organizational needs. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $115k-$140k annually. Our competitive salaries are just one component to CFMOTO’s total compensation package. Additional benefits include: medical, dental & vision insurance, 401K Match, Vacation & Sick Time, Life Insurance and Employee Purchase Discounts and opportunities.
