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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Vehicle Program Intern

💰 $25/hr - $45/hr

InternshipAutomotiveEngineeringProgram Management

🎯 Role Definition

As a Vehicle Program Intern, you are a vital member of the Program Management team, acting as the connective tissue that holds complex vehicle development programs together. You will be immersed in the entire product lifecycle, from initial concept and design to prototype builds, validation, and launch. This role requires a unique blend of technical aptitude, business acumen, and exceptional organizational skills. You will support senior program managers in driving schedules, managing risks, tracking budgets, and facilitating communication across diverse teams like Engineering, Design, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to ensure our groundbreaking vehicles are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • University Student (Engineering, Business, or related fields)
  • Previous Technical Co-op or Internship
  • University Project Team Member (e.g., Formula SAE, Baja SAE)

Advancement To:

  • Associate Program Manager
  • Project Engineer / Design Release Engineer
  • Technical Program Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Systems Engineer
  • Quality Engineer
  • Supply Chain Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Support Senior Program Managers in tracking key program milestones, deliverables, and critical path activities from concept through to production launch.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Design, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Manufacturing to resolve program-level issues and ensure strategic alignment.
  • Assist in the management and tracking of the vehicle Bill of Materials (BOM), ensuring part-level accuracy and monitoring engineering release schedules.
  • Participate in the Engineering Change Management process by documenting change requests, helping to assess their impact on cost and timing, and tracking implementation.
  • Help develop and maintain detailed program timelines, Gantt charts, and other project management artifacts, highlighting dependencies and potential risks.
  • Facilitate and document key program meetings, including Product Development Team (PDT) meetings and design reviews, ensuring action items are captured and tracked to closure.
  • Support physical prototype vehicle builds by coordinating parts availability, tracking build issues on the assembly floor, and working with engineering teams to find swift resolutions.
  • Contribute to program-level budget and cost tracking, assisting with cost-down analysis and identifying potential opportunities for savings.
  • Create and deliver clear, concise status reports and presentations for program leadership, summarizing key performance indicators (KPIs), risks, and overall program health.
  • Engage with external suppliers to track component development, validation testing, and production readiness, helping to ensure parts are delivered on time and to specification.
  • Assist in the root cause analysis of complex engineering and manufacturing issues, working alongside subject matter experts to implement robust corrective actions.
  • Support vehicle-level validation and testing activities by helping to coordinate test schedules, vehicle logistics, and data review sessions with engineering teams.
  • Gather, analyze, and synthesize data related to program performance, build quality metrics, and customer feedback to inform data-driven decision-making.
  • Aid in the definition and tracking of vehicle features and technical content, ensuring the final product aligns with program targets and customer expectations.
  • Develop a deep understanding of the end-to-end vehicle development lifecycle and contribute to process improvement initiatives within the program management organization.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and perform exploratory data analysis to uncover insights related to program cost, timing, or quality.
  • Contribute to the organization's knowledge base by documenting processes, best practices, and lessons learned from program activities.
  • Collaborate with business units to help translate high-level product and feature requests into tangible engineering and program requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning, retrospectives, and other agile ceremonies if the program management team utilizes an agile or hybrid-agile framework.
  • Conduct competitive benchmarking and market research to provide context and insights for program decisions and future product planning.
  • Assist in preparing for and executing key program gateways and executive-level reviews, ensuring all required documentation is complete and accurate.
  • Interface with the vehicle safety and homologation teams to track compliance requirements and testing status for various global markets.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Microsoft Office Suite: Advanced proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, charting) and PowerPoint for data analysis and executive-level presentations.
  • Project Management Tools: Familiarity with software such as JIRA, Confluence, Smartsheet, or Microsoft Project for task tracking and timeline management.
  • CAD Software Familiarity: Basic ability to navigate and interpret 3D models in software like CATIA, SolidWorks, or NX to visualize components and assemblies.
  • Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): Understanding of PLM systems (e.g., Teamcenter, ENOVIA) and the structure of a Bill of Materials (BOM).
  • Data Analysis: Ability to analyze datasets, identify trends, and communicate findings clearly. Experience with SQL or data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) is a plus.
    -Engineering Fundamentals: Strong grasp of core engineering principles (mechanical, electrical, or industrial) and the vehicle development process (VDP).

Soft Skills

  • Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical information to diverse, cross-functional audiences.
  • Organization & Time Management: Meticulous organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Problem-Solving: A proactive, "first principles" approach to problem-solving, with a keen attention to detail and a drive to find the root cause.
  • Adaptability & Eagerness to Learn: High level of adaptability and a strong desire to learn quickly in a dynamic, evolving industry.
  • Teamwork & Collaboration: A natural collaborator who can build strong working relationships and work effectively across different functional teams and personalities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or equivalent degree from an accredited university.

Preferred Education:

  • Currently pursuing a Master of Science (M.S.) or MBA in a relevant field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Industrial & Systems Engineering
  • Automotive Engineering
  • Business Administration (with a technical concentration)
  • Program or Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0-2 years of relevant academic coursework, projects, or internship experience.

Preferred:

  • Prior internship or co-op experience in the automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, or a related manufacturing industry.
  • Active participation in a university engineering project team (e.g., Formula SAE, Baja SAE, Solar Car, Eco-Marathon, Robotics) is highly valued.
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