Engineer, Air Suspension Testing & Tuning

What you’ll do

At Scout Motors, you don't just design vehicles- you shape the future of the road. Our Engineering team is where bold ideas meet rigorous execution, building machines that are as durable and capable as the people who drive them. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with brilliant minds across disciplines, turning complex challenges into elegant, scalable solutions that meet the highest standards of safety, performance, and user experience. This is a place where your fingerprints are found on metal – where what you design gets built, driven, and remembered. If you're hungry to engineer something that matters, Scout Motors is where that ambition finds its highest gear.

Become part of an iconic brand that is set to revolutionize the electric pick-up truck & rugged SUV marketplace by achieving the following:

• Lead the testing, tuning, and development activities for air suspension systems and controlled damping systems.
• Contribute to the proper design and system architecture of air suspension and semi‑active/active damper systems.
• Tune and validate air suspension, controlled dampers, sway bars, bushings, and related chassis components to meet ride, handling, and off‑road performance targets.
• Create detailed test plans and test cases, ensuring full coverage of on‑road, off‑road, winter, hot‑land, and durability conditions.
• Conduct subjective and objective evaluations of suspension behavior across relevant proving grounds and environmental conditions.
• Derive and define air suspension strategies and functions, including leveling, ride‑height control, off‑road modes, load management, and thermal/energy management functions.
• Execute testing with advanced tools, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems; analyze results and correlate with simulation models.
• Prepare detailed reports summarizing findings, objectivations, subjective evaluations, KPIs, and recommended next steps.
• Work closely with production teams to ensure manufacturability, process alignment, and production readiness of air suspension components and systems.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with chassis DREs, vehicle dynamics, controls, electronics, software, and systems engineering teams.
• Support virtual development activities (simulation, model‑in‑the‑loop, driving simulators) to complement physical testing.
• Contribute to best practices, develop test standards, and advanced testing methodologies for air suspension systems.

Location & Travel Expectations:

• This role will be based out of the Scout Motors location in Novi, Michigan.
• This role requires 4-5 days per week in the office, with regular in-person meetings and events.
• Applicants should expect that the role will require the ability to convene with Scout colleagues in person and travel to participate in events on behalf of the company from time to time.

What you’ll bring

We expect all Scout employees to have integrity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and strive to exhibit a positive attitude, as well as a growth mindset. You’ll be comfortable with change and flexible in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. You’ll take a collaborative approach to achieve ambitious goals. Here's what else you'll bring:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Mechatronics, or closely related field.
• 8+ years of experience in air suspension development, controlled damper development, chassis systems, or vehicle dynamics within OEM or Tier‑1 environments.
• Strong understanding of air suspension mechanics, damper technology, suspension kinematics, and their impact on ride and handling performance.
• Hands‑on experience with on‑road and off‑road vehicle testing in varied environmental conditions.
• Familiarity with data acquisition systems and analysis tools; ability to interpret damper curves, suspension characteristics, and control system behaviors.
• Experience with simulation tools (ADAMS, CarSim, MATLAB/Simulink or comparable) and correlation of physical and virtual test results.
• Strong communication, teamwork, and cross‑functional alignment skills.
• High motivation to innovate in electric vehicle chassis systems and willingness to engage in hands‑on testing.
• Ability to travel as needed for testing and collaboration.
• High-performance driving skills and experience testing vehicles at the limit (certifications).
• Passion for vehicle performance and innovation in mobility
• Advanced project steering and coordination skills to practice independent project management for a defined development scope
• Motivation to work at the cutting edge of electric vehicle technical design, creation of new ideas and solutions, and enjoyment of hands-on vehicle testing.
• Excellent teamwork. Both internally and with external parties

What you'll gain

The benefits of joining Scout include the chance to build products and a company from the ground up. This is a chance to create something new and lasting – with an iconic brand at its foundation. In addition, Scout provides competitive compensation and benefits to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. Program specifics are detailed in company policies and employee benefit guides, select highlights:

• Competitive insurance including:
  • Medical, dental, vision and income protection plans
• 401(k) program with:
  • An employer match and immediate vesting
• Generous Paid Time Off including:
  • 20 days planned PTO, as accrued
  • 40 hours of unplanned PTO and 14 company or floating holidays, annually
  • Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave for biological and adoptive parents of all genders
  • Paid leave for circumstances related to bereavement, jury duty, voting time, or military leave

Pay Transparency

This is a full-time, exempt position eligible to receive a base salary and to participate in an annual performance bonus program. Final salary offered will be determined based on factors including but not limited to the candidate's skills and experience. The annual performance bonus program is preset and not candidate dependent.

Initial base salary range = $130,000.00 - $160,000.00

Internal leveling code: IC8