Design Team Leader

Come Innovate Motion with Us

Lead and inspire our design team at Johnson Electric in Aachen—drive innovation in pump technologies, shape our way of working, and grow your leadership career in a truly global environment. As a worldwide leader in motion systems, we serve major OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers with cutting-edge solutions—including actuators, pumps, and electric motors.

We are now looking for a Design Team Leader, guiding both experienced and young engineers in developing conventional and next-generation products such as cooling and lubrication pumps as well as new hydraulic e-pump systems. In this role, you will combine hands-on technical expertise with people leadership, foster collaboration across global sites, and play a key role in driving our European projects forward.

Your Responsibilities Will Be to:

• Provide both technical and disciplinary leadership for a team of 10 colleagues

• Drive optimization of development processes in line with applicable standards and company guidelines.

• Coordinate development activities with other global sites (China, Turkey) and the central Corporate Engineering group.

• Plan and allocate resources in close collaboration with Program Management and Engineering.

• Conduct annual employee evaluations, set goals, and support professional and personal development.

• Foster open communication and build efficient organizational structures within the design department.

• Support and mentor team members to achieve project goals and ensure efficient, high-quality output.

• Oversee CAD design activities, including solid models and surfaced pump concepts for production-intent designs.

• Create detailed drawings using customer and internal standards, including DFMEA, tolerance stack-ups, and GD&T.

• Apply common part strategies, cost-optimized design, and manufacturability requirements.

Our Requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Plastics Engineering or a related technical field

• Several years of experience in design & development, ideally within automotive or similar industry.

• Proven track record as a team leader or in a disciplinary leadership role.

• Ability to lead a diverse team with different seniority levels, personalities, and working styles.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to integrate smoothly into the Aachen team culture and international setup.

• Familiarity with CAD, PDM, and ERP systems.

• Experience in a global matrix organization is a plus.

• Fluency in English

• German skills are highly preferred it facilitates daily interaction within the team and with customers.

What We offer:

• Dynamic environment, focusing on innovative projects

• A stable, global company with a strong innovation pipeline and a solid market position.

• Work-life balance: through flexible working hours and 6 weeks of vacation

• Top-industry compensation and benefits package

• Modern workspaces, good transport connections, free parking in the car park, health promotion, business bike, company pension scheme, regular company events, company football, and many more

• Become a part of an international team. In Aachen, our teams are characterized by an international team spirit, an open and familiar cooperation and a pleasant working atmosphere.

Come join our global, inclusive & diverse team

Our purpose is to improve the quality of life of everyone we touch through our innovative motion systems. We are a truly global team bound together by our shared values. Our culture is built on the diversity, knowledge, skills, creativity, and talents that each employee brings to the company. Our people are our company's most valuable asset. We are committed to providing an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace where employees of different backgrounds feel valued and respected, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity or religious background. We are committed to inspiring our employees to grow, act with ownership and find fulfilment and meaning in the work they do.