Researcher, Vehicle Health Management (VHM), Energy and Propulsion Systems

Job Description

Hybrid: This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to Warren, MI three times per week, at minimum.

The Role

Energy and Propulsion Systems research is aimed at driving propulsion and vehicle efficiency, cost, and performance improvements. Research also focuses on advancing vehicle and propulsion systems to target enterprise cost reduction through warranty improvement and engineering development efficiency.

We are looking for highly motivated, technically exceptional candidates to join our team in the fast-growing field of Vehicle Health Management (VHM). This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of connected vehicles, data science, physics-based modeling, and advanced AI to create technologies that make vehicle ownership more convenient, and more seamless for millions of customers.

In this role, you will help transform vehicle engineering data—collected through wireless communication with customer consent—into actionable insights that can predict system issues before they affect vehicle performance or disrupt everyday life. Our VHM work combines fundamental physics-based understanding with modern machine learning approaches, including large language models, to deliver scalable diagnostics, prognostics, and system performance management solutions.

GM is a leader in this space. One example is the industry-first OnStar Proactive Alert for Starting System, which warns customers of a potential component failure before it becomes an emergency, turning unplanned repairs into scheduled maintenance. Today, this service is available on more than 10 million GM vehicles. Joining this team means contributing to technologies already making a real-world impact at scale.

What You’ll Do

What makes this role especially exciting is the chance to work with a collaborative, forward-looking team tackling challenges in cloud computing, predictive modeling, and AI/ML to advance Vehicle Health Management. We are looking for researchers who are energized by technical innovation and motivated by the ability to translate their work into meaningful improvements in people’s everyday lives. Here are just a few of the opportunities you can look forward to:

• Generate innovative ideas and establish new research areas
• Generate intellectual property, document results, and publish high quality papers
• Develop next-generation technologies for vehicle system diagnosis, prognosis, and fault-tolerant controls as well as integration
• Develop and execute technical plans, including concept generation, prototype development, system implementation, and performance evaluation
• Lead technical discussions and reviews as an expert in this field internally and externally
• Maintain state-of-the-art technical expertise in related areas of responsibility
• Collaborate with cross-functional global teams and world-class universities

What You’ll Need (Required Qualifications)

• PhD in Electrical, Controls, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or related field of study with demonstrated research capability or equivalent background, or Pursuing PhD in related fields
• Strong background in physics-based modeling for continuous and discrete systems, using first principles, system identification, parameter estimation, control and optimization
• Background in intelligent data modeling, using state-of-the-art AI/ML including LLM, signal processing, statistical inference
• Background in fault detection and isolation, diagnostics and prognostics, root cause analysis
• Experience in Python (including familiarity with ML frameworks such as PyTorch or Tensorflow), PySpark, MATLAB/Simulink
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work effectively with GM internal and external partners
• This job may be eligible for relocation benefits

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Industry experience in related areas
• Experience in application of advanced research and technology to the following automotive systems: internal combustion propulsion, high voltage battery, electromechanical actuators, power electronics, electrical systems, chassis systems, environmental sensors such as camera/radar/LIDAR, autonomous driving
• Experience in large-scale data analytics
• Hardware hands-on experience highly sought, including but not limited to experience in dSpace rapid prototyping, ETAS tools
• Experience of project management

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us 

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

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