This role leads the planning, design, and industrialization of paint shop processes for new vehicle projects at Toyota Motor Europe. You translate vehicle design and customer expectations into efficient, safe, high-quality, and cost-effective manufacturing solutions. The job combines early-stage vehicle development, production concept design, equipment layout, process feasibility, investment planning, and continuous improvement. You work cross-functionally with production, design, and equipment teams to develop future-ready, carbon-neutral paint technologies and manufacturing systems, helping shape Toyota’s next-generation factories.

TOYOTA is one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers and a leading global corporation. Founded in 1937. Toyota now sells vehicles in 170 countries and employs over 350.000 people. Based in Brussels, Belgium, and staffed by 2.700 people and more than 60 nationalities, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) handles the wholesale marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts & accessories, and manages Toyota’s European R&D, manufacturing, and engineering operations.

We are excited to be transforming into a mobility company focusing on bringing even more happiness to our customers through various mobility solutions.

Team/division description

Production Engineering Paint team contributes to development of new vehicles together with planning, design and development of their anticorrosion, painting and finishing processes.

Your responsibilities

We are looking for an Engineer to carry out Paint PE activities in the Planning & Simultaneous Engineering (SE) Group positioned inside of the Production Engineering (PE) Division, based in the France Offices of Toyota Motor Europe at TMMF Valenciennes.

Main responsibilities will include :

• Understand at earliest stage the vehicle Style & Design expectations from customers, and develop the Manufacturing concepts that will turn these expectations into reality in future mass production in our Toyota European Manufacturing Companies.
• Lead new vehicle project planning for Paint shop, define required investments, lead time, feasibility and equipment layout. Evaluate productions costs and create project production preparation schedule.
  
• Assess Vehicle drawing / design data against Toyota manufacturing standards and evaluate impact to Production processes (manual or Equipment/Automation-based).
• Evaluate paint processes feasibility and workability (together with Production teams and Equipment engineers), and propose manufacturing improvements achieving Safety, Quality, Cost – Investment & Productivity targets.
• Lead improvement proposal and implementation through development phase, maintaining project milestones.
• Identify best manufacturing-process concept based on comparative study of production cost, productivity, logistics efficiency, investment etc. Align study results with Management for efficient decision making.
• Define critical Quality requirements for process / equipment specification creation (together with Production teams & Equipment engineers). Support Development of equipment specifications together with Equipment Engineers.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities via parts shape change, structure simplification or equipment usage optimisation.
• Lead the Design of production equipment via 3D models, 2D manufacturing drawings and innovative tools.
• Benchmarking of Global Toyota equipment (EU / JPN) and other OEM’s in order to achieve Best Practice.
• Identify and introduce new manufacturing technologies and improvements to the development-process, such as virtual reality, to develop our factory of the future.
• Emphasize on carbon neutrality for future paint processes development and ensure that new models/structures will be compatible with such latest technologies.

 Your profile 

• You can speak and write perfectly in English. You have at least a good basis in  French. Knowledge of Japanese is considered a plus.
• You hold a Master’s degree in Engineering and have 3 to 5 years of experience in design‑driven paint engineering roles.
• You are strongly design‑oriented and able to translate styling intent into feasible, high‑quality engineering solutions.
• You have experience with paint processes and you understand vehicle manufacturing processes well enough to assess design feasibility and ensure industrialization, without being production‑focused.
• Preferably, you work confidently with CATIA (V5) and AutoCAD to create accurate 3D models, surfaces and technical drawings.
• You demonstrate strong creative and analytical thinking when solving complex design challenges.
• You communicate clearly at both operational and management level, especially when presenting design choices and trade‑offs.
• You work autonomously and thrive in a multicultural, collaborative engineering environment.
• You are willing to relocate to Valenciennes, open to flexible hours (weekend shifts are possible) and you are willing to travel (up to 30%).

At Toyota Motor Europe, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all. All our recruitment decisions are based on the individual and their qualifications along with the job requirements. The selection process is without regard to nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, ethnicity, disability or other personal characteristics. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination as our individual experiences and overall diversity is our key strength. Together we have the power to make a positive change and go beyond the ordinary.

If you need any specific consideration for the interview process due to disability or any other reason, please let the recruiter know.