Engineering Supervisor & R&D Leader • Nexteer Automotive

Architecting Mechatronic Systems.
Leading Teams. Bridging Complex Technology.

Accomplished R&D Leader with 11+ years in Tier-1 automotive engineering, currently guiding a 14-engineer application team from nomination to SOP. Beyond structural and mechatronic design, my core strength lies in turning high-pressure OEM challenges into collaborative, win-win solutions.

Leading a 14-engineer application team at Nexteer Automotive guiding Powerpack and EPS systems from nomination to SOP. Bridging structural, electrical, and mechatronic design with disciplined project leadership.
14 Engineers Led
Application R&D Team
🌐
Global Tier-1 OEMs
BMW • Stellantis • Tesla • Renault
Marcin Wadas at the helm of a sailing yacht
11+
Years in Automotive R&D & Mechatronics
14
Engineers Led in Application R&D
100%
SOP Delivery & Escalation Resolution
1,000+
Individuals Mapped in Family Archive
250 km
Single-Day Ultra Endurance Rides

Continuous Learner, Outdoor Enthusiast & Proud Multipotentialite

If you've seen Emilie Wapnick's famous TED Talk on multipotentialites, you'll recognize the pattern immediately. I am driven by relentless curiosity across wildly different fields—from mechatronics and woodworking to offshore sailing, endurance sports, political philosophy, genealogy, and popular science.

🎯

Interdisciplinary Synthesis

These aren't just disconnected hobbies. They are distinct lenses through which I learn about people, strategy, precision, and physical mechanics. Connecting high-level strategy to day-to-day human dynamics is my core strength.

Systems Thinking Strategic Alignment Empathy
🤝

People, Trust & De-Escalation

I combine engineering rigor with an approachable, empathetic leadership style. Turning high-stakes OEM escalations into collaborative win-win partnerships, disarming tension, and building long-term trust across suppliers and clients.

Conflict Resolution OEM Negotiations Cross-Functional

Mechatronics & Execution

From concept development and tolerance stack-up analysis to multi-physics validation labs (EMC, NVH, Environmental), I ensure technical excellence from prototype pursuit all the way to high-volume series production (SOP).

EPS Powerpack GD&T (ASME/ISO) VAVE

Engineering Leadership & Track Record

11+ years of proven delivery across Tier-1 automotive mechatronic systems, sensor applications, and high-performance engineering teams.

Engineering Supervisor – Powerpack Application Team

🏢 Nexteer Automotive • Tychy, Poland
Feb 2022 – Present
  • R&D Team Leadership & Scaling: Leading an application engineering team of 14 engineers responsible for Powerpack design and mechatronic integration in Electric Power Steering (EPS) systems across the full lifecycle—from project nomination to SOP.
  • OEM & Global Supplier Partnerships: Directing technical and strategic discussions with major OEMs (BMW, Stellantis, Tesla, Renault) and tier-1/tier-2 suppliers (Mahle, Nidec, Flextronics, LG, Lear, Kimball).
  • Global Knowledge Transfer: Managed and executed complex engineering knowledge transfers from global technical centers (USA, China) to the local Polish R&D team.
  • Divisional Change Leader: Serving on the Divisional Change Board, evaluating, risk-assessing, and approving all design and process-related engineering changes.
  • VAVE & Cost Optimization: Coordinating cost-reduction initiatives for mass-production projects, balancing stringent technical requirements with commercial business goals.
  • Cross-Functional Leadership: Partnering with Sales, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Quality teams as the primary technical escalation lead.
Team Leadership EPS Mechatronics OEM Negotiations VAVE Change Management

Design Release Engineer – Product / Mechatronic Integration

🏢 Nexteer Automotive
Dec 2018 – May 2023
  • Design Responsibility & Integration: Led mechanical design, CAD modeling, and mechatronic integration for Modular Power Pack (MPP) components (motor housings, covers, and full assemblies).
  • System Requirements & Simulation: Balanced top-down system requirements with key component metrics using FEA/CFD models, Modal Analysis, and prototype evaluations.
  • Advanced Tolerance Analysis: Conducted 3D tolerance stack-up analyses using Teamcenter Variation Analysis and defined GD&T standards (ASME Y14.5).
  • New Project Pursuits: Coordinated technical requirements directly with Nexteer Customer Service Centers across Europe (Munich, Rüsselsheim, Paris).
  • Quality & Risk Mitigation: Developed and executed DFMEA, PFMEA, DFM, DRBFM, and Six Sigma problem-solving methodologies.
ASME Y14.5 GD&T 3D Tolerance Analysis FEA / CFD DFMEA / DRBFM Six Sigma

Test Manager – Product Validation

🏢 Nexteer Automotive
Dec 2019 – Jan 2022
  • Customer Validation & Release: Coordinated customer validation requirements, defined sample quantities, and managed variant splits to ensure full product release compliance.
  • Multidisciplinary Laboratory Management: Partnered with validation laboratories covering EMC, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, NVH, and Functional testing.
  • OEM Milestone Reporting: Prioritized laboratory resources to meet critical milestones and reported validation progress directly to OEM clients.
EMC & NVH Testing Product Validation Environmental Testing DVP&R

Product Engineer – Mechatronic Integration & Mechanical Design

🏢 Nexteer Automotive
Apr 2017 – Nov 2018
  • Led mechanical integration of Modular Power Packs (electric motor, controller, ECAD/MCAD interfaces) for EPS systems.
  • Managed design projects for high-precision plastic components, die-cast metal parts with post-machining, electrical headers, and wire harnesses.
Die-Casting Injection Molding ECAD/MCAD

Design Engineer – Sensors & Switches Team

🏢 WABCO
May 2015 – Apr 2017
  • Product Design Ownership: Primary technical lead for brake pad wear sensors and sealed transmission connectors (Connecting Bridges) for Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) commercial vehicles.
  • Geometric Tolerancing: Designed high-precision components defining geometric tolerances according to ISO 1101 standards.
  • Problem Solving & Quality: Resolved complex quality issues using QR6σ, Pugh decision matrices, and root-cause methodologies.
ISO 1101 Commercial Vehicles Sensors & Switches QR6σ

Mechanical Engineer & Reliability Specialist

🏢 Appliance R&D (Indesit / Whirlpool)
Jun 2012 – May 2015
  • Developed 3D concepts, manufacturing drawings, and led component modification projects in international teams.
  • Facilitated DFMEA sessions, conducted hydraulic and reliability testing on prototype platforms, and resolved engineering failure modes (A3, 5Whys).
Hydraulic Testing Reliability Engineering A3 Problem Solving

Core Competencies & Methodologies

A comprehensive matrix of technical, leadership, and quality disciplines built over a decade of high-stakes engineering.

👥

R&D Leadership & Strategy

  • Engineering Team Scaling & Mentorship
  • OEM Technical Escalation Leadership
  • Global Knowledge Transfer (USA, China, EU)
  • Divisional Change Board Leadership
  • VAVE & Cost-Optimization Strategies
⚙️

Mechatronics & Design

  • Electric Power Steering (EPS) Powerpack
  • GD&T Standards (ASME Y14.5 & ISO 1101)
  • 3D Tolerance Stack-Up (Teamcenter VA)
  • FEA Structural & CFD Thermal Analysis
  • Precision Die-Casting & Injection Molding
🛡️

Quality & Validation

  • DFMEA, PFMEA, DFM & DRBFM
  • Six Sigma & QR6σ Problem Solving
  • EMC, NVH, Environmental & Shock Testing
  • Root Cause Analysis (5-Whys, Fishbone, A3)
  • DVP&R Specification & Customer Sign-off

Personal Projects & Endeavors

Exploring the intersection of data analysis, seamanship, physical endurance, and traditional craftsmanship.

Marcin Wadas sailing on offshore yacht
⛵ Offshore Sailing

Offshore Sailing & The Path to Yacht Captain

STATUS: Active Club Member & Yacht Helmsman (Sternik Jachtowy)

A structured, long-term journey into seamanship, navigation, and crew leadership on inland and open seas. For me, sailing is the ultimate blend of fluid mechanics, weather routing, and crew coordination under dynamic conditions.

  • Club: Active member of Jachtklub PTTK Pszczyna.
  • Upcoming Goal: Planning and skippering a family charter trip across the Croatian Adriatic.
  • Ultimate Target: Accumulating offshore miles to earn the Yacht Captain license (Jachtowy Kapitan Morski) and independently skipper a Baltic Sea expedition.
Family history genealogy fan chart diagram
📜 Research & Publishing

Family History & Genealogy Book

STATUS: Research, Archive Analysis & Archival Collection

A comprehensive personal research project aimed at writing and publishing a dedicated multi-generational book documenting our family lineage across Polish and European history.

  • Archive Analysis: Traced family lines back to the early 19th century, currently mapping over 1,000 individuals through parish registers and state records.
  • Photo Restoration: Digitizing, restoring, and cataloging vintage photographs and oral histories.
  • Historical Context: Integrating family stories with broader geopolitical events of the 19th and 20th centuries.
🚴‍♂️
🏃‍♂️ Healthspan & Longevity

The Longevity Project: Endurance & Functional Health

STATUS: Lifelong Commitment (Started 2022)

Treating vitality and physical resilience as a continuous, data-driven personal engineering project focused on cardiovascular endurance, functional strength, and metabolic health.

  • Eagles' Nests Trail (Szlak Orlich Gniazd): 200 km single-day ride from Kraków to Częstochowa completed in ~12 hours.
  • Wataha Gravel Race: Completed back-to-back editions (250 km and 160 km courses).
  • Around the Tatras (Szlak Wokół Tatr): 200 km single-day mountain gravel loop.
  • Functional Strength: Gym workouts 2x/week targeting joint health, mobility, and muscle longevity.
🪵
🪵 Hand-Tool Craftsmanship

Traditional Woodworking & Toolmaking

STATUS: Passion Craft (Hand Tools Exclusively)

A hands-on exploration of classical, power-tool-free joinery—focusing on raw geometry, structural integrity, and the meditative precision of hand tools.

  • Primary Workbench: Built following Rex Krueger’s Minimum Timber Bench design—a sturdy foundation for hand-tool woodwork.
  • Custom Tool Handles: Turned and shaped custom ash (jesion) handles for chisels and rasps.
  • Joiner's Mallet: Heavy-duty joiner's mallet combining oak (dąb) and ash, patterned after Paul Sellers' classic design.

Strategy, Law & Scientific Curiosity

Connecting macro-level geopolitical analysis, legal philosophy, and real-world physical mechanics into a cohesive mental model.

🌍

Geopolitics & Defense

Ground Zero (Andrzejczak & Dębski)

Analyzing macro shifts, deterrence, and high-stakes strategic decision making under uncertainty.

  • • Systemic deterrence theory
  • • Crisis decision-making
🏛️

Modern History & Politics

Prof. Antoni Dudek

Drawing structural lessons from contemporary political history and institutional transitions in Poland and Europe.

  • • Institutional dynamics
  • • Historical pattern recognition
⚖️

Philosophy of Law

Prof. Marcin Matczak (Prawem i Rozumem)

Exploring how ethical frameworks, legal reasoning, and clear argumentation shape healthy organizations and society.

  • • Clarity in discourse
  • • Ethical leadership
🔬

Science & Mechanics

Steve Mould • Veritasium • Smarter Every Day

Deep dives into fluid dynamics, wave mechanics, physics paradoxes, and clever real-world engineering solutions.

  • • Fluid & wave mechanics
  • • Structural problem solving

Let's Start a Conversation.

Whether you want to exchange views on R&D leadership, discuss mechatronic integration in EV systems, share insights on geopolitical strategy, or talk about offshore sailing routes—I’m always open to inspiring discussions.

✉️
Email Address
marcinwadas@gmail.com
📞
Phone
+48 500 754 746
💼
LinkedIn Profile
marcin-wadas-0b58a8b1
Open ↗
🐙
GitHub
github.com/marcinwadas
Open ↗

Send a Direct Message