Solution Design Analyst Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Holman is a family-owned, global automotive services organization anchored by our deeply rooted core values and principles that have enabled us to continue Driving What's Right throughout the last century. Our teams deliver the Holman Experience by treating our customers and each other as we would like to be treated, and creating positive, rewarding relationships all around.

The automotive markets Holman serves include fleet management and leasing; vehicle fabrication and upfitting; component manufacturing and productivity solutions; powertrain distribution and logistics services; commercial and personal insurance and risk management; and retail automotive sales as one of the largest privately owned dealership groups in the United States.

What will you be doing?

Provide up-fit design and technical support for customers (assigned and prospective), and internal teams, ensuring complete, accurate, and efficient vehicle upfit solutions that meet client's needs and company standards. Main operational functions include creating up-fit quotes, writing orders from received purchase orders, and supporting the Shop (pre/during/post-production).

• Core Design & Specification Responsibilities

  • Develop and complete accurate, and up-to-date specifications for vehicle up-fits that meet customer business applications, operating environments, and total cost expectations.

  • Build and maintain all quoted designs within the company's quoting and design platform, ensuring correct part selection, configuration logic, and compatibility.

  • Validate vehicle chassis specifications against quoted content and identify discrepancies that may create design, fitment, or cost risks.

  • Review Bill of Materials for completeness, accuracy, compatibility, and feasibility before orders move forward.

• Fitment, Compatibility & Technical Risk Management

  • Assess fitment and compatibility between selected components, chassis types, and customer-selected options documenting and communicating required changes.

  • Monitor OEM model year changes and supplier product changes to identify fitment risks, cost changes, and potential margin erosion.

  • Estimate labor, parts, and associated miscellaneous costs when creating customer models or non-standard configurations with support and/or oversight where necessary.

  • Identify potential cost erosion risks and recommend quoting strategies that balance competitiveness and financial protection.

• Sales, Customer & Internal Partner Support

  • Guide Sales, Customers, and Production on design requirements, technical constraints, and available product options to ensure accurate and feasible specifications.

  • Influence Sales to gather the necessary use and operational details required to complete and validate up-fit designs in conjunction with vehicle designs.

  • Participate in customer discussions, as needed, when technical clarity or deeper design expertise is required.

  • Act as the primary point of contact for all design-related questions, providing timely and accurate guidance to internal and external partners.

  • Support assigned accounts, unassigned customer requests, and prospective customer requests

• Supplier & Product Team Collaboration

  • For customer-specific or non-cataloged products, work directly with suppliers to obtain specifications, fitment details, installation guidance, and cost information with support and/or oversight where necessary.

  • Collaborate with the Product team to request new parts or cataloged configurations when customer needs require additions to the catalog.

  • Provide Production and field feedback to the Product team on catalog product accuracy, labor assumptions, and recurring issues.

• Quoting & Pricing Accuracy

  • Provide timely and accurate up-fit quotes that meet expectations and align with service-level requirements and design standards and expectations.

  • Recommend alternative components, suppliers, or installation approaches when OEM or supplier constraints require deviations.

  • Finalize complete, orderable quotes that pass cleanly into downstream ordering, scheduling, and production workflows.

• Design Production Support

  • Resolve Design production issues, including missing documentation, chassis discrepancies, incompatible option selections, and fitment issues/risks.

  • Support Production throughout the build cycle by clarifying design intent, sourcing missing parts, validating installation details, and addressing supply-related substitutions in line with design standards.

  • Conduct post-build reviews to identify quoting gaps, labor misestimates, product issues, or improvement opportunities using the tools provided.

• Knowledge/Training & Continuous Improvement

  • Maintain working knowledge of chassis availability, OEM specifications, model year changes, and market trends impacting product fitment.

  • Attend training sessions with OEM's, suppliers, and industry partners to stay current on new components, technologies, and up-fit methods.

  • Identify opportunities to improve quoting accuracy, prevent downstream inventory issues, and reduce rework, erosion, and disruptions to scheduling and production.

• Other Responsibilities

  • Perform additional duties and special projects assigned in support of customer needs, operational efficiency, and organizational priorities.

What are we looking for?

• A bachelor's degree in relevant fields (including but not limited to engineering, automotive, mathematical) or equivalent experience in commercial truck or up-fitting industries.

• Strong computer skills. Experience with MS Office software.

• 5+ years of experience in an automotive or manufacturing environment

• Experience reading and interpreting electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic schematics

• Experience with managing multiple projects at same time

#LI-CD1

At Holman, we exist to provide rewarding careers and better lives for employees and their families. We hire, train, empower, and reward exceptional people. Our journey is guided by our desire to get it right every time and the acknowledgement that we have an opportunity to be better. To be better, we have to do better, and to do better we must know better. That's why we are listening, open to learning new things - about ourselves and each other. We will never stop striving for improved diversity, equity, and inclusion because we are successful together when we feel trusted and supported. It's The Holman Way.

At Holman, your total compensation goes beyond your paycheck. To position you for success and provide a rewarding career and better life for you and your family, Holman is proud to offer you the benefits you deserve; including protection against illness, disability, loss of work, or preparation for retirement. Below is a brief overview of the programs available to full-time employees (programs may vary by country or worker type):

• Health Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) plan with Company Match
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays, Bereavement, and Jury Duty
• Paid Pregnancy/Parental leave
• Paid Military Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement

Benefits:

Regular Full-Time

We offer excellent benefits including health, vision, dental, life and disability insurance, and 401(k) with company match. Our time off benefits include Paid Time Off (PTO), paid holidays, bereavement, and jury duty. In addition, we offer paid pregnancy and parental leave, and supplemental paid military leave to eligible employees.

Temporary or Part-Time

In geographic areas with statutory paid sick leave, part-time and temporary employees will receive a paid sick leave benefit that meets the mandated requirements.

Pay:

Artificial Intelligence Statement

We recognize that applicants for positions at any organization may view AI tools for tasks such as drafting a resume or cover letter, provided the information is accurate and truthful. However, applicants should not use AI tools to:

• Answer interview questions on their behalf, or use AI tools in any way during the interview or other qualification process(es).

• Misrepresent or embellish qualifications, skills, or experience

• Create false or misleading representations of identity (e.g., deepfakes or altered images/videos)

Your application, whether an AI tool is used or not, should reflect your authentic abilities and experiences. Any use of AI that compromises honesty or integrity may result in disqualification from the process.

Equal Opportunity Employment and Accommodations:

Holman provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please contact HR@Holman.com

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.