TM Automotive Seating Systems Hiring Assistant Manager – STA (Foam Commodities) in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu

TM Automotive Seating Systems Pvt. Ltd. is hiring an experienced professional for the position of Assistant Manager – STA (Foam Commodities) at Oragadam, Tamil Nadu. This is a senior-level opportunity for professionals with 10+ years of experience in automotive seating systems, seat foam development, supplier development, foam process development, and supplier quality.

The position is particularly suitable for candidates who have strong technical knowledge of automotive seat foam, foam component development, mould and tool development, chemical selection, supplier management, APQP, PPAP, IATF 16949, and project management.

Professionals currently working in automotive seating, foam commodities, supplier technical assistance, supplier quality, or foam component development may find this opportunity relevant to their experience.

TM Automotive Seating Systems Job Details

• Company: TM Automotive Seating Systems Pvt. Ltd.
• Position: Assistant Manager – STA (Foam Commodities)
• Department: Supplier Technical Assistance / Supplier Development
• Experience: 10+ Years
• Qualification: B.E./B.Tech or higher
• Job Location: Oragadam, Tamil Nadu
• Industry: Automotive / Automotive Seating
• Specialization: Foam Commodities / Seat Foam Development
• Application Mode: Email / WhatsApp

About the Assistant Manager – STA Foam Commodities Role

The Assistant Manager – STA role is focused on supporting the development, industrialization, quality, and supplier performance of foam components used in automotive seating systems.

The candidate will need to combine strong technical knowledge of foam development with effective supplier management and project coordination skills.

This is not simply a production or quality position. The role requires practical understanding of foam materials, chemical selection, foam processing, component mould development, supplier capability, quality systems, and automotive project requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Seat Foam Component Development

The selected candidate will be involved in the development of foam components used in automotive seats.

This may include reviewing component requirements, supporting development activities, identifying technical issues, and working with suppliers to achieve the required quality and performance standards.

A strong understanding of automotive seating systems and seat foam development is important for this position.

2. Foam Process Development

The candidate should have practical knowledge of foam process development and the factors that influence the final properties and quality of foam components.

The engineer may be required to work with suppliers on process parameters, process capability, production trials, validation, and improvements.

Understanding the relationship between material characteristics, chemical systems, mould design, process parameters, and finished foam properties is highly valuable.

3. Foam Chemical Selection

Experience with foam chemical selection is one of the important technical requirements for this position.

The candidate should understand how appropriate chemical systems and material combinations are selected according to component requirements and manufacturing processes.

They should also be capable of coordinating with suppliers and technical teams during development and validation.

4. Foam Mould and Tool Development

The role requires experience in foam component mould/tool development.

The candidate may be involved in reviewing mould concepts, development status, trials, corrections, and supplier actions to ensure that the tooling supports the required component quality and production requirements.

Experience in troubleshooting mould-related issues during development and production will be an advantage.

5. Supplier Management

Strong supplier management and supplier development experience is essential.

The Assistant Manager – STA may be required to work closely with suppliers to monitor development progress, resolve technical problems, improve process capability, and ensure that project milestones are achieved.

Supplier follow-up may include:

• Development timing
• Tool development
• Trial planning
• Process validation
• Quality improvement
• Corrective actions
• Capacity readiness
• PPAP submission
• Production readiness

6. Supplier Development

The candidate should have experience developing suppliers and improving their technical and manufacturing capabilities.

This includes identifying supplier gaps, establishing improvement plans, following up on corrective actions, and verifying the effectiveness of implemented actions.

Strong communication and negotiation skills are important because the position involves regular interaction with suppliers and internal cross-functional teams.

7. APQP and PPAP

The candidate should have strong knowledge of APQP and PPAP requirements within the automotive industry.

Responsibilities can include monitoring supplier APQP activities, reviewing required documentation, following development milestones, and ensuring that suppliers meet project quality requirements.

Knowledge of tools such as PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA, SPC, Process Flow, and capability studies can further strengthen the candidate’s profile.

8. IATF 16949 and Automotive Quality

Knowledge of IATF 16949 and automotive quality requirements is required.

The candidate should understand how automotive quality management systems are applied at suppliers and should be capable of supporting supplier quality improvement activities.

Experience with customer-specific requirements and supplier audits can also be beneficial.

9. Project Management

Because foam component development is closely connected with automotive product development programs, the candidate should be capable of managing multiple activities according to project timelines.

The role may involve coordinating with engineering, purchasing, quality, manufacturing, suppliers, and project teams to ensure timely completion of development activities.

Required Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate should have 10+ years of relevant experience, preferably in automotive seating systems and foam commodities.

Key technical and professional skills include:

• Automotive Seating Systems
• Seat Foam Development
• Foam Component Development
• Foam Process Development
• Foam Chemical Selection
• Foam Mould Development
• Foam Tool Development
• Supplier Development
• Supplier Management
• Supplier Quality
• APQP
• PPAP
• IATF 16949
• Project Management
• Automotive Quality
• Process Development
• Process Validation
• Root Cause Analysis
• Corrective and Preventive Action
• Continuous Improvement

Who Can Apply for This Job?

This position is best suited to experienced professionals who have worked directly with automotive seating systems and foam components.

Candidates from general manufacturing, general supplier quality, or unrelated automotive departments may not be the strongest match if they do not have hands-on experience in seat foam or foam component development.

Professionals with experience in areas such as STA, supplier development, supplier quality, foam development, seating development, or foam process engineering should consider this opportunity.

Assistant Manager STA Interview Questions and Answers

1. What is STA in the automotive industry?

STA generally refers to Supplier Technical Assistance. STA professionals work closely with suppliers to support technical development, manufacturing readiness, quality improvement, problem solving, and successful launch of automotive components.

For a foam commodities role, STA requires both technical knowledge of foam components and the ability to develop and manage suppliers.

2. What are the important factors in automotive seat foam development?

Important factors include raw material and chemical selection, foam density, hardness, compression characteristics, dimensional requirements, mould design, process parameters, component geometry, curing conditions, and final functional requirements.

The requirements should be validated through appropriate testing and customer specifications.

3. Why is chemical selection important in foam manufacturing?

Chemical selection directly influences the characteristics and processing behavior of the foam.

The selected chemical system needs to be compatible with the required foam properties, manufacturing process, component design, environmental requirements, and applicable customer specifications.

4. What is the role of a foam mould in seat foam manufacturing?

The foam mould determines the shape and geometry of the finished component and plays an important role in dimensional accuracy and surface quality.

Mould design, venting, filling behavior, temperature control, release characteristics, and other parameters can affect the final foam component.

5. What is APQP?

APQP stands for Advanced Product Quality Planning.

It is a structured approach used in the automotive industry to ensure that products and manufacturing processes are developed according to customer requirements and are ready for production.

APQP typically involves activities related to product and process planning, risk analysis, validation, control planning, and production readiness.

6. What is PPAP?

PPAP stands for Production Part Approval Process.

It provides evidence that the supplier’s production process is capable of consistently producing parts that meet customer requirements.

Depending on the required submission level, PPAP documentation can include items such as process flow, PFMEA, control plan, dimensional results, material/test results, MSA, capability studies, and other customer-specific requirements.

7. How would you develop a weak supplier?

I would first assess the supplier’s current capability and identify the major gaps.

The assessment could cover quality performance, process capability, manpower, equipment, tooling, documentation, capacity, process controls, and project timing.

After identifying the gaps, I would establish a structured improvement plan with clear responsibilities and deadlines. Regular follow-up, evidence-based verification, and escalation of critical issues would be used to ensure sustainable improvement.

8. How would you handle repeated supplier quality problems?

I would start with data analysis to identify the frequency, severity, and pattern of the problem.

I would then work with the supplier to conduct a proper root-cause analysis rather than accepting a temporary containment action as the permanent solution.

Methods such as 5 Why, Fishbone Analysis, Pareto Analysis, and process investigation can be used depending on the problem.

After corrective action, I would verify effectiveness through subsequent production and quality data.

9. What is the difference between containment and corrective action?

Containment is an immediate action taken to prevent defective products from reaching the customer.

Corrective action addresses the actual root cause of the problem to prevent recurrence.

A strong supplier quality system requires both effective immediate containment and sustainable corrective action.

10. How do you ensure a supplier meets an automotive project timeline?

I would establish clear development milestones and monitor supplier progress against the agreed timing plan.

Critical activities such as design review, tooling, raw material readiness, trial runs, process validation, capability studies, testing, and PPAP should be tracked.

Any delay or risk should be identified early and communicated to the relevant stakeholders with a recovery plan.

11. What is IATF 16949?

IATF 16949 is an automotive quality management system standard designed to support consistent quality and continuous improvement throughout the automotive supply chain.

It places strong emphasis on areas such as risk management, defect prevention, process control, customer requirements, and continual improvement.

12. How do you evaluate a foam supplier?

Supplier evaluation should consider technical capability, process capability, quality performance, raw material management, tooling capability, production capacity, delivery performance, problem-solving capability, quality-system maturity, and ability to meet project requirements.

For a new supplier, development capability and manufacturing readiness should also be evaluated before production launch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the qualification required for the TM Automotive Seating Systems job?

The required qualification is B.E./B.Tech or higher.

How much experience is required?

The position requires 10+ years of relevant experience.

Where is the job located?

The position is based in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu.

What is the specialization for this position?

The role is Assistant Manager – STA (Foam Commodities), with a strong focus on automotive seating, seat foam development, supplier development, and foam component development.

Is automotive seating experience mandatory?

Automotive seating systems experience is listed as a key requirement. Candidates with direct experience in seat foam and foam component development are likely to be more closely aligned with the position.

What technical knowledge is required?

The position requires knowledge of seat foam development, foam process development, chemical selection, foam mould/tool development, APQP, PPAP, IATF 16949, supplier quality, supplier development, and project management.

Is supplier management experience important?

Yes. Strong supplier management and supplier development experience is specifically mentioned as a key requirement.

How can I apply for this job?

Interested candidates can send their updated resume to the provided email address or contact the recruiter through WhatsApp.

Short Summary – TM Automotive Seating Systems Recruitment

TM Automotive Seating Systems Pvt. Ltd. is hiring an Assistant Manager – STA (Foam Commodities) for its Oragadam, Tamil Nadu location. The company is looking for an experienced professional with 10+ years of experience, preferably in automotive seating systems, seat foam development, foam process development, supplier development, and foam component development.

Position: Assistant Manager – STA (Foam Commodities)
Experience: 10+ Years
Qualification: B.E./B.Tech or higher
Location: Oragadam, Tamil Nadu
Industry: Automotive Seating
Key Areas: Foam Development, Supplier Development, STA, APQP, PPAP, IATF 16949

How to Apply

Interested and eligible candidates can share their updated resume through:

Email: karthik.pandian@tmseating.com

WhatsApp: +91 95008 75511

Candidates should highlight their automotive seating, seat foam development, foam process, supplier development, APQP, PPAP, and supplier quality experience clearly in their resume.