Alexandra Savu is a project manager for Continental Engineering Services (CES), a position she has held since 2018.
Continental is a German-based automotive supplier specializing in brake systems, interior electronics, automotive safety, and powertrain. Over 227,000 people are employed by the company across 56 countries.
Continental has given Alexandra the opportunity to collaborate all over the world. Her most recent role is her second experience in the United States. She first lived in the U.S. from 2013 to 2016. For both roles, Alexandra was drawn to Continental in Auburn Hills, Michigan for the same reason, the idea of managing new products.
When Alexandra joined the CES business unit in 2018, it was to manage a high voltage electric program for a highly sought-after pre-production technology.
Today, Alexandra supports an extensive advanced driver assistance system going into production. It’s a Level 2 autonomous system with the end goal of reducing fatalities on the road while providing a comfortable driving experience.
Alexandra’s role as project manager is to ensure timelines are met and guarantee that quality milestones, budget, and technical deliverables stay on track. Alexandra co-leads a group of over 60 engineers from Michigan. Her team is based in Germany, Mexico, India, Romania, and France.
Each team member has a responsibility, including hardware, software, mechanical, testing, functional safety, and much more.
Prior to her current role, Alexandra worked in Timisoara, Romania for the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems business unit from 2016 to 2018 as a project manager.
From 2013 to 2016, Alexandra supported the Instrumentation and Driver Human Machine Interface business unit as a customer center head, where she developed global strategies to drive business goals.
Alexandra was first invited to work in the United States in 2013. She had been working in Timisoara, Romania since 2009.
The opportunity came when the need for a systems project manager arose with her customer, General Motors.
Alexandra was enticed by the idea of leading a new program with a familiar customer. Although thousands of miles from family and friends, Alexandra dove into the new atmosphere.
She was welcomed by her colleagues, but the change of culture did not come without some difficulty.
Getting an apartment and figuring out how to shop for groceries all posed their own challenges. It was helpful to have Romanian colleagues who were also working in Auburn Hills at the time.
In addition to work, Alexandra continued on-the-job education through training. With each new technology product she takes on, whether it's for automated driving, passive safety, or vehicle electrification, Alexandra must immerse herself in new product technical specifications.
Some other programs she has participated in include training on Automotive SPICE (ISO15504), the GM Leadership Entry Program, and conflict management.
Alexandra is fluent in Romanian and English and can also speak basic French. She gained her Faculty of Mathematics followed by the Informatics Postgraduate Course from the West University of Timisoara, Romania. In her free time, she enjoys tennis and swimming along with vacations on the beach (especially to the Caribbean).
Click here to nominate an automotive engineer for a Women of Color STEM Award.
