HARMAN’s engineers and designers are creative, purposeful and agile. As part of this team, you’ll combine your technical expertise with innovative ideas to help drive cutting-edge solutions in the car, enterprise and connected ecosystem. Every day, you will push the boundaries of creative design, and HARMAN is committed to providing you with the opportunities, innovative technologies and resources to build a successful career.
A Career at HARMAN
As a technology leader that is rapidly on the move, HARMAN is filled with people who are focused on making life better. Innovation, inclusivity and teamwork are a part of our DNA. When you add that to the challenges we take on and solve together, you’ll discover that at HARMAN you can grow, make a difference and be proud of the work you do everyday.
Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Automotive
We’re a global, multi-disciplinary team that’s putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. At HARMAN Automotive, we give you the keys to fast-track your career.
About the Role
The Director, Project Engineering, OEM, plays a critical leadership role in orchestrating Harman’s global car audio engineering interface with the OEM. This position serves as the primary point of escalation, ensuring timely and effective issue resolution while maintaining strong customer trust.
In close partnership with the Sr. Director, Car Audio Engineering Japan, this role is accountable for managing and strengthening the end-to-end external relationship with the OEM—from operational working teams to senior executive stakeholders. The Director will drive transparent, bidirectional communication between Harman and the OEM, ensuring alignment on priorities, expectations, and deliverables.
As a senior leader based in Japan, the role also provides oversight and guidance on the team’s customer engagement approach. The Director will champion a collaborative, solution-oriented mindset, enabling the team to deliver sustainable, win-win outcomes for both the OEM and Harman.
What You Need
Minimum of 7 years of engineering experience with at least 4 years experience working in a customer-facing role at a Tier 1 automotive supplier (preferably a global supplier) on T-OEM product or working in T-OEM (or one of its subsidiaries).
Deep understanding of T-OEM development process and organization.
Strong reputation and relationships within T-OEM from working to management levels.
Deep understanding of T-OEM Car Audio development process and organization.
Experience working in a global cross-functional team w/ understanding of how to work w/in Western companies.
Ability to communicate effectively in Japanese and English.
Desire and ability to act as a Coach to global Harman Team on how to work with T-OEM.
BS in Acoustics, Electronics, Mechanical or other related Engineering field.
What You Will Do
- Engineer audio systems and integrated technology platforms that augment the driving experience
- Combine ingenuity, in-depth research, and a spirit of collaboration with design and engineering excellence
- Advance in-vehicle infotainment, safety, efficiency, and enjoyment
- Manage overall customer interface with T-OEM engineering globally for car audio products, w/ a special focus on Japan, together w/ Japan Car Audio Engineering lead.
- In concert with Japan Car Audio Engineering lead, act as a solutions provider striving for win-win solutions for Harman and T-OEM that yield the greatest benefit for T-OEM’s customers and Harman.
- Ensure T-OEM technical expectations, explicit and implicit, and requirements is correctly interpreted and communicated globally by the Japan Car Audio Team.
- Work w/ Japan Car Audio team to provide rapid, high quality responses to T-OEM’s inquiries and concerns.
- Ensure Japan Car Audio Team responses are consistent with customer’s specifications and expectations.
- Upskill organization’s customer communication capabilities and understanding of customer’s unique expectations.
- Anticipate T-OEM’s future needs and drive change in team’s processes / strategy by closely collaborating w/ Japan Car Audio Team lead.
- Work closely with T-OEM’s cross-functional team on identifying continuous improvement initiatives to improve Harman’s development quality and to develop solutions to customer’s present and future needs.
- Support CAM team by assembling and deploying the best team for each customer engagement.
- Assist with initiatives, in collaboration with Japan Car Audio Team and Harman’s JBL / ML Chief Engineers, for improving end-to-end accountability from initial product concept to End-of-Life for car audio products.
- Serve as a strong partner and backup to the Sr. Director for Japan Car Audio Engineering.
What We Offer
- We offer an authentic, diverse, equal, and inclusive work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development in a truly global organization.
- You will work on products and services that touch people’s lives and will change the industrial standards, being a part of the transformations in our industry.
- Our work environments are fast paced, challenging, empowering, collaborative, flexible and exciting.
- We offer our own HARMAN University with regular updates on the new technologies and trends by utilizing various sessions organized by Self Learning and Development Trainings to help grow and advance talent.
- We offer competitive compensation/benefit programs and recognition programs.
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HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard torace, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.
