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Summary

The Lead Research & Development (R&D) Engineer is responsible for overseeing various vehicle-related research and development projects. This role also involves acting as a liaison between the U.S. and Japanese engineering teams, significantly influencing technical- and project-related decisions.

The Lead R&D Engineer utilizes their history with the company to identify connections with departments at Subaru Headquarters in Japan (Subaru Corporation [SBR]) and their engineers including those who have worked in the U.S as an expatriate.

The Lead R&D Engineer involves collaborating cross-functionally with other Subaru entities and business functions such as SBR, Subaru of America (SOA), and Subaru Indiana Automotive (SIA). The level of interaction with SBR, SOA, and SIA is expected to be higher than that of R&D Engineers and Senior R&D Engineers.

The Lead R&D Engineer coaches and guides team members to ensure high-quality work and leads multiple large-scale projects to meet timelines and budgets.

In conjunction with the General Manager (GM), Associate Director (AD), and managers, the Lead R&D Engineer makes high-impact recommendations regarding budget allocation, task distribution, target performance goals for future products, and other technical priorities.

Approximately, core duties will involve 30% management support (coaching team members), 40% project and testing oversight, and 30% execution of tasks (evaluation, research, reporting, etc.).

Core Responsibilities

Project Responsibilities:

+ Leads multiple large-scale projects to meet timelines and budgets. Independently identifies testing/research needed to progress in each project.

+ Makes schedules and plans to achieve project goals.

+ Guides Subaru Corporation (SBR) development and target specifications based on defined market need.

+ Determines project direction based on team goals/SBR needs with oversight from manager and General Manager (GM).

+ Enhances impact on SBR by incorporating results and data from other Subaru entities in North America.

Process Improvement:

+ Proactively identifies future issues and collaborates with other engineers and managers to resolve the issue.

+ Finds methods of improvement for the department including:

+ Streamlining test methods.

+ Improving procedures.

+ Enhancing efficient allocation of time.

+ Automation of data collection/processing.

+ Suggestion of projects to better achieve team goals.

Management Support:

+ Supports the day-to-day tasks of intern and engineers of lower-level seniority, advising them in the process of testing/evaluation planning and implementations.

+ Gives preliminary reviews of technical reports and other technical work submitted by engineers of lower-level seniority. Supports GM, Associate Director (AD), and managers in communicating project timelines and technical goals with the team members.

+ Assists the GM and manager in assessing employee performance. Delegated by AD and managers, holds regular one-on-one meetings with team members to follow up on their task progress and identify potential issues.

+ Assigns tasks for outsourced workers and contract employees and plans their long-term testing schedule. Provides support and functions as the contact person for any test equipment issues and troubleshooting.

Coaching, Mentoring, and Technical Leading:

+ Coaches and guides team members to ensure high-quality work and considers team members’ professional development.

+ Mentors interns or new engineers via:

+ Teaching organizational knowledge.

+ Instructing on using company systems.

+ Using workload from current projects to teach interns and new engineers while making beneficial progress.

+ Creates new projects to teach interns and new engineers while making beneficial progress the team would not otherwise have time to complete.

+ Develops professional skills beneficial to the team’s current and future goals by taking classes/courses.

Department Responsibilities:

+ Works as a part of one or more of the research teams; however, this position has versatile responsibilities to the department as a whole.

+ Versatility:

+ Demonstrates ability to temporarily step into any role on the team with as little as one week of learning and preparation.

+ Project, Testing, Evaluation Oversight:

+ Monitors departmental budget usage and discusses project resource needs with upper-level management.

+ Creates presentation materials of progress updates for upper-level management and facilitates product demonstrations for SBR and Subaru of America (SOA) executives.

+ Vendor Supervision:

+ As a project lead, communicates with vendor account managers and monitors budget burndown. Plans and adjusts workflows to ensure that the vendors deliver their products on time.

+ Answers questions from vendors and develops new evaluation/testing approaches as needed to achieve internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and battery electric vehicle (BEV) performance targets.

+ Liaison between U.S. and Japan:

+ Serves as one of the key liaisons between the U.S. and Japanese engineering teams. ◦ Updates team leads in Japan on current development status and discusses how to improve overall development efficiency and collaboration.

+ Attends meetings with SBR as necessary, and travels to Japan to learn Subaru’s vehicle development processes and to share improvements. developed in the U.S.

+ Technical Lead:

+ Defines the best practices for development vehicles and test procedures.

+ Develops and updates documentation on how to develop vehicles and implements new processes to improve the efficiency of vehicle hardware and software updates.

+ Defines the best practices in North American market to develop competitive future products with higher efficiency, longer range, easier/faster charging, higher safety, and lower production costs.

+ Considers solutions to U.S.-specific user issues and independently develops solutions while considering resource constraints for mass production.

Additional Responsibilities

+ Stays current with industry trends, new technologies, and best practices in ICE, HEV, and BEV development. Shares information with team members to help others in their learning. Makes recommendations to the upper management regarding how to support engineers to stay current with the latest technology.

+ Collaboration:

+ Collaborates with engineers from various disciplines (e.g., mechanical, electrical) to develop competitive future products with higher efficiency, longer range, easier/faster charging, higher safety, and lower production costs while meeting Subaru's quality standards.

+ Collaborates with other departments to identify ways to improve company efficiency and utilize department-specific skills.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

+ Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related multidisciplinary field (required).

Experience requirements

+ 6–8 years with a Bachelor’s degree

+ 4–6 years with a Master’s degree

+ Up to 2 years with a relevant Ph.D.

Technical Expertise

+ Proven experience in development, testing, and evaluation of charging systems.

+ Strong knowledge of charging communication standards (J1772, DIN70121, ISO15118-2/20, J3400/NACS, OCPP 1.6/2.0).

+ Familiarity with Controller Area Network (CAN) and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) communication.

+ Proficiency with data analysis tools; experience with Tableau preferred.

+ Skilled in Windows and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).

Project & Leadership Skills

+ Demonstrated ability in project management, including budget oversight and timeline management.

+ Ability to teach technical knowledge and mentor team members.

+ Strong analytical and conceptual thinking- both logical and strategic.

Industry & Market Knowledge

+ Deep understanding of U.S. customer trends and demographics.

+ Ability to interpret quarterly updates from Subaru of America (SOA) and other sources.

Communication & Collaboration

+ Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and written communication skills.

+ Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a multicultural/multilingual environment.

+ Japanese language proficiency preferred.

Learning & Adaptability

+ Mastery of technical topics related to active projects and ability to quickly learn new technologies.

Work Environment

+ Office Location: NASI California Cypress Office, 6431 Global Drive, Cypress, CA 90630

+ Hybrid Role: Hybrid Role - Remote work 2 days per week (after 90 days) [Wednesdays & Fridays]

+ Required Travel: 40%

Compensation: The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $83000 - $110000 / year. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Additionally, this role is bonus-eligible, with a target bonus percentage that provides an opportunity to earn even more based on your performance. (Internal Job Grade: P3)

WHY JOIN US? In addition to competitive salary and an incomparable culture, Subaru offers an amazing benefits package that includes:

Total Rewards & Benefits:

- Medical, Dental, Vision Plans

- Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401K Match Offerings

- 15 Vacation days, 5 Floating Holidays, 5 Sick days, and 9 Company Holidays

- Tuition Reimbursement Program: $15,000 yearly benefit

- Vehicle Discount Programs

Learning & Development:

- Professional growth and development opportunities

- Direct partnership with senior leadership

- Formal Mentorship Program

- LinkedIn Learning License

Visit our careers landing page for additional information about our compensation and benefit programs.

About Subaru

Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. As a leading auto brand in the US, we strive to be More Than a Car Company®. Subaru believes in being a positive force in the communities in which we live and work, not just with donations but with actions that set an example for others to follow. That’s what we call our Subaru Love Promise®.

Subaru is a globally renowned automobile manufacturer known for its commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability. With a rich history dating back to 1953, Subaru has consistently pushed the boundaries of automotive engineering to deliver vehicles that offer not only exceptional performance but also a unique blend of utility and adventure.

Subaru's company culture is built on collaboration, diversity, and a shared passion for our product. We foster an inclusive environment that encourages employees to bring their unique perspectives and talents to the table. Our team members are driven by a common goal: to create exceptional vehicles that inspire and delight our customers.