Description & Requirements
About the Role
The Brand Experience team creates innovative meaningful consumer experiences to make a positive impact on people’s lives with products, services, and technologies.
This role will work closely with the Brand Owner, customer teams, and OEM customers to translate the brand experience vision into a technical vision, feature pipeline, and feasible technical path for both vehicle demonstrations, and ~80% asset reuse for production programs within the automotive environment.
The role owns architectural vision, NFRs, and enablers; defines optimized architectures and early documentation; ensures technical feasibility and reuse; partners with the brand team to define and maintain the architectural runway.
It will serve as the primary technical interface and responsible party for technical concept development and approval, including hardware, software, systems, and features. The role will work closely with the Brand Product Manager to evaluate feature ideas, synthesize detailed architectural and engineering requirements, and deliver these to the Brand Delivery Lead, to deliver brand experience demo vehicles and reusable feature assets.
Your Team
This role reports to the Brand Owner and has no direct reports.
What You Will Do
Strategy & Leadership
* Translate the brand experience vision into a technical vision, feature ideas, and feasible technical path aligned with customer needs
* Define optimized architecture, feature concepts, and experience documentation (ERD early phases) for the Brand Experience Package; Define enabler features/stories
* Coordinate brand's technology strategy and roadmap with Lifestyle Division (NPI / NTI)
* Lead the determination of Technical Feasibility, risk eval & go/no-go analysis
* Investigate/evaluate new UI/UX/audio related technologies and best practices, tools, and methods for potential inclusion
* Synthesize detailed engineering requirements from the Brand Experience vision and user level requirements, for consumption by the Brand Delivery Manager and teams
* Engage with key OEM customer technical teams to align long-term architecture and implementation strategies.
* Act as technical subject matter expert and mentor, and train other Brand Technical Leads.
* Engages the broader innovation and project delivery teams to evaluate idea feasibility.
* Show fresh, insightful thinking by developing creative approaches to products & solutions, services, business models & strategies.
* Participate in ART-level events (PI Planning, System Demos, Inspect & Adapt).
* Ensure alignment with SAFe Lean-Agile principles.
* Collaborate with Release Train Engineer (RTE), Product Management, and Scrum Masters.
* Identifies enablers needed to realize features and experiences.
* Define and maintain architectural vision.
Customer & Stakeholder Engagement
* Engage with key OEM customer technical teams to align long-term architectural roadmap
* Collaborate with external partners & vendors to come up with creative solutions and drive best practices in technical development, to further augment and optimize the feature pipeline.
Delivery & Execution
* Identifies technical and non-functional requirements for inclusion in user stories.
* Enables the development team to build, Test, and deliver brand features with Project Teams, with market leading speed and quality
* Supports the development of demo cars integrating brand experience package and features
* Identify and develop innovative intellectual property based on new brand experiences, system designs, architectures, and concepts.
* Plan and extend the architectural runway during PI Planning.
Authorities
* Approves proposals during concept freeze and approval.
* Review and approve cross-brand asset architecture and design strategy
* Approve and continually refine standardized, cross-brand "definition of done" in agreement with project team
Accountabilities
* Concept freeze and approval (technical sections).
* Architectural definition, strategy, and runway
* Enabler definition at the system level
Success Measures (KPIs)
* Enabler throughput
* NFR compliance
* Reuse leverage (%?)
* Integration stability
* PI predictability and release scope adherence
What You Need
* Bachelor’s degree in Acoustical or Electrical Engineering
* 15+ years of combined brand, audio, product, and business-related experience.
* 5+ years in leadership, customer relationship management, and supplier relationships, preferably in automotive and/or luxury audio.
* Must have significant architectural knowledge of automotive infotainment and audio systems.
* Must be able to articulate vision and influence decision making outcomes with internal stakeholders, external suppliers, and the customer.
* Must have a "whatever-it-takes" attitude using diplomatic leadership skills within a collaborative teamwork environment to accomplish the necessary results.
* In addition, having shown high involvement in research, technology development, and cutting-edge innovation.
* Experience working in the audio industry, technology industry, or automotive industry.
* Knowledge of features, strengths, and weaknesses of various software and hardware in the audio and computing realm
* Ability to communicate advanced and complex concepts and ideas persuasively and concisely to all levels of the business.
* Knowledge of acoustic theory, sound reproduction, and sound system tuning is a must
What is Nice to Have
* Master’s or PHD degree in Acoustical Engineering or Electrical Engineering
* Strong recommendations from automotive industry colleagues
* Automotive Business & Engineering Landscape Knowledge
* Luxury Audio Business & Engineering Landscape Knowledge
* Specific experience required in three or more of the following fields: signal flow design, UI/UX design, electronics engineering, transducer engineering, acoustic engineering, digital signal processing, psychoacoustics, and recording arts.
* Passion for acoustics and sound reproduction
* Flexible in a challenging work environment
* Strong problem-solving skills
* Knowledge of recording arts/Musician
* Excellent presentation/communication skills
What Makes You Eligible
* Be willing to travel up to 25%, domestic and international travel
* Be willing to work in the Garching office
What We Offer
* HARMAN offers a diverse and inclusive work environment that fosters and encourages career development opportunities, professional training and competitive market base compensation
* You will also receive top-notch employee discounts on Harman’s Consumer Audio (JBL, AKG, HARMAN Kardon) and Samsung products
* Flexible work schedule with a culture encouraging work life integration and collaboration in a global friendly working atmosphere and good work-life-balance
* Attractive salary package
* Professional development opportunities through HARMAN University’s business and leadership academies which also includes extensive technical trainings
* Internal talent management leadership acceleration programs
* “Be Brilliant” employee recognition and rewards program
About HARMAN: Where Innovation Unleashes Next-Level Technology
Ever since the 1920s, we’ve been amplifying the sense of sound. Today, that legacy endures, with integrated technology platforms that make the world smarter, safer, and more connected.
Across automotive, lifestyle, and digital transformation solutions, we create innovative technologies that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Our renowned automotive and lifestyle solutions can be found everywhere, from the music we play in our cars and homes to venues that feature today’s most sought-after performers, while our digital transformation solutions serve humanity by addressing the world’s ever-evolving needs and demands. Marketing our award-winning portfolio under 16 iconic brands, such as JBL, Mark Levinson, and Revel, we set ourselves apart by exceeding the highest engineering and design standards for our customers, our partners and each other.
If you’re ready to innovate and do work that makes a lasting impact, join our talent community today!
Important Notice: Recruitment Scams
Please be aware that HARMAN recruiters will always communicate with you from an '@harman.com', ‘@careers.harman.com’ or ‘@harmanglobal.avature.net’ email address. We will never ask for payments, banking, credit card, personal financial information or access to your LinkedIn/email account during the screening, interview, or recruitment process. If you are asked for such information or receive communication from an email address not ending in one of the above email domains about a job with HARMAN, please cease communication immediately and report the incident to us through: harmancareers@harman.com.
You Belong Here
HARMAN is committed to making every employee feel welcomed, valued, and empowered. No matter what role you play, we encourage you to share your ideas, voice your distinct perspective, and bring your whole self with you – all within a support-minded culture that celebrates what makes each of us unique. We also recognize that learning is a lifelong pursuit and want you to flourish. We proudly offer added opportunities for training, development, and continuing education, further empowering you to live the career you want.
HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. HARMAN strives to hire the best qualified candidates and is committed to building a workforce representative of the diverse marketplaces and communities of our global colleagues and customers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, 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. HARMAN attracts, hires, and develops employees based on merit, qualifications and job-related performance.()
HARMAN is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please contact us at harmancareers@harman.com. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.