Automotive Sound Quality & Acoustic Engineer, Experiential R&D

About the Role

HARMAN Automotive's Experiential R&D team is looking for an Automotive Sound Quality & Acoustic Engineer to help shape how we listen to, evaluate, and understand some of the world's most advanced automotive audio systems. At the heart of this role is managing HARMAN's subjective sound quality evaluation and sound quality benchmarking capability in North America.

You will bring together trained listeners, critical listening, acoustic measurement, vehicles, and HARMAN's global sound quality methodology to understand how automotive audio systems perform and how the listening experience can be improved. The role also goes well beyond evaluation. You will be a key hands-on technical resource for our Novi team, responsible for helping maintain and advance our Reference Room, training and demonstration vehicles, measurement systems, and emerging audio technologies. You may find yourself evaluating a new premium vehicle one day, training listeners the next, troubleshooting an audio system, tuning a demonstration vehicle, or building an experimental setup for a new technology. This is a role for someone who is genuinely curious about how people experience sound and enjoys combining critical listening with technical problem solving and hands-on work.

What You Will Do

- Own and coordinate HARMAN's automotive sound quality benchmarking activities in North America, including project planning, vehicle scheduling, evaluation execution, measurement, documentation, and reporting.
- Manage HARMAN's regional subjective sound quality evaluation capability and ensure sound quality studies are executed consistently according to established global methods.
- Recruit, train, and develop listeners and help maintain a capable, calibrated listening panel for sound quality evaluations and research.
- Participate as a trained listener and use critical listening, acoustic measurement, and technical judgment to help characterize and understand automotive sound experiences.
- Represent HARMAN's sound quality benchmarking methods and findings to Engineering, Product Development, Innovation, Sales, and other internal and external stakeholders.
- Collaborate with HARMAN teams around the world to continuously improve sound quality evaluation methods, listener training, and global consistency.
- Own the technical operation and continued development of the Novi Reference Room and other acoustic research resources used for listening, research, demonstrations, and training.
- Integrate new HARMAN technologies, hardware, software, and measurement capabilities into the Reference Room, training vehicles, and other research assets.
- Support the development, integration, troubleshooting, and tuning of HARMAN training and demonstration vehicles.
- Serve as a hands-on audio and acoustic technical resource for projects involving audio systems, measurement systems, prototypes, and emerging technologies.
- Design and execute acoustic experiments, listening tests, prototypes, and proof-of-concept systems supporting Experiential R&D projects.
- Independently manage technical projects and work through loosely defined problems from initial concept through successful completion.
- Develop procedures and training materials and share technical knowledge with HARMAN teams globally.

What You Need

- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a field that demonstrates strong technical, scientific, research, or problem-solving capability. Relevant backgrounds may include Acoustics, Audio or Music Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Biology or other Natural Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Human Factors, Applied Sciences, or related disciplines.
- 3+ years of relevant professional or substantial practical experience involving audio, acoustics, sound quality, automotive systems, research, experimentation, product development, or other technical project work.
- A strong interest in sound quality, critical listening, acoustics, and how people perceive and experience audio.
- Demonstrated hands-on technical aptitude and comfort working with equipment, software, vehicles, prototypes, or laboratory systems.
- Ability to learn complex technical systems, investigate problems, and independently develop practical solutions.
- Strong project ownership, organization, curiosity, and attention to detail.
- Ability to plan work, execute it rigorously, document results, and carry projects through completion.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with technical teams, leadership, customers, and a global multidisciplinary organization.

What is Nice to Have

- Experience with automotive or premium consumer audio.
- Experience with critical listening, sound quality evaluation, psychoacoustics, listening tests, or perceptual research.
- Experience performing acoustic or electroacoustic measurements.
- Experience developing, tuning, or evaluating vehicle audio systems.
- Experience working with controlled listening environments, research facilities, or demonstration systems.
- Personal or professional involvement in audio, recording, live sound, automotive audio, music technology, or another field that demonstrates a genuine passion for sound.

What Makes You Eligible

- This position will often require approximately four days per week onsite in Novi, Michigan because much of the work involves critical listening, vehicles, acoustic facilities, laboratories, and prototype systems. Flexibility may be arranged based on project needs and individual circumstances.
- Be willing to travel domestically and internationally up to approximately 10%.
- Be comfortable working in and around development vehicles and audio laboratory environments.
- Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.

What We Offer

- Flexible work environment, allowing for full-time remote work globally for positions that can be performed outside a HARMAN or customer location
- Access to employee discounts on world-class Harman and Samsung products (JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, etc.)
- Extensive training opportunities through our own HARMAN University
- Competitive wellness benefits
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Access to HARMAN Campus Fitness Center and Cafeteria
- An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development

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Pay Transparency

Dependent on the position offered, other forms of compensation are also available, such as bonuses or commission.
Pay is based on a wide range of factors, including, without limitation, skill set, experience, training, location, and business need. While the above range is a reasonable estimate of the wage range for this position, please note the disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographical differential associated with the location where the position may be filled.
Benefits HARMAN is interested in the health and wellbeing of you and your family and offers a range of benefits designed to support your needs for holistic wellbeing. Benefits and perks may vary depending on the nature of your employment with HARMAN, and may include paid vacation and holidays, paid sick leave, volunteer leave, and paid bonding and care giver leave. Employees may also be eligible to participate in comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, fertility support and adoption assistance, Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan with employer match, short and long term disability coverage, life insurance, and more.

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! (https://harmanglobal.avature.net/talentcommunity)

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: [email protected]. (mailto:[email protected])
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.(www.harman.com (https://www.harman.com))
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 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]). Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.