NASI - Lead Research & Development Engineer - Advanced Vehicle Development; AVD

Position: NASI - Lead Research & Development Engineer - Advanced Vehicle Development (AVD)

NASI - Lead Research & Development Engineer - Advanced Vehicle Development (AVD)

The Lead Research & Development (R&D) Engineer is responsible for overseeing various vehicle‑related research and development projects. The role also serves as a liaison between U.S. and Japanese engineering teams, influencing technical and project decisions. The position collaborates cross‑functionally with Subaru entities and business functions such as Subaru Headquarters (S ), Subaru of America (SOA), and Subaru Indiana Automotive (SIA). It involves coaching team members, managing budgets, and driving high‑impact recommendations on technical priorities.

The core duties are roughly 30% management support, 40% project and testing oversight, and 30% execution of tasks (evaluation, research, reporting).

Core Responsibilities

• Lead multiple large‑scale projects to meet timelines and budgets.
• Identify testing and research needed to progress each project.
• Make schedules and plans to achieve project goals.
• Guide S  development and target specifications based on defined market needs.
• Determine project direction with oversight from manager and GM.
• Enhance impact on S  by incorporating results and data from other Subaru entities.

Process Improvement

• Proactively identify future issues and collaborate with engineers and managers to resolve them.
• Find methods of improvement for the department, including:
  • Streamlining test methods.
  • Improving procedures.
  • Enhancing efficient allocation of time.
  • Automating data collection/processing.
  • Suggesting projects to better achieve team goals.

Management Support

• Support day‑to‑day tasks of interns and lower‑level engineers, advising on testing and evaluation planning.
• Provide preliminary reviews of technical reports and other work submitted by junior engineers.
• Assist GM and managers in assessing employee performance and holding regular one‑on‑one meetings.
• Assign tasks for outsourced workers and contract employees; plan long‑term testing schedule.

Coaching, Mentoring, and Technical Leading

• Coach and guide team members to ensure high‑quality work and professional development.
• Mentor interns or new engineers, teaching organizational knowledge, company systems, and workload management.
• Develop professional skills for team’s current and future goals.

Department Responsibilities

• Work as part of one or more research teams while contributing broadly to the department.
• Demonstrate versatility, stepping into any role with minimal preparation.
• Monitor departmental budget usage and discuss resource needs with upper management.
• Create presentation materials for progress updates and facilitate product demonstrations.
• Supervise vendors, communicate with account managers, and monitor budget burndown.
• Develop new evaluation/testing approaches to meet engine and vehicle performance targets.
• Act as liaison between U.S. and Japan, updating Japanese team leads and traveling to learn and share developments.
• Define best practices for vehicle development and test procedures, and document processes for North American market.

Additional Responsibilities

• Stay current with industry trends and new technologies in ICE, HEV, and BEV development; share information and recommend support for engineers.
• Collaborate with engineers from multiple disciplines to develop competitive products with higher efficiency and lower cost.
• Collaborate with other departments to improve company efficiency.

Qualifications Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or 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, DIN
  70121, ISO
  15118‑2/20, J3400/NACS, OCPP 1.6/2.0.
• Familiarity with CAN and PLC communication.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools;
  Tableau preferred.
• Skilled in Windows and Microsoft Office Suite.

Project & Leadership Skills

• Demonstrated ability in project management, budget oversight, and timeline management.
• Ability to teach…