Automotive Sound Quality & Acoustic Engineer, Experiential R&D

Harman Becker Automotive Systems Manufacturing Kft • Novi, MI

20d • Onsite

About The Position

HARMAN Automotive’s Experiential R&D team is seeking an Automotive Sound Quality & Acoustic Engineer to manage North American subjective sound quality evaluation and benchmarking, and to help improve automotive listening experiences. The position combines trained-listener evaluations, critical listening, acoustic measurement, vehicles, and HARMAN’s global sound quality methodology.

The engineer will also serve as a hands-on technical resource for HARMAN’s Novi team, maintaining and advancing the Reference Room, training and demonstration vehicles, measurement systems, and emerging audio technologies. Work may include evaluating vehicles, training listeners, troubleshooting audio systems, tuning demonstration vehicles, and developing experimental setups. The role requires curiosity about how people experience sound and an ability to combine critical listening with technical problem-solving and practical work.

The position often requires approximately four days per week onsite in Novi, Michigan, with flexibility potentially arranged according to project needs and individual circumstances. Domestic and international travel of up to approximately 10% may be required. Employment offers are conditioned on successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a field demonstrating technical, scientific, research, or problem-solving capability; relevant disciplines 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 fields.
• At least 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.
• 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 and rigorously execute work, document results, and carry projects through completion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively with technical teams, leadership, customers, and a global multidisciplinary organization.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to approximately 10%.
• Comfort working in and around development vehicles and audio laboratory environments.
• Successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of an employment offer.

Nice To Haves

• 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 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 demonstrating a genuine passion for sound.

Responsibilities

• Own and coordinate North American automotive sound quality benchmarking, including project planning, vehicle scheduling, evaluations, measurements, documentation, and reporting.
• Manage regional subjective sound quality evaluation and ensure studies follow established global methods consistently.
• Recruit, train, and develop listeners and maintain a capable, calibrated listening panel.
• Participate as a trained listener, applying critical listening, acoustic measurement, and technical judgment to characterize automotive sound experiences.
• Present benchmarking methods and findings to Engineering, Product Development, Innovation, Sales, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with global HARMAN teams to improve evaluation methods, listener training, and consistency.
• Own the technical operation and continued development of the Novi Reference Room and other acoustic research resources.
• Integrate new technologies, hardware, software, and measurement capabilities into the Reference Room, training vehicles, and other research assets.
• Support development, integration, troubleshooting, and tuning of training and demonstration vehicles.
• Provide hands-on audio and acoustic technical support for projects involving audio systems, measurement systems, prototypes, and emerging technologies.
• Design and execute acoustic experiments, listening tests, prototypes, and proof-of-concept systems for Experiential R&D projects.
• Independently manage technical projects and resolve loosely defined problems from concept through completion.
• Develop procedures and training materials and share technical knowledge with HARMAN teams globally.

Benefits

• Flexible work environment, including full-time remote work globally for positions that can be performed outside a HARMAN or customer location.
• Employee discounts on HARMAN and Samsung products, including JBL, HARMAN Kardon, and AKG.
• Extensive training opportunities through HARMAN University.
• Competitive wellness benefits.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Access to HARMAN Campus Fitness Center and Cafeteria.
• Inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters professional and personal development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level