Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Automotive
We’re a global, multi-disciplinary team that’s putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. At HARMAN Automotive, we give you the keys to fast-track your career.
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Engineer audio systems and integrated technology platforms that augment the driving experience
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Combine ingenuity, in-depth research, and a spirit of collaboration with design and engineering excellence
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Advance in-vehicle infotainment, safety, efficiency, and enjoyment
About the Role
As a Software Engineer, you will bridge the gap between advanced computational design, software engineering, and artificial intelligence to support the future of branded automotive experiences. Working within our Industrial and Computational Design team, you will play a key role in translating complex design logic into scalable, user-friendly products that empower our global designers to deliver cohesive, high-performance solutions. Leveraging your specialized expertise, you will independently build the digital infrastructure for design workflows, acting as a technical specialist who translates creative intent into functional, production-ready code.
In this role, you will execute the productization of our computational design assets, turning parametric prototypes into production-ready tools, including plugins, packaged workflows, and web-based interactive experiences. You will support the maintenance of our centralized creative library, ensuring our team has seamless access to the latest tools and on-brand AI models. Your work will contribute to immersive automotive experiences by scaling brand-consistent design generation, improving industrial design workflows, and enabling interactive models—helping our teams deliver cohesive, high-quality in-cabin touchpoints with speed and precision.
Your ability to integrate AI-driven generative design with traditional industrial design excellence will be essential in ensuring we stay at the forefront of automotive innovation. This is an opportunity to contribute to the evolution of how we design, supporting the move beyond manual execution toward a future of automated, intelligent, and interactive design systems that scale our brand’s DNA across the entire portfolio.
What You Will Do
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Productize Computational Workflows: Independently transition internal computational design prototypes into professional-grade, version-controlled tools (plugins, packages, and shared libraries) that are stable and documented.
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Build Web-Based Design Tools: Build and maintain web applications that expose parametric and data-driven design capabilities through intuitive interfaces.
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Enable Remote/Cloud Computation: Develop services and APIs that run geometry and design logic reliably, connecting backend computation to modern web front ends.
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Develop Interactive 3D Design Models: Create lightweight, high-performance interactive 3D visualizations in the browser to communicate design intent.
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Implement AI Generative Models: Deploy and fine-tune custom AI models specifically for branded experience designs and industrial design aesthetics.
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Optimize Workflow & Automation: Identify bottlenecks in the design process and implement automated solutions and centralized plugins across active projects.
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Manage Creative Assets: Support the "single source of truth" library for scripts, plugins, and AI assets, ensuring consistency in branded design outputs.
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Collaborate Across Disciplines: Partner with Industrial Designers, UIUX Designers, and Engineers to ensure tech-driven solutions remain grounded in human-centric design.
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Communicate & Demo: Present technical systems through intuitive interfaces and models, making computational design accessible to internal stakeholders.
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Stay Informed: Research and integrate emerging technologies in WebGL, Machine Learning, and Cloud-based computation to keep our design toolkit current.
What You Need
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Educational Background: A degree in Computer Science, Computational Design (with a creative focus), Architecture, or Industrial Design with a heavy emphasis on software development.
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Strong Software Engineering Fundamentals: 5+ years of experience building and shipping applications or internal platforms with an emphasis on reliability and maintainability.
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Web Application Development: Proficiency with modern languages (e.g., JavaScript/TypeScript and/or Python), including experience across front-end and back-end layers.
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Parametric/Computational Design Exposure: Hands-on experience with computational geometry or parametric toolchains (e.g., Grasshopper/RhinoCommon API or equivalent) or demonstrated ability to ramp quickly.
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Deployment & Collaboration: Knowledge of cloud/service deployment (CI/CD, containers) and ability to partner with platform teams to ship web applications.
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Tooling Mindset: Proven track record turning prototypes into production-ready tools (packaging, documentation, and versioning).
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AI/ML Competency: Practical experience in training or fine-tuning generative models (Stable Diffusion, LoRA, or similar).
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Brand Sensibility: A sophisticated eye for design, ensuring that automated outputs and AI generations align strictly with premium brand aesthetics.
What is Nice to Have
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Full-Stack Familiarity: Experience building bespoke web dashboards or UI/UX for design tools.
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Web-Based 3D & Visualization: Experience with WebGL or browser-based 3D frameworks (e.g., Three.js, Babylon.js).
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Automotive/Industrial Design Context: Familiarity with the constraints of physical manufacturing.
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Technical Mentorship: A passion for teaching designers how to use new tools and fostering technical literacy.
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Collaborative Teamwork: A track record as a motivated team player, excelling in collaboration and supporting broader team objectives.
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Language Skills: Advanced English proficiency, with other language skills being a bonus.
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Appreciation for Music: An understanding of music’s role in automotive experiences.
Apply With
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A portfolio or examples of design tools, web applications, or platforms you’ve built or maintained.
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(Optional) Examples involving automation-heavy systems, complex logic, or design-adjacent tooling.
What Makes You Eligible
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Travel Readiness: Willingness to travel up to 10% of the time, domestically or internationally, as required by project needs.
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Collaboration Days: Ability to work remotely, with weekly attendance in the office in Novi, Michigan on Wednesdays for collaboration days and occasional short-notice trips (minimum 24 hours’ notice) to designated office locations.
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Driving Record: Possession of a clean driving record, with no more than 4 active points for moving violations and no instances of operating a vehicle under the influence of controlled substances within the last 10 years, as the role may involve the use of a HARMAN or customer-owned vehicle.
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Compliance Requirements: Successful completion of a drug screen as a condition of employment.
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Must possess unrestricted work authorization.
What We Offer
- Flexible Work Environment: Enjoy a flexible work schedule with a culture that encourages work-life integration and collaboration in a global environment.
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Exclusive Discounts: Access employee discounts on world-class Harman and Samsung products, including JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, and more.
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Professional Growth: Benefit from extensive training opportunities through HARMAN University’s business and leadership academies to support continuous learning and career development.
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Recognition & Rewards: Participate in the “Be Brilliant” employee recognition and rewards program to celebrate achievements and contributions.
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Wellness Benefits: Competitive benefits that promote employee well-being and work-life balance.
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Inclusive Culture: Be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters both professional and personal growth, encouraging a positive and collaborative environment.
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On-Campus Facilities: Enjoy access to the HARMAN Campus Fitness Center and Cafeteria, offering a healthy and convenient work environment.
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Tuition Reimbursement: Receive support for further education and skill development through our tuition reimbursement program.
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