Durability Test Driver Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Sr. Durability Evaluation Engineer

• Research, develop, and oversee full-vehicle durability testing at an automotive proving ground.
• The Durability Department is responsible for in-market durability and corrosion test of all Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models sold in the North American market using internally-developed objective and subjective test modes aligned to the North American environment and customer expectations.
• Durability test activity supports corporate goals of maintaining safety, improving customer satisfaction, reducing warranty costs, and enhancing the public image of HMG products in the group's largest sales market.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Perform daily follow-up of vehicle incidents reported by test drivers and technicians. Make judgements regarding level of follow-up required. Elevate important incident reports to issue status. Report, investigate, and follow-up issues to resolution. Communicate with global stakeholders and work together to establish effective countermeasure. Follow-up on countermeasure effectiveness.
• Complete static and dynamic vehicle inspections on a periodic basis. Monitor in detail the degradation of vehicle performance, handling, NVH, etc. Quantify degradation using subjective scales or objective measurements where appropriate. Develop and refine inspection processes and metrics.
• Apply market and engineering understanding to independently conceive, plan, carry out, and report research projects, field studies, and measurement programs to collect information pertaining to passenger vehicle durability and the Pan-American market customer. Working independently, apply knowledge gained toward development and improvement of accelerated durability test modes.
• Consult on the development of full-vehicle durability test programs. Plan and budget for durability test of a vehicle project from advanced development through mass-production and beyond. Work with internal and external stakeholders such as Program Management and local plant QA/QC to secure budget, test vehicles, and engineering resources for testing.
• Based on departmental needs, conceive, design, and oversee construction of proving ground test facilities such as durability surfaces (asphalt/concrete/unpaved roads), obstacles, and supporting buildings and structures. Draft necessary documentation to obtain budget, approvals. Contact vendors for bidding, and work with the selected vendor throughout the project to ensure successful on-time completion. Following completion, validate the test surface through analytical methods and apply it to durability tests as appropriate.
• Coordinate and participate in inspections of used vehicles on-site and in field. Collect and report data representing real-world customer conditions. Use survey data as a resource to inform the development of accelerated, proving ground test modes.
• Monitor and track field durability issues from various data sources including warranty claims, port claims, FSE reports, customer survey, automotive press, and social media.
• Install and configure data acquisition equipment. Work competently with a wide range of data inputs including vehicle CAN bus, thermocouples, strain gauge, accelerometer, and more. Retrieve data, perform analysis, and provide high-level commentary on results.
• Support third-party data collection requests for purposes of test mode development, CAE model correlation, research study, market understanding, and setting design requirements.
• Develop and write procedures to define and organize tasks and responsibilities for engineering, technician, or test driver staff. Communicate procedures concisely and professionally.
• Complete administrative tasks such as purchasing requests, vacation requests, business travel plans, etc. Plan and oversee project work such as purchase of fixed assets or facility/equipment repair.

HOW WILL YOU MAKE AN IMPACT

• Support the career development of junior Engineers, Technicians, and Test Drivers through mentoring and project leadership.
• Serve as the voice of the North American customer by providing local experience and perspective on environment, customer usage, and expectations.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ROLE

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering. Mechanical, Industrial, or Systems Engineering preferred
• 6+ years experience in vehicle testing and development preferred
• 2+ years experience in automotive proving ground environment preferred
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word
• Proficiency with data and numerical analysis tools such as MATLAB, R, Python, etc.
• Proficient in the usage of automotive data acquisition tools and sensors.
• Proficient in issue investigation and root cause analysis
• Proficient project management skills
• Proficient time management and organization skills
• Valid Driver's License and satisfactory driving record
• Able to work in a culturally diverse team environment

WHAT HYUNDAI CAN OFFER YOU

• Zero-dollar employee premiums on Medical, Dental, and Vision for you and your family
• 100% employer-paid disability and life insurance
• Generous paid time off including vacation, sick and abundant holidays
• A global environment that fosters diversity
• Range of position: $115,000 - $155,000/Year
• Retirement savings and planning benefits
• Flexible work hours, and hybrid work schedule options
• Access to health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts

OTHER DETAILS

• Travel up to 20% of time domestically or internationally in support of off-site testing or evaluation
• Work indoors and outdoors in harsh weather conditions (Winter -40F, Summer +120F, altitude up to 14,000 ft)
• Shop Environment: Exposure to fuel, compressed air/gas, emissions and exhaust fumes; pinching, tripping, electrical, and chemical hazards; bending and stooping required; must be able to lift up to 75 lbs and work safely with hand power tools. 
• Use of personal protective equipment required where prescribed.
• May require bending, stooping and lifting while removing and attaching trailers to
• vehicles, installing instrumentation and repairing vehicle failures. 
• May require operation of vehicles for total of 1,000 miles over 2-3 day period.

Candidates applying for positions with Hyundai KIA must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) is an Equal Opportunity Employer included Disabled and Veteran. VEVRAA Federal contractor.