Distinguished Engineer, System Engineering Excellence Leader

HARMAN India; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 6,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

HARMAN FlexConnect Program (hybrid)

Employee discounts on JBL, Harman Kard

In-house training at HARMAN University

Wellness benefits

Tuition reimbursement

Be Brilliant rewards program

Job summary

HARMAN India in Bengaluru seeks an experienced System Engineering Excellence Lead to set industry benchmarks, standardize practices, and drive end‑to‑end system lifecycle orchestration across SBUs. You will lead cross‑functional collaboration, transformation programs, and continuous improvement in engineering quality and efficiency.

The role combines strategic vision with hands‑on leadership to embed engineering excellence into system architecture, including MBSE, simulation, and market‑driven

Qualifications

• Bachelor or master's degree in engineering or equivalent.
• 15+ years proven experience in systems and system‑of‑system engineering in automotive.
• Deep knowledge of system procedures, software driven systems, configuration management, test strategy and reusable assets.
• Knowledge of ASPICE, FuSA, and SOTIF.
• Fluency in English; German is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Drive Automotive Systems Engineering Excellence Lead and set industry benchmarks.
• Enable cross‑functional collaboration across divisions, projects, and product lines.
• Accelerate continuous improvement and innovation in system engineering processes.
• Establish leadership in engineering performance benchmarking and adoption of new technologies.
• Lead transformation programs end‑to‑end with measurable business impact.
• Coach cross‑functional teams on processes, architecture thinking and best practices.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in engineering

Tools

MBSE

Job description

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.

• Engineer audio systems and integrated technology platforms that augment the driving experience
• Combine ingenuity, in-depth research, and a spirit of collaboration with design and engineering excellence
• Advance in-vehicle infotainment, safety, efficiency, and enjoyment

About The Role

• We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated individual to join our team as the Lead of "System Engineering Excellence." This role is critical in driving our systems engineering efforts to become the benchmark in the automotive industry. The position is based in Bangalore, India and reports to the Lead of CoE Engineering Excellence & Continuous Improvement.
• The System Engineering Excellence Lead as the central system engineering authority and transformation driver, executing the standardization of systems engineering practices, processes, tools, and architectures across all SBUs while ensuring full end‑to‑end orchestration of the system lifecycle from requirements to delivery, including alignment between disciplines (SW, HW, validation).
• The role combines deep systems engineering expertise with significant program leadership to enable cross-functional collaboration, lead transformation initiatives, and continuously improve engineering quality, efficiency, and predictability across the organization.
• The role provides strong project management in enterprise-wide engineering transformation programs and builds systems engineering capability across the organization. This includes coaching cross-functional teams on processes, architectural thinking and system‑level best practices.
• The role combines strategic vision with highly skilled hands‑on leadership to embed engineering excellence into system architecture, including simulation, the identification of commercially relevant efficiency gains, and the realization of market‑driven requirements far faster lifecycles and processes in product line engineering. The large experience and skills required for this role will enable the incumbent to manage highly complex issues at both functional and organizational levels, end to end.

What You Will Do

• Drive Automotive Systems Engineering Excellence Lead and continuously enhance the systems engineering program, setting industry benchmarks and ensuring a future‑proof engineering ecosystem across the automotive domain
• Enable Cross‑Functional Collaboration Orchestrate efficient collaboration across divisions, projects, and product lines at different lifecycle stages to maximize synergies and delivery performance
• Accelerate Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen engineering excellence, innovation, and scalability of system engineering processes
• Establish Benchmark Leadership Act as the central authority for engineering performance benchmarking and adoption of emerging system engineering technologies
• Lead Transformation at Scale Drive end‑to‑end transformation programs in systems engineering with measurable business impact across all divisions

What You Need To Be Successful

• Bachelor or Master's degree in engineering or equivalent studies
• Proven project management skills, e.g. Certifications like PMP
• More than 15+ years proven experience in systems and system‑of‑system engineering in the Automotive Industry
• Deep knowledge of
  • System procedures, methods, and technologies
  • Software driven systems and SDV
  • Configuration and version management
  • Test strategy
  • Development of reusable products/assets
  • Standards like ASPICE, FuSA and SOTIF
• Strong leadership and team collaboration skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects/products at different stages of their life cycle
• Experience consulting with and advising a distributed global large‑scale engineering organization
• Ability to articulate vision and influence decision‑making outcomes with internal stakeholders, external suppliers, and customers
• Excellent communication and problem‑solving abilities
• Fluency in English; proficiency in German is a plus

Bonus Points if You Have

• Prior experience in a strategy consulting firm with automotive customers
• Hands‑on experience in system engineering, especially MBSE

What Makes You Eligible

• Be willing to travel up to 40%, domestic and international travel
• Be willing to work in an office in India
• Successfully completing a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment

What We Offer

• HARMAN FlexConnect Program, offering a flexible hybrid work environment that fosters stronger collaboration, meaningful connections, and innovation through a minimum of three in‑office days per week.
• Access to employee discounts on world‑class products (JBL, HARMAN Kardon, AKG, and more)
• Extensive training opportunities through our own HARMAN University
• Competitive wellness benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• “Be Brilliant” employee recognition and rewards program
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development

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.

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.

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)