Sr. Department Head, Advanced Technology Development

ASTEMO AMERICAS, INC.; Farmington Hills (MI); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Astemo Americas, Inc. seeks an experienced technology and business leader to join the Advanced Technology Development Department as Sr. Director.

The role defines strategy, expands SDV business, and accelerates advanced technology development while strengthening engagement with North American OEMs. Responsibilities include leading ADAS, HPC, AI, Cross-Domain initiatives and coordinating with Astemo teams in Japan, NA, customers, suppliers and partners.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in automotive engineering and advanced technology development.
• 7+ years in leadership managing engineering teams.
• Proven ability to develop and execute technology roadmaps and strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the department master plan and technology roadmap.
• Build and develop workforce plans and talent acquisition strategies.
• Lead advanced development projects in ADAS, HPC, AI, and Cross-Domain.
• Provide strategic oversight for product development supporting production ADAS programs.
• Drive customer engagement with North American OEMs and strategic customers.
• Mentor managers and engineering leaders; promote organizational development.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Business development

SDV technologies

ADAS

AI

Cross-Domain systems

Customer engagement

Budget management

Global collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field

Master's Degree or Ph.D.

Tools

MIL/SIL/HIL environments

CAN/Ethernet vehicle networks

Job description

Summary:

Astemo Americas, Inc. is seeking an experienced technology and business leader to join the Advanced Technology Development Department as Sr. Director. This position is responsible for defining and executing the department strategy, expanding software-defined vehicle (SDV) business opportunities, accelerating advanced technology development, and strengthening customer engagement with North American OEMs. The Sr. Director will lead advanced engineering activities in the areas of ADAS, High Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cross-Domain Systems, Driving Function adaptation and Software-Defined Vehicles while collaborating closely with Astemo organizations in Japan, North America, customers, suppliers, and strategic partners. The position requires strong leadership, business development capabilities, technical expertise, and organizational management skills to drive both technology innovation, customer value creation, and sustainable business growth.

Job Duties:

• Develop and maintain the department master plan, technology roadmap, and organizational strategy aligned with corporate and SDV business objectives.
• Build and develop organizational structures, workforce plans, and talent acquisition strategies to support future business growth.
• Establish and continuously improve development processes, quality processes, and global collaboration frameworks with Astemo Japan.
• Lead and oversee advanced development projects including ADAS, HPC, AI, and Cross-Domain initiatives.
• Provide strategic oversight for product development activities supporting production ADAS programs.
• Develop and improve budget planning and budget management processes covering engineering resources, investments, and overhead expenses.
• Drive customer engagement activities with North American OEMs and strategic customers.
• Lead technical strategy discussions, advanced development programs, RFQ activities, and long-term business opportunity creation.
• Support and lead executive-level customer meetings, technical reviews, and strategic business discussions.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with semiconductor companies, software vendors, universities, and other technology partners.
• Coordinate advanced development activities with Astemo Japan organizations to maximize global synergy and business impact.
• Mentor managers and engineering leaders while fostering organizational development and employee engagement.
• Resolve organizational challenges involving personnel development, staffing, retention, visa support, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Promote innovation through patents, technical publications, demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, and industry presentations.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, intellectual property requirements, export control regulations, and applicable industry standards.

Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) technologies and automotive electronics.
• Extensive knowledge of ADAS, Automated Driving Systems, AI technologies, and system integration.
• Experience leading advanced technology development involving HPC, Cross-Domain architecture, and intelligent vehicle systems.
• Strong understanding of automotive product development processes and vehicle system engineering.
• Experience working directly with OEM customers and leading strategic technical discussions.
• Knowledge of system validation methodologies including MIL, SIL, and HIL environments.
• Understanding of vehicle communication protocols including CAN, Ethernet, and related vehicle networks.
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar engineering budgets and resource planning activities.
• Strong organizational leadership, people management, and conflict resolution skills.
• Excellent business development, negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Experience leading global cross-functional organizations across multiple regions.
• Ability to develop strategic technology roadmaps and align engineering activities with business objectives.
• Candidates should exhibit strong leadership, technical judgment, project management, and organizational development skills.

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or related engineering field is required. Master’s Degree or Ph.D. is preferred.

Experience:

Minimum 15 years of applicable experience in automotive engineering, advanced technology development, ADAS, software-defined vehicle systems, or related fields. Minimum 7 years of leadership experience managing engineering teams, technology organizations, or business units.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Responsible for leading managers, technical leaders, and engineers within the Advanced Technology Development Department. Provides strategic direction, organizational development, talent management, performance evaluation, and succession planning.

Working conditions:

Physical Demands: Required to sit or stand for long periods of time. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Travel: Domestic and international travel may be required as needed to support customers, global development activities, strategic partnerships, and corporate initiatives.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)

Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity, disability, protected veteran status and national origin.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Astemo, we’re challenging the status quo with the power of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. Our goal is to build an inclusive work environment that celebrates the differences of our employees. We want to ensure that every employee feels valued, respected and empowered. We don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Astemo is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

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