Number of engineers at Europe Technical Center to be increased by around 16 per cent in 2009
Production of ultra-high-performance tyres is a major engine for economic growth
Tyre engineers at Hankook Tire are specialists borne out of their passion for tyre development
Attractive conditions for graduates
Hankook Tire, one of the fastest growing tyre manufacturers worldwide, seeks new and highly skilled employees. Three engineers could take up employment before the end of this year and support the company at the group’s Europe Technical Center (ETC) located in Langenhagen near Hannover in Germany. Therefore the number of newly hired professionals in 2009 would increase to six employees. The developmental team will increase to 36 specialists; a growth of more than 16 percent.
Despite the worldwide recession, the high proportion of newly hired tyre engineers meets the economic growth of Hankook Tire. With a growth rate of 33 per cent in 2008, the European market is an engine for growth of the company’s global development. Especially as the ultra-high-performance market as well as environmentally friendly tyres, which are intensive in research and development, shows rapid growth. Whether they are designed for sporty driving performance up to high speeds or lowering a car’s fuel consumption these tyres are developed and adapted to the local markets at the Hankook Tire Europe Technical Center and are produced at Hankook’s new European plant in Hungary.
“A tyre engineer needs a keen sense for the dynamic aspects of a car”, Stefan Fischer, head of the development team at Hankook Tire and director of the ETC, outlines the complex tasks tyre engineers face. “Tyres are the central interaction unit between the road and the car and account for a considerable amount of driving safety and dynamics. Only a few drivers take this into consideration”, Mr Fischer continues. “The development of a new tyre always means engaging with the entity of a car”. In addition to that, a modern tyre has to fulfil its obligations towards the reduction of CO2 emissions by lowering the resistance of rolling significantly. “It is the combination of several requirements that makes the development of tyres so interesting these days”.
The tasks of tyre engineers at the ETC are challenging. The professionals control and accompany the development and process of a product from the technical blueprint, using specially adapted CAD-computers, via the final acceptance of the car manufacturer up to the start of series production. Car fitment checks and on-road tests are carried out consistently during the whole development of the tyres. Some of which are performed in close cooperation with OEM customers on various testing tracks in Europe. These tests assure the quality and deliver important data for the next stage of development. “Our engineers have to deal with tyres as a product as a whole in all its complexity. It’s definitely a challenge but the mix of customer requirements, planning on the computer, driving on proving grounds and monitoring the tyre production makes our work here so exciting and versatile”, explains Fischer.
Typical fields of study for tyre engineers are mechanical engineering or similar, as well as other scientific specialisations for example chemistry. “We have had good experiences with graduates of the universities of applied sciences of Hannover and Hamburg”, Fischer says. But it takes more than an outstanding degree to land a job at Hankook: “Candidates should have a passion for the automobile, and there should be clear evidence of that passion from their studies – for example, relevant internships, papers or projects”. Soft skills are important too: “We are an international company with development centres all around the globe. Intercultural interaction is part of our day-to-day business.” That means candidates should not only have foreign language skills – English is the group’s official language – but also a willingness to travel, because the company’s development work draws on a global team.
In return, Hankook Tire offers its specialists highly attractive salaries and benefits. The entry-level salary for newly recruited engineers is typically above the industry average, depending on their training, plus there is a special mentoring program to support junior talent during the first two years of their careers. Hankook Tire is also committed to lifelong learning, fostering not only continuing technical education, but also the advancement of employees’ social competencies. In an effort to achieve a healthy work-life balance, the company also considers the needs of growing families: “Our employees have a reasonable amount of flexibility in scheduling their working hours, so they can adjust their workday to accommodate their children’s day-care and school hours, for example,” Fischer emphasizes. “Our developers have to be able to devote all of their mental energies to their work and they can only do that if they know that everything is fine at home.”
