OBD Calibration Engineer

About Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI)

Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) serves as Hyundai Motor Group’s North American R&D headquarters, supporting Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis products in one of the world’s most competitive automotive markets. Our integrated teams drive innovation across product planning, design, engineering, quality, testing, and advanced technology development.

With our primary R&D campus in Michigan and specialized engineering, development, and proving ground facilities across North America, HATCI provides a dynamic, collaborative environment where groundbreaking ideas accelerate into market-leading vehicle advancements.

About the Team

The Emissions and OBD Validation (EMOV) team is part of the Electrified Propulsion division at HATCI and plays a critical role in ensuring our propulsion systems meet increasingly stringent regulatory emissions and on-board diagnostics requirements while delivering exceptional performance and efficiency.  Our team specializes in the development, testing, calibration, and validation of engine and electrified propulsion management systems across internal combustion, hybrid, and next-generation electrified powertrains. We lead the charge in emissions and diagnostics calibration innovation, exploring breakthrough technologies that enable next-generation propulsion solutions while maintaining regulatory compliance and competitive advantage.

Position Overview

We seek an innovative, technically excellent OBD Calibration Engineer to join our EMOV team in Superior Township, MI. This position offers direct responsibility for developing, calibrating, and validating on-board diagnostic (OBD-II) systems that ensure our internal combustion and hybrid propulsion platforms meet EPA and CARB regulatory requirements while delivering market leading reliability and customer satisfaction.

This role provides hands-on technical leadership in a fast-paced development environment where your expertise will directly influence the quality, competitiveness, and regulatory certification of next-generation powertrain technologies across the Hyundai Motor Group's North American portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead OBD-II Calibration Development: Develop, optimize, and validate on-board diagnostic calibrations for ICE and hybrid powertrains, ensuring full compliance with EPA and CARB regulatory requirements
• Engine Management System (EMS) Integration: Execute EMS mapping, calibration, and validation activities with particular focus on OBD monitor functionality, threshold optimization, and diagnostic performance
• Comprehensive Testing & Validation: Conduct rigorous OBD-II calibration and validation testing across extreme ambient environmental conditions, driving cycles, and real-world scenarios
• Regulatory Compliance & Certification: Translate complex EPA/CARB OBD regulations and certification requirements into actionable test strategies, ensuring seamless pre-production validation
• Technical Problem Resolution: Diagnose and resolve pre-production and field-reported calibration issues with root-cause rigor, supporting manufacturing quality and post-launch field investigations
• Documentation & Communication: Create comprehensive technical reports, test summaries, regulatory compliance documentation, and program milestone updates for internal and external stakeholders
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with systems engineering, software development, hardware engineering, and manufacturing teams to ensure successful OBD calibration implementation and deployment
• Competitive & Technology Benchmarking: Analyze competitor ICE and hybrid propulsion systems, identifying industry best practices and calibration innovations
• Travel: Domestic and international travel as required (approximately 15%)

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or related discipline

Experience

• 2 years of direct, hands-on experience in engine control system (EMS) calibration, OBD-II calibration, or related powertrain development roles
• Demonstrated expertise in OBD monitor calibration, threshold development, and diagnostic system validation
• Proven experience with EPA and CARB emissions testing procedures and regulatory compliance processes
• Hands-on proficiency with calibration toolchains and development platforms (e.g., ETAS/INCA or equivalent)
• Working knowledge of automotive communication protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) and diagnostic communication standards
• Experience with vehicle instrumentation, data acquisition systems, and test cell or dynamometer-based calibration and validation

Technical Knowledge & Competencies

• Deep understanding of propulsion system fundamentals, including ICE combustion principles, hybrid system operations, and aftertreatment system interactions
• Strong grasp of OBD-II monitor requirements, diagnostic fault code strategies, and regulatory threshold justification methodologies
• Proficiency in vehicle calibration optimization processes, mapping strategies, and calibration validation techniques
• Solid foundation in diagnostics system architecture, including monitor logic, readiness flags, and fault decision thresholds
• Ability to interpret and apply complex regulatory requirements and translate them into precise technical specifications
• Capability to diagnose hardware, software, and system-level issues through systematic engineering analysis
• Competency with data analysis, statistical methods, and engineering problem-solving

Professional Attributes

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with ability to present technical findings clearly to diverse audiences
• Strong professional integrity, commitment to confidentiality, and sound ethical judgment
• Valid U.S. driver's license with a satisfactory driving record
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or related field
• 4 years of progressive experience in emissions development, OBD calibration, and vehicle validation
• Specialized experience with particulate matter (PM) emissions mitigation, including gasoline particulate filter (GPF) calibration and diagnostics
• Track record of calibrating and launching OBD-II features in production vehicle platforms
• Expertise in calibration optimization methodologies, including Design of Experiments (DoE) and advanced statistical analysis
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for algorithm development, simulation, and validation
• Familiarity with hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) propulsion system architecture and OBD strategy complexity
• Experience with regulatory submissions, certification processes, or OBD recall investigations
• Knowledge of emerging OBD requirements and advanced diagnostic strategies (e.g., on-board compliance monitoring, synthetic OBD)

• 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
• Competitive Salaries
• A Global Environment that Fosters Diversity
• Retirement Savings and Planning Benefits
• Access to Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts 
• Flexible Work Hours

• 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.
  • HATCI is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Veteran. VEVRM Federal contractor.