OE Technical Account Specialist

Summary

The OE Account Specialist serves as a commercial and technical liaison supporting Original Equipment (OE) customer programs and product development activities. Working closely with the OE Account Manager, YDCA (Yokohama Development Center, America) Engineering, and Tire Design teams in Japan, this role participates in the development, testing, validation, and launch of OE tire programs.

This position is designed as a developmental role for individuals seeking a career path in OE Account Management. Through structured training and exposure to tire development, testing, manufacturing processes, and OEM customer interactions, the incumbent will develop the technical and commercial knowledge necessary to progress into future OE Account Manager opportunities

Responsibilities

• Actively participates in developing a Product Development plan with YRC/YDCA to meet performance and quality objectives, and project milestones.

• Coordinates domestic testing activities, evaluation of experimental tires, and communication of test results to internal stakeholders.

• Attend OEM vehicle test events, design reviews, customer meetings, manufacturing site visits, and technical center activities to develop an understanding of customer requirements, validation procedures, and OE development processes.

• Support the communication of test results and project updates to YRC/YDCA while learning root cause analysis, gap assessment methodologies, and product development planning processes.

• Interface with warranty and consumer affairs departments to provide information system support, tire technology training, customer inquiry response, tire spec info and automotive application guidance.

• Accompany OEM personnel when they visit our manufacturing sites, technical centers and headquarters.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong mechanical and technical aptitude with the ability to learn tire design, testing, manufacturing, and OE development processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to analyze technical information and communicate findings clearly.
• Self-motivated with a desire to learn and develop both technical and commercial competencies.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with customers, engineering teams, manufacturing personnel, and global stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
• Willingness to travel and participate in customer meetings, vehicle test activities, and technical training opportunities.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related technical field required.
• Prior internship, co-op, project, or professional experience within automotive, manufacturing, motorsports, or related technical environments preferred.
• Tire industry experience is a plus but not required.
• Demonstrated interest in both technical problem-solving and customer-facing business relationships.
• Strong desire to develop into a future OE Account Manager role.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% for customer meetings, vehicle test events, manufacturing site visits, technical reviews, and training activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest in technical sales, customer relationship management, and OEM account support.
• Ability to communicate technical information to both engineering and non-technical audiences.
• Strong presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated leadership through internships, student organizations, Formula SAE, collegiate design competitions, co-op programs, or professional experience.
• Willingness to travel and engage directly with customers and internal engineering teams.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a sitting stationary position for prolonged periods of time while driving a vehicle or working on a computer.
• Event support such as Rid and Drive and trade-shows, including assisting with event set-up and take-down
• Employees must possess the ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull and move materials and objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to remain standing or moving on feet for prolong periods of time
• Ability to work in outdoor weather conditions