Summary
Assists in creating wireframes and prototypes of the graphical user interface (GUI), design interaction, and user experience (UX) for in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, safety systems, and the connected car ecosystem. Contributes to research primarily in the North American market, including customer demand and the future automotive market, while developing an understanding of Subaru Corporation's (SBR's) (parent company) strategy and the product development plan.
Under the guidance of senior and lead designers, supports the improvement of current and future products by participating in evaluations of Subaru vehicles and competitor cars, and assists in developing proposals or target performance goals for SBR. Participates in cooperative efforts with other department teams as directed, supporting information sharing and contributing to collaborative development activities.
Essential job functions include:
- Assisting in the creation of designs and mock-ups of user interface (UI)/UX with the team, as well as small prototypes of GUI for initial evaluation.
- Learning to design IVI systems as human-machine interface (HMI) across the connected car ecosystem, with the goal of improving UX.
- Supporting UX design trend research and user research activities — including competitive benchmarking, user surveys, and usability studies — under the direction of senior team members, and contributing to the team's research documentation and findings repository.
Primary Responsibilities
Next-Generation Human-Machine Interface (HMI) & Graphical User Interface (GUI) Design (40%)
- Learns dedicated GUI design and user experience (UX) tools, with guidance from senior and lead designers.
- Cooperates with team designers to create materials for GUI under direction.
- Assists in creating wireframes, mock-ups, and GUI prototypes using dedicated tools for the development of next generation in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, safety systems, and connected car ecosystem touchpoints.
- Supports the design of interaction and UX concepts for IVI systems and the broader connected car ecosystem.
- Participates actively in design reviews and team critiques, presenting work in progress, receiving feedback openly, and incorporating direction constructively across subsequent iterations.
Next-Generation GUI Screen Transition & Interaction Flow Production
- Assists in creating interactive animated screens in order to test screen transitions and usability.
- Supports the use of the latest prototyping tools to help share multiple flows of the GUI with collaborators and stakeholders for feedback, ideas, testing, and design iterations, under the direction of senior team members.
UX Design Trend & User Research
- Participates in trend exploration of IVI and market research from a future-focused perspective, contributing to the reflection of findings in next-generation product improvement initiatives.
- Assists in preparing reports, analyses, and research information, including in-house rapid-prototyping, and contributes to data analysis under the direction of senior team members.
- Assists in identifying Subaru’s strengths and weaknesses and competitor strengths and weaknesses as part of team benchmarking and competitive intelligence activities.
- Assists in the design, distribution, and analysis of user surveys, ensuring questions are clear and aligned with the research objective, under the direction of senior team members.
- Supports the planning and execution of user research activities such as usability tests, interviews, or observational studies as directed; collects and organizes findings into accessible summaries.
- Maintains organized records of all assigned research activities, participants, findings, and source materials in a consistent and retrievable format.
- Contributes to the team’s research documentation repository as directed, supporting the long-term ability to retrieve and act on research findings.
- Participates in research programs and driving tests as assigned; assists in gathering research and intelligence on competitive products.
- Actively learns to understand automotive systems and how consumers interact with vehicle technology.
Miscellaneous
- Reports all irregular issues and problems to supervisor for resolution.
- Maintains a clean and safe working area.
- Gets to know new people and information by attending meetings and conferences and reading industry journals as well as talking to contacts in other companies.
- Researches competitive fleet vehicles for Japan and North America use.
- Observes and maintains all safety regulations and procedures as needed.
- Maintains good communication both inside and outside the company.
- Performs special projects and other miscellaneous duties as assigned by management.
Participate in Team Development
- Researches new design tools and their capabilities.
- Participates in training to develop new skills and shares relevant knowledge and observations with the broader team.
- Performs job functions to a high level, serving as a quality and professionalism reference for junior design staff.
- Pursues continuous professional development, actively applying new skills, tools, and knowledge to direct benefit of the team.
Job Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education
- Bachelor's Degree in graphic design, user design, web design, technical illustration, or similar field – Required Or
- H.S. Diploma plus equivalent combination of education and experience in lieu of degree – Required
Work Experience
Skills
- Skills necessary to complete daily tasks.
- Basic understanding of general interests/trends in U.S. market.
- General knowledge and understanding of design topics. Ability to learn new design information related to new projects.
- Basic proficiency with design tools including Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (CC), artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and human-machine interface (HMI) toolchain.
- Basic proficiency in in-vehicle infotainment (IVI)/HMI conventions.
- Automotive experience – Preferred
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
- Analytical and Conceptual Thinking: Using logic and reason, as well as being creative and strategic.
- Ability to learn a new system and understand how a consumer will use the technology.
- Ability to manage, balance, and prioritize multiple tasks.
- Ability to understand and work efficiently in a multicultural/multilingual environment
Work Environment
• Office Location: Van Buren, MI
• Compensation: The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $75,000– $80,000 / year. Individual pay is determined based on job-related skills, experience, and education. This role is bonus‑eligible (Internal Job Grade: P1).
WHY JOIN US?
Total Rewards & Benefits
• Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
• Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401K Match Offerings
• 15 Vacation days, 5 Floating Holidays, 5 Sick days, and 9 Company Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program: $15,000 yearly benefit
• Vehicle Discount Programs
Learning & Development
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• Direct partnership with senior leadership
• Formal Mentorship Program
• LinkedIn Learning License
Visit our careers landing page for additional information about compensation and benefit programs.
About Subaru
• Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. Subaru strives to be More Than a Car Company® through community engagement and our Subaru Love Promise®.
• Subaru is a globally renowned automobile manufacturer known for innovation, safety, and sustainability since 1953.
• Subaru’s culture is built on collaboration, diversity, and passion for our products. Employees are encouraged to contribute their unique talents to create exceptional vehicles that inspire our customers.
