Principal Engineer, Perceptual & Workflow Validation (m/f/d)

                                                                                        <p></p><p><b>About the Role</b></p><p></p><p>As Principal Engineer, Perceptual &amp; Workflow Validation, you serve as the authority for Sonic Trust and Workflow Trust within the Audio Performance &amp; Integrity (API) Team.<br/>You combine<b><span> </span>deep perceptual expertise</b><span> </span>with<span> </span><b>hands-on development engagement</b>, acting as an<b><span> </span>embedded expert<span> </span></b>who guides feature maturation through structured alpha validation and professional audio judgment.</p><p>You<span> </span><b>influence complex projects across Domain and Cross Brand teams</b>, ensuring that new technologies scale without compromising professional credibility.<br/>You act as both<span> </span><b>methodological authority and experiential expert in the development process</b>.</p><p></p><p><b>What You Will Do</b></p><p></p><ul><li><p>Act as the <b>expert alpha validator embedded in development teams</b>, providing high-impact, experience-based guidance throughout implementation</p></li><li><p>Deliver<span> </span><b>detailed, actionable perceptual feedback that shapes feature</b><span> </span>behavior before formal certification</p></li><li><p><b>Identify subtle system-level artifacts</b>, parameter interaction issues, and workflow friction during early development</p></li><li><p><b>Lead structured perceptual validation strategies across complex projects</b><span> </span>and release trains</p></li><li><p><b>Design and oversee formal listening experiments</b>, including controlled comparisons and statistically supported evaluations</p></li><li><p>Interpret complex perceptual findings and<b><span> </span>drive resolution of systemic audio quality issues</b></p></li><li><p><b>Define and evolve best practices<span> </span></b>for workflow integrity validation and perceptual certification</p></li><li><p><b>Mentor team members</b><span> </span>and<span> </span><b>elevate perceptual validation capability within the team</b></p></li><li><p><b>Collaborate with benchmarking and user research teams</b><span> </span>when broader statistical or panel-based evaluation is required</p></li><li><p><b>Act as authority</b><span> </span>during final Anchor-stage validation and release readiness discussions</p></li></ul><p><br/><b>What You Need</b></p><p></p><ul><li><p><b>Extensive professional experience (10+ years) in audio engineering, tuning, mastering, or equivalent high-level domain</b></p></li><li><p><b>Academic background</b><span> </span>with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Sound Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Signal Processing or equivalent</p></li><li><p>Demonstrated <b>ability to guide development teams through expert perceptual feedback</b><span> </span>during feature maturation</p></li><li><p><b>Highly developed listening expertise</b><span> </span>with the ability to detect subtle artifacts and complex interaction effects</p></li><li><p><b>Strong understanding of DSP behavior</b><span> </span>and its perceptual consequences</p></li><li><p>Experience<b><span> </span>influencing cross-functional teams</b><span> </span>and<span> </span><b>driving resolution of complex quality issues</b></p></li><li><p>Ability to<span> </span><b>balance innovation speed with professional integrity boundaries</b></p></li><li><p><b>Excellent communication and negotiation skills</b><span> </span>in technically complex environments</p></li></ul><p><br/><b>What Is Nice to Have</b></p><p></p><ul><li><p>Experience conducting<b><span> </span>statistically rigorous</b><span> </span>listening studies</p></li><li><p>Background in<span> </span><b>psychoacoustics or applied audio research</b></p></li><li><p>Experience<span> </span><b>mentoring or leading technical specialists</b></p></li><li><p>Experience working in<b><span> </span>automotive or embedded audio systems</b></p></li><li><p>Exposure to<b><span> </span>benchmarking or large-scale listener panel methodologies</b></p></li><li><p>Valid<span> </span><b>driver&#39;s license</b></p></li><li><p>Proficiency in<b><span> </span>on site native language</b></p></li></ul><p></p><p><b>What We Offer:</b></p><p></p><ul><li><p>HARMAN offers a diverse and inclusive work environment that fosters and encourages career development opportunities, professional training and competitive market base compensation</p></li><li><p>You will also receive top-notch employee discounts on Harman’s Consumer Audio (JBL, AKG, HARMAN Kardon) and Samsung products</p></li><li><p><span>Flexible work environment with a culture encouraging work-life integration and collaboration in a global environment.</span></p></li><li><p>Attractive salary package based on the Metall &amp; Elektro Tarif Baden Wurttemberg and an Employer contribution towards a company pension plan</p></li><li><p>Professional development opportunities through HARMAN University’s business and leadership academies which also includes extensive technical trainings</p></li><li><p>Internal talent management leadership acceleration programs</p></li><li><p>“Be Brilliant” employee recognition and rewards program</p></li></ul>