About the Role

Job Purpose

Join the Engineering Applied Contact Technologies Team within West Tire Research and Digital Transformation as an Applied Tire Researcher, developing advanced tire-design solutions and methods through physical understanding, simulation and testing.

Location: Rome, Italy | Scope: BSEMEA | Reports to: Contact Technologies Head
Compensation: Salary tailored to the candidate’s profile.

Team: Researchers in contact mechanics, tire mechanics, noise and vibration, combining engineering fundamentals with advanced simulation and experimental methods to enable future products and design processes.

Internal interfaces: Gen2/GenX Pre-Development; REP and OE Development; Digital Engineering and Simulation; Testing; Pattern and Mold Engineering; Construction Engineering; Tread Compound Development; Material Laboratories; Intellectual Property; Standards and Regulations.

External interfaces: Universities, research centers, engineering partners, and relevant tire and rim technical organizations, according to project needs.

Responsibilities

• Support Gen2/GenX Pre-Development using advanced dry, wet and wear simulations to guide design decisions and develop wear and friction technologies.

• Evolve design criteria for Wear/Wet/Dry (REP), Wear/Dry/PBN/RRc (OE) and Wear/RRc (TBR), addressing braking and handling trade-offs.

• Strengthen the synergy between tread compounds and tire design—pattern, cavity and construction—to improve overall performance.

• Develop low-rolling-resistance (RRc) design guidelines that preserve wet/dry performance and improve wear without reducing skid depth, supporting Wear Grading readiness.

• Drive ideation and proof of concept (PoC) for GenX wear-energy technologies across pattern elements, cavity and construction, closing gaps in the Wear Technology Roadmap (Mission #3).

• Validate simulation predictions through testing, document findings and transfer know-how to Pre-Development and Development teams.

• Introduce and support advanced testing, simulation and prediction methods in tire mechanics.

Deliverables & Success Measures

Validated design criteria and guidelines, Scale of new Design Tools and Methods; PoC-validated design concepts for wear/dry/wet/RRc and simulation and experimental methods. Success is measured through agreed project gates and milestones, documented know-how and technical reports, patent applications, and completed training and knowledge transfer. 

Qualifications & Experience required

Education

Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related discipline: Aeronautical, Aerospace, Automotive or Materials Engineering.

Preferred background: A PhD and/or a master’s thesis in automotive or tire engineering, contact mechanics, tribology or applied simulation; strong fundamentals in contact, tire and structural mechanics; knowledge of wear, wet/dry grip and rolling-resistance trade-offs.

Experience (years)

More than two years in the tire or automotive industry, or university research on automotive topics, is highly valued.

Technical Skills

• Tire design and development knowledge and/or experience, preferably in tread patterns and wear; ability to translate contact pressure, friction, wear energy and drainage mechanisms into practical design guidelines.

• Strong experimental-design, measurement, data-acquisition and validation skills; sound knowledge of statistics, Design of Experiments and robust-design methods.

• Proficiency in data processing and technical reporting using MATLAB and Python.

• CAD (Creo or equivalent) and meshing (HyperMesh or equivalent) are advantages; FEM proficiency (Abaqus, Nastran or equivalent) for contact, wear and wet/drainage simulations is a strong advantage.

• Project-management and cross-functional coordination capabilities.

Language Skills

Fluent written and spoken English.

Soft/Behavioral Skills

Goal orientation and ownership; clear communication and technical influencing; structured problem solving; adaptability and proactivity; teamwork and cross-functional collaboration; creativity, curiosity and open-mindedness; thoroughness and lean thinking; willingness to learn and share knowledge.

Salary range: € 37601.10 - 46500

The salary range is based on gender-neutral criteria: applicable CCNL requirements, responsibilities, working conditions and market benchmarks for the role and location. Final compensation will be determined based on gender-neutral criteria: experience, skills, and internal equity.