Quality Specialist, Service & Quality, Consumer Audio (Japan)
Harman · Tokyo
A Career at HARMAN
As a technology leader that is rapidly on the move, HARMAN is filled with people who are focused on making life better. Innovation, inclusivity and teamwork are a part of our DNA. When you add that to the challenges we take on and solve together, you’ll discover that at HARMAN you can grow, make a difference and be proud of the work you do every day.
Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Lifestyle
We’re a global, multi-disciplinary team that’s putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. As a member of HARMAN Lifestyle, you connect consumers with the power of superior sound.
- Contribute your talents to high-end, esteemed brands like JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel.
- Unite your passion for audio innovation with high-tech product development.
- Create pitch-perfect, cutting-edge technology that elevates the listening experience.
About the Role
This role is responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of audio products (such as speakers, headphones, amplifiers, and players) that are imported from overseas manufacturing plants and sold in the Japanese market by the Consumer Business Division.
You will manage quality from both pre-shipment and post-market perspectives, working closely with internal teams, overseas offices, and external partners to prevent defects and drive continuous improvement.
What You Will Do
Key Responsibilities
1. Pre-Mass Production Quality Assurance (Preventive Measures)
- Conduct quality evaluations (sound performance, functionality, appearance, etc.) on prototypes received from overseas factories, either directly or through partner companies
- Identify defects and potential issues and provide feedback to global headquarters
Objective: Eliminate issues before mass production and prevent quality problems
2. Incoming Quality Control (Prevention of Defective Product Entry)
- Manage incoming inspections of imported products in collaboration with partner companies
- Oversee sampling inspections or full inspections depending on product type
- Review, analysis, and report inspection results to headquarters
- Response to defects:
- Arrange sorting of defective units and rework
- Coordinate improvements with global headquarters and factories
- Handle cost recovery procedures
Objective: Prevent defective products from entering the Japanese market
3. Market Quality Monitoring and Improvement
- Collect and analyze field failure and defect data in the market
- Share quality information with global headquarters and manufacturing plants
- Arrange shipment of defective products overseas for analysis
Objective: Identify market issues and drive continuous product quality improvement
4. Handling Market Quality Issues (Corrective Actions)
- Respond to recurring or trend-type defects in the market
- Arrange and manage modification or improvement programs
- Lead corrective actions for both sold products and inventory
- Manage outsourced work and progress with partner companies
- Handle related cost processes (payment and recovery)
Objective: Prevent escalation of quality issues and maintain brand trust
5. Critical Quality Issue Response (Crisis Management)
- Participate in initial investigations of critical defects using technical expertise
- Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions in collaboration with global headquarters
- Report to relevant regulatory authorities
- Ensure careful and sincere customer responses via the service team
Objective: Minimize risks and resolve issues quickly
What You Need to Be Successful
- Technical knowledge and experience in electronics, acoustics, and/or software
- Experience in quality-related or engineering roles within consumer electronics or audio companies
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills in a cross-functional and global environment
- Business-level proficiency in both English and Japanese
- Advanced Microsoft Excel/PowerPoint skills.
Bonus Points if You Have
- Self-starter, highly motivated and result-driven.
- Ability to persevere and try to solve problems even if things don't go as planned.
- Ability to see things from the customer's perspective.
- Collaboration and communication skills with others.
- Logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Organize and perform tasks based on priorities.
What Makes You Eligible
- Be willing to travel up to 30%, domestic and international travel.
- Be willing to work in Tokyo Akihabara office.
What We Offer
- A hybrid work environment that balances flexibility with in-person collaboration, with most office-based roles onsite three days a week.
- We offer an authentic diverse, equal, and inclusive work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development in a truly global organization.
- You will work on products and services that touch people’s lives and will change the industrial standards, being a part of the transformations in our industry.
- Our work environments are fast paced, challenging, empowering, collaborative, flexible and exciting.
- We offer our own HARMAN University with regular updates on the new technologies and trends by utilizing various sessions organized by Self Learning and Development Trainings to help grow and advance talent.
- We offer competitive compensation/benefit programs and recognition programs.
HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.