Category: Software

Digital, Featured, Home Page, Manchester, People, Software, United Kingdom, Who We Are

An environment that champions learning & development as part of productivity

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, agility has become the foundation of success for organisations striving to stay ahead of the curve. At JLR, one individual who plays a pivotal role in driving agile transformation is Oliver, a Senior Agile Delivery Lead based in the Manchester Digital Delivery Centre (DDC). With his wealth of experience and passion for continuous learning, Oliver has become an integral part of JLR’s journey towards agility. In this Q&A session, we delve into Oliver’s career progression, explore his contributions to various projects, discover what makes JLR’s Agile culture stand out, and gain insights into his personal journey.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I started as a communications manager on contract in 2020 before achieving a permanent role as a senior Agile Delivery Lead (ADL) in Manchester’s Digital Delivery Centre (DDC) in October 2022.

I form part of a software squad overseeing API development for Global Financial Services, currently transforming the financial services model for 8 of JLR’s European markets. As an ADL, my role involves mentoring, coaching and leading a cross-functional squad working in Agile and DevOps, comprising of digital engineers with varying skillsets to ensure consistent ways of working. Along with our team’s Product Owner, I coordinate the iterative approach we take to product delivery. As part of my role as an ADL, I regularly interact with the wider organisation to give talks and workshops about Agile, which is a definite highlight of my work at JLR.

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

The Digital Engineering team have an internal projects workflow, where team members can use their allocated 20% development time on something that interests them and can have impact to JLR. I have used this time to team up with software engineers from the DDC to develop a Team Health Check integration for Slack, to help us better shape our working environment. Our aim is to develop this for MS Teams for enterprise use across JLR.

I am also proud to be part of Digital’s first ever Team Improvement Circle (TIC). This, traditionally manufacturing-based, initiative encourages small teams of people to identify improvements to where we work. Our TIC team has been focussed on improving the awareness of the Manchester site across JLR and the magnificent work our people do. I have found that there is always something to get involved with to help shape and improve life at JLR!

Q: What do you like about working here?

The energy around our team and office is exhilarating. I have never worked in such a diverse environment, in which everyone can be themselves, have impact, and help shape the future of JLR’s digital transformation. I love that when you walk into our office you would not know who ‘the boss’ is. Having a much flatter hierarchy ensures that everyone has a voice and feel enabled to work how they want to get the most out of themselves. Being new to software, I feel extremely fortunate to work in an environment that champions learning & development as part of productivity.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

I am very fresh in the world of Agile and I adore working in this way, but fully understand that development is a never-ending endeavour. For now, my aim is to continue the steep learning curve I have put myself on and develop within my role in Delivery. In the future, I would like to make use of my background in teaching and tutoring to become an Agile Coach and help support JLR’s transformation to become a fully Agile organisation.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

As well as what I have mentioned above, my department does not just talk the talk, it lives and breathes the culture of Agile, which translates into each day being more exciting than the last. We work in an open and honest environment where integrity matters. Finger pointing and blame have no place in our department as it stifles collaboration… we want to continually push ourselves to develop and try new things and failure is a big part of that process – we learn quicker this way.

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

I have a HUGE passion for cycling and encouraging others to get involved. While I am an aspiring Ultra-cyclist, I love nothing more than trying to inspire others to ride their first miles on a bike. I set up a cycling group within an addiction charity with funding from Sport England as an outlet for those in recovery, as cycling helped save my own life from addiction. I won the British Cycling National Outstanding Achievement award for this work.

Whenever I need to travel to another JLR site, I will commute by bicycle wherever possible, which sometimes means hundreds of miles per week. It helps with my training, my headspace and is my own contribution towards JLR’s NetZero strategy!

I set myself regular challenges on the bike, including Land’s End to John O’Groats in 4 days and completing 6 ascents of Mont Ventoux, in France, within a single day to become part of a club that has fewer people as members than have been into space.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

Be yourself! Our team only grows stronger with people who offer their own experience and insights into our work rather than a cookie cutter of what you may think is expected. Experience is always valuable, but we have a true focus on behaviours and how new team members from various backgrounds can help shape our culture. Have confidence in your weaknesses as well as your strengths as they could be you biggest asset in the right context. Demonstrate clear passion, not only for work, but what makes you a well-rounded individual.

Search for your careers opportunity here: https://www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com/content/Find-a-job/?locale=en_GB

Autonomous, Culture and Values, Digital, Diversity & Inclusion, Featured, Home Page, Learning and Development, People, Research, Shannon, Shannon Life, Software, Technology, Top Story, Who We Are

Shape the Future of Automotive Technology

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Exciting Job Opportunities at JLR Shannon: Shape the Future of Automotive Technology!

Welcome to our special Q&A session, where we delve into the experiences and exciting journey of a Software Engineering Manager (Chapter Lead) – Clodagh Daly. In this blog interview, we’ll gain a glimpse into Clodagh’s life at JLR Shannon, current responsibilities, involvement in various projects and networks, and her career aspirations.

From leading and empowering a diverse team of engineers to developing software engineering practices, fostering a supportive environment together with the rest of the leadership teams, and championing Women in Engineering. She brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her role.

Join us as we explore her life at JLR Shannon below:

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. ?

Software Engineering Manager (Chapter Lead).

In my role, I am primarily a People Manager and leader of Engineers.  As a former Software Engineer, it is crucial to ensure that people’s development and learning is fostered in a continuous cycle, technology is evolving at such a rapid pace, we need to ensure our Engineers are at the cutting edge in their skills development.  This offers support to the organisation and enables the engineers to operate at the highest levels, empowering them to grow.  It is our responsibility to assist them to develop into the leaders of the future, both from a technological stand point but also as key drivers of our business and industry. 

Enabling a positive environment where they are supported and empowered to develop is key.  Regular touchpoints with me, reviewing how they are performing in their Agile team, identifying performance opportunities for them, to build their technical skills, develop their internal brand in JLR and for them to gain tangible experiences in our technologies and functions is really important. 

My team is diverse in their roles, experience levels, skills and technology stacks.  It is challenging to ensure people are given the required time and support for them to succeed.  This role is vital to them being successful in their abilities to deliver our quality products, so it is a great pleasure to watch them flourish in their career progression.  Without our Engineers, we have no products to sell. 

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

As a Chapter lead, we are presently putting shape to our Software Engineering Chapter, where individuals can form part of a cohesive collective of likeminded Software Engineers.  Our aims, are to provide guidance, define processes, align on technology and tooling, offering a community across the Software landscape in JLR.  This enables us to have a platform cross-functionally within our business where we can make strategic changes,  bringing ‘Best In Class’ strategies to the fore in our Software community.  This benefits both the Engineers but also the Organisation and provides our team members a cohesive space for them to collaborate, drive forward their suggestions, making meaningful strides forward in our technical evolution! 

I am also a member of the SHE++ Society where we champion all things – Women in Engineering in JLR Shannon.  Our aim is to foster an environment where women are supported, facilitating Mentorship talks, career development discussions.  We also want to promote the idea of diversity in the Engineering and Tech divisions, giving back to the community is very important to us, so we have conducted lots of Primary School visits, promoting Women in Technology and Engineering roles and encouraging the school girls, aged 11-12, to pursue roles in STEAM in the future.  This is a highly rewarding society and is key to breaking the bias of women in technology and engineering for the future!  Encouraging them at a young age to recognise these options as very positive careers for Women!

Q: What do you like about working here?

JLR is a truly inspiring place to work.  Our products are just sublime!  Breathtakingly beautiful, the epitome of luxury, all while offering the robust off road capabilities that we in JLR are synonymous with.  Our site in Shannon has Agile Squads that are driving forward the most critical technological advancements.  We have teams representing the ADAS group, Data Analytics and Machine Learning, DevOps, along with a host of other Onboard and Offboard capabilities.  There is something here for everyone, all tech stacks are present here. Variety is boundless.

The culture in Shannon is one which is really unique and that is down is no small measure to the approach taken from the top leaders across the site.  They ensure they are giving their time to everyone; they operate an open door policy; they are vastly knowledgeable in our products and are always willing to offer guidance, advice and energy to all of the sites various communities.  It has a nurturing vibe here, nobody’s questions are ever silenced and if there is something that is suggested within the site, it is welcomed, and you are given the latitude to go and bring it to fruition.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

As a relative new comer to the Automotive industry, I am learning every day. Our team in JLR Shannon are working on the most ground-breaking technology available and the opportunities to learn and grow are continually extended to everyone.  Each month we have 3 hours of protected time, where we can avail of training for our growth and development.  We have access to internal training platforms which houses a multitude of Automotive training and technology materials. JLR have also invested in making both PluralSight and Udemy Learning platforms available to our team members.  These are globally recognised suites of learning, demonstrating JLR’s commitment to growing their team members skills and investing in their development.

In JLR Shannon we are solving technically uncertain challenges daily, having the great pleasure to create the next generation of vehicles that can do things no-one has even considered possible.

My experiences in Shannon have been inspiring.  The culture and atmosphere here is like a family, it is warm, welcoming and growth focused.  Our team members are passionate about what we do and that is driven from the Senior Leaders on site.  Autonomy in your work is the way of life here, accountable but without fear to fail, there is zero tolerance for blame here, culturally.  Blame is actively discouraged in JLR Shannon, as without failure you cannot hope to innovate.  In our Research & Development focused Software Centre our goal is to harness the creativity of our engineering minds not stifle them, mine included.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

Our proud team are known as the Onboard Enablers, what a great name!  We are responsible for enabling all of the connections and interfaces within the vehicle, bringing cohesion to all of the technology in our cars.  This provides our squads the opportunity to get first touch on new components and software, we lead, we don’t follow, breaking new ground is what we do, everyday!   By engaging directly with our suppliers and building the key partnerships, we are at the cutting edge of innovation, having the greatest opportunities to bring our market-leading new features to life, delighting our customers! 

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

I have loved cars since I was very small – my brother and I used to play ever increasingly complex games of identifying cars while on family journeys.  My aim is to get my hands on an extremely rare,  2 seater Citroen DS convertible -innovative for its time, classically designed and remains a thing of beauty 20+ years later!   I just need to win the lotto first.

Hobbies, well I am a thrill seeker, Great White Cage Diving, bungy, helicopter flying amongst a few things, but parenthood has put the brakes on that for the time being.  I also am a massive DIY enthusiast, doing wood work courses and metal work courses so I could make things I wanted for my home!  My husband is a patient man.

Travel, I have travelled extensively I would say, backpacking, no 5-star luxury for me!   India, Thailand, Cambodia, UAE, Hong Kong, Maldives, New Zealand, Peru, Mozambique, South Africa, Dutch Antilles, the US, to name a few and of course all through Europe.  This is a passion!  The more obscure the location the better.  I backpacked as I found you really get to know a country when you are closest to the people, hostel life often will tell you more than any 5* will. 

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

First tip is to APPLY!  You do not even need to come from an Automotive industry to be able to make an impact in our Organisation!  Find me on Linked In or check out our Careers Page!

Secondly, and importantly; believe in yourself and your technology skills.  Outline your interest in JLR Vehicles and how you can contribute to the Automotive industry.  We are always looking for people who demonstrate drive, commitment to excellence and passion for what they do!  The rest you can learn here with us.

Apply now and be part of our dynamic team in Shannon: Shannon | Main Portal (pocketrecruiter.com)

Autonomous, Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Featured, Germany, Home Page, Italy, Software, Spain, Technology

JLR CREATES FURTHER THREE GLOBAL TECH HUBS TO DEVELOP AUTONOMOUS CARS

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

  • New engineering hubs opening in Germany, Italy and Spain to develop next-generation autonomous technologies
  • Nearly 100 new jobs created working on developing driver assistance systems and artificial intelligence (AI) for self-driving cars of the future
  • Comes in addition to the six JLR tech hubs in USA, Hungary, Ireland, UK, China and India
  • Marks the next phase in Jaguar Land Rover’s digital transformation and global digital recruitment drive, as big tech industry downsizing continues
  • New technology hubs are part of strategic partnership with NVIDIA and adds to Jaguar Land Rover’s growing global footprint

Gaydon, UK, Tuesday 21st February 2023: Jaguar Land Rover is expanding its global digital capability by opening three new tech hubs in Europe, creating nearly 100 new engineering jobs.

The hubs are set up to develop autonomous driving systems for JLR’s next generation of modern luxury vehicles, and come in addition to the six existing global tech hubs JLR has invested in. 

The new hubs are situated in Munich Germany, Bologna Italy, and Madrid Spain, with the locations chosen because of the availability of digital engineering skills in the area.

Munich is one of Europe’s top-ranking technology hubs*, while the sites in Spain and Italy have also been identified as significant and growing tech hub locations in Europe**.  

The new hubs’ inception comes in addition to existing JLR tech hubs in Portland USA, Budapest Hungary, Shannon Ireland, Shanghai China, Bengaluru India and Manchester in the UK. Collectively these hubs employ over 1100 engineers, forming part of JLR’s nearly 9000 strong global engineering force.

Together Jaguar Land Rover’s nine global engineering hubs will provide services and feed data into the Advanced Product Creation Centre in Gaydon, UK, to create Jaguar Land Rover’s next generation vehicles that epitomise modern luxury and deliver a fully connected experience for customer.

Thomas Müller, Product Engineering Director at Jaguar Land Rover, said; “We are harnessing talent in autonomous technologies around the world to develop new autonomous technologies for our future products which will deliver a truly modern luxury experience for our clients

“Software is essential for us to deliver a fully connected experience for our clients and creating global engineering hubs will enable seamless hybrid working across several locations and ensure we harness the best talent for our business.”

The creation of the three new tech hubs marks the progression of Jaguar Land Rover’s multi-year partnership with NVIDIA, the leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and computing. Under the partnership, JLR engineers are working to develop and deliver next-generation automated driving systems, digital services, and experiences for clients.

Teams based at the new tech hubs have expertise spanning areas of autonomous technology including systems & features, software, verification & validation and hardware.

Candidates can find out more about Jaguar Land Rover’s digital and engineering opportunities HERE.

All roles offer hybrid working patterns.

Analtyics, Analytics, Culture and Values, Diversity & Inclusion, Electrical Engineering, Engineering, Featured, Home Page, People, Powertrain, Research, Software, Technology, Top Story, United Kingdom, Who We Are

We live and breathe Diversity and Inclusion everyday

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Lead Commodity Engineer Dr Nancy Liu loves science. Since the age of 3, her family knew that she was good at maths and loved experimenting with things.

Over the years, Nancy has earned her professional credentials from various different organisations and universities. She has a PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Nottingham, after achieving a Master’s degree in Aircraft Control Engineering in Northwestern Polytechnical University in China – a Chinese national Class A Double first Class University.

Nancy was also featured in dSPACE magazine, providing user feedback on dSPACE simulators on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover Powertrain.

Nancy has worked in Jaguar Land Rover for almost 15 years. We asked her to share her experiences here as a lead engineer in Science.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

‘As a lead engineer, I am responsible for planning and building the test rigs. Essentially, I write scripts to test the BECM (Battery Energy Control Module) software to ensure they all meet the JLR standards.

On a daily basis I carry out rigorous manual and automation testing in our laboratory. I work in collaboration with our commodity owners and managers to ensure we deliver the battery management system with the highest quality, on time.’

Q: Are you involved in any other projects / networks? If so, please describe what they are and what your contributions are. 

‘I previously supported our Electrical Integration team to update software for over 200 vehicles in China. We worked closely with the British manufacturing technicians and the Chinese retailers / warehouse employees.

In addition to the engineering aspect of my job, I also helped building relationships. I removed certain ambiguity when discussing complex projects; I knocked down language barriers by providing face-to-face professional interpretations, offering a greater context with my Chinese language skills and cultural background.

I previously led the powertrain HIL (hardware-in-the-loop) lab, assembling the team of 7 engineers from scratch. We did a thorough upgrade of all the hardware and software in the lab. The HIL facilities are still in use by many of our Jaguar Land Rover colleagues today and I am very proud of this achievement.’

Q: What do you like about working in Jaguar Land Rover?

‘I love science and engineering. Jaguar Land Rover provided me with this fantastic opportunity which allows me to combine the knowledge I have gained from years of studying and researching, with the practical aspect – I play with the latest software and cutting edge equipment daily. I work with a bunch of knowledgeable and enthusiastic people. What’s not to like?’

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

‘I love my job, hardware-in-the-loop in particular. My manager is also very supportive, we often have open discussions about the technical issues as well as my personal development opportunities. I feel encouraged, empowered and supported to achieve more.’

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

‘The Battery Management Control System team consists of employees from 8 different countries. We live and breathe Diversity and Inclusion everyday. I am the only female in my team, and we are all being treated equally. Everyone’s voice and opinions matter.’

Q: Tell us 3 interesting facts about yourself.

‘I am not all science and numbers, I also like art – I often paint in my spare time to relax and clear my mind; I am a keen traveller, my dream is to travel around the world one day.’

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

‘Have the relevant background knowledge and be confident in your answers.’

Early Careers, Engineering, Featured, Hints and Tips, Home Page, Software, Undergraduate, United Kingdom, Who We Are

Tailor my career to meet my passions with Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover Careers

Simeon joined Jaguar Land Rover as a Product Engineering undergraduate 5 months ago. Within a short period of time, he has already made a real difference by constantly challenging himself to take on more responsibilities and difficult tasks.

Simeon has also built strong working relationships with his manager, his teams, and the key stakeholders cross-functionally. Simeon would love to return to Jaguar Land Rover for the Graduate Scheme and continue to develop his career with us.

To find out more about our latest Undergraduate Placement Programme for 2023, visit our careers website (click here) for more information.

Q: What position did you start in and what is your position now? Please describe your current responsibilities. 

I started in Systems and Software integration for the BEV Range Rover programme. The key responsibility of the role is ensuring features and functions progress effectively to meet key deliverables of the programme. My main contribution to the team has been running a workshop to cover the progress of all thermal related features. This workshop has allowed me to lead a large group of cross-functional engineers through the feature design and development process and created a platform for feature owners to discuss blockers and dependencies. The output from this workshop has allowed impediments to be raised when there are risks to the programme and therefore additional resource to be allocated where needed to ensure deadlines are met. I have gained skills such as creating detailed agendas, taking efficient meeting notes with accountable actions, and developed a strong network by working collaboratively with all key stakeholders. These are all far beyond what is taught at university but essential for the industry. I am currently on placement 4 days a week within the Vehicle Packaging team for the upcoming Jaguar. This team focuses on how the components and occupants of the vehicle fit together, as well as balancing the design vision for the vehicle with what the engineering team can deliver. The majority of my time has been spent on the concept development for future Jaguar models, which has involved lots of 3D CAD, working closely with the Human Factors and Vehicle Evaluation teams to create targets for critical dimensions based off competitor vehicles and ergonomics.

Q: What do you like about working here?

The main reason I am enjoying my time at Jaguar Land Rover is the level of responsibility that has been given to me as an undergraduate. If you can show you are willing to work hard and capable of taking on difficult tasks, there are opportunities to make a difference and gain the invaluable skills that accompany this. There are also many benefits you won’t see advertised in the job description such as Ride and Drive events, off-road driving experiences, Employee Learning Scheme, and the opportunity to take our vehicles home for the weekend as a reward. Not many other companies can offer this, and it really adds to the overall job satisfaction.

Q: What are your career aspirations? Do you feel that you get the necessary support from your management / department to help achieve your learning & development goal? 

Over the course of my career, I aspire to work with the latest and greatest technology within the automotive industry, especially as we make the shift from ICE to EV vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover can certainly provide this, so I am hoping to stay with the company for the Graduate Scheme and further. I have a great relationship with my management. They are constantly opening doors for me to progress in the direction I want so I am confident that when I return, I will be able to tailor my career to meet my passions.

Q: Describe your team / department, and what makes it stand out from our competition? 

Vehicle Engineering for Range Rover is a huge team, and by working at the whole vehicle level, it gives a broad perspective on the sheer amount of engineering that goes into creating a vehicle. This stands out from the competition because it isn’t just any vehicle, Range Rover is a market leading, luxury SUV and the attention to detail with design, comfort, materials, dynamics, noise and more really shows. 

Q: Tell us some interesting facts about yourself.

Outside of my studies and job I enjoy sport and music. I have been a keen sportsman all my life, I have played county and university football and recently joined a Jaguar Land Rover football team with other undergrads and grads. I also DJ, and what started as a hobby in lockdown, led to me playing in clubs and house parties where I go to university in Leeds.

Q: What hints and tips can you share with the potential candidates who are going through the application / interview process? 

Jaguar Land Rover is going through an exciting cultural change at the moment with the Reimagine and Refocus strategy. The company is keen to employ young, enthusiastic minds to help with this change, so my advice would be to learn the new company values and how your experiences can contribute to the success of Jaguar Land Rover’s new strategy and future success.