YORK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is hiring about 150 engineers, researchers and others this year to work for its North American technical center, the Japanese automaker said Thursday.
Most of the new positions will be located at the Toyota Technical Center's two Michigan facilities near Ann Arbor, Toyota said, and it plans to add another 100 jobs during the next five years.
The plans are subject to the approval of state and local incentives.
Technical center officials also announced the opening of an office in Mountain View, Calif., located with the Toyota Info Technology Center.
The automaker said both moves underscore Toyota's commitment to localizing research, design and development activities in North America. Spokeswoman Cindy Mahalak said Toyota officials have given technical center employees "a lot more responsibility," particularly related to developing advanced vehicle powertrains.
Toyota's technical center, which employs more than 1,100, is based in Michigan. It also operates a small powertrain facility in Gardena, Calif., and the Toyota Arizona Proving Ground near Phoenix. The center serves as the corporation's research-and-development arm in North America, and is responsible for the development of vehicles that are built and sold throughout the continent.