Calling R&D engineers

Maruti Suzuki India is on an overdrive. In August 2009, the auto major has set the ball rolling for its 700-acre R&D facility at Rohtak in Haryana that will see an investment of more than Rs 1,000 crore in the next two years. The only such Suzuki Motor Corporation facility outside Japan, it will also have a test track, wind tunnel, a crash facility and an R&D centre for passenger cars.

While Maruti was taking possession of land in Rohtak, its corporate offices in NCR were intensively scouting for talent for its R&D centre at both entry and senior levels. Keeping in view its talent requirements, the company has an HR cell specifically for R&D and engineering talent.

That’s not all, Maruti’s talent hunt has taken the company on a US jamboree. Mission: to acquire senior talent for its R&D operations. Says S.Y. Siddiqui, Managing Executive Officer—Administration (HR, Finance and IT): “We are looking at hiring senior talent in R&D from the US. The profile is specialists in various aspects of design. In fact, seven mid-to-senior level managers are set to join in a month’s time.”

At a time when job market across most sectors is struggling to return to normalcy, R&D and engineering is buzzing with activity across sectors like auto, oil & gas, infrastructure and industrial products.

“Certain sectors like power and infrastructure are also looking up on the back of projects taking off,” says Hitesh Oberoi, COO & Director, Naukri.com.

Naukri’s monthly survey of job market recorded a 16 per cent increase in hiring for engineering design and research & development in July 2009 compared to the previous month. He, however, cautions that sustainability of demand will depend on futher economic recovery.

According to E. Balaji, CEO, Ma Foi Consultants, R&D talent is limited and critical, and is required across several industries. He points out that demand for this talent is on the rise as companies, readying for a recovery, are rolling out new plans.

“FMCG, auto, high technology players, chemical, biotech & pharma companies are in hiring mode for such talent,” he says. These are specialist skills, and profiles required are industry-specific. IT, too, is hiring R&D engineers. These openings are mostly in IT product companies. Profiles such as solution architects and engineers with exposure to cutting-edge technologies are also in demand. For slowdown-battered IT talent, that should provide some succour.