(April 6, 2012) ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Toyota Technical Center (TTC), a division of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, announced this week that the company will hire approximately 150 engineers, technicians, advanced researchers and scientists by the end of 2012. The hiring reinforces Toyota’s commitment to localizing vehicle design and development in the North American region.

Additionally, TTC will add another 100 jobs over the next five years to further advance engine and transmission development for the North American market.

The majority of the new positions will be located at TTC’s two Michigan facilities in Ann Arbor and Saline in the areas of powertrain, mechanical design, electrical engineering, electronics and advanced research. The company’s plans are subject to approval of state and local incentives.

“The hiring of 150 new engineers this year at TTC gives us renewed confidence that our local operation has the experience and leadership to lead us into the future,” said Seiya Nakao, President of TTC. “We are seeking talented, motivated individuals who thrive on challenges, who are team players and implement improvements in safety, quality and performance.”

For more than 35 years, TTC has been the driving force behind Toyota's North American engineering and research and development activities. Established in 1977 and headquartered in Michigan, TTC has R&D facilities in Ann Arbor, Saline, Plymouth and Livonia. In addition, TTC has R&D facilities in California and operates the Toyota Arizona Proving Ground near Phoenix.

TTC employs over 1,100 team members and is engaged in engineering design, vehicle evaluation and engineering, materials engineering, prototype building, powertrain tuning and design, safety/crashworthiness, regulatory affairs and advanced research. TTC has development responsibilities for the Avalon, Camry, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra, Venza and RAV4 EV.