Knowledge Specialist - Automotive

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward. In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible.

Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else. When you join us, you will have: Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development.

The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey. A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.

Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences. World-class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

You will collaborate with a global network of automotive experts, knowledge leaders, and data scientists across Japan, China, Korea, Germany, India, and the United States, advancing our distinctive perspective on the future of mobility. You will be based in our Tokyo office as a core member of the Automotive & Assembly Practice within our global Client Capabilities Network (CCN).

The CCN brings together more than 7,000 colleagues worldwide who deliver specialized industry expertise, proprietary assets, and deep analytical capabilities directly to consulting teams and client executives. Within the Automotive & Assembly Practice - a pillar of our Advanced Industries sector - we serve leading Japanese and multinational automotive OEMs, Tier-1/Tier-2 suppliers, technology disruptors, investors, and next-generation mobility players on their highest-priority strategic, operational, and technological agendas.

Our work spans the full automotive and mobility ecosystem, including: Powertrain & Electrification : Battery electric vehicles (xEVs), next-generation energy storage, fuel cells, and charging infrastructure. Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) & Electronics : Electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures, automotive semiconductors, vehicle operating systems, and connected ecosystems.

Autonomous Driving (AD) & ADAS : Sensor fusion, AI perception, and automated driving platforms. Operations & Manufacturing : Smart factory transformation, industrial automation/AI, and supply chain decarbonization and resilience. Future Mobility Frontiers : Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), urban air mobility/low-altitude economy, and commercial fleet innovation.

You will act as a trusted advisor to consulting teams and C-suite leaders. You will translate complex market, technological, and competitive dynamics into high-impact strategies, actionable operational roadmaps, and proprietary industry intelligence. In addition to supporting client engagements, you will help strengthen McKinsey's proprietary knowledge and capabilities by developing industry insights, knowledge assets, and thought leadership for the Automotive Practice.

Your work will cover both core automotive topics and emerging trends shaping the future of mobility and advanced industries, including passenger and commercial vehicles, electrification, software-defined and connected vehicles, autonomous driving, supply chain and manufacturing transformation, next-generation energy and storage technologies, industrial AI, humanoid robotics, and the low-altitude economy.

Specifically, you will: Drive High-Stakes Client Problem-Solving: Actively participate in client engagements, executive workshops, and strategic sprints. Deliver fact-based viewpoints on OEM market dynamics, technology inflection points, supply chain transformation, and competitive positioning across Japan and global markets.

Develop Executive-Ready Strategic Insights : Synthesize industry trends, regulatory changes, and cost/technology roadmaps into clear executive deliverables—including quantitative market models, scenario analyses, benchmarking frameworks, and C-level presentations. Co-Lead Executive & Client Discussions : Present analytical findings and strategic implications directly to senior industry leaders and C-suite executives, partnering with Engagement Managers and Partners to address mission-critical business questions.

Build Proprietary Knowledge & Analytical Assets : Partner with global automotive research peers to build and maintain cutting-edge industry models, total cost of ownership (TCO) benchmarks, electrification cost-breakdown tools, and teardown/SDV databases tailored to the Japanese and broader APAC market. Publish Cutting-Edge Thought Leadership : Author and co-author high-profile firm publications, white papers, industry surveys, and points of view on transformative topics such as SDV architecture, supply chain resilience, battery economics, and next-generation mobility ecosystems.

Accelerate Your Professional Growth : Benefit from dedicated senior mentorship, global capability networks, and tailored professional development programs designed to sharpen your strategic thinking, client leadership, and problem-solving toolkit.

Master’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical/Electronics, Automotive, Materials Science), Economics, Business Administration, or a related quantitative discipline. Advanced degree holders (Ph.D.) or candidates with 1+ years of professional experience in the automotive, mobility, or advanced manufacturing sectors are strongly encouraged to apply Demonstrated knowledge of or deep passion for the automotive ecosystem, including electrification, SDVs, connected mobility, supply chain dynamics, or advanced automotive engineering International experience (e.

g., overseas degree, global internship, or cross-border project delivery) is strongly preferred Exceptional structured problem-solving skills, hypothesis-driven analytical thinking, and the ability to extract decisive strategic insights from complex, ambiguity-rich data sets Proven ability to leverage AI and generative AI tools to enhance research, analysis, and knowledge development processes Polished communication, poise, and confidence to engage effectively with senior corporate executives, technical leaders, and cross-functional consulting teams Proven track record of thriving in collaborative, cross-border, and multicultural team environments with a high degree of intellectual curiosity and initiative Native or near-native language skills in Japanese (verbal and written; suitable for high-level executive discussions and technical reporting in Japan) and professional level language skills in English