Even Boiler Company Veterans... Auto Industry Covets Thermal Management Experts

High Salary and Growth Potential... Preference for Expertise in the Auto Industry as Well

The automotive industry is focusing on securing specialized personnel in thermal management. This is intended to secure relevant talent in advance to gain an advantage as the electric vehicle market expands in earnest. It has been reported that recently, developers from small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in boilers and air conditioners are increasingly moving to large automotive companies.

According to industry sources on the 5th, Hyundai Wia, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, plans to hire new employees in 29 fields across 8 divisions this month, with a focus on talent related to electric vehicle 'thermal management systems.' To mass-produce an integrated thermal management system in the second half of next year, 40% of the recruitment in vehicle technology-related fields has been allocated to thermal management systems. A company representative explained, "We are trying to focus on securing talent in the thermal management sector."

Recently, there has been a trend of turning attention to developers traditionally involved in thermal management technologies such as boilers and air conditioners. An automotive industry official said, "Engineers who worked at boiler and air conditioner companies are moving over as 'mid-career new hires' or experienced professionals," adding, "The growth potential of the electric vehicle market is large, making it attractive from the job seeker's perspective, and since they have practical experience related to thermal management, companies see them as attractive talent and are actively hiring." However, the boiler industry stated that there is "no clear movement" regarding the outflow of personnel.

The preference for thermal management experts in the automotive industry is interpreted as due to the growing market for controlling battery heat in electric vehicles. According to a report titled ‘European Automotive Battery Market Trends and Entry Strategies’ published earlier this year by KOTRA, the global electric vehicle market is expected to grow to $693.7 billion (approximately 931 trillion KRW) by 2030. This is a significant difference compared to the global boiler market, which is expected to remain stagnant at around $180 billion even eight years from now.

Hyundai Mobis also prefers engineers with thermal control research experience when hiring electric vehicle-related personnel. This is because controlling and managing systems that prevent battery thermal electric vehicle fires in advance is seen as key to reassuring the market. An industry insider said, "As electric vehicle fires have become a hot topic, competition for hiring related personnel is expected to intensify further."