The new roles, part of a £15 billion investment, join 300 additional positions created by the British carmaker last year.
JLR is recruiting 250 electrical engineers to work on a range of new EVs arriving by 2030, starting with an electric Range Rover later this year.
These new positions join the 300 new technician roles already announced, all funded by JLR’s £15bn Reimagine strategy fund, which has been set up to move the company into the electric age.
Based at its Gaydon Engineering Center and Whitley Future Energy Lab, 40 of the roles will focus on the electrical architecture and battery technologies that are central to these next-generation EVs.
This includes working on advanced energy storage systems, battery cell design, cell stacks and software systems.
This area in particular will future-proof the company, said Freddie Gunnarsson, mobile design manager, offering owners the “unique driving and charging experiences expected of modern luxury vehicles.”
“This is an exciting opportunity for battery chemistry experts to help define the next generation of electric powertrains,” he added.
Other new positions include propulsion, high-voltage architecture integration, electrical system component design, and fast-charging technology development.
“The execution of our Reimagine strategy depends on our investment in people and technology,” says Thomas Müller, executive director of product engineering.
“As we continue to invest in our facilities, we are now looking for highly talented people to help us drive the advancements in propulsion technology that will underpin our next generation of modern luxury vehicles.”
The roles join the 300 roles already announced, 100 of which will be service technicians who will oversee the 700 robots at JLR’s new £130m automated body manufacturing facility in Solihull.
The new body shop will increase Range Rover and Range Rover Sport production by 30%.
These 100 technicians will also be trained to work on the new £70m body manufacturing system that will be used to build the new electric Range Rover.
The look of the future will be the focus of the other 200 recruits, a mix of technicians and test engineers. Based at the Gaydon Engineering Center and Wheatley Powertrain, they will work on the testing and development of the next generation of Electric Vehicles.
These EVs will begin with the electric Range Rover in late 2024, followed by a trio of all-new Jaguar models, the first of which will be the four-door GT in 2025.
Both will be built at Solihull, which, along with the Wolverhampton engine plant and Halewood plant, will be converted to produce EVs as part of this £15bn investment.
The investment was welcomed by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, which is steeped in motoring history.
“It’s great news that JLR is doubling down on its commitment to our region with this new announcement supporting Range Rover and the future of electric vehicles,” he said.
“The West Midlands is blessed with an exceptionally talented workforce and I am very pleased that this has been recognized by JLR as they continue to expand employment opportunities for local people here.
“JLR’s investment will boost skills, prosperity and opportunity for more families in the coming months and years.”
The news comes just weeks after JLR parent Tata Motors confirmed Bridgewater in Somerset as the location for its 40GWh battery factory.