(Yicai Global) Sept. 9 -- China Evergrande Group, the nation's second-largest real estate firm turned multi-sector conglomerate, has launched the largest global recruitment program for its new energy vehicles institute, looking to hire 8,000 experts in nine countries, including Germany, the UK, Japan, and Sweden.

The global headquarters of the Evergrande New Energy Automotive Research and Development Institute has posted a job ad on its website to attract talent for positions including president, vice president, and chief engineer in China, the Netherlands, Austria, Japan, and South Korea. The Shenzhen-based parent did not disclose when the institute that has no previous media coverage was established. 

Evergrande Health, an affiliate of the property giant, started making inroads into NEV business last year. It bought majority stakes in the National Electric Vehicle Sweden, the owner of Saab brand, as well as in Shanghai's Cenat New Energy battery maker. Evergrande Health also acquired a 70 percent stake in China's TeT Drive Technology which owns e-Traction, a Netherlands-headquartered in-wheel motor maker.  

In the next three to five years, Evergrande will strive to become the world's largest and most powerful NEV group, turning China from a nation with a big automotive market into one that has a strong auto industry, the firm added. 

The jobs are in areas such as the development of battery, powertrain, chassis, autopilot, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies.

Editor: Emmi Laine