Professional Biography
James Walker, Jr. is the Vice President of Accident Reconstruction & Biomechanics at YA Group with more than 35 years of automotive engineering experience spanning component design, vehicle dynamics, electro-mechanical control system development, failure analysis, and crash reconstruction. Prior to joining YA Group, James served as Principal Engineer, Owner, and CEO of Carr Engineering, Inc., an independent consulting firm specializing in determining the causes, conditions, and circumstances of motor vehicle crashes, where he investigated and reconstructed hundreds of incidents involving motorized vehicles and provided deposition and trial testimony in an expert witness capacity.
James has extensive experience in brake, chassis, and electronic control system design, release, development, and training, having held supervisory roles at Kelsey-Hayes, Saturn, Bosch, Ford, and Delphi Chassis. During this time, he was recruited by SAE International to develop two award-winning professional development seminars in brake control systems and vehicle dynamics — courses attended by hundreds of automotive industry engineers. In recognition of the quality of those seminars, James received the SAE Forest R. McFarland Award in 2005 and was designated an SAE Master Instructor in 2010. This work also enabled the publication of his book, High-Performance Brake Systems, in 2007.
James holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Mechanical Engineering from GMI Engineering & Management Institute in Flint, Michigan, and is a licensed and registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He also brings specialized expertise in automobile racing, racecar design, fabrication, and competition, having been a licensed competitor in sanctioned road racing events since 1997 with organizations including the Sports Car Club of America, the Historic Motor Sports Association, the International Motor Sports Association, and the SRO Motorsports Group. He continues to serve as an advanced driving instructor for organizations such as the Porsche Club of America, specializing in driver education and limit handling training.
Professional Experience
- VP, Accident Reconstruction & Biomechanics | YA Group | 2026 - Current
- Owner/CEO/Principal Engineer | Carr Engineering, Inc. | 2006 - 2026
- Engineering Manager | Delphi Chassis | 2003 - 2006
- Senior Design/Release Engineer | Ford Motor Company | 2002 - 2003
- Senior Application Engineer | Bosch | 1999 - 2002
- Design/Release Engineer | Saturn | 1996 - 1999
- Application Engineer | Kelsey-Hayes | 1995 - 1996
- Test Engineer | AC Rochester | 1989 - 1995
Publications and Presentations
- Creator/Instructor of SAE Professional Development Seminar C0315 / Introduction to Brake Control Systems (2004)
- Creator/Instructor of SAE Professional Development Seminar C0414 / Applied Vehicle Dynamics (2005)
- Author of Cartech Books SA126 / High-Performance Brake Systems (2007)
- SAE Master Instructor Certification (2010)
Education
- B.S.M.E., Mechanical Engineering, GMI Engineering and Management Institute, Flint, Michigan, 1994
Affiliations
- SAE International
Professional Licenses
- Professional Engineer (PE) - Texas - License #101314
- Professional Engineer (PE) - Pennsylvania - License #PE096495