Chrysler has already announced plans to boost employment by nearly 2,700 so far this year.

Even before Chrysler and its former partner, Daimler, split up their ill-fated marriage, the U.S. maker began a massive downsizing that only accelerated when Chrysler plunged into bankruptcy, last year.

But, suddenly, the Help Wanted signs are going out in front of the maker’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  And not only is Chrysler bulking up at the plants it predicts will boost sales, but it is also bringing in workers to help speed up its product development system.

Just since the beginning of the year, the maker has announced plans to add nearly 2,700 blue and white-collar employees, notes the Detroit Free Press, and the pace is expected to increase in the months to come.  While many of Chrysler’s new hirings will be done on a temporary or contract basis, the maker also appears to be looking for a number of full-time employees.

The decision to build up the product development base is no surprise.  In fact, one company insider, asking not to be identified by name, told TheDetroitBureau.com, earlier this year, “We don’t have the resources to develop the products we need, even if we rely on help from Fiat,” the Italian automaker that took control of Chrysler after it emerged from Chapter 11, last Spring.

About 1,600 jobs will go into product development , and include some high-level and strongly technical positions, including head of powertrain development.

With Chrysler now playing the lead role in developing electric propulsion systems for itself and Fiat, there could be significant new jobs created in that area as well, said a source, who suggested that the current burst of hirings may be just a start.

Chrysler is expected to all but completely update its line-up by mid-decade, though the process will ramp up slowly.  The only significant new model planned to debut this year is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. But Chrysler is counting on that to revive flagging demand for the once-dominant SUV, and is adding 1,087 new jobs along the line at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant, in Detroit.

After steady declines for several years, Chrysler is beginning to show some signs of life, U.S. sales jumping 33% in May.  Meanwhile, the automaker posted a pre-tax operating profit of $143 million for the first quarter, according to Sergio Marchionne, who serves as CEO for both Chrysler and Fiat.

On the downside, the maker continues to struggle with quality issues and this month alone announced two recalls impacting more than 600,000 vehicles.