Ashton Kutcher may have played Apple Inc. 's Steve Jobs on the big screen, but his next role has him firmly in the PC camp.

Chinese personal computer maker Lenovo Group Ltd. is hiring Mr. Kutcher to help design its tablets, its latest ploy to market its brand to U.S. consumers.

After starring in various TV shows from "That '70s Show" to "Two and a Half Men," as well as the biopic "Jobs" on Apple's late leader, Mr. Kutcher will add a new title to his resume as Lenovo product engineer.

Lenovo said Mr. Kutcher "will work with the company's engineering teams around the world to develop and market the Yoga line of tablets by providing input and decision-making into design, specifications, software and usage scenarios."

This isn't the first time for Lenovo to hire a U.S. celebrity. Earlier this year, the company used National Basketball Association star Kobe Bryant in its ad campaign to promote the K900 flagship smartphone in China and some other markets.