A former engine-development manager at Audi was charged in the U.S. for his role in a wide-ranging emissions scandal at Volkswagen AG that has already led to the indictment of seven others and a $2.8 billion criminal fine for the German auto maker, U.S. authorities said Thursday.

Giovanni Pamio, who worked as head of thermodynamics for Audi’s diesel engine development, was accused of working to help implement software designed to cheat U.S. emissions tests in thousands of Audi “clean diesel” vehicles. He was charged with...