Job Summary:
The Product Development Engineer is responsible for leading new product development activities and the creation of new & innovative material composites to solve unique thermal and acoustic challenges in the transportation industry. This person will drive the innovation and creation of new materials and evolve current product offerings to solve new challenges based on material science and practical application in the industry. The focus will be on understanding the fundamental properties, constructions & configurations, specifications & requirements, and applicable materials & composites used to solve thermal & acoustical issues in and around ICE and x.EV battery configurations for the transportation industry.
The role must drive new revenue growth through the support of new product chemistries, composites, and unique performance attributes which allow adequate differentiation and growth within the marketplace
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Duties and Responsibilities:
- Champion & drive new product development projects aimed at solving customer problems and seeing these through to commercialization with a viable revenue stream and business profit level.
- Champion, drive, and participate in the development of next generation products from ideation through industrialization balancing technical performance with commercial attractiveness.
- Understand the performance requirements of specific applications in vehicles and assess the types of materials, laminates, composites, and configurations that can meet these requirements.
- Develop and sustain technical expertise on materials and associated products, and related applications to provide new product development recommendations.
- Drive and lead materials research, development, engineering, and testing for new product development activities globally.
- Use fundamentals of materials science and engineering to conceptualize and create new products.
- Understand competitive materials and drive needed benchmarking activities.
- Recommend new test equipment and testing partners to support product development and engineering efforts globally.
- Work with key stakeholders to ensure new products and configurations are manufacturable with an efficient value proposition to solve unique customer challenges in the transportation sector.
- Participate in the research, evaluation, recommendation, and implementation of appropriate new & advanced manufacturing processes to produce said new products.
- Evolve and maintain the global technology toolbox for new product development and manufacturing.
- Integrate a mentality of direct presence with key customers (current and prospective) to build intimate customer relationships to ensure ongoing new development opportunities with a high rate of success.
- Identify opportunities for both sustaining and disruptive innovation.
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Required Experience, Education, Skills, and Abilities for Consideration as a Candidate:
- A minimum of a four-year chemistry or engineering degree (chemical, polymer science & engineering, materials, composites/plastics)
- A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience and success in developing and implementing new products and materials solutions in the transportation sector.
- Heavy product development experience with fundamentals rooted in material science and engineering.
- Materials engineering, product development, and manufacturing of composites to solve thermal and acoustic challenges in the transportation industry.
- Industry experience should include expertise in the development of engineered products to major transportation OEMs, transplants, Tier One, and Tier Two level suppliers on global platforms.
- Experience with thermal, fire protection, & acoustic products utilizing metals, fibers, polymers, composites, and inorganics in molding, lamination, extrusion, and/or stamping processes.
- Ability to utilize a variety of software applications (MS Office, Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
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Preferred or Additional, Experience, Education, Skills and Abilities:
- Advanced degree in chemistry or engineering (chemical, polymer science & engineering, materials, composites/plastics).
- Experience in x.EV battery (inside and outside the pack) applications requiring thermal protection and insulation materials.
- Project management and phase-gate development experience.
Competencies
· Business acumen
· Knowledge of thermal and acoustical physics and products
· Timely decision making
· Integrity and follow-through
· Data driven and driven by results
· Entrepreneurial
· Materials science
· Accountable and self-driven
· Creative problem solving
· Effective communication & presentation skills
· Value proposition
· Research and learning
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $120,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Experience level:
Schedule:
Travel requirement:
Experience:
- Materials engineering: 5 years (Required)
- Product development: 5 years (Required)
- thermal or acoustical materials: 1 year (Preferred)
Ability to Relocate:
- Novi, MI 48377: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Novi, MI 48377