Director of R&D

Knowles Precision Devices; Liberty (SC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Knowles Precision Devices is seeking a Director of R&D to lead engineers across Liberty, NH; New Bedford, MA; and Mexicali, Mexico. You will drive product launches, quote custom parts, and ensure manufacturability while aligning with the 3-year NPI roadmap.

The role requires 10+ years in R&D with 5+ years in management, multi-site experience, and a track record in capacitor design and six-sigma processes. US security clearance eligibility and ITAR compliance are required.

Qualifications

• BS Degree in electrical or mechanical engineering from an accredited program.
• MBA preferred but not required.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in R&D, with 5 years in management is required.
• Multi-site engineering management experience is desired.
• Experience in capacitor design and manufacturing is desired.
• Experience with Stage Gate NPD processes and design for six sigma.
• Experience developing DFEMA analysis for risk mitigation of product designs.
• Prior involvement in implementing design for manufacturability at a cultural level.
• Passive component/circuits environmental, mechanical, and electrical testing experience.
• Working knowledge of processes for intellectual property management including writing and submitting patents.
• Experience with fast prototyping of new designs.
• Must have the ability to obtain a US security clearance.
• All applicants must be eligible to work in the US without restriction to ITAR documentation and materials.

Responsibilities

• Manage a group of 30 engineering personnel located at Liberty, New Bedford and Mexicali plants.
• Ensure quotes for custom parts meet market level lead-times.
• Ensure design of custom parts meet customer and CD specifications and are easily built by Operations.
• Ensure design team meets needs of Operations for manufacturability, CAD drawing accuracy, and weekly production meetings.
• Support plant continuous improvement initiatives for cost savings including scrap reduction, quality improvements, and productivity through DFMA.
• Support the Operations team with questions about designs produced by this team.
• Assist Operations in cost reduction and production yield improvement projects.
• Provide leadership to IT resources responsible for internal software design tools like CD’s DesignBot.
• Project manage large orders to meet customer commitments by Engineering and Operations.
• Collaborate with PLM team to generate new product ideas for the 3-year NPI roadmap.
• Ensure R&D team submits patents on novel products and features in a timely manner.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Multi-site management

R&D management

Capacitor design

DFMEA

Stage-Gate NPD

Design for manufacturability

IP management

Rapid prototyping

US security clearance

ITAR compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or mechanical engineering

MBA

Job description

Job Overview

The Director of R&D leads the team of engineering personnel with a primary objective of:

• Launching new products that meet the specifications outlined by the PLM team in the CD multi-year NPI roadmap
• Quoting and designing custom CD products that meet customer specifications and that are easily built by the Operations team

Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage a group of 30 engineering personnel that are located at our Liberty, New Bedford and Mexicali plants
• Ensure quotes for custom parts meet market level lead-times
• Ensure the design of custom parts meet customer and CD specification and quality levels, while ensuring best practices in design for manufacturability
• Ensure design team meets the needs of the Operations groups that will be responsible for building the product, including design for manufacturability, CAD drawing accuracy, and attending weekly production meetings, etc.
• Support plant continuous improvement initiatives for cost savings which can include scrap reduction, quality improvements, and direct labor productivity improvements through DFMA
• Support the Operations team when questions and/or concerns are raised about the designs that are produced by this team
• Support the Operations team in projects involving cost reduction and improvement in production yield
• Provide leadership to the IT resources responsible for the internally developed software design tools such as CD’s DesignBot
• Project manage large orders to ensure customer commitments are met by Engineering and Operations
• Work with the PLM team to generate new product ideas in the development of the 3-year NPI roadmap
• Ensure the R&D team submit patents on novel products and features in a timely manner

Qualifications & Skills

• BS Degree in electrical or mechanical engineering from an accredited program
• MBA preferred but not required
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in R&D, with 5 years in management is required
• Multi-site engineering management experience is desired
• Experience in capacitor design and manufacturing is desired
• Experience with Stage Gate NPD processes and design for six sigma
• Experience developing DFEMA analysis for risk mitigation of product designs
• Prior involvement in implementing design for manufacturability at a cultural level
• Passive component/circuits environmental, mechanical, and electrical testing experience
• Working knowledge of processes for intellectual property management including writing and submitting patents
• Experience with fast prototyping of new designs
• Must have the ability to obtain a US security clearance
• All applicants must be eligible to work in the US without restriction to ITAR documentation and materials