Sr. R&D Engineer - Gearing

RBC Bearings; Simpsonville (SC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

RBC Bearings in Simpsonville, SC seeks a Sr. R&D Engineer to act as an advanced technology leader, driving large R&D projects for new product development and enhancements.

You will guide decision-making, design, testing, evaluation, and release of components, while aligning with customer value and strategic project portfolios. You will lead innovative technology initiatives, mentor team members, and ensure robust documentation and knowledge transfer across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.

Responsibilities

• Develop new products and enhancements within area of responsibility.
• Lead large R&D projects and introduce innovative solutions.
• Create tools to improve efficiency in the design process.
• Ensure testing is validated and documented.
• Collaborate with product designers to ensure model accuracy.
• Create new part numbers and BOMs.
• Lead cost reduction activities.
• Oversee product testing and post-test reports.

Skills

3D CAD

2D Drafting

MS Office

Analytical thinking

Project management

Teamwork

Lean Green Belt

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Job Title: Sr. R&D Engineer

Location: Simpsonville, SC

Reports to: R&D Engineering Director

Employment Type: Full-time

Seniority Level: Senior Level

Industry: Manufacturing | Mechanical Power Transmission Components | Engineering Services

Job Function: Research & Development | Engineering

Job Summary: Act as an advanced technology leader for the team to drive large R&D projects for enhancements and new product development. Lead the discussions concerning improved decision-making skills and advanced educational development for team members including designing, testing, evaluating, and releasing components for projects that require advanced R&D and project management skills. Maintains awareness of state-of-art technology, as well as Dodge products and technologies, and identifies and understands technical drivers for R&D projects in own area. Understands what creates customer value in own R&D projects and project portfolio of own organization and works to improve operations and increase customer satisfaction according to incoming requests. Provides consulting services to business operations and customers.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Excellence

• Act as an advanced engineer for team to drive improved decision-making skills and advanced educational development for team members.
• Act as the technology leader for large new product development projects that require advanced R&D and project management skills.
• Innovate and implement industry-leading technologies to solve identified challenges within a problem statement that can be incorporated into assigned products and/or processes.
• Demonstrates sound fundamental technical proficiency in own competence area.
• Emphasis on critical thinking, root cause analysis, and problem solving.

Innovation and Creativity

• Lead the peer team in creating new and innovative solutions that exceed the performance of current technologies.
• Demonstrates an entrepreneurial innovative spirit to R&D projects with own unique and creative ideas.
• Proposes follow-up projects and activities within own technical area based on new ideas.

Projects, Processes, & Tools

• Demonstrates sound understanding of, and actively applies, R&D processes and tools.
• Examples include sound communication capabilities, advanced project management processes, use of 2D and 3D CAD tools, advanced understanding of FEA, awareness of industry standards that would apply to the area of expertise.

Knowledge Transfer

• Actively teaches own technical/scientific knowledge to less skilled colleagues in applying processes and tools to ensure timely and high-quality results.
• Shows solid documentation skills and writes technical reports independently.

Strategic Vision & Leadership

• Proactively seeks to identify opportunities for product enhancements or new product needs based on problem definition and project scopes.
• Initiate business review of these ideas with business team members.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or relevant field
• 10+ years Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical experience
• Relevant product-related experience
• Proficiency in MS Office and 3D/2D drafting and modeling software
• Strong analytical skills with an emphasis on critical thinking, root cause analysis and problem solving.
• Extreme attention to detail with a strong sense of ownership and responsibility.
• Ability to adapt and multi-task based on departmental needs and collaborates well with others and is a good team player.
• General understanding of basic project management skills.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with passion for new and changing ideas.
• Lean Green Belt preferred

Physical Requirements

• Extended periods of sitting and/or standing at a workstation
• Ability to type, reach, and grasp
• 5-10% travel to meet with clients or attend meetings (overnight travel as needed)
• Able to carry, lift, and pull up to 50 lbs.
• Reach, climb, crawl, walk
• Speak and present in person or virtually to individuals and small groups

Essential Job Functions

• Develop new products and enhancements to existing products within area of responsibility.
• Generate industry-leading technologies that can be incorporated into the products and/or processes within area of responsibility.
• Provide leadership for successful project results in technology and/or product development by identifying, proposing, and implementing innovative solutions.
• Create tools that can improve efficiency throughout the product design process.
• Ensure all testing is validated and recorded.
• Work directly with product designers to ensure accuracy of models and drawings.
• Create new part numbers and establish/maintain BOMs.
• Identify and communicate industry trends and demands to business team.
• Lead and support cost reduction activities.
• Use advanced project management skills to lead large projects.
• Use unique technical knowledge to oversee development tasks and actively teach own technical/scientific knowledge to less skilled colleagues.
• LEAN tools to create standardized test procedures and design standards.
• Actively and routinely oversee, observe, and/or assist with product testing, post-test teardowns, and test reports.
• Attendance at work is an essential function of the job.

Why Join Us?

• Lead a high-impact service center with strategic influence on growth and customer success.
• Work alongside a collaborative, experienced leadership team.