Director of R&D

Knowles Corporation • Liberty, SC

1d

About The Position

The Director of R&D leads engineering personnel to launch new products that meet specifications in the PLM team’s multi-year NPI roadmap and to quote and design custom products that meet customer requirements and can be readily built by Operations. The role manages 30 engineering personnel across the Liberty, New Bedford, and Mexicali plants and coordinates engineering work with Operations, PLM, and IT resources.

The Director supports product development and manufacturing effectiveness by ensuring custom-product quotes meet market-level lead times, designs meet customer and company specifications and quality levels, and design-for-manufacturability and drawing-accuracy practices are followed. The role also supports plant continuous-improvement initiatives, production-yield and cost-reduction projects, and resolution of Operations questions about designs. Additional responsibilities include project-managing large orders, helping develop the three-year NPI roadmap, leading IT resources responsible for internal design software, and ensuring timely patent submissions for novel products and features.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in electrical or mechanical engineering from an accredited program.
• At least 10 years of experience in R&D, including at least 5 years in management.
• Experience with Stage Gate NPD processes and design for six sigma.
• Experience developing DFEMA analyses for product-design risk mitigation.
• Prior involvement in implementing design for manufacturability at a cultural level.
• Experience with passive-component/circuit environmental, mechanical, and electrical testing.
• Working knowledge of intellectual-property management processes, including writing and submitting patents.
• Experience with fast prototyping of new designs.
• Ability to obtain a US security clearance.
• Must be eligible to work in the US without restriction to ITAR documentation and materials.

Nice To Haves

• MBA.
• Multi-site engineering management experience.
• Experience in capacitor design and manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Manage 30 engineering personnel located at the Liberty, New Bedford, and Mexicali plants.
• Ensure quotes for custom parts meet market-level lead times.
• Ensure custom-part designs meet customer and company specifications and quality levels while following design-for-manufacturability best practices.
• Ensure the design team supports Operations, including through design for manufacturability, accurate CAD drawings, and attendance at weekly production meetings.
• Support plant continuous-improvement initiatives for cost savings, including scrap reduction, quality improvements, and direct-labor productivity improvements through DFMA.
• Support Operations when questions or concerns arise about designs produced by the team.
• Support Operations projects involving cost reduction and improved production yield.
• Provide leadership to IT resources responsible for internally developed software design tools, including 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 for the three-year NPI roadmap.
• Ensure the R&D team submits patents on novel products and features in a timely manner.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director