Sr. Product Development Engineer

Westlake•Columbus, OH

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate. Join our dynamic team in Columbus, OH, as a Product Development Engineer, where you'll lead innovative product development engineering projects to bring new technologies and products to market. Your passion for nurturing new ideas and products will be key to thriving in this role. Collaborate with cross-functional teams and engage directly with leadership to foster strong partnerships and deliver exceptional results. Be the change agent in our pursuit of excellence! Must be currently residing in or near Columbus, OH, or willing to relocate to the area. Must be willing to travel up to 20% to support other Westlake sites.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from ABET accredited university in Mechanical, Chemical, Materials or Plastics Engineering.
Minimum 3 to 5 years of functional and HANDS-ON product design and development experience with demonstrated expertise in bringing new products from concept to commercialization.
Knowledge of the manufacture, testing, analysis and application of Polymer chemistry.
Effectively communicate with all levels of employment both verbally and in writing.
Exceptional interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships across a diverse organization are critical to success in this role.
Must demonstrate exceptional collaborative problem-solving capabilities.
Proven ability to make team-based, data-driven decisions for product and process optimization.
A solid understanding of our products, with the ability to create detailed 3D CAD drawings for product design and development.
Skilled in executing test trials, collecting data, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions.
Demonstrated effectiveness in managing complex technical projects with significant operational impact and the ability to organize tasks and people effectively.
Strong communication skills at all levels to build consensus across diverse technical and operational teams.

Nice To Haves

Six sigma green/black belt and knowledge of DOE, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why, FMEA, statistical analysis, etc. is preferred.

Responsibilities

Interface with customers and stakeholders to plan and align new product development with market needs and Westlake's competitive goals.
Build relationships with suppliers for insights on new machinery and materials to enhance product offerings.
Utilize CAD tools to draft and design new product profiles and processes, ensuring adherence to drafting and specification standards for production-ready documentation.
Lead the creation and testing of new products, using lab equipment and coordinating trials to improve product performance and address production issues.
Enhance cost efficiency and reduce scrap, backed by thorough data collection and analysis during product development.
Analyze data with statistical software and communicate findings clearly to facilitate decision-making across teams.
Design and document manufacturing processes that are efficient, scalable, and adhere to quality standards.
Collaborate with sales, marketing, and manufacturing to navigate gated processes, moving products from concept to market readiness to include final product drawings and installation instructions.
Stay current with industry trends through trade shows and training, and support the introduction of new products to the market.
Contribute to budget planning for capital equipment to refine production techniques for new product launches.