Sr. Composites Applications Engineer

Toray Advanced Composites USA,Inc•Camarillo, CA

19h•$103,000 - $138,000

About The Position

Toray Performance Materials Corporation (TPMC), part of the Toray Advanced Composites Group, is seeking a Senior Composites Applications Engineer to lead the full lifecycle of composite-part application development. The role translates customer requirements into engineering specifications and guides tooling design, prototyping, Stage-Gate development, and handover to production. It owns the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, leads applications engineering technicians, works closely with customers and cross-functional teams, and delivers manufacturable, high-quality solutions on time and within budget. The position also advances technology competitiveness and TPMC’s applications engineering capabilities. TPMC develops and manufactures thermoplastic composite technology and products for consumer recreation, medical, electronics, and other industrial markets, and is focused on growth and entering new markets. The role involves global travel of up to 30%, including regular travel to company facilities and customers in Asia. The successful candidate must maintain a valid passport and valid China business visa, or be eligible to obtain and maintain one. Flexible hours may be required to coordinate with teams in the United States and Asia. The position offers a stated salary range of $103,000–$138,000 and a competitive compensation package that includes potential performance-based bonus, health insurance, and a 401(k).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, polymer engineering, materials science, or a related field.
At least 5 years of industrial experience in composites engineering, applications engineering, or NPI in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
Strong knowledge of composite materials, tooling design, thermoplastics and thermosets, and part manufacturing processes.
Proficiency in 3D CAD and ability to guide design-for-manufacture decisions and tooling designs.
Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
Strong interpersonal skills and effective communication.
Strong organizational and time-management skills; detail-oriented and able to manage multiple tasks.
Experience designing and setting up new processing and testing equipment.
Ability to work flexible hours to coordinate with global teams in the United States and Asia.
Ability to travel globally up to 30%, including to Asia, and maintain a valid passport and China business visa or be eligible to obtain and maintain one.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in a related engineering or science field.
Experience with Stage-Gate development processes.
Familiarity with DOE, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
Bilingual English/Chinese skills.

Responsibilities

Review customer technical needs and translate them into detailed engineering specifications.
Support customer technical engagements, onsite visits, and design-for-manufacture discussions; recommend products and processes for customer programs.
Own the NPI workflow, including project scoping, scheduling, budgeting, risk mitigation, execution, and compliance with NPI engineering standards and phase reviews.
Coordinate NPI projects across account management, quality, process engineering, and production teams, ensuring delivery on schedule and within budget.
Lead feasibility studies, material selection, laminate definition, process optimization, pilot runs, scale-up trials, and production-readiness activities.
Benchmark and apply composite manufacturing methods used in industry.
Oversee tooling concepts and design reviews, validate GD&T, and guide production-friendly design optimization.
Collaborate with customers on 3D models to ensure manufacturability and cost-effective solutions; support procurement, inspection, and implementation of new tooling.
Facilitate decisions among engineering, product management, production, supply chain, and commercial stakeholders, and align applications engineering, operations, product development, and customer programs.
Support quality investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective actions.
Monitor competitor technologies, composite materials, manufacturing processes, and automation trends; recommend strategic investments in equipment, capabilities, and technologies.
Maintain application specifications, tooling documents, work instructions, and NPI deliverables, and follow ISO 9001 quality-system requirements.
Recruit, develop, and supervise applications engineering technicians; set SMART goals, track performance, coach team members, and hold them accountable.
Foster learning, skill-building, teamwork, and continuous improvement, and provide career development, cross-training, and mentorship.
Travel globally up to 30%, including regular travel to company facilities and customers in Asia.