Senior Development Engineer I

Yokohama Tire•Cornelius, NC

About The Position

The Senior Development Engineer I has mastered the duties and responsibilities of a Development Engineer II and applies advanced engineering principles and methods related to tire design and analysis to meet target objectives. The role is responsible for all phases of replacement tire development, including experimental design, testing, and analysis of results. Assignments may include challenging projects involving both replacement and original equipment tires, in close partnership with external customers to achieve desired objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
Minimum of 6–8 years of tire development experience or equivalent.
Effective written and oral communication skills.
Strong technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency with engineering software tools such as 3D CAD programs, Matlab, statistical software, and Microsoft Office.
Ability to remain in a stationary position, often sitting for prolonged periods while working on a computer.
Ability to perform repetitive motions involving the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
Ability to regularly lift, carry, push, pull, and move materials and objects weighing up to 40 pounds.

Responsibilities

Perform development programs for replacement tire lines and original equipment customers.
Analyze requirements and implement tire development project plans for new projects.
Develop project plans for entry-level engineers.
Create project budgets and track expenses.
Receive and negotiate overall project targets with internal and external customers.
Establish specific tire performance targets.
Check and approve mold drawings and ensure adherence to design standards.
Approve drawings prepared by entry-level engineers.
Create and issue experimental tire specifications.
Set up experimental designs using appropriate analytical and statistical methodologies.
Work with tire manufacturing groups to build and verify experimental tires.
Generate test requests, oversee tire testing, and summarize test results.
Issue interim and final development project reports.
Present results to management, internal departments, and external customers.
Implement development tires and specifications into production.
Perform required internal and external certification testing to certify products for production.
Participate in regular department meetings.
Conduct regular design reviews on assigned projects.
Conduct design reviews and participate in product evaluations with external customers.
Participate on task force teams to increase technical capability and achieve improved performance.
Participate in and take leading roles within industry groups such as Tire & Rim, RMA, SAE, and ASTM.