Senior Manager, Engineering

Whirlpool Corporation•Saint Joseph, MO

About The Position

About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a leading home appliance company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. As the only major U.S.-based manufacturer of kitchen and laundry appliances, the company is driving meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool , KitchenAid , JennAir, Maytag , Amana, Brastemp , Consul , and InSinkErator . In 2024, the company reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales - close to 90% of which were in the Americas - 44,000 employees, and 40 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com . The team you will be a part of The Engineering team discovers, develops and evaluates new product ideas, enhancements, or strategic product extensions, and translates research discoveries into usable and marketable products. Leads, plans and tracks all phases of the product life cycle, from inception to introduction into the marketplace. Coordinates with various functions to ensure successful product development and implementation. This role in summary The Materials Principal Engineer is a highly experienced and influential technical leader, typically operating strategically within an organization. They are recognized as experts in their domain and play a key role in shaping the technical vision and direction of significant projects or entire product lines, especially on materials related topics. They often act as individual contributors on critical, high-impact initiatives and serve as mentors and thought leaders for the entire engineering organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's in Chemical. Mechanical or Materials Engineering (or related field) with 7+ years of industry experience in materials selection, material processing, development, approval at product and manufacturing levels, including cost reduction, quality improvement, implementation of new projects, and/or new technologies
7+ years of experience in project management on materials related projects
Ability to interact with different Functions ( Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Marketing, etc.)
Experience/knowledge on materials processing applied to our industry
Ability to influence and drive actions and decisions
Ability to build up an internal and external ecosystem of knowledge/competence to drive complex and multidisciplinary situations
Ability to provide technical and managerial mentorships
Competence to develop technical experts, creating new leaders for the future.
Recognized knowledge of materials supply chain and production processes
Recognized knowledge of materials properties and performances
Ability to quickly establish credibility and build trust

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering.
Whirlpool Product Development Process expertise (or Industry equivalent like PMBok)
Ability to collaborate effectively with various functions, including Engineering, Global Consumer Design, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Marketing.
Sense of urgency and ability to manage multiple tasks under pressure.
A natural inclination for problem-solving, critical thinking, proactive behavior, and respect for commitments and deadlines.
Actively breaking down barriers and encouraging others to do the same; strong communication skills with senior leadership regarding projects, initiatives, conclusions, and reports.
Desirable previous knowledge in materials development on appliances industry
Desirable previous experiences on PU Foam, Adhesives and chemicals.

Responsibilities

Deliver (Develop & Do) - Own technical solutions for top-priority ADPs or PDPs, in collaboration with respective Materials Subject Matter Experts where applicable.
Lead and drive the resolution of top critical Knowledge Gaps in key ADP and PDP projects within Platforms and BUs, collaborating with Materials GSMEs on key materials disciplines where applicable.
Ensure connection and effective collaboration with Materials GSMEs respective MVTs for topics related to key materials commodities (Steel, Coatings, Glass, Resins, Insulation)
Works closely with subsystem and manufacturing process leaders on critical materials development and selection, during the early development phase to influence design and process selection, ensuring optimized material performance for a given application.
Lead systemic problem-solving & risk assessment to close knowledge gaps in critical ADPs, PDPs, Cost and Quality projects.
Implement materials solutions, interface with manufacturing teams on process development and pilot runs
Drive collaboration between Materials GSMEs and Subsystems on new materials related cost ideas generation, scoping and execution
Lead interaction with Planners, Integrator leads, Subsystems leads, Materials SME’s and with Business Unit partners, and define critical materials deliveries and execution plans for each category project
Strategy - Lead Materials Strategy for the Category, focused on key deliverables as individual contributor and on leveraging the Materials Subject Matter Expert Team knowledge, capabilities and technology roadmaps to support the creation of innovation/IP and cost strategies and pipelines
Create, lead, and maintain a robust technical network and strategic partnerships with suppliers, universities, and research institutes.
Leverage knowledge through key suppliers and liaisons with other external organizations.
Coach & Mentoring (Talent Pipeline & People Excellence) - Develop and maintain proficiency and training content for assigned materials.
Coaching and Mentoring tech talent to maintain and develop Materials skills and competence within the Organization.
Lead capability development, including the characterization of new materials and the improvement of test equipment, etc.
Knowledge Management, including creating and maintaining materials specs, base FMEAs, IDPs, test procedures, etc., for assigned materials discipline.