Senior Staff Engineer, R&D

Velcro•Manchester, NH

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

It’s a great time to join Velcro Companies ! Senior Staff Engineer, R&D, Velcro USA, Inc., Manchester, New Hampshire (Hybrid) Will be responsible for leading new product development initiatives in the Transportation sector. Specific duties and responsibilities will include the following: What you will do: Applying engineering and scientific principles to determine and evaluate technical feasibility for challenging new product development projects. This includes solving complex customer problems using a variety of technologies. Product design and development and process engineering with respect to hook & loop closure system design for transportation seating applications, analysis of tension, peel and shear data, calculation of foam balance window and closure performance optimization based on analysis of specific seat foam characteristics. Processing of materials used to manufacture automotive molded hook fasteners including extrusion/co-extrusion of various grades of polyolefins, polyesters and polyamides, fillers, flame retardants and plasticizers that allow complex hook shapes to be molded for automotive seating applications. Working with the Continuous Flow Molding (CFM) extrusion and calendering process for molded automotive hook tapes including process troubleshooting, new process parameter definition, verification and production launch validation for new hook resins, new hook designs, hook-on-fabric-backing co-extrusions, hook tape inspection methods, thermal annealing and roll-to-roll downstream processing. Designing new molded fasteners and the tooling/equipment required for manufacture using CAD and FEA simulation (applying DFM/DFA design principles, molding tooling design principles, materials, coatings and the manufacturing processes and maintenance methods for these.) Leading brainstorming meetings across the organization and achieving buy-in from cross functional partners. Overseeing the completion of assigned deliverables in accordance with approved schedules, based on the application of Velcro Companies New Product Introduction (NPI) process. Authoring engineering documentation and participating in activities in support of design control. Analyzing and interpreting data, identifying trends, and formulating the next steps in the product design process, while effectively performing trade off analysis. Designing and developing new test methods, specifications, technical apparatus, software and processes to support the development of fastener components and assemblies. Identifying product defects and establishing quality standards based on product requirements. Applying statistical methods to analyze datasets and understand process capability. Providing technical guidance to members of the Transportation business unit and cross-functional technical teams. Providing technical support for and leading Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) or complaint investigations. Contributing to a culture of innovation by proactively generating novel concepts for new products and enhancements to current product performance. Ensuring compliance with company quality and safety policies, procedures, and practices as well as with all local, state, and federal regulations. Defining and managing all special characteristics critical to quality (CTQ) required internally or required by customers through design and process risk analysis (D&P FMEA).

Requirements

Position requires a Bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent foreign degree) in Mechanical or Materials Engineering or a closely related field and 8 years of experience as a Mechanical R&D Engineer.
Must also have 5 years of experience (which can have been gained concurrently with the primary experience requirement above) working with the following: The application of ISO9001 and ISO/TS16949 automotive quality system framework in the manufacturing process; The application of Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) framework (D&P FMEA, Control Plans, Design Reviews, drawing creation and release, RWW, SWOT, stage gate process), in new product launches; Product development projects with OEM/Tier 1 customers including collection of Voice of the Customer (VOC), requirements definition, concept ideation, prototyping, product development and launch; and Performing, analyzing and interpreting results of laboratory product testing according to ISO/ASTM test standards, regarding fastener hold-down, foam adhesion performance, flammability, and environmental performance using laboratory instrumentation, equipment and software analysis tools.
This is a hybrid position working 2 days/week at the company’s office in Manchester, New Hampshire and 3 days/week at a home office.

Responsibilities

Applying engineering and scientific principles to determine and evaluate technical feasibility for challenging new product development projects.
Product design and development and process engineering with respect to hook & loop closure system design for transportation seating applications, analysis of tension, peel and shear data, calculation of foam balance window and closure performance optimization based on analysis of specific seat foam characteristics.
Processing of materials used to manufacture automotive molded hook fasteners including extrusion/co-extrusion of various grades of polyolefins, polyesters and polyamides, fillers, flame retardants and plasticizers that allow complex hook shapes to be molded for automotive seating applications.
Working with the Continuous Flow Molding (CFM) extrusion and calendering process for molded automotive hook tapes including process troubleshooting, new process parameter definition, verification and production launch validation for new hook resins, new hook designs, hook-on-fabric-backing co-extrusions, hook tape inspection methods, thermal annealing and roll-to-roll downstream processing.
Designing new molded fasteners and the tooling/equipment required for manufacture using CAD and FEA simulation (applying DFM/DFA design principles, molding tooling design principles, materials, coatings and the manufacturing processes and maintenance methods for these.)
Leading brainstorming meetings across the organization and achieving buy-in from cross functional partners.
Overseeing the completion of assigned deliverables in accordance with approved schedules, based on the application of Velcro Companies New Product Introduction (NPI) process.
Authoring engineering documentation and participating in activities in support of design control.
Analyzing and interpreting data, identifying trends, and formulating the next steps in the product design process, while effectively performing trade off analysis.
Designing and developing new test methods, specifications, technical apparatus, software and processes to support the development of fastener components and assemblies.
Identifying product defects and establishing quality standards based on product requirements.
Applying statistical methods to analyze datasets and understand process capability.
Providing technical guidance to members of the Transportation business unit and cross-functional technical teams.
Providing technical support for and leading Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) or complaint investigations.
Contributing to a culture of innovation by proactively generating novel concepts for new products and enhancements to current product performance.
Ensuring compliance with company quality and safety policies, procedures, and practices as well as with all local, state, and federal regulations.
Defining and managing all special characteristics critical to quality (CTQ) required internally or required by customers through design and process risk analysis (D&P FMEA).