SR Product Engineer

JOB PURPOSE The Product Engineer is accountable for the success/failure of the technical and industrialization of New Business Opportunities (NBOs / part numbers) for his/her assigned accounts. This includes planning and executing project plans that meet project cost targets as well as project qualification and schedule requirements in order to assure that the company maximizes NBO win rates and delivers satisfactory product designs to the customer at the lowest possible cost. Another purpose of this position is to continuously work to lower product costs beginning with project inception and continuing on an on-going basis by working closely with outside vendors and factory personnel to minimize material costs. Similarly, the Product engineer is expected to work together with factory process engineers and quality engineers to constantly improve manufacturing methods that drive costs lower and improve manufacturing yields. The Product Engineer is also expected to support other new opportunities and projects as they arise or are assigned. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES Accountability: Cost Estimates, Cost Reductions, Cost Controls The Product Engineer is accountable to prepare project cost estimates to support the customer RFQ and quotation business process. This includes developing lowest possible cost estimates that include all cost elements required to meet all customer specifications and business requirements. Included in these cost estimates are material costs, outside vendor costs, labor costs, and any other costs that may apply to the manufacture and delivery of an item to end customers. The Product Engineer works with designers and process engineers to establish best possible and scalable mechanical designs that can be implemented in a production process at the lowest possible cost. The Product Engineer is also accountable to monitor cost variances for all of the product’s cost elements and to work with others in the company to drive costs lower, improve manufacturing yields, and minimize cost variances. Accountability: Project Plans, Qualification, and Schedules The Product Engineer is accountable to plan, manage and execute project plans that meet the customer’s project qualification requirements and delivery schedule requirements from sample/prototype phase, new product introduction (NPI), through production release and deployment. This includes schedules for samples, prototypes (soft and/or hard tooled), pilot run, pre-production, and production ramp schedule requirements. Commonly used terms for these types of customer qualification and schedule requirements may include but are not limited to Quick Turn, Prototype, Pre-Release and Business Development. The Product Engineer is accountable to perform manual labor as necessary on samples and prototypes to ensure that they ship on schedule. The Product Engineer is accountable to specify packaging methods based on customer requirements in conjunction with Account Managers and other business development personnel from the Division and/or Business Unit. The Product Engineer is accountable to anticipate potential schedule or priority delays and to develop and implement recovery plans for unanticipated problems and events. The Product Engineer is accountable to maintain current status on customer requirements for existing and future products. Accountability: Specifications, Drawings, Bills of Material, Routings The Product engineer is accountable to assure that the project plans include proper documentation that includes but is not limited to Specifications, Drawings, Bills of Material, Routings, ECO’s, etc. The Product Engineer is accountable to work with others in the company to constantly improve best known methods to effectively communicate these vital business process requirements and improve project throughput and cost resulting in increasing customer serviceability. It is expected that the Product Engineer will be fluent in business processes that include but are not limited to Oracle, Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, as well as CAD/CAM/CAE and other commonly used engineering software and tools. Accountability: Tooling and Fixture Specifications The Product Engineer is accountable to work closely with Factory Process Engineering and other Factory personnel to assure that any special fixtures and tooling specifications and requirements are clearly understood. This should be an on-going joint responsibility that constantly improves best known process methods that can be utilized on existing and future projects for any customer. Accountability: Other The Product Engineer is accountable to learn to speak and write in English in order to be able to effectively communicate with global Boyd team members as well as customers and suppliers. The Product Engineer is accountable to other tasks that may be assigned from time to time. Accountable to train peers and others as directed. A “can do” attitude is expected. It is also expected to embrace change, to be entrepreneurial, to take charge, to take risks, and to take responsibility. III. JOB SCOPE Job Complexity: This is a very complex position that requires interaction with many different people in the global region and at the assigned accounts as well as many different internal Boyd locations. Exercise judgment often with both tangible and intangible information. Recommend actions to be taken in critical business situations. Requires a sense of wherewithal regarding Boyd, the assigned accounts/markets, and overall business issues. Must understand what impact that making decisions has on business objectives for Boyd and the assigned accounts. This position requires the ability to achieve results with problem solving skills. Problems that need to be escalated to management must be clearly defined, researched and analyzed, and suggestions to solve the problem must be clearly communicated (written or oral as necessary or directed). Must be familiar with and adhere to Company safety and human resources policies and practices. Supervisory Responsibility: Provide management and leadership to internal support personnel and organizations as it relates to achievement of goals and objectives for assigned accounts and markets. Contacts/Interaction: Interact with customers, suppliers, management, peers and employees at all levels of the company on a frequent basis. Decision Making: Has high level decision making responsibility. Failure to make accurate decisions or achieve results will impact the business operations. JOB QUALIFICATIONS Educational Background (minimum level needed to perform) and/or Previous Work Experience (minimal level years and what kind) BS Degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent work experience. 10+ years or related technical experience in a manufacturing or similar environment A solid knowledge of mechanical design and manufacturing operations that include procurement, design, scheduling, manufacturing, test engineering and quality systems. Very strong, demonstrated project management skills. Proficiency in MS Office/Windows operating system. Strong logic and problem solving skills. Special Skills and Abilities (computer, language, interpersonal skills, etc.) Technical competency – customer applications or thermal products Familiarity with design tools such as CAD/CAM & CAE, Solidworks Must possess excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Design for Manufacturability (DFM), inspection planning, error-proofing (Poka-Yoke) Lean 5S/6S, Kaizen programs Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) AS9100 (ISO/QS9001 or similar) standards Quoting & Estimating Working in a fast paced, collaborative, inter-disciplinary team environment Must be able to independently prioritize workload. Must possess excellent written, verbal, listening, and interpersonal skills. Must be proficient with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, and other common software packages. Must be able to work overtime as needed. Must possess excellent organizational and planning skills. Must be aggressive and persuasive, with perseverance and diplomacy. Must have excellent decision making ability. Must be able to achieve results with minimal supervision. Licenses Needed, Certifications, Special Training Courses Lean 5S/6S green belt or higher helpful, but not pre-requisite Travel Requirements In general, travel should be no less than 10% and no more than 25%. This includes both domestic and foreign travel as required from time to time. >