Senior Engineer

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB
The main objective for the RD Engineering Manager is to manage fabric and composite development for seating fabrics for both advanced timing and official OEM Development.  The position also requires the management of all engineering launch activities for all the identified NA OEMs.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development process for the engineering of seating fabrics and materials for the automotive industry – focusing on meeting the required OEM specifications and necessary launch timing
• Management of the NA Engineering team activities for seating materials including surface finishing, lamination and outside processing of critical sample materials for OEM program presentations
• Provide oversight and guidance on engineering issues for OEM concerns or specification failures – including DOE creation/execution, statistical analysis and corrective action plans
• Effectively engage cross-functional teams in the manufacturing and transfer of products from Research and Development to Operations (Manufacturing)
• Create necessary presentations and reports to communicate and guide the internal (sales and design) and external customers (OEMs and Tiers) on technical engineering issues for both fabric and composite
• Interact with Outside Processors and Suppliers for all secondary processes that have been approved to determine the individual product and manufacturing capability and feasibility
• Assist in the development of new and innovative processes and chemistries to be utilized in seating fabrics for the automotive industry
• Provide the required process details and routings for fabrics as well as review final costing details so that accurate information can be provided to the Sales team to utilize in the OEM quoting process
   

KEY SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• B.S. in Textile Engineering or Polymer Chemistry and/ 5+ years in textile development
• Extensive knowledge of the textile manufacturing process including: Yarn properties, Dyeing, Setting, Surface Finishing, Lamination and Composite development
• Computer literate in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and statistical software
• Very organized, able to prioratise workload and work to tight deadlines for
• Work to a high level of accuracy with attention to detail
• Ability to work within a team environment and help drive results
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills – able to convey concepts and visions to a wide range of audiences
• Position requires travel within and outside of the US to meet with customers and suppliers