R&D ENGINEER - MECHANICAL POWER EQUIPMENT - TUALATIN, OR
Purpose of Position
The R&D Mechanical Engineer is responsible for collaborating or leading the design, testing and certification of innovative electrical power products in collaboration with a diverse team of electrical, mechanical and manufacturing engineers. This role requires a strong intuition of fundamental engineering concepts across multiple disciplines and an ability to effectively manage the product development process under limited direction.
Essential Functions:
- Serve as Project Leader for New Product Development Projects from project initiation through production implementation.
- Ensure the execution and implementation of the New Product Introduction (NPI) engineering work for assigned projects.
- Collaborate with Senior and Lead Engineers in writing detailed engineering specifications and developing concept drawings in collaboration with Sales and other stakeholders.
- Coordinate with Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTLs) to define product evaluation and certification scope.
- Lead the creation of detailed design drawings, 3D models and bills of material for prototype equipment and test articles.
- Develop and document test plans according to the relevant standards. Common tests include full-load temperature rise, dielectric and BIL, short-circuit and withstand current, mechanical endurance, component failure, environmental, functional and seismic shake-table tests.
- Support the testing process at in-house and third-party laboratories. Travel up to 20% to support testing and other product development tasks in-person. Evaluate test results and revise designs based on empirical data and established engineering concepts.
- Characterize the electrical, thermal and mechanical performance of common design elements through testing, simulation and/or analytical methods. Develop standard design criteria and models.
- Work closely with manufacturing engineering to implement Design for Manufacturability (DFM) concepts throughout the new product development process.
- Working with Mechanical Designers,
- Conduct failure analyses of existing products and identify opportunities for continuous improvement
Competencies:
- Strong Technical Capability
- Solid grasp of three-phase electric power concepts, power distribution systems, power control and protection strategies are preferred.
- Excellent communication and technical writing skills.
- Must be a team player with strong verbal/written communication skills.
- Strong organizational skills with precise attention to detail.
Education and Experience:
- Minimum 5 years of experience designing low and/or medium voltage power distribution equipment or related products.
- BSME or equivalent in experience.
- Experience with NRTL (UL, CSA, etc.) evaluation, testing and certification processes.
- Experience with common standards for electrical equipment (UL 891, 1558, 508A; IEEE C37.20, etc.)
- Design Experience using SolidWorks to produce 3D models is highly preferred.