Elkhart - Lead Design Engineer

The Design Engineer is responsible for the process of transforming customer needs and requirements into thermoforming packaging solutions through creation of product designs and specifications, as well as tool designs and specifications. In collaboration with the customer, account managers, new product development team, tooling vendors, and other applicable parties, the designer is to implement packaging designs into finished goods, implement tooling designs, and procure production tooling which meet or exceed overall expectations of all parties.

Essential Accountabilities

• Assist Sales Managers/Account Managers with technical support for specific projects, present design solutions, and build strong working relationships. Be able to represent company with customers in the absence of the Sales Manager/Account Manager.
• Create and lead the efforts of ideation, concept, and product design resources for specific projects; coordinate the sample creation and approval process.
• Create complex computer aided design geometry, product and tool drawings based on the project analysis, customer specifications, and the assumption spreadsheet that the quote was based on.
• Integrate full proficiency of thermoforming and manufacturing processes with design projects and customer needs. Relate knowledge of plastic formulation and characteristics to customer requirements.
• Ensure tooling specifications, optimization, and performance standards are in place through working with Pricing, Process Engineering, internal and external tooling vendors, and other applicable parties.
• Provide development support to process engineering and production teams for tooling with additional input to product design, machine, process operation, and material suitability.
• Approve parts and confirm specification database.
• Review and initiate engineering change orders related to customer design changes, purchasing changes, and evaluations of possible specification changes.
• Production lifecycle support by supporting corrective action efforts along with financial analysis of changes.
• Comply with all safety, ISO procedures and work instructions related to job responsibilities.
• Provide design support for existing production tooling through the work order system which includes coordinating tool vendor support as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or other related field with 3 years product / tool design experience or Associate degree with 7 years product / tool design experience in the plastics industry that includes project management and leadership responsibilities.

Proficient in the use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems in both 2D and 3D.

Desired Skills

• Standard office professional software (i.e. word processing, spreadsheets)
• Thermoform plastics manufacturing experience.
• Knowledge of quality systems and controlled documentation systems
• Problem solving
• Customer focused
• Multi-tasking
• Self-directed with ability to work without close direction.

Position Requirements

Work Environment Conditions:

Inside: Office

Inside (other): Sample Lab, Tool Shop, Manufacturing

Equipment/Tools Used:

Computer, phone, copier, measurement tools, 3D printer, 3D scanner, 2D and 3D Modeling CAD, MS Office, Oracle

Physical Requirements: Light work (lift 10 lbs): frequently (samples, product)

Medium Work (lift 11-30 lbs.): frequently (tools, product) Heavy Work (lift 31-50 lbs.) occasionally (tools, boxes of product) Mental Requirements Reading, writing, calculating.

Interpersonal skills

Reasoning / Analysis

Works with minimal supervision

Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

Travel Frequency (in addition to seminars or related training):

Minimal (less than 5%) travel to customers/vendors/tradeshows