Senior R&D/Product Development Engineer (IND)

Job Overview

TE Connectivity's R&D/Product Development Engineering team develops innovative products from concept through production release. The team is responsible for product design, development, verification, qualification, and manufacturing introduction based on market and customer requirements. Responsibilities also include supporting supplier qualification; conducting feasibility studies and testing for new or modified designs; leading detailed design, prototype fabrication, and manufacturing ramp-up; and providing complete product documentation, including 3D models, 2D production drawings, product specifications, and test requirements. This position combines hands-on connector product development with frequent customer interaction to clarify applications, translate customer needs into engineering requirements, and support timely technical issue resolution.

What Your Background Should Look Like

Responsibilities:

Connector research and development responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Lead connector product development from concept through design verification, product qualification, production release, and post-launch technical support, ensuring delivery against agreed scope, schedule, cost, quality, and technical requirements.

2. Serve as a key technical interface for customers, engaging frequently and proactively with customer engineering teams to understand applications, clarify requirements, identify design challenges, and provide timely technical support throughout the product development cycle.

3. Translate customer needs, application conditions, and technical feedback into clear engineering specifications, design inputs, verification requirements, and feasible product solutions; communicate technical trade-offs, risks, and recommendations effectively.

4. Develop and maintain product documentation, including bills of materials (BOMs), 3D models, 2D drawings, GD&T, product and application specifications, DFMEAs, tolerance analyses, and engineering change records.

5. Lead technical design reviews to ensure compliance with engineering principles, product performance requirements, applicable UL and IEC standards, customer requirements, and verification plans.

6. Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and other cross-functional teams to assess design feasibility, manufacturability, assembly, inspection, and quality-control requirements and to support prototype builds and production ramp-up.

7. Plan and lead design verification, product validation, first article inspection (FAI) reviews, and qualification activities; analyze test results, troubleshoot design or application issues, drive corrective actions, and complete product release according to project milestones.

8. Identify and manage technical risks, design changes, and requirement changes throughout the development cycle, ensuring alignment with customers and internal stakeholders.

9. Partner with customers, sales, marketing, and internal engineering teams during opportunity assessment and pre-production stages to align technical solutions, manage expectations, support product selection and design-in activities, and facilitate successful product introduction.

10. Capture the voice of the customer, application trends, and recurring technical issues, and provide structured feedback to product management and engineering teams to support product improvement and future development.

Qualifications, Experience, and Skills:

1. Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

2. Minimum of five years of relevant experience in connector or electromechanical product development, including independent ownership of new product development projects and direct customer-facing engineering experience.

3. Strong knowledge of connector fundamentals and the ability to design connector components; knowledge of power and signal connector applications and applicable international standards, such as UL and IEC, is preferred.

4. Working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, the mechanical properties of plastic and metal materials, and manufacturing processes including injection molding, stamping, and assembly.

5. Proficiency in at least one 3D CAD platform, such as Creo, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, NX, or SolidWorks, and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

6. Proficiency in written and reading English; effective spoken English is preferred.

7. Strong customer-facing communication and coordination skills, with the ability and willingness to interact frequently and independently with customers, understand their applications and technical challenges, identify explicit and latent needs, translate customer feedback into clear engineering requirements, and coordinate effectively with manufacturing, quality, sales, and other cross-functional teams to drive timely resolution and closure.

8. Strong teamwork and collaboration skills, with experience working effectively in multicultural and cross-functional engineering environments.

9. Effective and innovative problem-solving skills, with the ability and willingness to manage multiple products, priorities, and assigned tasks.