R&D Engineer

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Applies creative thinking, technical analysis, and project management skills to contribute to the innovation objectives determined by management and the innovation team.
• Ensures that all existing and new innovation products meet all design, regulatory, and quality standards and specifications.
• Trains and develops essential technical personnel.
• Exercises good project management techniques by providing progress updates of the various projects as well as appropriate stakeholder management for accountability.
• Works with Quality Control Engineer on product and process quality standards.
• Designs and generates product models and drawings that meet GF design guidelines.
• Follows the defined innovation process for GF.
• Contributes to the performance of the R&D team by completing assigned tasks and special projects.
• Gathers data by assembling, installing, and testing products, compounds, and components for defined metrics.
• Performs comparisons and analyses of results to contribute to technical and product innovation.
• Compiles and reports data from personal and team evaluations.
• Maintains, operates, and calibrates laboratory equipment, including necessary supplies.
• Keeps accurate records in the form of a laboratory notebook and makes sure records are filed correctly so new advances can be patented as necessary.
• Safeguards all operations adhering to both company and government regulations.
• Develops a thorough understanding of product applications, performance, quality standards, testing, and installation.
• Supports production and product management engineers on new and existing products.
• Writes basic test protocols, executes testing, records data, and writes summary reports.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Ability to work well in a dynamic and demanding environment, interfacing with a wide variety of people and managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to design products to regulatory standards and generate models and technical drawings.
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to work well with others.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Computer modeling skills in NX, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks.
• Ability to use measurement equipment to include calipers, micrometers, etc.

Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in an Engineering field (preferably mechanical, electrical, industrial, or materials).
• Minimum of 3-4 years of research and development experience or equivalent.
• Project management experience a plus.
• Experience with various mechanical and material analytical test equipment.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

• Exposed to general production machine noise levels.
• Exposure to fumes.
• Exposure to seasonal temperature extremes.
• Exposure to hazards such as electrical and moving mechanical parts.
• Standing, walking, sitting, reaching, pushing, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing.
• Average work-exert up to 60 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly.
• Required to lift up to 50 lbs. and move odd shaped objects (desks, tables, etc.).
• Required some overhead lifting up to 40lbs objects (cardboard boxes, trash bags, odd shaped items, etc.).