Senior Design Engineer, Head Protection

Key Responsibilities

• Develop innovative solutions that industry leading safety performance in a head protection product.
• Define performance objectives and validation strategies; develop and execute test plans for functional, durability, and environmental requirements.
• Instrument prototypes/fixtures for high-fidelity data capture; analyze results with DOE, regression, and reliability models to quantify trade-offs.
• Collaborate with simulation engineers to develop FEA/CFD/thermal models to lab/field data; update models based on findings; drive root-cause analysis and reliability growth.
• Utilize high speed video, python tools, and other advanced data analysis techniques to synthesize test results into actionable findings.
• Partner with manufacturing and suppliers on process capability, materials, and tooling; feed cost/quality/takt insights into design iterations and risk mitigation.
• Plan and execute prototyping—from proof-of-feasibility through production-representative builds—and capture lessons learned to inform downstream development.
• Document technical decisions, assumptions, and test outcomes in clear reports; present findings and recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Cultivate curiosity toward AI: proactively explore and run small proofs-of-concept where machine learning, generative design, and intelligent automation can improve analysis, prototyping, and test design.
• Mentor engineers in test design, analysis, and modeling; foster first-principles thinking and measurable outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Product, or Material Engineering (or related); advanced degree a plus.
• 2+ years experience with energy absorption technologies and/or head protection products.
• 5+ years of product development experience in automotive, industrial, consumer/durable goods, or adjacent industries.
• Demonstrated expertise in test planning/execution, data analysis, and modeling/simulation (FEA/CFD/thermal).
• Proficiency in CAD; experience with DFMA, prototyping methods, and supplier collaboration.
• Hands-on with instrumentation/DAQ and statistical tools (e.g., JMP/Minitab); familiarity with reliability methods (e.g., accelerated life testing, Weibull).
• Excellent communication skills—able to synthesize complex data into clear design recommendations; strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Practical experience applying ML/AI to guide mechanical design and integrate proven tools into standard engineering workflows.
• Self-starter comfortable learning beyond core discipline; able to manage ambiguous design tasks.
• Willingness to travel ~10% (domestic/international).