Product Development Engineer
| Company | Westlake |
|---|---|
| Location | Kannapolis, NC, USA |
| Salary | $Not Provided – $Not Provided |
| Type | Full-Time |
| Degrees | Bachelor’s |
| Experience Level | Mid Level, Senior |
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from ABET accredited university in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical Engineering.
- Minimum 3 to 5 years of functional and HANDS-ON product design and development experience with demonstrated expertise in bringing new products from concept to commercialization.
- Knowledge of manufacture, testing, analysis, and Industrial Design Engineering.
- Knowledge and experience with product/project management skills.
- Six sigma green/black belt and knowledge of DOE, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why, FMEA, statistical analysis, etc. is preferred.
- Effectively communicate with all levels of employment both verbally and in writing. Exceptional interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships across a diverse organization are critical to success in this role.
Responsibilities
- Interface with internal and external customers and stakeholders to strategically plan and develop new products, ensuring alignment with market needs and Westlake’s competitive goals in the fiber cement/engineered wood building materials market.
- Engage with cross-functional leadership and learn from experienced, data-driven experts to develop sound science-based principles for product innovation.
- Lead the creation and testing of products by utilizing lab equipment and coordinating trials on pilot and production equipment to address a variety of production-related issues and improve product performance.
- Develop collaborative relationships with suppliers to stay abreast of new machinery and raw materials that can enhance product offerings.
- Partner with sales, marketing, and manufacturing teams to leverage gated processes effectively, transitioning new concepts and products from ideation to market readiness.
- Improve cost efficiency and reduce scrap during the product development phase, ensuring that all improvements are backed by rigorous data collection and analysis.
- Analyze data using statistical software and communicate results in easy-to-understand formats to cross-functional teams, aiding the decision-making process.
- Utilize state-of-the-art CAD tools to design new product profiles to ensure production-ready documentation and robust manufacturing processes.
- Attend trade shows, classes, and training seminars to keep skills up-to-date, learn about new equipment, products, and processes related to the industry, and support the launch of new products into the market.
- Assist in capital equipment budget planning and specifying to refine production techniques for new product launches and production methods.
Preferred Qualifications
- Six sigma green/black belt and knowledge of DOE, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why, FMEA, statistical analysis, etc. is preferred.