Position: Application Development EngineerLocation: Nashua, NHThe Cable Backplane Development Engineer will participate in the design and development of unique and/or proprietary high-speed custom cable assemblies which will integrate into the customer's system. These products are developed in response to specific customer application needs.
RESPONSIBILITIES: - Full technical responsibility for planning, organizing, and conducting technical projects within the design, fabrication, modification, and evaluation of electrical connectors and cable systems.
- Work closely with key customers and management to develop custom products, and ensure products and services satisfy customer requirements.
- Translate customer and market requirements to product concepts by generation and illustration of ideas, making use of a wide range of sources such as brainstorm sessions, existing APH products/portfolio, competition and patents in cooperation with multi-site teams.
- Design for Manufacturability - Ensure the best product design for cost and manufacturing processes without affecting the product functionality and performance at the customer.
- Ensure connectors chosen for a customer application meet all functional requirements
- Provide support / feedback to Sales Engineering and Field Application Engineering.
- Provide regular updates on project status internally to project team through regular project meetings / action trackers / management reviews / email.
- Provide regular updates on project status externally (to customer) through regular project meetings / action trackers / email.
- Conceive and plan projects involving the definition and selection of new concepts and approaches to the design and development of connectors, cables and cable systems, including managing the fabrication of components and prototype assembly.
- Create documents required to define and build products: drawings, material specifications, bills of materials and manufacturing processes.
- Work with cross-functional, multi-site teams to develop solutions that meet customer requirements, cost targets and program schedule requirements.
- Draw on the global engineering capabilities of other Divisions for collaborative interconnect product development initiatives to serve a total interconnect solution to the customer.
- Provide product cost data / cost calculations on various product concepts developed within the project to support Product Management and Manufacturing.
- Provide technical support to Sales and marketing personnel including technical training, presentations and customer visits.
- Coordinate, analyze and assess testing and qualifications in order to insure product conformity with specifications. Assess the quality and functionality of prototypes and samples for customer use and adherence to performance standards.
- Complete design verifications in early stages of projects. Execute, coordinate and interpret the design verifications such as calculations, simulations, Finite Element analyses (FEA), prototyping or testing.
- Develop and execute test plans as needed for product qualification to internal design criteria and customer design requirements
- Conduct competitive analysis together with other engineers and marketing in order to maximize competitiveness. i.e. Cost, Performance, Manufacturability, etc.
- Maintain and manage (product engineering/guardianship) of new and existing components, sub-assemblies and final assemblies throughout the life cycle of products.
- Provide support to manufacturing facilities on cost down, quality, customer issues.
- Stay abreast of technological developments in the connector and interconnection industries.
- Apply patent request when applicable in order to protect intellectual property.
- Travel as required
QUALIFICATIONS: - 2-5 years of experience in product development/design minimum
- BS in Mechanical Engineering (Electrical/Electronic Engineering Degree alternative)
- Experience designing and developing high speed Connectors, cable assemblies and cable assembly systems
- Good Communication and interpersonal skills
- Analytical reasoning and problem solving.
