Due to growth and customer demand, CommScope is looking to add a Senior Engineer to our Broadband infrastructure team in the U.S. The ideal candidate will be based in the
Apex, N.C. area.How You'll Help Us Connect the World:The Senior R&D Engineer for Telecom Outside Plant (OSP) New Product Development plays a key technical leadership role in the conception, validation, and commercialization of next-generation telecom products. This position partners closely with product development, laboratory engineering, and cross-functional teams to translate customer needs, Telcordia Generic Requirements (GR) specifications, and internal requirements into robust product designs and validation strategies.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical expert with deep experience in telecom OSP technologies, advanced testing/evaluation methods, and cross-functional program execution. They excel in turning complex requirements into actionable engineering plans and are driven by innovation, rigor, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities:New Product Development Leadership
- Lead technical development activities for new OSP products from concept through commercialization.
- Translate GR requirements, customer specifications, and risk assessments into design inputs and validation strategies.
- Develop engineering models, test plans, and experimental designs to prove compliance and product robustness.
- Collaborate with systems, mechanical, and materials engineering teams to define architecture choices and design trade-offs.
- Champion design for reliability, manufacturability, and cost throughout the development lifecycle.
GR Evaluation Planning & Execution
- Interpret Telcordia GR specifications (e.g., GR-771, GR-487, GR-3108) and create detailed evaluation plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria.
- Partner with laboratory engineering to establish test sequences, instrumentation needs, fixtures, and appropriate environmental conditions.
- Oversee execution of complex or high-risk evaluations, ensuring accuracy, traceability, and configuration control.
- Analyze results, identify root causes for failures, and lead cross-functional corrective action activities.
- Present findings and design recommendations to senior engineering and program stakeholders.
Technical Problem Solving & Innovation
- Develop innovative solutions that lead to intellectual property to protect value creation of new products
- Lead structured root cause analysis (5 Why, DOE) for development challenges or test failures.
- Drive innovative material, design, or process solutions to meet stringent OSP reliability requirements.
- Benchmark new technologies, evaluation methods, and industry best practices to strengthen product performance.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Product Management, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain to ensure seamless development flow.
- Lead design reviews, risk assessments (DFMEA, PFMEA), and readiness gates throughout development.
- Provide senior-level mentorship and technical guidance to engineers, lab personnel, and technicians.
Documentation, Reporting & Compliance
- Generate high-quality engineering reports, summaries, and technical justifications for internal and external audiences.
- Ensure all technical work meets compliance expectations for GR standards, customer audits, and QMS requirements.
- Maintain complete, auditable documentation of test methods, configurations, and results.
Continuous Improvement & Capability Development
- Identify opportunities to accelerate product development through automation, advanced analysis, or improved evaluation methods.
- Lead Kaizen projects targeting cycle time reduction, increased test throughput, or improved reliability prediction models.
- Introduce data-driven methodologies and digital tools for test execution, reporting, and traceability.
Required Qualifications for Consideration:• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related Engineering area.
• 7+ years of engineering experience in R&D or product development
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and mentor junior engineers
• Proficiency with injection molded and sheet metal part design.
• Strong communication, reporting, and documentation skills.
• Solid understanding of laboratory safety and quality systems (ISO 9001 / 17025).
• 2+ years of 3D modeling in Creo
• Experience with prototype fabrication methodologies. i.e. machining, printing, injection molding.
You Will Excite us if you Have:• Strong background in telecom outside plant, harsh-environment products, or similar industries.
• Proven experience interpreting and applying Telcordia Generic Requirements or equivalent specifications.
• Experience with GR-771, GR-487, GR-3108, GR-63, or similar environmental/qualification standards.
• Advanced knowledge of product development frameworks (APQP/PPAP).
• Expertise with automation and data acquisition (LabVIEW, Python, PLC/SCADA).
• Lean/Six Sigma, PMP, or Agile certification.
• Experience with reliability engineering tools: HALT/HASS, Weibull analysis, accelerated life testing.
Skills & Competencies:- Technical Leadership: Guides teams, resolves conflicts, and drives technical clarity.
- Systems Thinking: Understands interactions of materials, mechanics, and environment in OSP products.
- Execution Excellence: Ensures rigor in test setup, documentation, and configuration control.
- Analytical Strength: Skilled in failure analysis, data interpretation, and experimentation.
- Cross-Functional Communication: Clear, concise communication with technical and non-technical teams.
- Innovation: Identifies emerging technologies and new methods to enhance product performance.
- Safety & Compliance Focus: Proactively mitigates risk and upholds safety standards.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):- NPI schedule adherence and milestone achievement.
- First-pass qualification success rate.
- Number and severity of defect escapes or rework cycles.
- Quality of technical reports and findings (clarity, traceability, completeness).
- Contribution to new capabilities, IP, or innovation pipeline.
- Effectiveness of root cause analysis and closure of corrective actions.
- Continuous improvement impact (cycle time reduction, enhanced methods).
