Position: Senior Composites Applications Engineer
Toray Performance Materials Corporation (TPMC) is seeking a Senior Composites Applications Engineer. The Senior Composites Applications Engineer leads the full lifecycle of composite part application development- from customer requirements and engineering specification through tooling design, prototyping, Stage-Gate development, and final handover to production. The role is responsible for the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, manages and develops applications engineering team, collaborates closely with customers and cross-functional groups, and ensures manufacturable, high-quality, on-time solutions. The Senior Composites Applications Engineer also drives technology competitiveness, oversees tooling design, and strengthens PMC's capabilities toward becoming a world-class applications engineering organization.
Major Duties and Requirements Customer & Application Development Leadership- Review customer technical needs and convert them into detailed engineering specifications.
- Assisting customers with technical engagements, onsite visits, and design-for-manufacture discussions.
- Provide product/process recommendations to support customer programs.
New Product Introduction (NPI) & Stage-Gate Ownership- Responsible for the NPI workflow, including project scoping, scheduling, budgeting, risk mitigation, and execution-aligned with NPI engineering standards.
- Ensure projects meet timing and budget and adhere to NPI phase review guidelines.
- Drive cross-functional coordination among account management, quality, process engineering, and production teams.
Composites Application & Process Development- Lead feasibility studies, material selection, laminate definition, and process optimization.
- Benchmark and apply composite manufacturing methods commonly used in industry.
- Support pilot runs, scale-up trials, and production readiness activities.
Tooling Design Guidance and Approval- Oversee tooling concepts, design reviews, GD&T validation, and production-friendly design optimization-aligned with tooling design engineering responsibilities.
- Collaborate with customers on 3D models to ensure manufacturability and cost-effective solutions.
- Support procurement, inspection, and implementation of new tooling.
Cross-Functional Collaboration- Facilitate consensus-based decisions across diverse engineering, product management, production, supply chain, and commercial stakeholders.
- Ensure alignment between applications engineering, operations, product development, and customer programs.
- Support quality investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective actions consistent with industry expectations for NPI and engineering.
Technology Strategy & Competitive Intelligence- Stay informed on competitor technologies, new composite materials, advanced manufacturing processes, and automation trends.
- Recommend strategic investments in equipment, capabilities, and technologies to maintain a world-class applications engineering department.
Documentation & Compliance- Ensure all application specifications, tooling documents, work instructions, and NPI deliverables are properly maintained.
- Follow ISO9001 quality system requirements commonly used in composites manufacturing.
Team Leadership- Recruit, develop, and supervise applications engineering technicians.
- Set clear SMART goals for each direct report; track performance, provide coaching, and hold team members accountable.
- Foster an environment of learning, skill-building, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
- Provide career development, cross-training, and mentorship.
Travel: Travel up to 30% globally, including regular travel to company facilities and customers in Asia. The successful candidate must maintain a valid passport and a valid China business visa, or be eligible to obtain and maintain one, to support business operations, customer development, and technical project activities.
Experience, Education Requirements, and Language Skills: - Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering/aerospace engineering /polymer engineering/materials science, or a related field is minimum requirement. Advanced degree preferred.
- 5+ years industrial experience in composites engineering, applications engineering, or NPI within an industrial/manufacturing environment.
- Strong knowledge of composite materials, tooling design, thermoplastics/thermosets, and part manufacturing processes.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD and ability to guide design-for-manufacture decisions and tooling designs .
- Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers and the general public.
- Strong interpersonal skills and effective communicator.
- Strong organizational skills with effective time management skills. Highly organized, detail oriented and a good multi-tasker. Experience with Stage-Gate development processes strongly preferred.
- Experience with designing and setting up new processing & testing equipment
- Data-driven mindset; familiarity with DOE, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies is a plus.
- Ability to work flexible hours due to global team nature; connect well between teams in USA and Asia
Preferred- Advanced degree in a related engineering or science field.
- Experience with Stage-Gate development processes.
- Familiarity with DOE, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
- Bilingual English/Chinese skills.
Compensation: A competitive compensation package including base salary, potential for bonus based on performance, health insurance, and 401k will be available to the qualified applicant.
Salary Information$103,000 - max $138,000
The pay range above represents the expected offer range for the position. Factors that may be used to determine where newly hired employees will be placed in the pay range include the employee specific skills and qualifications, relevant years of experience and comparison to internal equity.
