Junior R&D Engineer

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Job Title:   Junior R&D Engineer – Telecom New Product Development, located in Apex, NC

 

About the Role

 

The R&D Engineer for Telecom Outside Plant (OSP) New Product Development plays a critical technical role in transforming conceptual ideas into robust, next-generation telecom products. This position collaborates closely with laboratory engineering and cross-functional teams to ensure that Telcordia Generic Requirements (GR) specifications, along with internal standards, are effectively integrated into high-quality product designs.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on, classically trained mechanical engineer with strong 3D modeling experience using Creo. Expertise in molded plastic part design is essential. This individual excels at translating complex requirements into actionable engineering plans and is driven by innovation, technical rigor, and a commitment to engineering excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

 

New Product Development

• 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:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
• 0-2 years of engineering experience in R&D or product development
• Demonstrated ability to work in a dynamic team environment
• Rapidly grasp and utilize new methods and technologies as a junior engineer
• Proficiency with injection molded and sheet metal part design.
• Strong communication, reporting, a