Product Development Senior Engineer (VA / VE)

Why join us? 

Our purpose is to design for the good of humankind. It’s the ideal we strive toward each day in everything we do. Being a part of MillerKnoll means being a part of something larger than your work team, or even your brand. We are redefining modern for the 21st century. And our success allows MillerKnoll to support causes that align with our values, so we can build a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future for everyone.

GENERAL PURPOSE

Using Value Analysis and Value Engineering techniques, identify and implement key product cost improvement projects. Independently develops and applies engineering theories/concepts to assignments in support of business objectives and will be responsible for providing engineering leadership and expertise. Review design and documentation to ensure compliance with design criteria and standards. Conducts feasibility studies, determines manpower and cost estimates and develops engineering criteria. Applies originality, ingenuity, and knowledge of other disciplines in solving complex problems. Emphasis will be placed on team leadership, participation, communication, ability to plan, and ability to achieve results on assigned projects.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Investigate, identify, and implement projects that increase value while maintaining quality.  A wide range of project types will fall under this umbrella (e.g., significant changes in design, material, process, sourcing, etc.)

• Analyzes supply chain cost, value stream capabilities, and economic principles, making appropriate recommendations.

• Applies advanced problem-solving skills and executes solutions to complex problems independently.

• Applies learned engineering skills to work assignments.

• Coaches and mentors engineering tasks and skills to others.

• Develops and implements engineering and quality processes.

• Exercises considerable latitude in determining the technical objectives of an assignment.

• Identifies opportunities and owns improvements to products and processes.

• Leads defines and completes complex engineering tasks with minimal oversight of leadership.

• Manages and is accountable for budgets and expenses.

• Presents work output in a clear and concise manner.

• Schedules and coordinates major segments of complex engineering projects to meet cost and time objectives.

• Work broadly across the organization at a strategic level, applying knowledge of other disciplines in solving complex problems.

ADDITIONAL ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Research, investigate, and propose product criteria, functions, requirements, and cost targets (customer criteria, performance requirements, build objectives, manufacturability, assembly, quality, craftsmanship, service, installation).

• Recommend multiple solution alternatives for problems and concepts. Converge on solutions by evaluating the alternatives and tradeoffs, eliminating the weak alternatives, and improving the feasible alternatives.

• Collaborate with executives and leaders, project team members, other engineers, external experts, and industrial designers to propose ideas and offer suggestions.

• Evaluate and recommend new or existing suppliers, materials, and manufacturing processes that could provide solutions.

• Complete sketches, models, detailed engineering analyses' and studies that support the development of new parts and products; specific tools include FEA, tolerance stacks, FBDs, kinematics, hand calcs, logic flow charts, and state diagrams.

• Develop and specify appropriate prototype fabrication processes and materials; coordinate the build of prototype products and the fabrication of prototype parts.

• Evaluate and test concept models and prototypes against the project objectives, criteria, and requirements.

• Proactively anticipate and identify potential problems on new products and concepts, and develop good corrective actions by following a rigorous problem-solving process.

• Engage in cost estimates for prototype and production parts.

• Communicate clear, concise, accurate, and detailed engineering documentation (ECOs, deviations, test requests, work orders, model shop requests, drawings, instructions, e-mails, etc.).

• Collaborate with and advise Performance Engineering to develop Performance Requirements and test plans; request or perform physical testing on parts and products, then evaluate test results.

• Create, maintain, and release accurate 3D CAD models, drawings, service parts, instruction sheets, Gerber files, schematics, ECOs, boms, and material specifications for prototype products and production products.

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