Job Responsibilities
In this role, you will be responsible for coordinating with product management and marketing to develop innovative and new products in line with company markets and opportunities using Lean principles.
• Develop new products and product technologies compatible with the company’s traditional and defined non-traditional markets.
• Plan, conduct and assume responsibilities for multiple engineering projects with full consideration to specifications, costs, timing and budget. Provides periodic feedback, progress reports, etc. to management.
• Evaluate/develop new materials and components to improve current products and processes for performance, reliability, safety, environmental compatibility and cost-effectiveness.
• Develop appropriate test programs to validate and qualify new products, processes and materials. Ensure that proper analysis is performed and appropriately documented.
• Generate or supervise the generation of required technical documentation including specifications, drawings, instructions, invention disclosures, reports, etc.
• Work with business unit teams to release new products and implement new product and process technology into manufacturing.
• Continuously monitor technology developments relevant to TAPCO products, processes and markets, particularly in lighting components, optics, materials, molding, forming, testing etc.
• Manage engineers and technicians assigned on an organizational or project basis.
• Provide new technology training for sales, engineering, manufacturing and customer service personnel in areas of expertise as required.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing, and sales force and customer service personnel.
• Actively participate in intellectual property protection through patent filing, patent analysis, monitoring industry (supplier, competitor, key technology) intellectual property, etc.
• Perform feasibility analyses, cost estimates, project timing, capital requirements on proposed new products and processes.
• Develop and maintain appropriate laboratory and analytical facilities, equipment and external resources.

Required Qualifications
• Associate degree in Mechanical Technology or equivalent
• Minimum seven (7) years in electromechanical product design with AutoCAD & Solid Works
• Knowledge of DC and AC electrical power circuits
• Knowledge of relevant manufacturing processes (i.e. injection molding, vacuum and pressure forming, printing, painting, coating, fabrication and assembly methods, etc.) and materials (metals, plastics, glass, adhesives, inks, paint and coatings, electronic materials, etc.)
• Able to effectively manage multiple projects and priorities, and work effectively with teams to achieve results without direct authority over team resources
• Possess “hands-on” capabilities and skills for prototyping and testing tasks

Preferred Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
• Additional degree or education in optics or electrical engineering desirable.
• LED lighting product development experience or relevant coursework in optics highly desirable
• Advanced Product Quality Planning would be a plus

Language Skills
Ability to read, analyze and interpret business and technical journals, technical procedures, engineering drawings and tolerances, vendor proposals, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from suppliers or regulatory agencies. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format Ability to effectively present information to top management.

Mathematical Skills
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret graphs of all types.

Reasoning Ability
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables, whether vague or specific, in situations where only a limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and to reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical machinery and material handling operations, and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The list of job elements, responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, or conditions is not exhaustive, but is merely the most accurate list of the current job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, or technical development).