Engineering Department Head

Purpose of Position:
Lead a diverse team of engineers and technicians in a fast-paced manufacturing environment focused on:

• Product quality
• Safety
• New technology deployment
• Manufacturing capacity
• Cost reduction to meet business needs.

Lead by developing & deploying in-depth technical talent that solves problems through MIE, MEE, and DMAIC methodologies by creating and institutionalizing advanced understanding in the cabling process of OFC.

Day to Day Tasks:

• Provide daily supervision in order to ensure superior customer support to the cable manufacturing operation.
• Prioritize support efforts in order to maximize performance and minimize manufacturing costs
• Actively participate in establishing department objectives, prioritization and resource allocation as dictated by business priorities or conditions
• Actively engage in plant safety initiatives and projects while also encouraging 100% team participation
• Develop/maintain systems to monitor equipment and process performance
• Champion for the development of fundamental understanding
• Provide challenging assignments to direct reports and actively work with them to define and update career plans
• Set expectations for the team to develop Fundamental Understanding & Deep Process Knowledge. Coach & provide feedback on the approach. Drive teams to apply & institutionalize these learnings into Manufacturing & Engineering systems to ensure sustainability.
• Engage with Development to maintain awareness of technology inventory in R&D and externally. Be an advocate to pull in new technologies.
• Ensure that processes are being used rigorously: Innovation, Process Excellence, Project Management, Safety/Environmental, etc.
• Manage department and project budgets and forecasts.
• Support the protection and generation of IP
• Develops Engineering strategy & delivers on plan
• Uses tools such as DMAIC, six-sigma, MEE, MIE, and KT for problem solving.
• Seeks fundamental understanding and permanent solutions to technical problems.
• Champions technology deployment and transfer
• Explains technology clearly and concisely to others.
• Exhibits and/or supports creativity, innovation and risk taking in field.
• Clearly articulates the risks and benefits of different engineering and technology choices.
• Develop short/long term equipment and process strategies with regards to equipment/software life-cycles or continuous improvement
• Sponsor or lead projects targeted at cost reduction, new products, safety, quality, increased capacity and other strategic initiatives

Travel Requirements:

• Minimal (less than 5%)

Hours of work/work schedule/flex-time:

• Monday-Friday.  The position is overtime exempt.  
• Overtime is not uncommon and is expected at times, however the amount and duration will vary as a function of business needs.  
• Off-hours leadership support required once every two months.

Required Education & Experience:

• BS or MS in Materials, Ceramic, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering, or degree in other Engineering discipline with demonstrated manufacturing experience
• 2+ years of functional or project leadership experience
• 4+ years of experience in a Manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of engineering supervision & leadership experience.
• Successful technical project management, with evidence of progressive increase in responsibilities.
• Has excelled in one or more prior applicable roles: Manufacturing, Innovation, or Engineering leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop people.
• Proven ability to effectively lead and motivate teams.
• Sound decision-making skills - ability to effectively analyze data from multiple sources and set direction.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work on an independent basis in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communications skills and presentation skills.
• Ability to work effectively on all levels of an organization.
• Use scientific method and engineering first principles to solve problems thoroughly and effectively, using well-designed and executed processes.
• Data analysis skills and experience with Six Sigma methodology.
• Working knowledge of documentation systems.

Desired Skills:

• Supervisory skills, particularly in coaching technical employees.
• Six Sigma/DMAIC Greenbelt or Blackbelt certification.
• Basic knowledge of fiber optic properties and critical parameters along with the factors that affect them.
• Working knowledge of the material sciences with a focus on polymer extrusion principles.
• Project management experience.
• Strong equipment orientation.
• Experience with SQL or other programming languages.