What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Engineer- Connectors Power BU position at Amphenol TCS?
Amphenol Power Solutions is seeking a Staff Engineer to lead product development initiatives across power connectors and cable assembly solutions. This role plays a critical part in shaping technical direction and delivering innovative, high-quality, and cost-effective solutions that meet market and customer demands.
The ideal candidate will be a strategic technical leader with a strong background in mechanical and electro-mechanical design, including power connector architecture, contact system design, sealing, and cable interface solutions, with a proven ability to drive cross-functional collaboration and mentor engineering talent.
Responsibilities:
Technical Leadership
- Lead design reviews, ensuring technical rigor, cross-functional alignment, and alignment to customer expectations.
- Drive cost reduction through innovative design, material optimization, and manufacturing improvements.
- Introduce and champion new technologies, tools, and design techniques to enhance performance and efficiency.
- Provide deep technical guidance and mentorship across the product development lifecycle.
- Lead training programs to elevate engineering capability, especially in power connector design and applications.
- Capture lessons-learned and implement best practices and standardized design approaches.
Product Development & Execution
- Support full-cycle development of power connectors, contact systems, and cable assemblies from concept through production.
- Design and optimize electrical contact systems (current carrying capability, contact resistance, thermal performance, plating, and durability).
- Develop robust strain relief solutions to ensure mechanical integrity and long-term reliability of cable-to-connector interfaces.
- Design sealed connectors and interfaces, including gasket selection, IP rating compliance, and environmental performance (dust, water, temperature).
- Translate Voice of Customer (VOC) into clear engineering specifications through close collaboration with customers and internal teams.
- Perform concept development, feasibility studies, and mechanical/thermal simulations.
- Create 2D/3D CAD designs (Creo preferred), conduct DFMEA, and perform tolerance stack-up analysis.
- Build prototypes, execute validation testing, and lead product qualification to final release.
- Ensure designs meet electrical, mechanical, and environmental requirements across applications.
- Support manufacturing, tooling, and quality teams for successful product launch.
- Manage product issues, ECNs/PCNs, and drive continuous improvement.
Process, Collaboration & Strategy
- Provide technical documentation including design history files, drawings, engineering change notices, and qualification reports.
- Collaborate with global teams, procurement, and suppliers to meet all quality, technical, and cost targets.
- Maintain awareness of competitor technologies and contribute to the strategic IP positioning of new designs. Generate and maintain technical documentation (drawings, specifications, DFMEA, validation reports, DHF).
- Collaborate with global engineering, procurement, and suppliers to meet cost, quality, and delivery targets.
- Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) for connector and cable solutions.
- Maintain awareness of industry trends and contribute to innovation and IP strategy in power connectivity.
Required Qualifications:
- Master's degree in engineering.
- Minimum 6 years of experience in mechanical design and product development within electrical components, connector systems, or cable assemblies.
- Strong expertise in connector design (preferably power connectors), including:
- Contact systems (high current, low resistance, plating, wear)
- Sealing systems (IP-rated connectors, gaskets, environmental protection)
- Strain relief and cable interface design
- Strong background in connector, or cable assembly design and related manufacturing processes (stamping, molding, assembly, plating).
- Expertise in 3D CAD design (preferably Creo), PDM tools, GD&T, and limit/tolerance analysis.
- Proficient with FEA software (Ansys/Workbench) for mechanical simulation involving elastic/plastic deformation.
- Skilled in creating product specifications, design documentation, and conducting DFMEA and validation testing.
- Solid understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and experience launching designs into production.
- Proven leadership experience with ability to influence engineering, manufacturing, and customer functions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with ability to operate in a global, cross-functional environment.
- Advanced problem-solving abilities and data-driven decision making under limited direction.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and collaboration platforms (Teams, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
- Strong experience in designing latching mechanisms, sealing mechanisms, and plastic injection molded parts.
- Knowledge of product design methodologies: GD&T, DFM, DFMEA, statistical tolerance stack analysis.
- Experience in product testing, validation processes, and qualification protocols.
- Understanding of Six Sigma and statistical process control (DFSS knowledge is a plus).
- Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively present technical information to global customers and internal stakeholders.
- Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously with minimal supervision.
- Knowledge of global industry standards and regulatory certifications (e.g., UL, IEC, EIA).
- High technical aptitude and willingness to continually learn and adapt to new technologies.
Behavioral Competencies:
- Performance Focused: Executes efficiently, meeting project deadlines and deliverables.
- Creative Thinker: Brings innovative, long-term solutions to technical challenges.
- Coach: Capable of mentoring others and leading technical project teams.
- Up to 25% travel domestically and internationally.