What are the responsibilities and job description for the Product Design Mechanical Engineer position at PRIER Products, Inc.?
About Working At PRIER
Build with Purpose
PRIER builds plumbing products with purpose. With over 140 years of experience in listening to the customer and identifying needs, we design and build products that are easier to install and operate and stand the test of time.
PRIER’s mission and core values are vital to how we live every day to make an impact for your business and throughout the world.
· Honor God in all we do
· Help others be all they can be
· Respect each other
· Strive for excellence
· Make the most of every day
Position Overview:
This position requires engineering competency to design and develop new products from concept to production. Product Design Engineers report to the R&D Manager, but also support our Sales, Manufacturing and Quality departments as it relates to our products.
As a key position, vital to support the long-term success of three manufacturing divisions, PRIER Products, Stern-Williams and Fiat Products, we feel this person needs to be an intelligent, qualified engineering professional, willing to support R&D as well as other arms of the business and the industry we serve while continually positioning for the future. We also feel strongly that the person’s character fits into our philosophy and melds nicely with the team. The new hire must be capable of becoming a “level 5” leader that significantly strengthens and nurtures the family as the family must, in turn, do the same for them.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
As part of the product development team, Product Design Engineers evaluate all past, current and future products on a continuous basis. The primary roles are:
· Market Research:
o Assist Sales and Marketing departments with market research studies to help guide PRIER’s strategic direction and tactical actions as it relates to new products and analysis of competitive products
· Product Development:
o Project Management: Product Design Engineers have overall responsibility for keeping multiple projects moving from concept to launch by coordinating the efforts of several departments as necessary. Part of this effort requires significant organization and maintenance of information.
o Write product specifications
o Design and develop new products as well as improvements to existing products using SolidWorks
o Understand applicable plumbing codes and verify our products meet them
o Understand key characteristics of the products and make sure drawings are correct – proper dimensions, tolerances, notes, etc. Coordinate designs with manufacturing and vendors to establish agreement on dimensions and assembly methods.
· Manufacturing Support:
o Assure critical design knowledge is transferred to Manufacturing personnel
o Participate in pilot runs and employee training
o Assist in writing Manufacturing work instructions
o Validate that Manufacturing processes and equipment are capable of meeting design intent
o Inspect new components (in-house and vendor parts) for conformance to specifications
· Sales / Marketing Support:
o Attend local and national plumbing engineering trade shows and events
o Provide technical support to Sales on visits to meet plumbers, engineers, installers, etc.
o Assist Customer Service with customer questions / issues that arise
o Work with Marketing on Product Specification Literature and customer Installation, Operation & Maintenance Instructions
· On-going Quality / Maintenance:
o Solve problems that arise and make necessary adjustments. If design changes are required to improve quality and/or production efficiency, the Product Design Engineer makes the changes in SolidWorks and follows the implementation through to production.
Skills and Qualifications:
Our ideal candidate will have 10 years of experience in the product design & development field, with a proven record of developing products that are commercially successfully. The following skills are desirable:
- BS in Engineering, Mechanical preferred
- Knowledge of the product design and development process
- Familiarity with various materials (brass, copper, aluminum, rubber, stainless steel, plastic, terrazzo, sheet molding compounds, composites)
- Knowledge of various manufacturing processes (sand cast, die cast, injection molding, metal fabrication, machining, terrazzo manufacturing, compression molding, etc.)
- Proficient in SolidWorks, including drawings and tolerancing
- Understanding of fluid dynamics
- Superior project management, leadership and interpersonal skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Organized / detail oriented
- Timeliness – ability to maintain a sense of urgency and meet deadlines
- Natural tendency to be curious, positive and creative
- Team player who collaborates well with others
- Flexibility in terms of dealing with changing priorities and dealing with multiple projects simultaneously
- Knowledge of residential and/or commercial plumbing practices is a plus
Other information you’ll want to know:
- You will work out of our Grandview, Missouri facility
- Full time, exempt
- Matching 401K, Matching Onward Short-Term Savings Program
- Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance