Design Engineer

About JTEKT

JTEKT North America is a global leader in engineering and manufacturing automotive systems, bearing solutions, and high-performance machine tools. Our global vision is to be preferred by all stakeholders to include customers, associates, suppliers and our local communities.  We employ great people that build value which surpasses the expectations of customers, build excellent products that astonish the world and build professionals who think and act autonomously.   If you share our values, come find your place in our JTEKT community. 

Job Scope:

Provides technical leadership and engineering expertise for the design, development, validation, and application of bearing solutions within the automotive market. Responsible for the overall design and technical execution of roller bearing products used in powertrain and drivetrain applications, including support of new business development, product launches, customer requirements, and continuous improvement initiatives. 

Initial responsibilities will focus on Ball Bearing and Tapered Roller Bearing technologies, with responsibilities expected to expand and shift to additional bearing types and technologies as business needs evolve. 

Summary/Purpose:

• Design new or apply existing bearing designs to meet customer application and product requirements.
• Support development, validation testing and launch of new bearing designs.
• Identify and drive initiatives to continuously improve engineering design standards, engineering efficiency and product performance.
• Identify and drive initiatives to continuously improve manufacturability and profitability of existing and new designs.
• Provide engineering support to manufacturing, sales & customers for maintenance of existing production designs.
• Generate and develop new product design features or methods to extend or advance the product line.

Essential Duties and Accountabilities:

• Independent evaluation, selection and application of appropriate Koyo engineering standards to create bearing designs that meet customer application and product requirements.
• Analyze customer’s application requirements to define product requirements.
• Produce drawings and specifications for manufacturing and customer agreement.
• Perform engineering analysis and testing required to validate designs.
• Interface with manufacturing to ensure design for manufacturability and continuously improve alignment between product design and process capabilities.
• Lead/execute engineering continuous improvement and product development projects in support of product line and/or corporate objectives.
• Provide failure analysis, root cause analysis and problem solving of internal testing or customer application field issues.
• Provide engineering support for root cause analysis and problem solving of manufacturing quality issues.
• Create or modify design and engineering standards based on lessons learned or product advancements.
• Develop computer competency to successfully complete design tasks utilizing standard calculations, automated design programs, 3D modeling (CAD), FEA and other analysis tools.
• Recommend and develop new technology or new uses of technology (Intellectual Property).

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Demonstrated ability and success in the following areas:

• Mechanical aptitude
• Written and verbal communication skills; internally and with customers
• Computer and 3D CAD skills
• Project planning and execution
• Problem solving techniques
• Team skills
• Motivated, self-starter

Other Desirable Experience:

• Automotive or bearing industry
• DFMEA/PFMEA process
• PTC Creo and/or Pro Engineer experience
• Pro Mechanica/ANSYS FEA
• Solid Works
• Failure analysis
• Product testing
• Familiarity/training in formalized problem-solving methodologies (Red X, 8D, DOE etc)
• Project Management

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering
• 3+ years of related work experience

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

• 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.
• Work is mostly performed in a normal office setting with minimal exposure to health or safety hazards, and with substantial time spent working on a computer. Requires sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate computer keyboard and other office equipment.
• The performance of this position may occasionally require exposure to manufacturing or lab areas which require the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses with side shields and mandatory hearing protection.
• Travel by automobile and plane required approximately 10-15% of time.