Product Application Engineer

Amphenol Tcs - Etters, PA

Full-time

Etters, PA

Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing

About the position

Amphenol High Speed Products Group is seeking a Product Application Engineer to join our High Speed IO Connector team in Valley Green, PA. This role is pivotal in coordinating and developing solutions for cabled products, ensuring they are easy to assemble and function correctly in their end applications. The engineer will be responsible for ensuring that product designs are manufacturable and meet defined customer requirements, including electrical, mechanical, environmental, and application-specific criteria. Close interaction with customers and their contract manufacturers (CMs) is essential, as the engineer will work on developing application-specific solutions to integrate Amphenol's HSIO products into customer systems. This position requires collaboration with a global cross-functional team, including internal and external suppliers and manufacturing personnel, to support the development and validation of product prototypes through pilot production. The Product Application Engineer will drive discussions to define the needs and functional requirements of the customer and CM assembly processes. They will conceptualize, design, and develop application-specific structures to integrate cable assemblies and/or IO connectors into customer systems, from initial proposals to successful tooling and product qualifications. The role involves performing Design FMEA, Tolerance Analysis, Design for Manufacturability, FEA Analysis, and Risk Analysis on application-specific structures. Validation of developed solutions through analysis, prototyping, testing, and integration is a key responsibility, as is coordinating the build of mock-up systems to identify potential issues in the assembly process or end application. The engineer will also assess technical risks and work with various manufacturing disciplines to optimize design for production processes. In addition, the engineer will lead product design and manufacturing reviews, verify the accuracy of product drawings, and ensure proper usage of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing. They will collaborate with Materials Engineering to define material choices based on performance, pricing, and global sourcing requirements. Presenting product concepts to customers early in the development cycle, interpreting feedback, and incorporating revised requirements into the design are also critical tasks. The engineer will define product, application, and packaging specifications, as well as verification and product qualification test plans, and manage the resolution of first article inspections. Close collaboration with NPI and manufacturing engineering is necessary to ensure smooth transitions of products to manufacturing, and the engineer will interact with global associates as needed during product development, providing mentorship as required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and develop solutions for cabled products ensuring ease of assembly and proper functionality in end applications.
• Work closely with customers and their contract manufacturers (CMs) to address application-specific challenges for successful integration of cable assemblies, connectors, wire management, and supporting structures.
• Drive discussions to define needs and functional requirements of the customer/CM assembly process and end application.
• Conceptualize, design, and develop application-specific structures to integrate cable assemblies and/or IO connectors into customer systems from initial proposal to successful tooling and product qualifications.
• Perform Design FMEA, Tolerance Analysis, Design for Manufacturability, FEA Analysis, and Risk Analysis on application-specific structures.
• Validate developed solutions through analysis, prototyping, testing, and integration.
• Coordinate the build of mock-up systems to validate solutions and identify potential issues in the system assembly process or in the end application.
• Assess technical risk and work with internal and external manufacturing disciplines to optimize design for production processes.
• Lead product design and manufacturing reviews with both internal and external teams.
• Verify accuracy of product drawings and ensure proper usage of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing.
• Work with Materials Engineering to define metal and polymer material choices based on performance, pricing, and global sourcing requirements.
• Present product concepts to customers early in the development cycle, interpret feedback, and incorporate any revised requirements into the design.
• Define Product, Application, and Packaging specifications and verification and product qualification test plans.
• Manage the resolution of first article inspections and ensure products are transitioned to manufacturing.
• Interact with global associates as needed during product development and provide mentorship as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in a Mechanical or Electrical discipline, or equivalent engineering course work and related experience.
• 5+ years of experience in a design engineering role, familiarity with high speed cable assembly and/or connector design preferred.
• Experience with integrating/applying cable assemblies and/or connectors into larger computer systems.
• Knowledge and experience with computer system design and assembly processes.
• Industry Standards knowledge and experience is a plus.
• Experience and skilled use of Solid Works, FEA simulation software (ANSYS preferred), Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing principles, and Statistical Engineering methods.
• Ability to work effectively within a project team and to direct the activity of others as needed.
• Ability to communicate well with Global Customers and all levels of the organization including Management, Marketing, Sales, Process Engineering, Test Lab personnel, other Engineers (local and global), and Designers (local and global).
• Ability to prioritize work to meet objectives and to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Benefits

• Career growth opportunities within a global organization.
• Support and responsiveness to employees and customers.
• Equal Opportunity Employer status.