Research Engineer III, Advanced Additive Manufacturing

Northeastern University - Boston, MA

Full-time - Mid Level

Boston, MA

Educational Services

About the position

KRI at Northeastern University, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northeastern University (NU), is seeking a highly motivated advanced additive manufacturing (AAM) engineer for the position of Research Engineer III. The research engineer will provide domain subject matter expertise and technical leadership across relevant projects at KRI, working as part of a team of multi-disciplinary R&D engineers/scientists. The engineer is expected to establish an externally funded innovative and productive R&D agenda that enhances the capabilities and impact of KRI's Advanced Manufacturing and Sustainment Technical Thrust Area. This position may be based in Burlington, MA or in Brunswick/Portland, ME, with this decision to be made based on multiple relevant considerations. Research Engineer responsibilities include forming and maintaining strong relationships with customers, sponsors, and partners, identifying funding opportunities, and leading the development of competitive proposals. This includes win theme development, creation of technical content, and ensuring that the program budget and schedule are competitive yet realistic. The engineer will ensure that funded programs are exceptionally executed, focusing on technical solutions that address customer requirements and help advance KRI's technology roadmap. Additionally, the engineer will identify opportunities for follow-on funding to existing programs and will be responsible for recruiting, mentoring, and managing technical staff, including R&D engineers, scientists, and technicians. As a subject matter expert in advanced/additive manufacturing, the Research Engineer will contribute to the development of differentiated capabilities in additive and advanced manufacturing, the development and execution of associated evaluation and characterization structures, materials, and practices, and the development of best practices and materials for the deployment of these methods, including personnel training. The engineer will also provide subject matter expertise for and contributions to proposals, reports, publications, presentations, and other knowledge products, and help with the oversight of technical operations at KRI in advanced/additive manufacturing. This position requires a close working relationship with and support of senior KRI engineers and scientists, exhibiting qualities expected from a responsible team player who demonstrates initiative and motivation to contribute to project, team, and organizational objectives for successful outcomes in government and industry contracts. KRI conducts cutting-edge applied R&D, founded with a focus on homeland security. Today, KRI strives to advance resilience in the face of 21st-century risks across a wide range of technologies, emphasizing a collaborative approach that leverages our R1 university intellectual capital and technologies to develop application-specific solutions to customer needs. KRI focuses on satisfying customer-driven needs by co-locating a diverse, highly skilled R&D team that can address all aspects of a particular problem across the full range of technology-readiness levels. KRI headquarters, located at the NU Innovation Campus in Burlington, MA (ICBM), is home to one-of-a-kind research and test facilities for conducting activities related to cognitive and distributed RF signal processing and machine learning, unmanned and autonomous system technologies, advanced manufacturing, as well as quantum materials and sensing. KRI has and is expanding its presence in other locations throughout the global NU network, particularly collaborating with Northeastern University Roux Institute in forming an advanced manufacturing R&D center in the Brunswick/Portland, ME area.

Responsibilities

• Form and maintain strong relationships with customers, sponsors, and partners.
• Identify funding opportunities and lead the development of competitive proposals.
• Ensure that funded programs are exceptionally executed, focusing on technical solutions that address customer requirements.
• Identify opportunities for follow-on funding to existing programs.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage technical staff, including R&D engineers, scientists, and technicians.
• Contribute to the development of differentiated capabilities in additive and advanced manufacturing.
• Develop and execute associated evaluation and characterization structures, materials, and practices.
• Develop best practices and materials for the deployment of advanced manufacturing methods, including personnel training.
• Provide subject matter expertise for proposals, reports, publications, presentations, and other knowledge products.
• Oversee technical operations at KRI in advanced/additive manufacturing.

Requirements

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science or Engineering, or closely related area required.
• Expertise in advanced manufacturing processes and methods with a focus on additive and subtractive methods is required; 2 years or more relevant research and development experience is required.
• Ability to lead projects from concept to execution to conclusion is required.
• Demonstrated understanding of digital design methods for manufacturing, experience in Industry 4.0 practices, knowledge of quality methods and procedures are required.
• Experience in the development, testing, scale-up, and deployment of methods such as 3D printing methodologies, microfabrication, cold spray, ceramic or novel composite development, dielectric processing, engineered coatings are required.
• Commitment to Environmental Health and Safety Best Practices is required.
• Experience with publication of work, technical reporting, strong writing, and presentation skills required.
• Ability to obtain DoD security clearance required; ability to obtain Special Access clearance preferred.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in part qualification to industry standards, understanding of cyber-security issues in advanced manufacturing production techniques and processes are preferred.
• Experience in the development of best-practices, standard operating procedures is preferred.
• Experience writing proposals for funded research projects preferred.

Benefits

• Multiple retirement plan options with extremely generous matching.
• Tuition waiver for classes and advanced degree programs.
• Medical, vision, dental insurance coverage.
• Paid time off.
• Wellness and life benefits.
• Commuting and transportation benefits.