Engineering Specialist

The Engineering Specialist with Weaving Process focus is responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing the technical execution of internal and customer funded projects directed toward developing, expanding, and maturing AEC’s family of technologies for manufacturing fiber reinforcements for use in advanced composite structures.  These technologies currently include 3D Jacquard weaving, conventional 2D weaving, and a variety of special processes such as contour weaving, steered weaving and braiding.  The Engineering Specialist is expected to provide technical leadership within the DFW facility, to serve as a technical consultant and to participate in technical reviews.

1. Develop novel preforming processes using a variety of textile-based and associated methods (e.g., weaving, tufting, braiding, fiber placement, etc.). These materials may include 2D and 3D woven textiles, uni-directional fabrics, preforms utilizing fiber placement, or any combination
2. Lead the design, verification and validation process of new products, technologies and methods, including material and component fabrication and testing.
3. Establish working relationships with Customer’s technical staff.  Represent AEC’s technical position in meeting with Customers.
4. Technical lead on proof-of-concept activities that may lead to new production opportunities.  Perform risk assessments for these opportunities and develop roadmaps outlining work that must be performed to minimize those risks.
5. Work closely with manufacturing engineers to identify opportunities for improving existing processes.

1. Establish process and performance limits; create effective process window maps; distill into effective work instructions for shop floor personnel.
2. Monitor the industry to identify new techniques and process that may be of interest to AEC.

1. Provide engineering/technical project updates and communications as needed by internal and external customers.
2. Provide mentoring and technical leadership to the engineering organization in relevant areas of expertise.  Identify and support implementation of organizational process improvement initiatives.
3. Support technology road-mapping activities.

A candidate for Engineering Specialist is expected to have a BS in Engineering (preferred Aerospace, Composites, Mechanical), advanced degree is preferred or equivalent from relevant experience, and be able to demonstrate competence in one or more of the following areas:

Knowledge:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in composites manufacturing
• Technical leadership in a textile-based high-volume manufacturing environment
• Expert knowledge and experience with manufacturing processes and related textile-based equipment
• Expertise as a design/manufacturing lead for textiles and composites
• Structured problem solving skills; Six Sigma certification preferred, but not required
• Working knowledge or understanding of lean tools such as 5S, Visual Factory, value stream mapping
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft software (MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel) to enable the creation of work instruction and other production documentation
• Knowledge of composite materials mechanical behavior and structural test methods

Skills / Abilities:

• Experience with textile design, simulation, loom software (e.g., Fibersim, NedGraphics, TexGen, EAT)
• Experience with software for statistical analysis (e.g., Minitab, MATLAB, Python)
• Team and people skills that are required to ensure efficient execution of tasks
• Flexible and adaptable
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Well organized and disciplined
• Willingness to perform “hands-on” work in dynamic work setting
• Strong Decision-making with ability to set and balance priorities
• Project Management