Senior Design Engineer (Mercantile)

Description

Position Summary

The Senior Design Engineer supports the design, development, and manufacturing of aerospace electrical interconnect systems, supporting processes and equipment from concept through production. This role serves as the technical bridge between engineering and manufacturing, ensuring products are designed for manufacturability, quality, reliability, and cost efficiency while meeting customer specifications and regulatory requirements. The Senior Design Engineer collaborates closely with customers, production, quality, supply chain, and program management to drive successful product launches and continuous process improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Design & Product Development

• Design and develop aerospace wiring harnesses, cable assemblies, electrical interconnect systems, manufacturing tooling aids, and processing equipment to meet customer and program requirements.
• Interpret customer drawings, specifications, and technical data packages to create manufacturing-ready designs and documentation.
• Develop and maintain engineering drawings, bills of material (BOMs), work instructions, and supporting technical documentation.
• Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles to optimize product performance, quality, and production efficiency.
• Support prototype development, first article builds, design verification, and product validation activities.

Manufacturing Support

• Provide engineering support to production by resolving technical issues and implementing corrective actions.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes and recommend improvements that enhance quality, productivity, and cost performance.
• Collaborate with production teams to troubleshoot design and manufacturing challenges.
• Assist with the implementation of engineering changes, ensuring timely documentation updates and effective communication across departments.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to product quality and manufacturing issues.

Engineering Systems & Compliance

• Maintain engineering documentation within ERP, PLM, or document control systems.
• Ensure designs comply with customer specifications, industry standards, and applicable aerospace regulations.
• Participate in design reviews, process validations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Assist in developing engineering standards, best practices, and design guidelines.
• Support configuration management and revision control throughout the product lifecycle.

Project Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate engineering activities to support customer schedules and production milestones.
• Collaborate with Quality, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Program Management to ensure successful project execution.
• Communicate technical information effectively with internal teams, customers, and suppliers.
• Identify project risks and recommend practical engineering solutions.
• Support new business opportunities by providing technical input during quoting and proposal development.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline required.
• Experience in manufacturing engineering, product design, or aerospace electrical interconnect systems preferred.
• Aerospace industry experience, particularly with wiring harnesses, cable assemblies, or electrical routing, is highly desirable.
• Proficiency with CAD software such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CATIA, or similar design platforms.
• Working knowledge of ERP, PLM, or related engineering management systems preferred.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.

Core Competencies

• Engineering Design & Development
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
• Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Aerospace Manufacturing
• Technical Documentation
• CAD Design Software
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Root Cause Analysis
• Continuous Improvement
• Configuration Management
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Project Management
• Customer Focus
• Quality & Regulatory Compliance