JOB TITLE: FRICTION STIR WELDING PROGRAM MANAGER
REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING
FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT
PREPARED DATE: AUGUST 2, 2024
SUMMARY: The Friction Stir Welding Program Manager is responsible for managing the design, development and production of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) processes and evaluation procedures. This position will also manage the development and testing of FSW applications in support of company programs and determine applicable testing regimens to quantify and qualify results of FSW operations and supervise technicians in Friction Stir Welding applications. The FSW Program Manager will direct business development efforts, program development, funding, and sales for all FSW programs and customers. The FSW Program Manager will provide technical expertise to the sales team, customers, and prospective customers as a part of a sales strategy to
achieve organizational sales and profit goals.
QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility in a safe and satisfactory manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
SALARY RANGE: $90,000 – $115,000
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Manage multiple equipment development and Friction Stir Welding projects
- Adjust any and all variables in Friction Stir Welding Process to improve existing processes and create new ones
- Long term planning to coordinate multiple complex development activities
- Work with project engineers and technicians to plan design projects and production runs
- Evaluate test data and help troubleshoot FSW processes
- Evaluate processes and procedures to achieve repeatability
- Maintain document system that conforms to ISO 9001-2015 and AS9100 requirements
- Documentation and technical report writing.
- Manage daily workload for assigned Projects
- Long term planning and supervision to coordinate assigned project design activities
- Work with multi-discipline teams to plan and execute design projects
- Evaluate test data and help troubleshoot designs
- Work with engineering team to evaluate 3D models and drawings
- Assist customers with system control, robotics, and integration software design
- Communicate customer needs to Sales and Engineering teams
- Ensure proprietary and controlled information is properly safeguarded
- Control and manage schematics, drawings, and software for Friction Stir Welding equipment and processes with appropriate change control documentation.
- Provide product, service, or equipment technical information by answering questions and sales inquiries
- Communicate with customers and engineers to assess customer needs and to determine product requirements
- Work with customers and engineers to develop SOW’s for process development, process demonstration, and batch
production activities - Develop technical information for sales team training
- Assist with development of strategies and techniques for achieving the sales goals
- Investigate potential customers and generate leads for the sales team
- Assist with the development of sales presentations and proposals
- Track, collate, interpret, and report sales figures
- Develop customer and prospect communications
- Actively service customers, generate quotes, and attend trade shows/meetings
- Participate in business development strategy planning
- Attend inter-departmental meetings to generate new ideas, strategies and opportunities for the company and maintain communication flow between departments
- Lead efforts to successfully present technical information at the right level to target customers
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Other duties may be assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Software & Electrical Engineers, Project Engineer(s), Production Technician(s)
EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
- Advanced engineering degree highly preferred
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in friction stir welding engineering and processes.
- Understanding of automated controls systems required
- Solid understanding of metals, alloys, and mixed metallic/ceramic materials required
- Expert with heat transfer, thermodynamics, stress analysis required
- High level understanding of numerical and finite elements analysis methods required
- Firm knowledge of 3D modeling software and familiar with manufacturing design records keeping required
- Experience managing projects required
- Writing and technical reporting / presentation experience required
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
- Read and interpret documents in English such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals, newspapers, periodicals, journals, and manuals
- Able to develop, write, format, and communicate policy and procedure
- Write routine business and technical reports, correspondence, business letters, summaries, and reports in English using prescribed format, conform to all rules of punctuation, grammar, and style
- Ability to speak effectively in English before groups such as customers or employees
- Ability to develop and maintain a professional working relationship with all team members
COMPUTER SKILLS:
- Microsoft Word, Power Point, and Excel at an advanced level
- Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks) and robotics software highly desired
- Proficient in electronic forms of communication including email, web searching, and data organization
REASONING ABILITY:
- Apply common sense understanding to follow instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form
- Use mathematical skills to interpret mechanical and metallurgical findings, financial information, and prepare budgets
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must be able to see differences in widths and lengths of lines such as those on graphs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
Inside: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes. Much of the work will be done in a machine shop type environment with high noise levels, dust, and other hazards associated with machining work.
A job is considered “inside” if the worker spends approximately 75 percent or more of the time inside.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
- Must be able to work effectively in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, communicate well with others, effectively deal with technicians and customers, and accept constructive criticism
- Must be able to change activity frequently and cope with interruptions
IMPORTANT NOTE: Essential functions of this job are described under the headings above. The job requirements and features are subject to change from time to time due to the dynamic nature of the Company.
It is the policy of VRC Metal Systems not to discriminate or allow the harassment of employees or applicants on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law with regard to any employment practices, including recruitment, advertising, job application procedures, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, job assignments, benefits and/or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, provided the individual is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the essential functions of the job. This policy applies to all jobs at the Company. The
Company will continue to take affirmative action to ensure that individuals are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law in all employment practices.
Employees and applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans are encouraged to inform Human Resources if they need a reasonable accommodation to perform a job for which they are otherwise qualified. The Company makes, and will continue to make, reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee to promote the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company’s business.
