Job Overview

TE Connectivity’s Aerospace, Defense & Marine (AD&M) division is seeking a Staff R&D/Manufacturing Engineer to join the Rapid Response Team (RRT)—a specialized, agile engineering team focused on accelerating concept development and delivering prototype solutions to customers in compressed timelines.

The RRT is a cross-functional engineering initiative designed to accelerate the customer design process through rapid prototyping, improved collaboration between commercial and technical teams, and faster iteration cycles. 
In this role, you will be responsible for bridging product design and manufacturing execution, enabling fast-turn prototype builds, manufacturable design solutions, and early-stage process development. You will play a critical role in delivering pre-production hardware to customers within aggressive timelines, supporting new business wins and emerging platform development.

Responsibilities:

Rapid Response Execution
•    Support accelerated concept-to-prototype cycles, delivering manufacturable solutions within compressed timelines
•    Translate customer requirements and engineering concepts into practical manufacturing approaches
•    Provide rapid feasibility assessments, cost trade-offs, and risk evaluations
Prototyping & Manufacturing Development
•    Develop and execute prototype builds using a mix of: 
o    Additive manufacturing (DLP, FDM, metal AM)
o    Machining, forming, and assembly processes
•    Optimize product designs for manufacturability (DFM/DfAM) to improve speed, cost, and quality outcomes
•    Troubleshoot prototype builds and implement rapid design/process iterations
Process & Design Integration
•    Partner with R&D/Product Development Engineers to refine concepts into manufacturable solutions
•    Develop prototype-level manufacturing processes, work instructions, and documentation
•    Interpret and apply GD&T, support tolerance analysis, and ensure alignment to engineering intent
•    Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for prototype and process issues Cross-Functional Collaboration
•    Collaborate closely with product development, project management, quality, and supply chain teams
•    Engage with commercial teams and customers to accelerate solution development
•    Support alignment between engineering design, manufacturing capability, and customer expectations
•    Work with finance to create ROM costing on assemblies with finance.
Speed-to-Market Enablement
•    Support rapid response KPIs including: 
o    Fast customer response cycles (~48 hours, where applicable)
o    Prototype delivery within accelerated timelines (~4 weeks, where feasible) 
•    Ensure delivery of solutions that are fit-for-purpose for early-stage validation
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
•    Identify and implement improvements to reduce prototype cycle time and cost
•    Evaluate and deploy new materials, equipment, and manufacturing technologies
•    Support transition of successful concepts into NPD or production programs

What your background should look like

•    Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (or related technical discipline)
•    8–12+ years of experience in manufacturing, process development, industrial, or product development engineering
•    Experience in connector assembly, aerospace, defense, or high-reliability industries preferred

Technical Competencies
•    Strong understanding of manufacturing processes (machining, forming, assembly, molding)
•    Experience with additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping technologies preferred
•    Proficiency in CAD tools (Creo, SolidWorks, etc.)
•    Working knowledge of GD&T and engineering drawing interpretation
•    Experience with DFM/DfAM, root cause analysis, and process optimization
•    Knowledge of Six Sigma principles and deployment of Six Sigma skills
•    aPriori experience a plus

Professional Competencies
•    Ability to perform in fast-paced, high-ambiguity environments
•    Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills under time constraints
•    Effective communication and collaboration across cross-functional teams
•    Hands-on, self-directed approach with a bias toward action

Competencies