STAFF R&D/PRODUCT DVL ENGINEER- ME COE

Job Overview

As a Staff Mechanical Product Development Engineer in the Mechanical Center of Excellence, you will lead advanced mechanical research, design, and validation efforts for cutting-edge interconnect systems used in AI data centers, high-performance computing, and next-generation communication infrastructure.

Your role involves developing novel mechanical structures, executing thermomechanical simulations, validating materials, and collaborating cross-functionally to enhance product performance, reliability, and manufacturability. You will operate with a high degree of autonomy and technical depth to define and drive innovation across mechanical platforms—from early-stage PoCs through NPI handoff.

This role is highly cross-functional, requiring collaboration with electrical, signal integrity, system architecture, manufacturing, and supplier development teams.

BU Overview

Consumer, network, and data center applications change at an exponential pace and the Data & Devices (D&D) business unit at TE Connectivity is at the heart of a continuously expanding connected life. Accordingly, we provide responsive, iterative, and fundamentally agile capabilities and conceive, design, and manufacture to support today's demands. Our customers are building the devices and the infrastructure that is redefining what information technology means. Our products push markets and meet the ever-changing needs of the evolving, more connected, data-driven world. We are enhancing how we do business, focusing on the most important things and staying agile and responsive to the needs of a faster, more connected world.

The Mechanical Center of Excellence (ME COE) plays a critical role in shaping the future of thermomechanical design, reliability engineering, and platform-based product development. By integrating advanced mechanical research, simulation, and manufacturability expertise, ME COE empowers faster, more scalable, and more robust innovation across TE’s high-speed connectivity and AI infrastructure portfolios.

What your background should look like:

Responsibilities:

• Drive development of advanced mechanical platforms for interconnect systems, including housings, latches, thermal solutions, and structural supports.
• Lead thermomechanical simulation (FEA/CFD) activities to optimize mechanical performance, thermal management, and structural integrity.
• Translate real-world mechanical challenges into FEA models, using both implicit and explicit analysis methods to evaluate component behavior under different physical conditions (e.g., structural, thermal, vibration, shock).
• Utilize advanced simulation tools such as Ansys Workbench, LS-DYNA, HyperMesh, Simufact, and Digimat to perform both linear and non-linear analyses and evaluate material and structural responses under diverse loading scenarios.
• Conduct root cause analysis and develop mitigation plans for mechanical challenges related to warpage, fatigue, insertion force, material failures, etc.
• Champion material and process innovation by evaluating composites, thermal interface materials (TIMs), and micro-structured mechanical designs.
• Create standardized mechanical modules for reuse across product families, aligned with design-for-manufacture and platforming strategies.
• Partner with manufacturing and tooling teams to ensure early DFM/DFA integration and fast prototyping of mechanical solutions.
• Develop and validate test plans for thermal cycling, vibration, shock, and environmental reliability.
• Generate and maintain design standards, mechanical guidelines, and mechanical review frameworks across TE D&D.
• Mentor junior engineers and support global mechanical design communities through technical forums, training, and documentation.
• Collaborate with CTO, AMP, and BU engineering teams to align on mechanical technology roadmaps and influence long-term innovation direction.

Required Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Physics with 8+ years of experience, or a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering or Physics, or equivalent amount of experience in mechanical product development in connector, electronics, or high-reliability hardware industries. 
• Hands-on experience with mechanical design and modeling using tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, or NX.
• Expertise in simulation tools such as ANSYS, Abaqus, or FloTHERM for thermal/structural analysis.
• Proven experience in DFM, DFA, and transition of mechanical designs to high-volume manufacturing.
• Deep understanding of materials science, including polymers, metals, and thermal materials.
• Experience conducting reliability testing: thermal cycling, vibration, drop/shock, and HALT/HASS.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a focus on root cause analysis and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication skills to engage with global engineering, operations, and customer teams.

Nice to have Skills/Experience:

• Experience with micro-mechanics, co-packaged optics, or liquid cooling solutions.
• Familiarity with data analytics, Six Sigma methodologies, or AI-driven simulation optimization.
• Experience working on system-level hardware such as AI servers, switches, or RF modules.
• Patent filings or published research in mechanical design, thermal management, or materials
• Experience managing cross-functional or global engineering projects.

Competencies