Ceramic Engineering Jobs in Missouri (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Engineering Manager – Product Development, Thermal Solutions

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated, and energetic engineering leader to drive product development in the area of thermal system of electrical heaters – Core heater technology. This role requires a strong technical foundation combined with the ability to lead teams, make timely decisions, and balance trade-offs effectively while delivering high-quality results.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record of leading cross-functional development efforts, engage key stakeholders, and consistently meeting project timelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage product development activities focused on thermal and heat transfer solutions
• Drive timely and high-quality execution of projects by making informed technical and business decisions
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, supply chain, and business units
• Provide leadership to a team (direct reports or project/subsystem teams), including task planning, delegation, and execution oversight
• Support engineering builds and work closely with manufacturing and process engineering teams during production ramp-up
• Review engineering analyses including thermal calculations, FEA/CFD simulations, and tolerance stack-ups
• Lead exploration and design validation phases
•  Well versed in using risk mitigation tools such as DFMEA
• Apply structured problem-solving methodologies (5 Whys, Fishbone/Ishikawa diagrams, 8D, A3) to resolve technical challenges
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Six Sigma and statistical tools

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 8–10 years of industry experience in product development within thermal and heat transfer domains
• Proven experience in a leadership role, either as a people manager (minimum 2 direct reports) or technical/project leader
• Strong understanding of:
• Heat transfer fundamentals and thermal system design
• FEA and CFD simulation tools
• GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis
• DFMEA and design validation processes
• Experience with statistical and quality tools including:
• Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Measurement System Evaluation (MSE)
• Coefficient of Variation (COV)
• Process variation analysis and CpK

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in material science or material technologies, particularly:
• Metallic materials and properties

        FeCrAl alloys

        NiCr

• Ceramic materials and processes

                         Refractories

                         Ceramic powder

                         Magnesium Aluminate spinel 

                         Aluminum Nitride

• Six Sigma Green Belt (minimum) or Black Belt certification preferred
• Advanced experience working closely with manufacturing and process engineering teams

Education

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field
• Preferred: Master’s degree in Thermal Engineering, Heat Transfer, or Materials Engineering
• Highly Preferred: PhD in Materials Science, Ceramics, or related discipline

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership and team management skills
• High level of ownership and accountability
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities
• Effective communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to prioritize, manage trade-offs, and deliver under tight deadlines