Position Description

New Product Development Manager

Midland Manufacturing is a leading manufacturer of loading valves, pressure relief valves and level gauges for the railroad tank car, marine barge, and ISO storage container markets in North America. We are a successful business and continually searching for new ways to improve operations and grow top and bottom line results through lean and other progressive initiatives. Midland is owned by the Dover Corporation, a global portfolio of manufacturing companies providing innovative components and equipment, specialty systems and support services for a variety of applications in the industrial products, engineered systems, fluid management and electronic technologies markets with $7 billion in annualized revenues.

Midland is searching for a New Product Development Manager to drive new product development and generate revenues from newly released products. This individual will manage the new product development process starting from creation of technical specifications with Marketing and Sales, through technical design and prototype development, ending with development of gauging and testing and product launch. The successful candidate must be a hands-on, highly motivated thinker, with excellent communication and team building skills, and will report to the Vice President of Engineering.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct DFMEA & PFMEA reviews, DoE and DFSS.
• Drive product development projects including establishing timelines and completing tollgate stages.
• Work with Marketing and Sales to obtain market information to define scope and technical direction for development.
• Participate in the Voice of the Customer process.
• Provide technical evaluation of competitive products
• Assess project/product development risk and resource requirements.
• Coordinate and manage internal and external design resources.
• Direct, supervise and develop direct reports.
• Maintain a high level of design integrity for new products;
  • Ensure compliance with specifications from the AAR (Association of American Railroads), Chlorine Institute, FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) and other regulatory bodies.
  • Ensure conformance with ASME, ASM, NACE, ISO9000 and other industry design guidelines.
  • Confirm design with flow testing, shock & vibration testing, HALT/HASS testing and corrosion testing.
• Interface with Manufacturing and Production to help resolve machining, welding, assembly, and testing operational issues on all new development product(s) during the design cycle.
• Work with Purchasing to provide technical assistance in connection with raw material selection.
• Work with Sustaining Engineering to ensure a well controlled hand off of new products to production.

Required Skill Set:

• 8-10 yrs. minimum successful working experience in best-in-class product design, manufacturing and new product development management with industrial products/systems.
• Bachelors’ Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent. Master’s degree in Engineering or MBA plus.
• Must have experience with leading DFMEA and FMEA reviews.
• Must be knowledgeable with the Design For Six Sigma process and Design of Experiments.
• Must provide evidence of experience in a structured new product development process.
• Strong understanding of market needs, competitive analysis and determining sustainable differentiation vs. competing products and systems.
• Must be self-directed and able to make engineering decisions to ensure safety and product integrity.
• Must possess a data-focused approached to problem solving.
• Vision and leadership to provide breakthrough solutions to challenging problems.
• Must be a team builder – listens and considers input from others.
• Must possess the personal traits of a Change Leader – strong perseverance and determination along with consensus and team building and the ability to know when to use either approach.
• Must be highly ethical and honest, keeping management informed on all critical issues.
• Creative and inquisitive in nature. Strong, yet yielding, personality to challenge “status quo.”
• Knowledgeable with new methods in machining, fastening, metallurgy, plastics and electronics.
• Proficient in standard business application software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) Working knowledge of ProE and AutoCAD systems.
• Broad knowledge of and compliance with employment law and Human Resource practices as well as other company policy and procedures

Other Desired Skills:

• Valve industry knowledge and electronics packaging experience.
• Knowledgeable with Microsoft Project.
• Experience in working with designs for use with hazardous chemicals (Chorine, Anhydrous Ammonia, Caustics, etc).
• Rail car valve product design experience a plus.
• Professional Engineering License.
• Experience working in a machining, manufacturing or industrial environment.

Midland, located in Skokie, IL., offers a highly competitive salary along with a comprehensive benefit plan which includes medical, Rx, dental, and vision coverage. Other benefits include life insurance, a generous 401k matching plan, profit sharing and a bonus plan.

Qualified candidates should submit their resume as a Word attachment (strongly preferred) along with salary history in confidence to: stevem@midlandmfg.net