Research & Development Engineer

Schedule: Monday through Friday, Day Shift

The Opportunity

Founded in 1890, The D.S. Brown Company, a Gibraltar Industries Company, is a world-wide leader and supplier of engineered products to the bridge and highway industry. Headquartered in North Baltimore, Ohio, the Company actively sells to bridge and pavement contractors, specialty subcontractors, and construction product distributors. The D.S. Brown Company prides itself on its quality workforce and its reputable products. Check us out at www.dsbrown.com and become part of our awesome team!

The Research & Development Engineer is responsible for leading the company’s product development and improvement efforts, including generating new and redesigned product ideas. Delivers ideas and helps management create and drive an innovative culture at DS Brown.  Influence the sales, estimating, engineering, and operations teams on both large- and small-scale project initiatives, including cost-saving efforts across the entire fabricated product line, to enhance the company’s market competitiveness.  Leads and owns projects from concept detailing through design, cost analysis, testing, and product launch, including any specification changes required. This is an on-site position located in North Baltimore, OH.

Who We're Looking For

All your life, you've been a thinker - a practical innovator with rolled-up sleeves, a strong sense of purpose and healthy dose of optimist in you. A maker who gets things done. If you dream of using technology to make a difference in the world, we want you with us.

At Gibraltar, we're solving big problems and pushing the boundaries of what's possible, changing lives with smarter products and services in agtech, renewable energy and residential products that will shape a better future for people and the planet. So, we're looking for more than great talent, we're looking for good people with a unique point of view - creators ready to tackle our most important challenges.

If you thrive in a collaborative and inclusive culture, working side by side with talented teammates or hand in hand with customers and communities to solve real-world technology problems, we want to hear from you.

What You'll Do

Primary Accountabilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Leads teams to develop new products or product redesigns from concept to launch, including (but not limited to) mechanical hand tools, new/redesigned core products, and industrial automation
• Studies existing product portfolio to uncover cost-saving opportunities and execute plans that improve labor efficiency, streamline processes, and reduce material usage
• Executes engineering and cost analyses to develop data-driven project plans and actionable targets.
• Manage projects and teams to meet established completion dates
• Develops, enhances, and ensures compliance with product development standard operating procedures
• Creates and manages production of product prototypes, including pre-production drawings
• Tests product concepts and/or final models for functionality, as well as their ability to meet the product specifications. Write test plans and manage test processes
• Performs competitor product analysis and testing
• Investigate materials and potential suppliers for new product development and established product improvements and cost reductions
• Investigates product performance problems and drives design improvements to enhance existing product performance and quality
• Develops and maintains control documentation including drawings, specifications, and procedures
• Serves as a technical support lead for sales and manufacturing groups as required
• Works with the Manager and/or Patent Attorney to determine patent feasibility and provide necessary documentation
• Reports revenue and profitability from successful new product offerings to upper management
• Optimizes product portfolio through deployment of 80/20, considering gross margin potential and growth opportunities

In addition to the accountabilities listed above, individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise to balance the workload.

What We Need

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary accountability satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Additionally, the physical demands and the work environment typically encountered are listed below. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

Education / Experience (an equivalent combination of education and experience required to successfully complete the primary accountabilities is indicated below)

Degree: Bachelor of Science (Required), Graduate (Preferred)              Major: Civil (Structural) or Mechanical

                                                                                                                                        Engineering

Years of Experience: 5+ in bridge design, fabricated structural product design, or equivalent design and testing experience in graduate program.

Competencies / Technical Skills

Core Competencies:

• Fostering Teamwork
• Managing Performance
• Building Collaborative Relationships
• Customer Orientation
• Result Orientation
• Personal Credibility
• Fostering Innovation
• Strategic Thinking

Organizational Competencies:

• Managing performance of product development process requires proactive communication and teamwork
• Must be self-motivated, independent, highly organized, creative, and have a strong work ethic

Position Competencies:

• Strong analytical and forecasting skills, including financial statement knowledge and interpretation.
• Proficient in AutoCAD or SolidWorks, and FEA modeling.
• Experienced with steel and other material design. Practiced designing bolted and welded connections, understands stress-strain analysis and fatigue design.
• Knowledgeable or able to follow design standards and prepare general product design calculations.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills and strong influence abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).

Licenses/Certifications

• PE license or intent to acquire
• Strong preference to having passed the FE exam

Physical Requirements (Approximate time spent to be included in physical demands such as walking, or bending, specific lifting requirements (lbs) and/or other requirements such as vision or hearing.)

This position may require lifting up to 25 pounds. Duties involve extended periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, with regular sitting and walking throughout the day. Must be able to sit, walk, bend periodically, and see and hear.

Work Conditions

Environment: Office, Production / Lab (Testing), and Worksite              Travel:  Occasional

Special Work Conditions: Production or worksite environment may be loud and dirty.

What We Offer

Health & Welfare

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans for employees and dependents
• Health care & dependent flexible spending plans
• Free Life and AD&D coverage with supplemental coverage options
• Employee assistance programs focused on mental health

Financial Wellbeing

• Competitive compensation
• Bonus opportunities
• Generous 401(k) plan

Flexibility & Time Off

• Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick leave, disability, holidays.
• On-site & hybrid work opportunities available

Community & Personal Development

• Donation matching and time off to volunteer
• Educational reimbursement

About Us

Gibraltar is a leading manufacturer and supplier of products and services for North American agtech, renewable energy, residential, and infrastructure markets. By building solutions that make life better for people and the planet, Gibraltar advances the art and science of engineering, science, and technology to shape the future of comfortable living, sustainable power, and productive growing.

Guided by an inclusive, values-driven culture that celebrates and rewards different perspectives, we work together to create lasting positive impact on everyone our business touches. To learn more about what makes us #GibraltarProud, visit our website: www.gibraltar1.com

Gibraltar is an Equal Opportunity Employer; and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. In addition, Gibraltar will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.