Cicoil Product Development Engineer

FLSA STATUS:

Exempt

DEPARTMENT:

Engineering

SUPERVISOR:

Engineering Manager

DIRECT REPORTS:

None

Position Summary

The Product Development Engineer at Cicoil is a key technical resource responsible for driving new product development from initial customer inquiry through design, validation, and handoff to manufacturing. This role serves as the primary engineering interface with customers and the outside sales team, providing expert technical solutions for custom cable and flat cable assembly applications across aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets.

Working within Cicoil's structured New Product Introduction (NPI) and Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) processes, the Product Development Engineer owns the full development lifecycle: requirements gathering, concept design, prototype development, quoting, design validation, and a seamless handoff to the Manufacturing Process Engineer.

This person is a technical expert who translates customer needs into manufacturable, cost-effective solutions while collaborating closely with engineering technicians, the outside sales team, and internal cross-functional stakeholders.

Success in this role looks like: on-time NPI execution, accurate and competitive quotes, high customer satisfaction with solutions provided, and clean handoffs to manufacturing with zero ambiguity.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field required
• Experience
• 5+ years of engineering experience in a product development or applications engineering role within a manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience executing NPI and/or APQP processes from concept through production release
• Experience in cable, wire harness, electro-mechanical assembly, or related product development strongly preferred
• Background in technical quoting and cost estimation for custom engineered products
• Experience working directly with customers and outside sales teams to define and develop solutions
• Familiarity with Mil/Aerospace specifications (e.g., MIL-DTL-17, MIL-W-22759, MIL-C-27500) a strong plus
• Knowledge
• Strong working knowledge of NPI and APQP methodologies and associated documentation (DVP&R, PFMEA, control plans, etc.)
• Solid understanding of electrical and mechanical engineering principles as applied to cable and interconnect design
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes relevant to cable assembly, extrusion, and flat cable production
• Familiarity with industry standards for cable and harness design in aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial sectors
• Working knowledge of Autodesk Inventor or equivalent 3D CAD/modeling tools
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with Epicor or similar ERP system a plus
• Skills
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements documents
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to develop creative, cost-effective solutions
• Excellent communication skills — able to present and explain technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple active NPI programs simultaneously
• Collaborative team player who works effectively across engineering, sales, and manufacturing functions
• Self-motivated and results-oriented with a strong sense of ownership over projects
• Job Responsibilities
• Customer Engagement & Technical Solutions
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for customers and the outside sales team during the product development phase
• Partner with outside sales representatives to respond to customer inquiries, understand application requirements, and develop tailored cable and interconnect solutions
• Conduct technical reviews of customer specifications, drawings, and requirements to assess feasibility and recommend optimal designs
• Provide expert technical guidance and solution recommendations to customers, including material selection, configuration, testing requirements, and compliance considerations
• Support customer presentations and technical discussions, representing Cicoil's engineering capabilities with confidence and credibility
• New Product Introduction (NPI) & APQP
• Prospect and qualify new leads through outbound calls, emails, and referrals
• Follow up on inbound inquiries and marketing-generated leads in a timely manner
• Develop and maintain a healthy pipeline of new business opportunities
• Design & Development
• Design custom cable assemblies, flat cables, and interconnect solutions using Autodesk Inventor and other engineering tools
• Develop detailed engineering drawings, specifications, and BOMs for new and modified products
• Evaluate and select materials, components, and construction methods based on customer application requirements and cost targets
• Coordinate prototype builds with engineering technicians, providing clear instructions and hands-on guidance as needed
• Conduct or oversee design validation and prototype testing, analyzing results and iterating on design as required
• Drive continuous design optimization balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost
• Quoting & Cost Estimation
• Prepare accurate, detailed technical quotes for custom product development and production programs
• Analyze customer specifications and drawings to determine material, component, and process costs
• Coordinate with Purchasing to obtain component pricing and lead times; with Production to validate manufacturing cost assumptions
• Generate quotes using Epicor ERP and Office Suite tools, delivering competitive and timely proposals
• Work closely with the outside sales team to refine and present quotes, supporting negotiation with technical justification as needed
• Engineering Technician Collaboration
• Direct and support engineering technicians during prototype construction, sample builds, and design validation activities
• Provide clear, detailed work instructions and traveler documentation for technician-executed builds
• Review and approve prototype outputs from technicians before advancing to validation or customer review stages
• Handoff to Manufacturing Process Engineer
• Ensure complete and accurate transfer of all NPI/APQP documentation to the Manufacturing Process Engineer at production release, including drawings, BOMs, process flows, control plans, and special customer requirements
• Conduct formal design handoff meetings to communicate critical design features, known risks, and lessons learned
• Remain available post-handoff to support the Manufacturing Process Engineer in resolving production questions and design clarifications
• Participate in post-launch reviews to capture lessons learned and feed improvements back into the NPI process
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting
• Collaborate daily with the outside sales team, customer service, production control, and quality to ensure alignment across all product development activities
• Provide regular updates on NPI program status, quote pipeline, and engineering capacity to the Engineering Manager
• Participate in sales and engineering meetings, representing the product development function and contributing technical expertise to business discussions
• Maintain thorough records of all customer interactions, design decisions, and program documentation in accordance with Cicoil standards
• Other responsibilities, initiatives and ad-hoc projects as required.
• Physical Requirements
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods, use hands to operate a computer and telephone, and communicate verbally and in writing. The employee may occasionally be required to walk the production floor and/or lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. The noise level in the work environment ranges from moderate office conditions to elevated noise levels on the production floor where hearing protection may be required.