Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Medium-Voltage Switchgear (Hubbell Site Flexible) - Boonton, NJ

Brand Overview

Corporate Overview
Hubbell Incorporated was founded in 1888 and has grown into an international manufacturer of quality electrical, lighting and power solutions with more than 75 brands used and recognized around the world. Our founder, Harvey Hubbell, developed tooling and equipment to serve the growing demand for new assembly and manufacturing machinery during the industrial revolution. An early, and one of many patents awarded, came for the creation of the first practical method to control electricity through the pull chain socket that remains unchanged today. As a market leader in reliable, electrical solutions, we provide more than half a million products delivered through our various business groups. Hubbell is committed to continually innovating solutions that work, transforming old products with new ideas, and ensuring that we Energize, Enlighten and Empower the communities that support us.

Division Overview
Hubbell Utility Solutions (HUS) engages in the design and manufacture of a wide variety of products used by utilities. Today, HUS is also deeply engaged in product solutions for the Utility Communications and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) space and has been actively growing that segment of the business. HUS roots have historically been in high voltage transmission, distribution, substation, underground products used by electric utilities. HUS products are also used in the civil construction, transportation, gas, and water industries.

HUS has four business units. Hubbell Power Systems (HPS) is our electrical components and infrastructure business. Aclara is our AMI and Meters business and also includes an installation business. Hubbell Gas Connectors and Accessories (HGCA) sells connectors and accessories for the repair, replacement and refurbishment of natural gas systems. Our fourth business is our Protection and Controls business which is our newest business initiative to drive substation communications, control and protection solutions. HUS provides these solutions in the Electric Utility, Water, Gas and Communications Market.

At HUS, we build products that provide mission critical infrastructure and that deliver communications and power to millions of people worldwide. In our business, failure is not an option. Therefore, we manufacture products of principled integrity and it starts with our quality policy. We hold our partners, our suppliers and ourselves to the highest standard to ensure we exceed all the technical and functional expectations of our customers. Hubbell Incorporated engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of electrical and electronic products in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Electrical, Power, and Industrial Technology.

Posting Address

Preferred location: 353 Powerville Road, Boonton, NJ 07005

Alternate location: Leeds/Birmingham, Alabama

Position Overview

This position involves being a part of Engineering team that designs, develops and sustains medium-voltage switchgear products for electric utilities in the area of Distribution Switching and Distribution Automation involving measurement, protection and communications.

The individual in this position will be responsible for mechanically designing, developing and sustaining various Medium-Voltage Switchgear products.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Design Medium-Voltage Switchgear products for New Product Development projects as per Requirements Specifications, Qualify new designs by passing necessary Type tests and by meeting expected cost targets.
  • Few examples of such to include: Medium-Voltage Switchgear products are-- Capacitor Switches (15/27/38kV), PFC Cap Banks, Pole-mounted Control cabinets, Padmounted Control cabinets, Single-Phase Recloser (15/27 kV), Three-Phase Recloser (15/27/38kV), Sectionalizers (15/27/38kV), SCADA Gateways etc.
• Enhance/modify existing (legacy) Medium-Voltage Switchgear products for design improvements, design optimization based on internal and external customer requests. Qualify new designs by passing necessary Type tests and by meeting expected cost targets.
• Design solenoid-driven mechanisms for Vacuum Interrupters used in Medium-Voltage Switchgear products (Capacitor switches, Reclosers etc.) as per desired specifications. Perform this task for New Product Development projects, Value Engineering (cost take out) projects and/or for qualifying new Vacuum Interrupter vendors (to prevent sole sourcing of the part),
• Guide junior-level mechanical engineers (from offshore team) for requested design changes by thoroughly understanding and then communicating requirements with them; Review their work for accuracy and hold them accountable,
• Make effective and timely use of software/simulation tools such as DFMA, ANSYS and other Finite Element Analysis (FEA) techniques for design changes, validating new design concepts/ideas for all projects,
• Be responsible for successfully passing various Type Tests on Medium-Voltage Switchgear designs are required to pass; Plan, manage and own this Type testing on new designs.
  • Few examples of Type tests are: Impulse (BIL) test, Dry/Wet Power Frequency Withstand test, Partial discharge Test, Short-time (3 sec) Withstand test, Momentary (10-cycle) withstand test, Heat-rise test, Interruption testing (T20, T100) on Reclosers, Inrush Current Tests on Capacitor Switches etc.
• Anticipate potential failures newly designed parts and take proactive steps to vet new designs before spending money and time in the lab to perform Type tests for qualifying new prototypes,
• Guide, direct junior-level team members for creating part numbers, BOM on SAP for new designs or for modified parts,
• Work with sourcing/purchasing teams to source/qualify newly designed parts; Work with manufacturing team to release newly designed parts to Production.

Skills and Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Experience performing hands-on design, development and sustaining engineering work on Medium-Voltage Switchgear Products
• Possess strong knowledge of Type Tests performed on Medium-Voltage Switchgear products.
• Ability to maintain design ownership of Medium-Voltage Switchgear products for its Mechanical design with high degree of attention to details,
• Possess multiple years of exposure to real-field issues related to Medium-Voltage Switchgear and ability to understand and resolve them,
• Ability to apply design intuition and prior experience (empirical knowledge) for new designs and for solving problems on existing Medium-Voltage Switchgear products,
• Experience effectively working with various cross-functional teams within the organization on various projects,
• Be hands-on with building first prototypes, new solenoid-driven mechanisms along with any other newly designed/modified parts in existing (legacy) products; Be hands-on in performing speed, bounce profiling for newly designed solenoid-driven mechanisms.
• Be a go-getter with ability to get things done to help the business with new product development initiatives.
• Fluent in AutoCAD and SolidWorks packages for product designs, design changes. Individual should be fluent enough to make the changes and work on new designs himself as well as fluent in reviewing work of junior-level team members,
• Possess strong communication skills
• Possess strong interpersonal skills, accessible, approachable and someone who breeds positive morale.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering OR any advanced level degree beyond Bachelor’s degree
• Having GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerance) certification based on ASME Y14.5-2018 GD&T standard
• Previous experience with Unigraphics
• Any previous exposure to toll-gated New Product Development process
• Exposure in Simulation Software