Chief Design Engineer - Gas Compressor Engineering

Headquartered in San Diego, California, U.S.A., Solar Turbines Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., is a leading manufacturer of industrial gas turbines with more than 11,800 units with over one billion operating hours in some 93 countries. Solar Turbines' products include gas turbine engines (rated from 1590 to 19,800 horsepower), gas compressors, and gas turbine-powered compressor sets, mechanical-drive packages and generator sets (ranging from 1 to 15 megawatts). As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Solar has a global network of offices and facilities to support customers with a variety of service products and programs as well as an experienced technical support team. We currently have an opening for a Chief Design Engineer.

This is a senior technical management position that supervises the following daily activities through assigned group managers:
New product design
Improvements and maintenance of the current designs
Structural analysis of the product
Design integration, configuration control, drawing release
Creation of sales order detail bill of material
Interconnect design

The Chief Design Engineer is also responsible to assure effective interface of mechanical design with aerodynamics design group and Rotor-dynamics and test staff to ensure the product design meets aerodynamic and vibration criteria while achieving the stated product goals and specifications.

Scope:
Development Budget
Gas Compressor development budget for product introduction is typically in order of several million Dollars each year. The Chief Engineer assures that the design staff activities are timed according to and supports the project plans for capital and expense budgets.

Staffing
Current incumbent manages a staff of 30 designers and engineers. The candidate's experience and qualifications will determine the size of the initial staff that will be assigned to him/her. Over a few years, the Chief Engineer is expected to assume the leadership of the larger group.

Human Resources
The candidate will be responsible for planning and mentoring his staff. This accountability includes regular mentoring and feedback, annual performance reviews and merit planning and recommendations for promotions.
Training at both internal and external forums to increase the technical and organizational skills of the technical staff.
Succession planning, hiring, selection of promising talented individuals for more responsible positions and recommendations for future staffing needs is a responsibility of the Chief Engineer.
The candidate will demonstrate the ability of gaining the confidence of a highly trained and motivated staff to follow his leadership through personal skills that are pre requisite for the position.

Service
Chief Engineer is responsible to assure the technical integrity and performance of the equipment to customer satisfaction. The Chief Engineer will work closely with customer service to identify customer issues on a timely manner, will prevent issues from becoming chronic product problems, will visit customer's and win their confidence in Solar products.

Production Support:
Chief Engineer and his staff will support all production needs on the shop floor and at supplier base to resolve any and all technical issues to ensure timely delivery of the product while meeting quality standards.

Solar Turbines offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, vacation, 401k, pension, incentive bonus, and more. This position offers relocation assistance.

Solar Turbines is an equal opportunity employer and conducts drug screens and background checks.

Please visit our website solarturbines.com for more information about our company.
REQUIREMENTS
Minimum of 10 years of detail gas compressor/turbomachinery design experience Preferably 20 years of industry experience with responsibility to transform product specifications into detail designs that can be produced on a competitive cost and lead time basis

Knowledge of turbo machinery business and major customer requirements

Knowledge of industry standards and trade specifications and their exact interpretations

Minimum a BS degree in Engineering

Positive attitude and firmness and resolve in achieving results on a shortest possible time frame, as well as a willingness to accept responsibility and assume risk