Senior Materials Expert (R&D/Engineering)

Senior Materials Engineer - R&D / Engineering

Amphenol Industrial Operations

Reports to: Technical Director

Job Description Summary:

The Senior Materials Expert provides technical leadership and specialized expertise in metallic and polymeric materials to support product design optimization, innovation, and next‑generation product development. This role collaborates closely with engineering, simulation, testing, sourcing, and manufacturing teams to identify, evaluate, qualify, and implement materials that enhance product performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost competitiveness. Serving as a key resource for material selection, failure analysis, and technology roadmap development, the Senior Materials Expert helps drive material innovation across the organization. This hybrid position requires a minimum of 25% travel, including visits to Endicott, NY, Binghamton University, and China.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Material Research & Development

• Investigate, evaluate, and recommend metallic and polymeric materials, including copper alloys, stainless steels, aluminum alloys, engineering thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and rubber materials, along with coatings and surface treatments.
• Identify materials that improve electrical, thermal, mechanical, and environmental performance of existing products.
• Support development of next‑generation connector technologies through material innovation aligned with long‑term R&D roadmaps.
• Stay current with emerging materials, processing technologies, and industry trends relevant to electrical interconnect systems.

Material Evaluation & Selection

• Evaluate and compare candidate materials by analyzing electrical conductivity, thermal performance, mechanical strength, fatigue, wear, corrosion resistance, flammability, and environmental durability.
• Assess manufacturability including compatibility with stamping, injection molding, machining, plating, and assembly processes.
• Evaluate cost, supplier capability, availability, and supply‑chain risk.
• Document material selection rationale, risks, and mitigation strategies to support design reviews, DFMEA, qualification, and customer requirements.

Engineering & Simulation Collaboration

• Work closely with analysis and simulation engineers (structural, thermal, mold flow) to ensure accurate material properties and assumptions are used in simulation models.
• Support correlation between material data, simulation predictions, and physical test results to improve design confidence.
• Support material‑related failure analysis and simulation‑driven design optimization.

Testing, Validation & Qualification

• Define material test plans and acceptance criteria to support product validation and qualification. Support root cause analysis of test failures and field issues related to material behavior.
• Collaborate with internal and external test laboratories to evaluate material performance under mechanical, thermal, electrical, and environmental conditions including working closely with Binghamton University laboratories for advanced material and product testing and characterization.
• Review material specifications, test reports, qualification documentation, and engineering standards.

Manufacturing, Sourcing & Supplier Support

• Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure robust and repeatable material and process implementation.
• Support sourcing teams in evaluating new suppliers, qualifying alternate materials, and managing material changes.
• Support ECNs, cost‑reduction initiatives, and global product transfers involving material or process changes.

Material Database & Digital Engineering Enablement

• Create and maintain a centralized engineering materials database for metals, plastics, elastomers, coatings, and surface treatments.
• Ensure material data includes validated properties, processing guidelines, test results, qualifications, and application notes.
• Standardize material data to support design, simulation, testing, sourcing, and manufacturing teams globally.
• Collaborate with AI and digital engineering experts to help develop and train a materials‑focused engineering chatbot, enabling rapid access to approved material data, selection guidance, and lessons learned.

Global Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborate with global engineering teams to align material strategies and best practices.
• Communicate material recommendations clearly to technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance on material selection, failure analysis, and performance.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in materials engineering or R&D, preferably supporting electromechanical or connector products.
• Experience supporting product development from concept through qualification and production.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of metals, polymers, elastomers, coatings, and material failure mechanisms.
• Familiarity with material testing methods and relevant industry standards.
• Experience with engineering documentation, specifications, and test reports.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes including stamping, molding, machining, and plating preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CAD and PLM/PDM systems a plus.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced R&D environment.
• Comfortable working across cultures and time zones.

Hybrid position; international travel is required.

Physical/Environmental Requirements:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee 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 talk, hear, sit, stand; walk; and use hands to handle, or feel. Must be able to sit and/or stand for long periods of time.

Company Introduction

Amphenol Industrial Operations, headquartered in Endicott, New York, with global manufacturing, design, sales, and marketing locations, specializes in delivering a comprehensive range of high-reliability power and signal connectors along with interconnection systems designed specifically for harsh environments and high performance. Our solutions cater to diverse, high-growth industrial sectors such as alternative energy, energy storage, hyperscale datacom, telecom, rail and mass transit, electric and hybrid vehicles, transportation, factory automation, robotics, and heavy equipment.

Our product portfolio addresses modern power and signal requirements and emerging system technology needs encompassing high-amperage power interconnects utilizing proprietary RADSOK® contact technology, ruggedized circular, rectangular interconnects and board level contacts (GT, AC, PT, Amphe-Lite, Radsert, PowerBlok, SurLok Plus, ePower, UPC, H4 Plus, and more), advanced power distribution including value-add box builds, custom-engineered cable assemblies and overmolded harnesses. With a dedicated team of over 2500 skilled staff operating across a growing international footprint—including eight key manufacturing sites in North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East providing localization for our customer base. Amphenol Industrial Operations consistently meets the highest global standards of quality, product performance, design capabilities, and regionalized technical and sales support.

Amphenol Industrial Operations proudly operates as a business unit of Amphenol Corporation (NYSE: APH), a global leader in the electronics revolution, headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut.