Principal Engineer - Connector Reliability

POSITION SUMMARY The Principal Engineer – Connector Reliability is the senior technical authority for connector reliability within Amphenol Power BU. This is a high-impact individual contributor role — not a product development position — that provides independent, expert-level reliability support to design, quality, and application engineering teams across the full product development lifecycle. This role translates high-risk failure modes identified through DFMEA and risk evaluation into rigorous, targeted reliability test programs. By combining reliability engineering discipline with compliance support, this role ensures that Amphenol Power connector products are both safe and durable before they reach market. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Risk-Based Reliability Test Definition & Planning Consume DFMEA outputs and risk evaluation results to identify the highest-priority failure modes requiring reliability test coverage. Define targeted test plans specifying methods, stress levels, sample sizes, acceptance criteria, and pass/fail thresholds — grounded in physics-of-failure principles. Map identified failure modes (contact wear, corrosion, thermal cycling, mechanical fatigue, environmental degradation) to appropriate methods drawn from IEC 60512, USCAR-2, AEC-Q200, MIL-STD, and Amphenol internal standards. Develop and maintain standardized reliability test frameworks, sequence-of-test matrices, and test plan templates across Power BU programs and global sites. Review test results against acceptance criteria; interpret failures in the context of the original risk profile and advise on required design or process responses. Align reliability testing, qualification testing, and certification testing to minimize duplication, reduce cost, and accelerate time to approval. MTBF & Reliability Prediction Develop MTBF predictions using MIL-HDBK-217F, Telcordia SR-332, IEC TR 62380, and FIDES methodologies. Build physics-of-failure models to evaluate long-term connector reliability under thermal, mechanical, and electrical stress conditions. Develop mating cycle life models relating contact geometry, plating system, normal force, and mechanics to degradation of contact resistance and electrical performance over time. Define and validate accelerated life testing (ALT) and HALT plans; develop reliability growth models and reliability demonstration test (RDT) matrices for new programs. Analyze field return data to validate predicted failure models and continuously improve prediction accuracy; provide reliability data for customer proposals and qualification packages. Product Development Support Review and provide expert commentary on product designs, drawings, specifications, and test protocols from a reliability and risk perspective. Advise on connector contact system design choices (material, plating, geometry) as they relate to wear life, contact reliability, and mating cycle durability. Support selection of test methods and qualification criteria aligned to IEC, UL, USCAR, AEC-Q200, and customer-specific reliability requirements. Provide guidance on reliability-impacting manufacturing processes — plating thickness, assembly torque, housing material selection — and collaborate with quality and manufacturing teams to ensure process controls support reliability targets. Integrate compliance requirements directly into DFMEA reviews, risk assessments, and reliability test planning — ensuring safety-critical and regulatory-driven failure modes receive appropriate validation coverage. Assess compliance and certification impact of design changes, material substitutions, supplier changes, and manufacturing transfers; manage ongoing certification maintenance requirements. Act as the customer-facing SME representing site engineering on product safety, certification, and regulatory compliance — supporting RFQs, audits, and technical reviews with authoritative, clear responses on certification paths, timelines, and limitations. Failure Analysis & Continuous Improvement Lead and support failure analysis investigations (8D, fishbone, fault tree, FTA, SEM/cross-section) for in-process, field, and customer-returned connector products. Identify systemic failure trends across product lines; initiate CAPA in collaboration with design and quality teams. Maintain and grow a reliability knowledge base — capturing lessons learned from failures, test programs, and qualification activities across all programs. Drive continuous improvement in reliability processes and tools; introduce updated methodologies and industry best practices as standards evolve. Correlate field issues and failure analysis results to both reliability models and compliance assumptions, driving continuous improvement across both disciplines. Define and deploy standardized compliance and qualification processes across all Power BU sites — eliminating site-to-site variability and reactive, ad-hoc approaches. Technical Standards, Documentation & Communication Maintain deep knowledge of IEC 60512, UL 1977, USCAR-2, AEC-Q200, and relevant automotive, industrial, and power application standards. Author and maintain reliability engineering procedures, test plan frameworks, MTBF templates, and qualification standards for use across Power BU sites. Prepare and present reliability assessments, risk summaries and MTBF reports for engineering leadership, program teams, and customers. Collaborate with global Engineering Excellence SMEs, quality engineers, and operations teams to align reliability and compliance standards and propagate best practices. Provide training and guidance to engineering teams on compliance fundamentals, certification pitfalls, and integration with reliability best practices. FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTABILITIES This role has no direct financial or managerial accountabilities. The Principal Engineer – Connector Reliability influences product reliability outcomes through technical guidance and risk assessment, not through budgetary or direct-report authority. EDUCATION Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field strongly preferred; master's degree considered with commensurate experience. EXPERIENCE 8+ years of engineering experience in the connector, electronic components, or related electro-mechanical industry. 5+ years of dedicated reliability engineering experience with demonstrated focus on risk-based test planning and lifetime prediction. Proven ability to consume DFMEA outputs and translate high-RPN failure modes into targeted, executable reliability test plans. Experience designing and executing ALT, HALT, and HAST programs, and reliability demonstration tests. Working knowledge of connector design, manufacturing processes (stamping, molding, plating, assembly), and their reliability implications. Experience with statistical tools and reliability software: Weibull++, ReliaSoft, Minitab, or equivalent. Knowledge of Six Sigma and DFSS methodologies is a plus. TECHNICAL SKILLS Risk-based reliability test plan definition MTBF / reliability prediction modeling Accelerated life test design and execution Failure analysis (FTA, 8D, SEM, cross-section) Statistical reliability analysis (Weibull, etc.) Connector physics-of-failure knowledge IEC / USCAR / AEC-Q200 standards knowledge Technical report writing and presentation BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES Strong analytical and critical thinking Independent and self-directed work style Cross-functional influencer — no authority required Clear communicator of complex technical topics High attention to detail and process discipline Proactive — identifies risk early and drives resolution Collaborative and globally oriented mindset Committed to continuous improvement and learning TRAVEL Up to 25% domestic and international travel to Amphenol Power BU sites, customer locations, and supplier facilities. #J-18808-Ljbffr Amphenol ICC