Staff Mechanical Engineer- Innovation

Hybrid-with at least 3 days out of 5 per week onsite at the Mira Head Office in Cheltenham

Salary to be discussed on application + excellent benefits including generous pension scheme and access to our new benefits platform.

Kohler Mira Ltd is a successful multi brand organisation that has grown significantly over 100 years and has always innovatively led the way in showering technology. Kohler Co., our parent company since 2001 and themselves in their 150th year, employs over 30,000 associates worldwide and is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen & bath products, energy solutions and an operator of golf and resort destinations

From day one you’re part of the Kohler Mira community – a collaborative, forward focused team with a shared pride in our work and commitment to delight our customers, develop innovative products and services and inspire our people (who knew a bathroom manufacturing company did all this?!)

We are looking for an experienced mechanical engineer to join our Creative Labs Team! You will be passionate about bringing innovation to life through research, ideation, prototype development and validation and you must be comfortable pushing the boundaries of what is possible with your broad engineering experience. You may be responsible for the delivery of entire projects or sprints and will be expected to regularly report to stakeholders. You will be confident working in an agile manner across multiple work streams, comfortable working with ambiguity and able to adapt to evolving needs, you must also be a strong collaborator.

About the role

• Lead the development of new ideas and insights which will drive innovation within Kohler Co. including delivery of technology demonstrators and high-quality proof-of-concepts.

• Drive scoping and system identification of new projects. Bringing ideas, innovations, future trends and new opportunities through to next generation concepts.

• Creation and execution of design solutions, using engineering fundamentals and logic backed up by practical technical problem solving.

• Oversee complex analysis using theoretical and practical tools (e.g. CFD, FEA). Leads by example in using fact-based decision making, achieving timely consensus within the team, and avoiding over-analysis.

• Ownership of delivery of assigned work packages to a high quality and on time.

• Creation, evaluation and testing of design solutions and competitor’s products, producing reports on findings.

• Proactive collaboration outside of the core project team to ensure all necessary compliance & legislation requirements are considered.

• Collaborate across the business to ensure that any warranty issues are considered within the innovation process

• Compilation and entry of supporting data such as: product BOMs, design record files

• Liaison with Manufacturing engineers and Suppliers to ensure that proposed design solutions are achievable and effective.

• Working within the guidelines of departmental and company policies, procedures, and work instructions. Research of relevant technical developments from various sources including technical literature, suppliers, standards authorities, IP & Patents etc.

• Drives continuous improvement and supports wider business activities, e.g. early career programmes, stewardship etc.

• The position reports into the Creative Labs Program Manager and sits within a multi-disciplinary team touching upon functions including mechanical engineering, marketing, approvals, industrial design and external suppliers.

About you

You will be actively contributing to the next generation of products and technologies for Kohler Co. For this you will need to be curious and tenacious individual with a drive to experiment and develop next generation showering experiences.

Key Requirements:

• Qualified Mechanical Engineer, who has gained experience through either apprenticeship or higher education, i.e. HND, degree, or with intern and/or co-op experiences. Will have several years relevant experience.

• Proven experience in a relevant industry with a track record of taking complex technical solutions and creative ideas through to commercially successful products.

• Possess the ability to apply engineering theory and logic, balanced with a hands-on, creative approach to problem solving and an eye for innovation

• Working knowledge of FMEA’s, DFA, CFD, FEA and Moldflow

• Designing for various manufacturing processes: injection moulding, machining, forging, casting etc

• Experience of rapid prototyping and comfortable designing and conducting proof of concept experiments

• 3D / 2D CAD, preferably Creo Parametric

• Able to drive the delivery of high-quality proof-of-concepts within tight timescales, on budget including in situations of ambiguity.

• Passionate about new technology, naturally inquisitive, and have an innate ability to identify and solve engineering problem.

• Appetite for rapidly learning about new technologies and methodologies and integrating them into product ideas and designs

• Demonstrate commercial aptitude in understanding feasibility, desirability and viability whilst also considering time, cost, and quality factors within projects.

• Highly self- motivated, proactive and results driven with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Possess the ability to bring a fresh perspective and recognised by others as a disruptive, creative thinker

• Experience of Engineering leadership of a project

• Confident managing multiple and often competing priorities

Desirable Requirements:

• Prior experience working in a sprint environment

• Experience with identifying collaboration and partnership opportunities

• Working knowledge of electronic and electrical systems

We can offer you a lot in return!

At Kohler, you’re not a number, you’re a valued member of our team (or as we like to say, an “associate”). What this means for you, is focused development that is personalised – all of the challenge you desire with all the support you need, as well as global opportunities should you desire. We also offer competitive benefits, including a focus on wellbeing and a genuine commitment to ‘giving something back’ through our Stewardship (CSR) efforts. We believe that our depth of knowledge and breadth of opportunities set us apart and if you believe you’d add something to our team, we’d love to hear from you. You can find out more about our operating philosophy, Believing in Better, here (https://www.kohlercompany.com/social-impact/believing-in-better/)

As an organisation, Kohler Mira is committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse associates, consumers, partners, and global communities. As an equal opportunities employer, it is Kohler Mira’s policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified people in all job classifications without prejudice. If, as an individual with a disability, you require adjustments during the recruitment process please contact talentacquisitionuk@kohler.com (https://mykohler-my.sharepoint.com/personal/robin_johnson_kohlereurope_com/Documents/Desktop/talentacquisitionuk@kohler.com)

*Important update for candidates applying to roles within Kohler Energy, including Power Systems, Engines, Home Energy, Kohler Uninterruptible Power, Clarke Energy, Curtis Instruments, and Heila Technologies.

On November 6, Kohler Co. announced the strategic decision to establish Kohler Energy as a separate, independent business with Platinum Equity as the majority investment partner. Kohler will continue to stay invested in the Energy business following the closing and remains committed to supporting the acceleration of long-term growth strategies for both organizations. Talent and operational transition plans are underway, and Kohler Co. and Platinum Equity expect the agreement to close in the first half of 2024.Thank you for your interest in joining our growing team as we embark on the next phase of growth!

About Us

In the UK, Kohler Mira Ltd. is made up of three market leading brands; Mira Showers, Rada Controls and Kohler Company. Where our brands differ in market position, they are equal in quality, each living up to the Kohler Company mission to live on the leading edge of design and technology and provide a single level of quality regardless of price.

Learn more about us, our brands and career opportunities at https://www.kohlercompany.com/careers/

Note for Recruitment Agencies – the Kohler Talent Acquisition team is responsible for managing all current vacancies through direct hiring and referrals wherever possible. We do work with recruitment agencies and where we require external support we will formally release those vacancies to the agencies on our Preferred Supplier List deemed best placed to assist us. Speculative CVs sent by any agency to Kohler Co. without a specific request by our Talent Acquisition Team will not be accepted and with no introduction fee applicable.

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