Senior Sustaining Engineer

Role: Senior Sustaining Engineer Location: Warwick, Rhode Island or Vernon Hills, Illinois (onsite) Required Qualifications Cost Reduction & Value Engineering • Identify and evaluate cost-saving opportunities through design optimization, material substitutions, component standardization, and specification rationalization. • Support development of business cases and prioritize opportunities based on ROI, implementation complexity, risk, and strategic impact. • Drive value engineering initiatives while preserving product functionality, safety, quality, and customer experience. • Partner with Procurement and Supplier Quality to identify supplier-driven cost-saving opportunities. Design Changes & Sustaining Engineering • Lead design changes associated with Productivity projects, including component, material, supplier, and manufacturing process modifications. • Develop and execute design verification strategies to support product changes. • Generate and maintain required design control documentation, including risk assessments, design outputs, test protocols, reports, and engineering justifications. • Support regulatory submissions and product lifecycle management activities as required. Technical Analysis & Problem Solving • Conduct engineering analyses to evaluate design alternatives, manufacturing methods, and material options. • Apply structured problem-solving methodologies and data-driven decision-making to identify optimization opportunities. • Perform risk assessments and define mitigation strategies for proposed cost reduction initiatives. • Author technical reports, engineering evaluations, and recommendation documents. Manufacturing & Operations Collaboration • Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, and Process Engineering teams to improve yield, reduce scrap, simplify assembly processes, and improve overall manufacturing efficiency. • Support equipment upgrades, process improvements, and manufacturing transfers associated with cost reduction initiatives. • Provide technical support during implementation and validation activities. Supplier Optimization • Support supplier transitions, dual-sourcing initiatives, and material qualifications to reduce cost. • Collaborate with Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Quality teams to evaluate alternate suppliers and technologies. • Lead technical assessments and risk evaluations for supplier-related changes. Education and Experience: • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical discipline. • Minimum 5–8 years of engineering experience in a regulated manufacturing environment. • Experience in sustaining engineering, product development, operations engineering, manufacturing engineering, or value engineering. • Demonstrated track record of delivering measurable cost savings through engineering solutions. • Experience supporting design controls and engineering change management processes. • Medical device industry experience preferred. Technical Skills • Value Engineering / Design-to-Cost methodologies • Product cost analysis and cost modeling • Design Controls and Risk Management • Root Cause Analysis and Structured Problem Solving • Statistical Analysis and Experimental Design • Manufacturing Processes and Process Validation • Material Selection and Specification Optimization • Supplier Qualification and Technical Assessment Leadership Competencies • Strong business acumen and financial mindset • Ability to translate technical solutions into cost savings • Excellent project management and prioritization skills • Effective communication and stakeholder management • Ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority • Results-oriented with demonstrated bias for execution • Familiarity with continuous improvement, lean, or design-to-value methodologies used to improve product cost, process efficiency, and portfolio productivity. Compose