Patent Counsel
TaylorMade Golf Company is looking for an experienced engineer to join our golf ball R&D team to develop the next generation of golf ball materials, processes, and products. We are an industry leader in golf performance equipment. You will utilize your strong technical knowledge and experience with polymers in a research setting, your analytical and problem-solving skills to develop new polymer materials and processes to create the next breakthrough in material technology and golf ball performance.
Essential Functions and Key Responsibilities:
- Research and develop new polymer materials to enhance and/or create new golf ball from core to cover.
- Work with multi-disciplinary teams to fully define the needs and constraints of projects/products, drive development or problem-solving activity, and deliver fully qualified designs/processes/solutions. Manage schedules for critical phases of research or product development.
- Be resourceful and manage inside resources and outside vendors to produce prototype components or products within a defined time frame and budget. Work with resources to improve quality, efficiency, and productivity.
- Define, launch, track, and evaluate the quality of prototypes for new designs, materials, concepts and processes and ensure they are transferred to product development through SOPs and specifications.
- Manage multiple projects at once to achieve defined goals within agreed upon time frames.
- Use existing test methods and develop new methods to characterize and understand its affects to performance, to evaluate the performance of prototypes.
- Analyze test results, prototypes, manufacturing trials and provide feedback in the form of reports and/or presentations to interested parties so that improvements/enhancements can be made to materials/processes.
- Ensure accurate documents/specifications/SOPs are generated for new materials and processes and that documents are transferred to development, engineering and manufacturing groups.
- Develop an understanding of existing patent landscape surrounding area of expertise. Fully support patent activity to protect intellectual property and evaluate new designs in terms of patentability or infringement.
- Manage the tasks, priorities, and output of engineers and/or technicians. Participate in performance evaluation and feedback to employees.
Knowledge and Skills Requirements:
- Strong understanding of thermoplastic and thermoset materials. Experience developing products utilizing polymer materials (rubber, ionomer, polyurethane, thermoplastics/TPUs, thermosets and paints/inks) preferred.
- Expertise and relevant background experience in one or more of the following: application of materials, manufacturing methods, product development process and testing/evaluation methodologies.
- Working knowledge of manufacturing methods e.g., injection molding, machining, compression molding, polyurethane casting, transfer molding, composites, and coating techniques.
- Knowledge and some experience in Design of Experiments (DOE). Experience with designing and setting up experiments, various data acquisition methods, statistical analysis and report writing.
- Strong communication skills: Must be fluent in English (written and oral), have excellent interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization.
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to attend to multiple concurrent tasks.
- Ability to lead, inspire, develop and manage a group of engineers and/or technicians to perform at the highest level and support business needs.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office suite (primarily Excel, Word and PowerPoint); Advanced computer experience in data processing/evaluation or analysis preferred.
- Knowledge of golf principles, products, and rules preferred. Strong interest in sports equipment technology and associated terminology is a plus.
Education, Work Experience, and Professional Certifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Materials, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering required; Master's Degree in Polymer Engineering or Science is preferred
- 5+ years of related experience in a Research & Development environment, with exposure to processing polymeric materials
- Manufacturing/Production experience is a plus
- Experience leading a team or managing is preferred
Work Environment / Physical Requirements:
- Normal office conditions, heavy computer use
- Ability to work extended hours as necessary
- Light physical effort equal to lifting or moving of lightweight materials
- Occasional international travel required
- Hybrid work schedule requires three days onsite and allows two days remote
The above description is intended to show in general terms, the responsibilities for which the position exists and the type, level and work which must be satisfactorily performed in order to be successful in the position. However, this description is not intended to be an all-inclusive listing of work requirements, nor an all-inclusive list of skills and abilities required to do the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the duties, responsibilities and activities or to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions at any time with or without notice. Nothing in this job description changes the at-will relationship between the Company and its employees.