Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer – Aerospace Gearing

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while   maintaining   the highest professional and ethical standards.     We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our   communities   creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to   power   a clean future.     Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly   benchmarks with   other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position.   Salary will be   determined   by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.     Estimated   hourly   base pay: $ 145,000   (Minimum) - $ 181,000   (Midpoint) - $ 218,000   (Maximum)   All members included in   annual   cash bonus opportunity.     401(k) match (4.5%)    Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%)    Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members      12 paid holidays   Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire    Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave.     Paid parental leave.     Adoption Assistance      Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits.     Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life     Member referral bonus      Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending     Voluntary benefits, including:      Home / Auto Insurance discounts     Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave     Key Responsibilities:   Advanced Gear Process Development & Industrialization    Lead end-to-end development of aerospace-qualified gear manufacturing   processes development   including spur, helical, bevel, and spline gears.   Define and document:   Process flows, PFMEAs, control plans, and work instructions   Key Characteristics (KCs) and Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) features   Process capability requirements (Cp/ Cpk ) for critical gear geometry   Work cooperatively with gearing designs to improve performance & manufacturability of new gearing products   Develop and   optimize   machining processes including:   Hobbing , shaping, skiving, broaching   Profile and generating grinding   Honing, lapping, and superfinishing   Establish robust process control strategies for:   Tooth profile accuracy, pitch variation, lead/helix error   Surface finish, residual stress, and distortion control   Define machining parameters, tooling strategies, and thermal controls to ensure repeatability in ultra-tight tolerance aerospace components.   Lead process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) and AS9102 First Article Inspection (FAI).   Drive continuous improvement:   Reduction of transmission error and gear noise   Improved process capability and yield   Implementation of advanced machining techniques and in-process monitoring   Supplier Development & Special Process Management   Serve as technical authority for gear manufacturing suppliers and special process providers.   Lead supplier qualification and audit activities to ensure compliance with:   AS9100 quality systems   Aerospace customer requirements   Internal engineering specifications   Oversee and manage NADCAP-controlled special processes, including:   Heat treatment (carburizing, nitriding, induction hardening)   Shot peening and residual stress control   Surface treatments (coatings, plating, corrosion protection)   Non-destructive testing (MPI, FPI, ultrasonic)   Ensure detailed and   accurate   technical requirement flow-down, including:   Gear macro- and microgeometry specifications   Surface integrity and metallurgical requirements   Full traceability and certification needs   Partner with suppliers on:   Process capability improvement initiatives   Root cause corrective action (RCCA, 8D)   Monitor supplier performance via KPIs and support make vs. buy decisions.   Quality Engineering & Inspection (Precision Components)   Define and implement advanced inspection strategies for aerospace precision components, with emphasis on gearing.   Establish and   validate   measurement systems (MSA, Gage R&R) for:   Gear profile, lead, pitch, runout, and composite error   Surface finish, waviness, and microgeometry   Utilize analytical inspection equipment (e.g.,   Klingelnberg , Gleason, Zeiss).   Ensure compliance with:   AGMA, ISO, DIN, and aerospace standards   Customer and regulatory requirements   Lead and support:   AS9102 First Article Inspection (FAI)   Internal, customer, and regulatory audits   Drive structured root cause investigations addressing:   Transmission error and NVH performance issues   Contact pattern deviations and load distribution   Surface distress, wear, and fatigue   Implement SPC and continuous monitoring of critical characteristics.   Ensure full traceability, documentation, and configuration control for flight hardware.   Manufacturing & Technical Leadership   Provide hands-on support to resolve complex machining and finishing issues on the shop floor.   Collaborate with design engineering on:   Manufacturability (DFM)   Tolerance stack-up and performance requirements   Mentor engineers and technicians in aerospace manufacturing best practices.   Interface cross- functionally   with Design, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management.   Key Skills:   Effective written and verbal communication skills including presentations, (Customer, inte