Research & Development (Mechanical) Engineer
NOV Inc.
Houston, TX 77064
Description
NOV’s Fluid Motion Solutions (FMS) is seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer to work in our Research & Development (R&D) laboratory in Houston, Texas. The FMS business segment designs and manufactures industrial mixers and agitators for blending and homogenizing fluids in processes such as chemical production, waste-water treatment, fermentation, food & beverage manufacturing etc. We are dedicated to delivering high-performance, reliable, and efficient fluid handling technologies, and helping our customers optimize their processes to achieve their operational goals.
As a research and development mechanical engineer, you will be responsible for mechanical designs, experimentation, result analysis, technical documentation and running CFD simulations of new product studies, and existing product lines. The R&D team is a center of competency responsible for researching and developing new technologies to reduce cost, complexity, and improve product performance. The candidate will be responsible for creating new products for new markets or modifying existing products to meet customer requirements. The Dayton facility is the flagship factory for NOV’s Mixing Technologies product brands which includes Chemineer rotating mixers, Kenics static mixers and heat exchangers, Greerco high shear mixers and Prochem belt driven mixers. The R&D mechanical engineer’s role is vital for driving innovation and maintaining competitive edge of NOV’s product offerings in the fluid mixing business sector.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Creating engineering designs and prototypes for new mechanical agitator parts using CAD and other engineering tools.
- Conducting feasibility studies and analyze the performance of mechanical agitator designs.
- Ability to address and resolve technical issues that arise during the development process.
- Prototype and test mechanical components to evaluate performance and reliability.
- Investigate new technologies, improve product performance, safety, & cost-effectiveness.
- Ability to identify and troubleshoot issues in mechanical designs and propose solutions.
- The ability to run FEA simulations, design and analyze physical test data to evaluate performance / durability of designs, and identify areas for improvement.
- Managing projects from concept through to production, including timelines, budget, and resource allocation.
- Work closely with other engineers, product managers, and stakeholders to ensure that designs meet technical specifications, regulatory requirements and customer needs.
- Prepare detailed technical documentations, reports, and presentations to communicate findings and project status to management and other stakeholders.
- Ensure that products comply with industry standards, safety regulations and company policies. Assist in the qualification of suppliers for new products to ensure delivery of quality parts, materials, and services for new or improved manufacturing processes.
- Travel less than 5%
Qualifications and required experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering; master’s degree holders are encouraged to apply.
- Deep understanding of mechanical engineering principles, including mechanics, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and materials science.
- Proficiency with CAD software, preferably SolidWorks.
- Ability to use FEA for simulations and analysis. Experience with CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is a plus.
- Experience with prototyping techniques and tools, including 3D printing and machining.
- Skills in designing and conducting experiments to test and validate prototypes.
- Ability to create detailed engineering drawings, specifications, and technical reports.
- Proficiency in documenting design processes, test results, and project progress.
- Strong analytical skills to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and develop solutions.
- Competence in analyzing test data and interpreting results to make informed decisions.
- Good understanding of rotating equipment such as agitators and pumps is strongly preferred.
- Understanding customer needs and requirements to develop products that meet expectations.
Minimum relevant work experience of 7 – 10 years is required for this role.