Distinguished Engineer

A Day in the Life

The Distinguished Engineer, RPE A&I is a senior technical leadership role responsible for providing advanced engineering expertise and strategic direction in support of A&I products across the product lifecycle. This position leads the most complex technical challenges related to product reliability, process robustness, design support, manufacturing readiness, and continuous improvement, with broad influence across engineering, quality, operations, regulatory, and supply chain functions.

The role is accountable for driving scalable, sustainable solutions that improve product performance, quality, compliance, and operational efficiency. As a recognized technical authority, the Distinguished Engineer partners with cross-functional stakeholders to resolve product and process issues, evaluate design and manufacturing risks, establish technical standards, and support the delivery of high-quality A&I products. In addition, this role mentors technical talent, strengthens organizational capability, and contributes to the advancement of engineering best practices and innovation.

Responsibilities

• Designs, develops, documents, tests, maintains, and debugs reliability and process engineering solutions, tools, and systems that support legacy instrumentation products while preserving original design intent throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conducts multidisciplinary technical assessments and collaborates with manufacturing, quality, operations, supply chain, and regulatory partners to support legacy product sustainment, manage obsolescence challenges, and maintain continuity of supply and customer support without compromising intended performance, functionality, safety, or compliance.
• Determines technical and process needs; analyzes product and process capabilities to resolve issues related to design intent, performance, manufacturability, output requirements, and supportability; prepares technical guidance and operating recommendations; and develops engineering approaches, methods, and standards that support legacy instrumentation sustainment and product continuity.
• Ensures engineering standards, quality requirements, validation expectations, and applicable regulatory requirements are met, with particular emphasis on sustaining legacy instrumentation products, addressing component obsolescence, and protecting design intent, product performance, and customer use needs.

Technical Specialist Career Stream

An individual contributor with responsibility in our technical functions to advance existing technology, improve product and process performance, or extend the useful life of legacy instrumentation products through sustaining engineering, obsolescence management, and process improvements. Formulates, delivers, and/or manages projects assigned and works with other stakeholders to achieve desired results. May act as a mentor to colleagues or direct the work of lower-level professionals.

Differentiating Factors

Autonomy: Recognized technical authority and innovator within the organization in design, reliability and process engineering for legacy instrumentation products. Plans technical projects and strategic functional initiatives and recommends engineering solutions to accomplish medium-term to long-range objectives while maintaining original design intent, supporting product longevity, and addressing obsolescence-related risks.

Organizational Impact: Contributes to the support and improvement of legacy products, processes, standards, or operational plans based on business strategy with a direct impact on the functional area and business unit. Influences business decisions made by leadership. Establishes technical approaches and long-range solutions that improve product reliability, process robustness, manufacturability, lifecycle performance, continuity of supply, and sustained alignment with design intent.

Innovation and Complexity: Faces problems that are complex, requiring broad-based consideration of variables that impact multiple areas of the organization. Develop solutions that are novel and unique and draw upon best practices based on expertise. Fosters technical innovation and is expected to guide or lead the business unit in new technical directions while preserving design intent, supporting legacy instrumentation sustainment, and managing obsolescence challenges.

Communication and Influence: Serves as a principal spokesperson internally related to subject matter expertise pertaining to design, reliability and process engineering, technical strategy, standards, and significant engineering advancements. Uses influence, negotiation, and persuasion to achieve objectives and to align stakeholders on decisions that protect design intent, support product continuity, and manage obsolescence impacts.

Leadership and Talent Management: Provides guidance, coaching, and training for other employees within the business unit. Typically manages large, complex initiatives of strategic importance to the business unit, involving large cross-functional teams. Helps build technical capability in others to ensure consistent application of engineering principles and effective support of legacy instrumentation sustainment and product continuity.