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Senior Mechanical Engineer

Company Overview

Wherever you work and whatever role you fill, when you represent the Bridgestone name you know that you are a valued teammate who is part of our larger mission to Serve Society with Superior Quality. We start by offering each teammate more than just a salary. We provide formal training, competitive performance incentives, paid vacation and holidays, healthcare packages for full-time and part-time employees, and a 401k plan to help build your future. We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they are allowed to bring their whole selves to work and know they are supported. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve. So, show us what you are made of. Show us the smart stuff, the tough stuff, the bold, beautiful and brave stuff. Because who you are is what we need. Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee and is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone Americas and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer like you to join our amazing Muscatine, IA Manufacturing plant.

The Bandag facility in Muscatine has been in operation for more than 50 years and is where the retread equipment is made that directly supports Bandag retread dealers. Bandag dealers use this equipment in their retread plants to create quality retread tires for fleet customers of all sizes.

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will be providing Engineering Services and support to the global Bridgestone pre-cure tread (PCT) manufacturing operations through evaluation, analysis, design, supervision, upgrading and installation of corporate facilities, equipment, controls and process systems. Is a source of knowledge and expertise on equipment in Bridgestone Bandag manufacturing sites. You will also need to be proficient in plant mechanical and electrical systems, risk prevention systems, buildings and grounds (asphalt, roofing, HVAC, lighting, etc…), warehousing, waste management and logistics.

At Bridgestone Americas we value Diversity. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals, and teams. We are creating a workplace that fosters a culture of acceptance where you are free to be your true self because what we need is who you are. We offer a variety of experiences to help you build the career that matters to you. Apply and join one of our teams to begin a career at Bridgestone Americas. Trust your talent; trust the journey. Be Bridgestone.

Responsibilities

In this role, your primary responsibilities will include:

  • Project management - Responsible for reaching agreement with customer on cost, schedule, and functionality-each new project; plans, organizes and controls major projects on a daily basis; responsible for meeting project goals, on cost, schedule and functionality; Handles multiple project; coordinates the efforts of other engineers, technicians, plant personnel and contractors.
  • Design and Development - Develop and coordinates designs for process equipment needed for refinement, expansion and modernization; proposes new programs to keep equipment and processes technologically advanced and leading the industry in product quality, productivity and energy efficiency; evaluates existing processes and equipment and recommends modifications and refinements to save money and improve quality; assures standard equipment with state of the art technology is used; makes informed recommendations on equipment required for manufacturing.
  • Incumbent is accountable for the definition of scope, design criteria, organization, schedule and control of projects as assigned. These functions are performed in a manner that projects are completed in the shortest time and at minimum cost, meet company objectives and contribute to the continue success of North America, South American, Latin America, Europe and the Asian business units.
  • Consulting and Communications - Relates plans of operations and establishes priorities for projects; provides liaison between the plants and corporate; visits plants to study processes consult with personnel and make recommendations; follow up on recommendations; represents the company in contacts with outside suppliers of equipment, services or systems; serves as consultants to management and plants on technical problems; transmits information to plants on equipment or process improvements in area of responsibility.
  • Maintenance of Expertise - maintains professional engineering certification; participates in technical seminars and reads technical publications to keep abreast of latest technology; maintains reference documents, technical work instructions and forms in the QMS system; provides training as needed to other engineers and plant staff.
  • Technology Development - use experience, knowledge and creativity to recommend ideas for technology development.
  • The Project Engineer III is also a resource used for training other engineering and plant personnel as they are proficient in equipment operation, installation, maintenance and repair.
  • Management of global capital projects to meet time and budget commitments.
  • Directs contractors, technicians, engineers, and plant personnel as needed.
  • Capital asset disposal and Capital asset management.
  • Makes recommendations to corporate and plant management regarding appropriate goals for projects.
  • Once project goals are established, acts independently to achieve those goals.
  • Is responsible for training/education of plant personnel and other engineers.
  • Informs management of major changes in project scope or in project costs, and decisions involving major commitments or items that deviate from approved budget or schedule.
  • Responsible for financial performance of capital projects with in $200k - $5M dollar range.
  • Environment/Working Conditions - Incumbent must be willing to travel domestically and globally up to 30% to support the manufacturing plants with technical problems and equipment installation in all areas of manufacturing. Incumbent must be willing to work extended hours as needed to achieve company goals. Incumbent communicates with GES engineers, plant maintenance, plant engineers, managers, plant managers, Directors, VP's, Executive VP's and President/Controller from Japan, South American, Latin America, Mexico, Australia and Europe on a regular basis. Position may require extensive periods of on site time at any given global manufacturing location. Geographic area of responsibility includes operations in Europe, South Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, Latin America and North America.
  • Personal Contact/Working Relationships - Must have strong relationships with each global business unit at the plant manager, plant engineering, and plant maintenance levels. Possess excellent communication skills. Ability to communicate well with people at all levels of the organization effectively. High principles of honesty, integrity, ethical engineering and business practices. Able to function equally well as either a leader or member of a project team. Understand the benefits of diversity in the workplace.
  • Major Challenges/Problem Solving & Persuasion - Able to manage and influence others by using exceptional interpersonal skills. Must be able to multi-task and prioritize goals as conflicts occur. Must have a broad understanding of all engineering disciplines including electrical, controls, process, manufacturing and mechanical. Must be able to use systematic, rational processes to identify root cause problems and corrective solutions.
  • Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical Engineering or Engineering Physics.
  • 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in Project Management.

Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. It is our policy to consider for employment all individuals regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Employment Eligibility

If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.

Our Benefits

Bridgestone Americas believes that taking care of you means more than just a prescription or dental plan. Our benefit plans are designed to meet our teammates' emotional, financial and physical needs, helping them thrive at work.

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Physical Health

At Bridgestone, we care about your physical health. That’s why we offer competitive benefits to ensure our teammates have access to quality and equitable healthcare.

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Emotional Well-being

We recognize that emotional well-being is just as important as physical health. That's why we offer a supportive work environment and resources to help our teammates manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

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Financial Well-being

Bridgestone helps you invest in your future by investing in you. We provide resources and benefits to support your financial health, including retirement plans, financial planning resources and tuition reimbursement, among others.

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Bridgestone Application & Interview FAQs

Answers to frequently asked questions about our application and interview process to help you prepare.

Before you apply for one of the available opportunities at Bridgestone, review each of the skills needed for the role that interests you and be prepared to show how you meet the qualifications.

Whether on a job application or your resume, it is essential to customize your information to highlight the most relevant connections to the job you want.

Once you have provided your information to Bridgestone, you will receive a request for an interview if you are being considered.

In the Bridgestone hiring process, depending on the role you are being considered for, you may have a one-on-one interview or a panel interview, and both can happen in person or via video call. If you are applying for a manufacturing or retail role, you will probably interview in person or at the location where you plan to work. All these factors can change how you might prepare for and conduct an interview, so we have created a guide that covers virtual or video interview tips and in-person interview tips. We have also included other common information you should consider.

Prepare Your “Elevator Speech”
In most interviews, you will get the prompt to “tell us about yourself” or something of that nature. It’s best to prepare a short but compelling description of yourself. Consider including:
Brief summary of your career, potentially highlighting your most relevant job.
Why are you looking to start a career at Bridgestone, or are you looking to change careers/jobs?
What was interesting about this particular role or working at Bridgestone?

Be Ready to Answer Questions
During an interview, you will be asked questions about previous experience to learn more about you. Whether you are asked about strengths or weaknesses or about a particular work situation that you might have considered a challenge or a win, it helps if you structure your answers with the STAR Method.
Situation: Describe the challenge you faced, win you had, or relevant situation
Task: Explain the role you played
Action: What were the detailed steps you took or how you accomplished the task
Result: Explain the outcome
Make sure that it is relevant to the role you are seeking. This method also helps you demonstrate how you accomplished something or overcame a challenge independently or while working well with a team.

Be Ready to Ask Questions
It is also important to ask questions to help you make an informed decision about the role if an offer is extended to you. Remember that you are interviewing Bridgestone as much as we are interviewing you, so asking interview questions is critical.
Some questions you can ask:
What would my day-to-day role look like?
Describe the team I would be working with.
What is your favorite thing about working at Bridgestone?
You mentioned (insert topic here). Tell me more about that.

By asking open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” you can learn more about the role and the people you would be working with. And by circling back on information shared during the interview, you show that you are actively listening and interested.

Plan Your Route
If you are interviewing in person, map out the route you will take before the day of your interview to make sure you allow enough time for travel. Be mindful of traffic patterns and look for any construction in the area. Aim to be about 15 minutes early for your interview so you can find a place to park and take some time to prepare mentally.
If you have an unexpected schedule conflict, notify your recruiter via phone/email/text so they can work to reschedule your time.

Dress to Impress
Dress appropriately for the role you want. Different work environments may be more casual, but you always want to look your best for an interview. Consider this for a video interview as well. Most of us have better posture and body language when we look and feel our best. While no one may know you are wearing pajamas, your casual demeanor may not make a great first impression. Make sure you are free of as many distractions as possible. With many of us having to work from home while taking care of our families, we understand that quiet space can be challenging to find for you as well as for the interviewers. While we encourage you to find an area where you can focus and not be interrupted, we understand that life happens and might just happen during your interview, so don’t stress too much about it.

What to Bring
Even if you have provided a resume, always bring one additional copy for each person interviewing you. And for any interview, it’s always good to bring a pen and paper if you want to take notes. Stay engaged in the conversation; no one wants to see the top of your head while you write notes for the entire interview.

There may be a chance one or more of your interviews will be conducted virtually. Here are our tips to prepare;

Check Your Tech
Confirm what platform you will use and make sure that you have it properly installed and launched on your system.
If you use a device like a tablet or a laptop, ensure it is fully charged. Try not to use a phone if possible.
Confirm that your webcam and microphone are allowed and work correctly in your chosen browser.
Test your internet connection to ensure it is strong and working.
If using headphones, make sure they are connected and selected prior.
At the beginning of the interview, verify that the interviewer can hear and see you.
Close other programs on your computer. Getting notifications during your interview is distracting and unprofessional. Before your interview, ensure all other computer windows are closed, and notifications are silenced or turned off.
Switch your other devices onto silent mode; however, have your phone handy if your interviewer is having technical difficulties or trying to reach out via phone or email.
If you need any accessibility accommodations or are concerned about the required virtual platform not being fully accessible for you, please let the recruiter at Bridgestone know. We will reach out to discuss how to best support you.

Prepare Your Space
Conduct your interview in a quiet, well-lit environment, without a backlight or window that may put you in a shadow.
Find a place with a simple backdrop or blank wall to eliminate distractions and put the focus on you.
Avoid taking an interview from your vehicle. If it is the only quiet place you can find, DO NOT attempt to interview while driving or in a moving vehicle; our recruiters will end the call. After all, at Bridgestone, we make safety a business value.

Smile for the Camera
Look at the camera. Looking directly at the video camera (not the screen) is the only way to maintain direct eye contact with your interviewer.
Try to focus on sitting up straight and making eye contact. At the beginning of the interview, verify that the interviewer can hear and see you.
Be mindful of your body language. Not all physical cues translate from in-person interviews to video interviews. Be sure to have good posture and stay engaged.
Silence any other technology, i.e. smart watches; you don’t want to be distracted or appear disinterested during your interview."

When the interview ends, whether virtual or in person, you can ask what to expect as the next step in the process. The person conducting the interview can let you know if there are additional interviews to expect or if you will hear from HR with a decision as to whether you have been chosen for the role.

We ask that you be patient as we may have several candidates to interview, but we value your time and will offer the professional courtesy of a response either way. Also, if you are no longer interested in the role or have accepted another role, please notify your recruiter so they can remove you from the interview process.

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As a member of our Talent Community, you will receive access to news, events and career opportunities at Bridgestone. Sign up now and take the first step towards a fulfilling career with us.

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