Roger W. Best
Carlsbad, CA
(619)
804-0904 rogerwbest@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-w-best-ms-mba-1780225/
Summary of Experience:
A seasoned Senior Product Designer and Project
Manager with extensive experience in diverse team functions, across various
industries. The industries I have worked in include: autonomous vehicles,
automotive manufacturing, aerospace product and tooling, turbine engine design,
military vehicle design, and machine design. The types of design include: mechanical,
electro-mechanical, opto-mechanical, mechanical packaging, tooling and
fixturing design, manufacturing, and systems engineering. Have also worked as a
Team Leader. Previously held three Top Secret Security Clearances, pre-2011:
TS-SSBI, TS-DOD, TS-Special Projects
Core Competencies:
· Most recent expertise includes: advanced sensor and camera integration for autonomous vehicles, electronic packaging for communications equipment, superplastic forming dies, test fixtures, mechanisms, machined parts, sheet metal, and weldments, as well as stampings and castings.
·
Project Manager / Team Leader on several aerospace
programs, both commercial and military, in aircraft development and aircraft
tooling.
● Proven track record of product development success, including project management, mechanical design lead, and as an individual contributor.
● Proven ability to define robust, yet cost-effective solutions, for challenging mechanical design problems, while simultaneously addressing manufacturability and serviceability.
● Strong ability to develop expertise quickly with regards to subject matter, projects, technologies, and engineering design tools.
Work Experience:
WAYMO [Google-X], Mountain View, CA June, 2017 – Present
Senior Product Designer (contractor)
Designer on two different sensor suite
assemblies using CATIA V6 (3DExperience), which will be integrated into
autonomous vehicles. Coordinate designs with other Responsible Design Engineers
(RDE) to create or update portions of new or existing design packages. Also
maintain the top-level assembly structure for an entire sensor suite in Enovia.
Tasked with designing test fixtures for verifying subassemblies are fully
functional prior to final top-level assembly into existing vehicles. Design of
electronic housings for sensors and PCB’s, involving plastic injection molded
part design.
NORTHROP-GRUMMAN, Rancho Carmel, CA August, 2016 – June, 2017
Senior Mechanical
Design Engineer (contractor)
Designed electro-mechanical enclosure assemblies
for military aircraft communications equipment, using CATIA V5. Worked closely
with the electrical engineering design lead by transferring circuit board
assemblies back and forth from/to CATIA and Mentor. Performed X, Y, and Z
tolerance studies, Worked with suppliers for ordering
connectors and ensure proper fits of components, and fits for my assemblies
into military aircraft. Also designed small test fixtures for PCB assemblies.
Worked on 19” rack test equipment CAD models, while closely interacting with
Systems Engineers.
GKN AEROSPACE, El Cajon, CA April, 2016 – August, 2016
Senior Tool Design Engineer (contractor)
Worked in the aerospace engine
components group, designing mechanisms and fixtures to position and hold small
to large, mostly cylindrical, components for machining operations. Mechanical
design work was done on Siemens NX 7.5 and NX 9.
THE BOEING COMPANY, Auburn, WA August, 2011 – March, 2016
Senior Tool Design Engineer (contractor)
Worked in the Advanced Metal
Structures group, designing complex mechanisms, tooling, fixtures, and dies to fabricate
titanium and aluminum components for various aircraft programs. Designed water
jet tools, forming dies, joggle dies, assembly fixtures, automated drill
fixtures, large transport carts, and trim tools. Regular and very close
interaction with Manufacturing Engineering and Quality Engineering. Design of
large superplastic forming dies (SPFD), utilizing extensive production part
surfacing manipulation and creation. Extensive use of surfacing, solid
modeling, part and assembly creation, and drawing creation using GD&T,
CATIA V5R20.
NORTHROP-GRUMMAN, Rancho Bernardo, CA April, 2005 – August, 2011
Business Case Development,
Financial Projections, RFI & RFP Development
Worked on developing financial
estimates (ROI, ROS, NPV, and IRR) for determining training costs and pricing,
along with additional business cases to justify funding for the development of
a new training system pricing model. Worked on a response to an RFP for the
Euro Hawk program. Used Rational Doors
to develop requirements and formalize system specifications for an initial
statement of work. Coordinated the effort for a response to an RFI for a
weapons systems trainer program as a co-Project Manager.
Senior Engineer / Project
Manager
Worked on
installations, structures, and subsystems design on the KQ-X (Global
Hawk-to-Global Hawk tanker program). Worked as a Responsible Engineer on the
Advanced Technology Development Center-subsystems (Black Program-NGAS’ most
advanced aircraft at that time). Lead an installation project for a new aircraft
antenna system on the Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program. Coordinated
the integration and mechanical design on a ground station for the Fire Scout
unmanned helicopter. Helped to develop a statement of work for the Fire Scout
ground station. Regularly interfaced with suppliers.
Worked on
installations of LRU’s and secondary structural components. Developed composite
parts, to be used for shielding on an antenna installation. Designed SLS and
roto-mold fabricated ducting components and assemblies. Designed primary and
secondary structural components for the UCAS unmanned fighter jet
ROCKWELL-COLLINS, Carlsbad, CA July, 2004 – April, 2005
Senior Mechanical Designer (contractor)
Developed fixturing for the
fabrication of head mounted displays for military applications. Involved in
product design of head mounted displays and peripheral equipment utilizing PTC
Wildfire 2.0. Designed electro-mechanical enclosures of controllers for
heads-up displays. Designed tooling fixtures for test and assembly. Designed
and created prototypes, instructed production personnel on the assembly
procedures to streamline building of electronics enclosures. Worked on
designing portions of heads-up displays for military applications. Extensive
electronic and opto-mechanical packaging. Considerable use of plastic injection
molded part design, using PTC Wildfire 2.0.
BOEING SPACE & INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS, Seal Beach, CA January, 2003 – July, 2004
Engineer / Scientist
Produced
animations for the business development department using 3DS Max, Pro-Engineer,
CATIA V5, SolidWorks, and various other applications. Translated CAD models to
create realistic animations for senior management to present to customers.
Modeled complicated part and assembly CAD models, which were then translated
into 3DS Max. Created complex animations and renderings depicting overall
project level scenes of Top Secret programs for the
military.
NORTHROP-GRUMMAN, Rancho Bernardo, CA January, 2002 – December, 2002
Senior Designer (contractor)
Designed
subsystems tube and hose routing assemblies, with Pro Piping, for the Global
Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program while working in the Mechanical Subsystems
group. All design work was done using PTC Pro-Engineer.
DRS SENSOR SYSTEMS, Torrance, CA January, 2001 – December, 2001
Senior Designer (contractor)
Involved
in the design, layout, and detail of optomechanical infrared sights for
military vehicles. Managed prototype production – from concept through
fabrication. Designed a large portion of an opto-mechanical turret, interfacing
to an unmanned, rugged terrain vehicle. Packaged opto-mechanical and
electro-mechanical projects with Pro-Engineer 2001, also used Intralink 3.1. Collaborated with senior management on the
development of new designs. Coordinated manufacturing with external suppliers
to fabricate complex machined parts. Organized and coordinated designs with the
optical engineer regularly.
XCELLSIS FUEL CELL ENGINES (Contractor), Poway, CA 1999-2001
Senior Designer
Designed and managed all tooling mechanisms, test
stand structures, and fixtures for the assembly of automotive fuel-cell
engines. Spent considerable time designing components and subassemblies for bus
and car fuel-cell engines.
EATON LEONARD (Contractor), Carlsbad, CA 1999
Senior Designer
Designed
Tube Bending Machines and managed the designs end-to-end using Pro-Engineer, ProPDM, and ASME-Y14.5M.
SOLAR TURBINES (Contractor), San Diego, CA 1996-1999
Senior Designer
Designed,
developed, and detailed large turbine engine structural/internal components and
assemblies. Modeled nozzles, blades, and other intricate aluminum castings
using Pro-Engineer. Also used ProPDM and ANSI-Y14.5M.
From 1988-1996: Worked in aerospace as a Senior Tool Design
Engineer and as a Team Leader over eight engineers. Also worked as a Senior
Product Designer on light-armored military vehicles.
From 1979 - 1988: Worked in the automotive industry developing automation equipment, conveyor systems, press welders, checking fixtures, and test stands. Designed PLC control systems for three of those years.
Formal Education:
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Los Angeles,
CA
Master of Science in Product Development
Engineering (Systems Eng.), MS
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, Malibu, CA
Master of Business Administration, MBA-Finance
http://bschool.pepperdine.edu/programs/mba/
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, Del Mar, CA
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, BSIT
http://www.phoenix.edu/programs/degree-programs/technology/bachelors/bsit.html
LEAN SIX SIGMA GREEN BELT - Northrop Grumman – Rancho Bernardo
STANFORD UNIVERSITY – Composites Design Workshop
HUMPHREY’S & ASSOCIATES – EVMS, Cost Account Management, and
Scheduling courses
PHILPOT AUTOMOTIVE BODY DESIGN – Automotive Body and Chassis design
course
MENSA Member
Technical Expertise:
CATIA-29,000 hours, PTC CREO-25,000 hours, Siemens NX9-4,000 hours,
ASME Y14.5M, Teamcenter, Enovia, SmarTeam, SolidWorks, MS Excel, MS Project, MS
Access, 3DS Max, Photoshop
