Daniel Calzadilla
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven engineering leader with extensive experience in managing multidisciplinary teams and executing high-stakes projects. Proven track record in reducing project costs, enhancing material technologies, and driving strategic initiatives as the team's senior materials process engineer specialists.
Authored manufacturing plans and operating procedures while developing processes and qualifying products using innovative solutions and advance technologies. Adept at leading cross-functional teams, mentoring emerging engineers, and implementing advanced processes to achieve significant production outcomes as the technical expertise.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Materials & Process Engineer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
06.2019 - Current
- Leads a multidisciplinary team of 12 engineers and technicians on a high-stakes project in support of production operations as the material process specialist
- Authored and published 4 major manufacturing plans, like Process Work Instructions, with new and improved processes with bonding various materials over composite structures
- Awarded Company BRAVO for identifying and resolving 3 mission-critical quality issues in the manufacturing process related to surface treatments for bonding
- Led the implementation of an Engineering Change Request with the build team, applying new coating on titanium to enhance polymer adhesion by at least 40%, preventing a 200-hour increase in program span time on critical path for the program
- Released 14 production changes for future assets with M&P sign-off authority during production design reviews, acting as a key stakeholder for production planning
- Serve as the senior materials process focal, providing technical support to multiple suppliers closely with a strong ability to deep dive into issues hands-on alongside end users
- Applies sound engineering and quality procedures to support material requirements, delivered contractually, meeting our company and program requirements
- Provides engineering and technician groups new planning processes for various cost centers, reacting quickly to materials related production constraints brought up during daily boardwalks
- Clarifies procedures and can publish new work instructions, having to develop 10 test plans and execute them in our labs and at manufacturing sites ensuring reproducibility
- Actively seeks opportunities to increase efficiency, working with designers, technicians, production planners and engineers to avoid work stoppages
- Expert in coatings including basic understanding in high temperature elastomers/silicones, epoxies, sealants, adhesives, metallic pre-treatments, thermoplastics, and urethane products, providing technical leadership in engineering and hands-on expertise working often alongside material application specialists
- Supporting role in production FMEA and RCA corrective action plans with experience with design and implementing changes to reduce/prevent problems from occurring and to eliminate root causes
- Submitted four test plans and executed them with a subcontractor to identify misses in the process, completing testing and determining the cause of the major issue
- Published two document updates and implemented steps to minimize and/or eliminate adverse effects from recurring
- Presents material hot topics and updates on our full-scale model durability test quarterly to US government counterparts and program leaders at every customer technical interchange meeting
- Produced presentations on various subjects, including 6 major milestone qualification reports and a coating durability presentation, which led to the adoption of new testing protocols and improved material performance standards
- Received positive feedback for spearheading the effort and running it successfully to the completion, influencing key program decisions
Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
10.2017 - 06.2019
- Responsible for new mechanical design layouts and documentation of Flight Test aerospace instrumentation for over 34 unique drawings, integrating mechanical design across multiple teams including Electrical Design, Production, Materials & Process Engineering, and Flight Test Operations.
- Developed training materials for new hires to the company, facilitating quick onboarding and skill acquisition in instrumentation engineering design tasks.
- Increased production capacity by upgrading existing instruments to more efficient models.
- Managed procurement process for instrumentation components, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality products within budget constraints.
Supportability Engineer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
06.2015 - 10.2017
- Conducted and completed 19 reliability trades including multi-material component stack-ups supporting 23 supportability analysis efforts
- Contributed to the ongoing refinement of 3 internal processes and 5 procedures within the site reliability engineering discipline through regular reviews, updates, and knowledge sharing activities.
- Facilitated effective communication between operations, maintenance, engineering, and other departments to drive collaboration on reliability and maintainability initiatives.
- Developed strong rapport with key stakeholders, fostering long-term partnerships based on trust and reliability.
Chemical Engineering Intern
SUNY Buffalo
05.2012 - 05.2015
- Awarded a Research and Scholarship Award of Distinction at the University's Research Symposium by the Provost and Executive VP for Academic Affairs.
- Monitored oil fraction stability for 23 different combinations to analyze the effectiveness of dispersants on individual oil components.
- Utilized fluorescence spectroscopy to determine the critical micellization of SDS surfactants, employing a computer software for graphical analysis, increasing data collection by 31%.
- Captured and analyzed over 245 unique images of emulsion droplet sizes using optical microscopy using computer programs to speed the process by 82%.
Chemical Process Engineering Intern
Kansas University
05.2013 - 07.2013
- Assisted graduate engineering students and faculty in designing experiments on algae to test new processes which increased extracting efficiency by 47%.
- Conducted successful biomass collection from cultivating algae for automotive engineers to run engine tests within tight timelines.
- Proposed a method to calculate total cellular phosphate of algae in batch reactors combining multiple processes into one, reducing waste by 67%.
- Implemented a new standard operating procedure using high pressure stainless steel Swagelok reactors, creating a visual aid document for mechanical engineering students to use for operations.
- Obtained phosphate concentration of algal cultures at a 20 million gallon wastewater treatment plan at a bi-weekly interval.
Chemical Research Intern
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (STEP Program)
06.2010 - 08.2010
- Completed research, compiled data, and assisted in timely reporting.
- Investigated a range of spectroscopy instruments, including confocal microscopy, fluorometry, and circular dichroism spectroscopy to discern which tool was optimal for testing phosphorate concentrations.
- Enhanced the characterization of chiral structures in binary guanosine gels by studying their interactions with highly absorbing molecules such as quantum dots and fluorescent dyes.
Education
Master of Science - Systems Engineering
Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, FL12.2017
Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering
University At Buffalo, The State University of New York
Melbourne, FL05.2015
Skills
- Leadership and Team Management
- Senior Material Specialist
- Mentorship and Professional Development
- Process Development and Validation
- Production Documentation Planning
- Production Specifications
- Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvements
- Strong Customer Relations
- Material Qualifications
- Polymer Chemistry
- Composite Background
Security Clearance
Active Top Secret, 2017
Timeline
Materials & Process Engineer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
06.2019 - Current
Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
10.2017 - 06.2019
Supportability Engineer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
06.2015 - 10.2017
Chemical Process Engineering Intern
Kansas University
05.2013 - 07.2013
Chemical Engineering Intern
SUNY Buffalo
05.2012 - 05.2015
Chemical Research Intern
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (STEP Program)
06.2010 - 08.2010
Master of Science - Systems Engineering
Florida Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering
University At Buffalo, The State University of New York
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