Jim Carr
Tewksbury,MA
Summary
A highly accomplished professional with a track record of leading two startup companies to successful acquisitions as both an individual contributor and senior manager. Possessing a strong technical skillset in cutting-edge technologies and a proven ability to guide teams in achieving company objectives, I offer a unique blend of expertise. My background spans operations and engineering disciplines, enabling me to approach challenges from multiple angles. Throughout my career, I have consistently achieved outstanding results by implementing streamlined processes and cultivating strong team dynamics.
Overview
40
40
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Hardware Systems
Lighmatter, Inc
08.2018 - Current
- Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
- Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
Principal Engineer
Raytheon, E-Systems
03.2018 - 08.2018
- Established best practices in design methodology, resulting in increased efficiency and consistency across projects.
- Evaluated vendor proposals for equipment procurement, selecting optimal options based on cost-effectiveness and performance criteria.
- Utilized advanced simulation tools to optimize designs for improved performance prior to physical prototyping stages.
- Trained staff members and improved engineering application processes.
- Coordinated with multiple departments to effectively manage resources, schedules, and budgets during project execution.
- Reviewed plans, documents, and related materials to assess projected actions and advise on changes.
Senior Manager, HW
Mellanox Technologies
02.2016 - 12.2017
- Integrated system design teams between US and Israel to work together to achieve corporate goals for new product designs centered around next generation multicore processor SoC
- Evaluated design methodologies and created an efficient, unified structure so all teams follow the same flow
- Oversee the design of multiple projects to meet schedules in time with IC tape-out
- Develop bottoms-up schedules for new product designs ensuring the most efficient design cycle and on time delivery
- Manage a local team of board design engineers autonomously to achieve design milestones
- Create budget for local lab, design, and development needs
- Manage outside sub-contractors to maintain cost and schedule commitments
- Work with cross-functional organizations, including software, IC engineering, and architecture teams to understand all technical aspects of the project to ensure delivery of quality, functional hardware
- Work directly with customers to communicate product requirements and schedules.
Director of Platforms Engineering
Tilera Corporation
10.2006 - 02.2016
- Built a systems design team comprised of hardware, software, and signal integrity engineers, and purchasing
- Formalized Systems Design environment and the entire processes and procedures to ensure high quality and predictable output
- Interact with other department heads to communicate status and understand requirements in order to properly set priorities within the Systems Design team
- Negotiate with vendors (tools and services) on cost and schedule
- Perform annual budgets, planning costs and resources.
Manager of Platforms Engineering
Tilera Corporation
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Implemented Product Lifecycle Management system (Omnify) for BOM and ECO management
- Managed the compliance effort (EMI/EMC, Safety, RoHS, REACH)
- Oversaw the design of over 20 boards and systems to production status which generated 90+% of the company's revenue
- Worked with dozens of customers on their board and system designs through conference calls and on-site working directly with the engineers.
Systems Design Engineer
Tilera Corporation
01.2006 - 01.2012
- Designed Bring-up boards for Tilera's 1st and 2nd generation many-core processor System-on-a-Chip utilizing DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM, PCIe Gen1 and Gen2, XAUI, SGMII, USB 2.0
- Designed multiple cards and platforms for customer evaluation and early prototypes, integrating components with the Tilera processor subsystem: Marvell L2 switch, PLX PCIe switch, Broadcom 1G and 10G PHYs, SSDs, and SATA III controllers
- Wrote the Hardware Design Guide including specific guidelines to successfully design with the Tilera processor along with general 'best practices' information
- Define and set up engineering processes
- Pre-layout simulation and constraint driven design methodology
- Formalize check-lists and gate reviews
- Design Verification Test (DVT) phase: Signal integrity verification and four-corners
- System Verification Test (SVT/PVT) phase: System hardware, firmware, and software long term stability over a larger sample size; last gate for Release To Production
- Implemented Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system for BOM and ECO management
- Set up operations at the Contract Manufacturer to produce Tilera's boards and systems
- Defined functional test process
- Managed diagnostic software team to create production level functional test and debug tools
- Created test stations and test jigs to enable production flow
- Oversaw introduction of products from prototypes to NPI to full scale production.
Staff (Principal) Engineer
Sun Microsystems (Pirus Networks)
01.2000 - 10.2006
- Designed 3rd generation Storage Resource Card (SRC) which utilized Freescale PowerPC (MPC7457 and MPC8245), Marvell MV64460, DDR SSRAM (L3 cache), DDR SDRAM, Altera Stratix EP1S40 FPGA, Freescale MC92610 2.5 GHz quad serdes, and Fast Ethernet L2 switch
- Designed 2nd generation SRC, similar to 3rd gen
- Used MPC7455, MPC8240, Marvell GT64260, SSRAM (L3 cache), 1 GB SDRAM, Altera Apex FPGA, and Freescale MC92600 1 GHz quad serdes
- Designed 1st generation 4-port Storage I/O card which utilized QLogic ISP2310 Fibre Channel controller
- Designed 1st generation Management Interface Card (MIC) which utilized a Freescale MPC8240, a PCMCIA controller, three 8-port Fast Ethernet L2 switches configured for a 24-port switch
- Designed a 32-port LAN I/O card which utilized Broadcom BCM5221 mini-phy Fast Ethernet transceivers
- Wrote perl script to automate BOM generation
- Wrote perl script to automate PCB layout critical route length checking.
Senior Member Technical Staff
Brooktrout Technology (Netaccess)
06.1996 - 01.2000
- Designed a DSP mezzanine card for call processing/computer telephony applications (using Texas Instruments' 320C5410 DSP)
- Designed a dual-span T1/E1/PRI PCI card with 30 central site (V.90) modems for remote access applications (using Analog Devices' ADSP2187 DSP)
- Designed an 8-port 56K (K56flex) Central Site Modem mezzanine (using Rockwell's RC56CSM/2 modem chip)
- Converted Xilinx XC3090 FPGA to an Orbit ASIC for cost reduction purposes.
Hardware Engineer
Memotec Communications
06.1984 - 06.1996
- Designed T1/E1 front end for standalone DSU/CSU
- Debugged and redesigned diagnostic code in 8051 microcontroller
- Perform lab debug and board bring-up of T1/E1 module
- Performed duties as Engineering Hardware/Software QA Supervisor from December 1989 - May 1994
- Performed duties as Engineering QA Hardware/Software QA Engineer from October 1987 - December 1989
- Performed duties as Manufacturing Electronics Technician from June 1984 through October 1987.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering -
Merrimack College
North Andover, MA01.1996
Skills
Strategic Planning
Verbal and written communication
Operations Management
Project Coordination
Process Improvements
Team Management
Staff Development
Hiring and Retention
References
References are available upon request.
Timeline
Director of Hardware Systems
Lighmatter, Inc
08.2018 - Current
Principal Engineer
Raytheon, E-Systems
03.2018 - 08.2018
Senior Manager, HW
Mellanox Technologies
02.2016 - 12.2017
Manager of Platforms Engineering
Tilera Corporation
01.2012 - 01.2013
Director of Platforms Engineering
Tilera Corporation
10.2006 - 02.2016
Systems Design Engineer
Tilera Corporation
01.2006 - 01.2012
Staff (Principal) Engineer
Sun Microsystems (Pirus Networks)
01.2000 - 10.2006
Senior Member Technical Staff
Brooktrout Technology (Netaccess)
06.1996 - 01.2000
Hardware Engineer
Memotec Communications
06.1984 - 06.1996
Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering -
Merrimack College