Mike Pham
Chicago,IL
Summary
Results-driven Product Development Engineer with a proven track record of delivering products on time and within budget. Adept at managing projects and technical design tasks, with experience in providing clear, concise updates to C-Suite executives. Excels in cross-functional collaboration with Purchasing, Quality, Marketing, Sales, and IT teams to drive successful product launches. Skilled in applying Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles to die-cast, injection-molded, sheet metal, and extrusion components.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Development Mechanical Engineer III
Focal Point Lights, LLC
01.2024 - Current
- Leading the design of the company’s inaugural portable luminaire, utilizing the existing Seem 1 light engine to optimize cost efficiency while addressing the market demand for reconfigurable workspaces.
- Developing and implementing a new product development framework for future portable luminaire projects, encompassing regulatory requirements, design considerations, and application documentation.
- Spearheading the addition of onboard dimming controls and sensors, collaborating closely with a Senior Electrical Engineer to pioneer this innovative feature.
- Managing one mechanical engineering technician, focusing on personal development, task delegation, and cross-functional training to build a high-performing team.
Product Development Mechanical Engineer II
Focal Point Lights, LLC
05.2021 - 01.2024
- Directed a team of two engineers and one technician to successfully launch the 3" Pure Cylinder, a cost-effective pendant design utilizing our 3" Downlight light engine. This was the company's first fixture to repurpose an existing light engine, reducing time to market and tooling costs.
- Achieved an early launch of the project under budget, resulting in a groundbreaking 60% gross margin for a newly launched product.
- Led the 2" Cylinder project from concept to market as the company's first co-designed fixture with a Taiwanese engineering team, streamlining time to market and leveraging cost-effective resources.
- Designed a range of modular canopy systems to seamlessly integrate with all existing and future Cylinder products, driving a successful post-COVID comeback in tandem with the 2" Cylinder launch.
- Facilitated a Kaizen event to enhance the Regulatory Compliance process for Product Development and Custom Design teams, implementing Lean Six Sigma principles to reduce waste and move away from tribal knowledge.
- Developed standardized documents to scope, evaluate, and formalize regulatory decisions, improving the efficiency of the regulatory testing process and ensuring a structured approach to compliance.
Product Development Mechanical Engineer I
Focal Point Lights, LLC
11.2018 - 05.2021
- Co-managed and co-designed a value-engineering project for the 4.5" Downlight product line, enhancing its feature set based on competitive market analysis and achieving $1M in annual savings through reductions in assembly labor and part costs.
- Co-managed and co-designed a value-engineering initiative for the 3.5" Downlight product line, reducing internal costs by 14% per unit and incorporating a range of market-leading features.
- Oversaw and optimized 3D printer operations to support agile prototyping, ensuring rapid development and iteration of designs.
- Established and trained a team of technicians to maintain 3D printers, effectively minimizing downtime and enhancing operational efficiency.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Coordinator
University of Illinois at Chicago
08.2017 - 05.2018
- Created, implemented and lectured a SolidWorks lesson plan from scratch for an entry-level CAD course
- Created schedules for fellow teaching assistants and delegated tasks to balance workloads amongst colleagues
- Graded assignments and provided one-on-one office hours for undergraduate students.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Illinois at Chicago
08.2017 - 12.2017
- Collaborated with a research partner to successfully develop an ANSYS simulation for an acoustically-actuated microbubble with hopes of further understanding how bubbles react to sound
- Conducted rigorous independent research of academic articles to determine initial conditions to develop an accurate simulation model
- Coordinated with PhD students and a faculty advisor to frequently delegate tasks and to present and evaluate findings.
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
University of Illinois at Chicago
08.2016 - 08.2017
- Trained undergraduate students on workshop safety and proper tool usage
- Operated and performed maintenance on twelve 3D printers daily
- Graded assignments for undergraduate students.
Mechanical Engineering Intern
University of Illinois at Chicago
06.2016 - 08.2017
- Selected as a summer research intern via the competitive UIC Freshman Engineering Internship Program
- Taught various STEM and mechanical design topics to summer camp students of ages 10 through 18
- Observed and reported on various teaching techniques to collect data on effective teaching methods.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
University of Illinois At Chicago
Chicago, IL05.2018
Skills
- New product development and innovation
- Project management
- Cross-functional coordination
- SolidWorks, AutoCAD
- Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Die-casting, Injection Molding, Sheet Metal Fabrication, Extrusions, Stampings
- Design for Assembly (DFA)
- Cost reduction strategies
- BOM optimization for make-to-order, highly-configurable products
- Strategic sourcing with local and foreign vendors
- Rapid prototyping
- Regulatory compliance research
- Geometric Design & Tolerancing
Accomplishments
- 2024 Best of NeoCon Gold Award - Tazo Portable Luminaire
- 2023 Architectural SSL Product Innovation Award - ID+ 2" Cylinder
- 2021 Architectural SSL Product Innovation Award - ID+ 3.5" Downlight
Hobbies and Interests
- Music production
- DJing
- Cycling (and building bikes!)
- Cooking
- Photography
- Building model kits
Timeline
Product Development Mechanical Engineer III
Focal Point Lights, LLC
01.2024 - Current
Product Development Mechanical Engineer II
Focal Point Lights, LLC
05.2021 - 01.2024
Product Development Mechanical Engineer I
Focal Point Lights, LLC
11.2018 - 05.2021
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Coordinator
University of Illinois at Chicago
08.2017 - 05.2018
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Illinois at Chicago
08.2017 - 12.2017
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
University of Illinois at Chicago
08.2016 - 08.2017
Mechanical Engineering Intern
University of Illinois at Chicago
06.2016 - 08.2017
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
University of Illinois At Chicago
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