James O'Connell
James O'Connell
Design Engineer
Boulder | United States
Skills
No information
Interests
Travel
Photography
Creative problem solving
Innovative design
Work experience
Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc.
Design Engineer | 01/2022 - Current
• Lead innovation, research and development of new products and rider protective equipment
• Develop new materials and processes for impact protection and energy management
• Design, engineer, and fabricate test method and equipment to quantitatively measure cooling performance of helmets
• Travel internationally to meet with vendors and suppliers, oversee production of new products
• Engineer and construct test fixtures to measure stiffness and performance of cycling footwear
• Research and develop innovative solutions to bicycle lighting
• Prototype new product concepts and designs using 3D printers, CNC equipment, shop tools
• Develop test methods and construct DOE for compression testing 3D printed lattice structures
• Use 3D scanners to analyze anatomy, biomechanics, and reverse engineer products
• Write software to analyze and post-process 3D scan data
ELEVATE OUTDOOR COLLECTIVE
Ski Boot Design Engineer | 09/2019 - 01/2022
• Lead design engineer on revolutionary new ski boot design, featuring BOA® Alpine closure system
• Designed, engineered, and tested ski boots, components, and assemblies using Creo (Pro/E), Rhino 3D, Solidworks
• Managed ski boot laboratory test program, thoroughly tested products for fit, function, quality, durability
• Led product failure investigations, collected, organized, and analyzed warranty and test report data
• Performed hands-on engineering to design and manufacture instrumentation, test fixtures, and tools
• Traveled to and collaborated with overseas factories on initiatives to improve manufacturing quality and efficiency
• Developed and maintained accurate specifications, tool lists, and development lists
• Performed product training presentations for customer support, sales teams, and retail shop personnel
• Traveled to attend industry trade shows, sales clinics, and on-snow product demonstrations
• Communicated, interfaced with vendors and suppliers to source components, hardware, materials, and tooling
• Constructed, render photorealistic digital assets using Rhino 3D and KeyShot for marketing purposes
• Designed and applied organic parametric geometry using Grasshopper
Texas A&M University
Project Manager & Design Engineer, Formula SAE | 08/2018 - 05/2019
• Designed, engineered, and fabricated innovative tilt-adjustable steering system for Formula 1 style race car
• Performed Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on 3D Solidworks models and assemblies, validated engineering decisions
• Organized complex full-vehicle Solidworks assembly, containing more than 2,000 3D parts and components
• Led team of 20 mechanical engineering students to design, fabricate, assemble, and test a Formula 1 style race car
• Implemented cloud-based project management software to manage timeline and workflow of 5 design sub-teams
• Achieved 9-month engineering project goals utilizing critical path analysis, work arounds for challenging problems
• Instructed 20 engineering students in ASME Y14.5 - 2009 (GD&T), developed team-wide drawing review system
• Utilized mill, lathe, water jet, TIG welder, and other equipment to fabricate mechanical components for race car
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Engineering Design Consultant & Machinist | 10/2016 - 01/2018
• Hired by TEES to consult student competition teams on engineering design process, problem solving methods
• Advised undergraduate and graduate students on design for manufacturing (DFM), correct 3D modeling techniques
• Designed complex mechanical assemblies for special projects including solar panel array, composite materials rack
• Taught machine shop safety, proper mill & lathe operations to students in Mechanical Engineering department
• Reverse engineered and fabricated bespoke components to repair machine tools, mills, and lathes
Austin Community College
CAD/CAM Curriculum Developer, Architectural & Engineering CAD Department | 05/2015 - 08/2016
• Designed 3D parametric models in PTC Creo adhering to plastic design guidelines for injection molding
• Conceptualized 5+ machining fixtures in Inventor and Mastercam for production of 20+ engine components
• Spearheaded $30K grant proposal to purchase CO2 laser cutter and additional manufacturing equipment
• Developed curriculum, instructional materials, teaching aids for department’s CAD/CAM program
• Programmed and operated HAAS CNC mill and lathe, producing prototypes and small-batch parts
The Peddler
Assistant Store Manager | 09/2014 - 05/2015
• Aided in merchandise buying, expanded assortment of bicycles, soft goods, parts and accessories
• Developed marketing sales and visual merchandising plans, increasing company profits by 15%
• Supervised bicycle service department and trained employees in complex repair techniques
Sun & Ski Sports
Bicycle Department Manager | 12/2010 - 01/2014
• Managed bicycle sales and service department of sporting good retail store producing $2.5 million annual sales
• Developed turnkey multi-discipline bicycle fit program and deployed company-wide across 20+ stores
• Attended Interbike twice, industry conferences, sales trainings to follow new product developments, technologies
• Trained over 15 employees in sales processes, ski and bicycle repair, and coordinated new-hire orientations
• Supervised ski and snowboard sales, service, and bootfitting over a period of 3 winter seasons
• Designed visual merchandising displays, overhauled backroom organization, optimized inventory storage systems
Bicycle Sport Shop
Bicycle Mechanic | 10/2009 - 12/2010
• Serviced fleet of 100+ performance rental bicycles, performed basic repairs, tune-ups, and full overhauls
• Performed suspension and hydraulic disc brake services including upgrades and rebuilds.
• Consulted with customers regarding bicycle performance issues and made repair proposals

REI (Recreational Equipment Inc)
Sales Associate | 08/2008 - 10/2009
• Overhauled rental department organization, visual merchandising displays, and rental equipment storage
• Assembled bicycles, tuned and adjusted components, performed pre-sale bike safety inspections
• Engaged with customers to provide service, technical product information, and match products to customer needs
