Brian South, MSME, MSTC

Experience

• 

  Applied Materials

  Jan 2003 - May 2005

  Engineering Intern & Co-op Student

  Evaluated and improved upon existing mechanical designsDeveloped design and 3-D models for a facilities tray and ambient control chamberWorked extensively with international team of engineers on collaborative design changesTrained new Interns coming into group

• 

  University of Texas Center for Electromechanics

  Feb 2009 - Oct 2009

  Research Engineering Scientist

  Design Engineer for Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX)Designed drive hardware to meet performance, strength, and compatibility requirementsCreated fabrication drawings for multiple complex mechanical assemblies Performed detailed wind loading analysis of HETDEX structure using CFD (SW Flow Simulation)Specified screw and linear rail bellows to match travel requirements

• 

  The University of Texas at Austin - McDonald Observatory

  Oct 2009 - Oct 2020

  Research & Design Engineer

  Led design and engineering team for upgrade to High Resolution Spectrograph on HET TelescopeBuilt sophisticated optomechanical designs and kinematic mounts for sensitive opticsOptimized precision motion control including pneumatics, linear/rotary stages, encoders, and sensorsManaged phase-gate product development, prototyping, & testing with cross-disciplinary R&D team Perfected CAD skills (20,000+ hrs) managing parts & large assemblies including GD&T with <1% reworkPerformed tolerance, FEA simulation, and error budget analysis for complex optical mounting systemsUtilized PDM systems to document, store, and archive all CAD models, design data, & analysis Designed, fabricated, and tested functional prototypes to troubleshoot/optimize product performanceRemained vigilant of new technologies and materials which could be utilized to improve designDesigned mounting system for CCD incorporating cryogenic and vacuum components Performed detailed drive-train analysis and optimized to exceed required performance by 32%Eliminated system backlash and increased mirror positional accuracy to less than 0.25 µmSupervised, trained, and mentored research assistants to rebuild 1,700+ part CAD assemblyNegotiated multiple contracts with vendors and suppliers averaging 15% cost savings Show less

• 

  BMF Training, LLC

  Oct 2012 - Jul 2018

  Founder & Head Coach

  Started company from ground up for personal training and small group fitness classesBuilt website and social media presence (@bmfstrength)Trained numerous clients in proper functional movement mechanics, fitness, and nutritionAll business and coaching responsibilities conducted while remaining full-time employed

• 

  Rombal Inc

  Aug 2019 - Sept 2021

  Co-Founder and Head of Engineering

  Launched orthopedic surgical device start-up aimed at improving Total Knee Replacement outcomesDeveloped business model, financial projections, and marketing strategy with interdisciplinary teamCreated & vetted business model canvas and value delivery through 100+ industry expert interviewsUtilized design thinking methods to prototype and test product appeal to target customerSynthesized enthographic customer research & interview data to generate persona & empathy mapRefined business strategy to react to market trends, competitive analysis, and customer needsManaged product development through collaboration with industry experts, surgeons, & engineersEvaluated IP against other existing patents and prior art to prepare for patent submission Streamlined operations with analysis of critical path and project management toolsAnalyzed business risks using Monte Carlo simulation and decision trees to evaluate opportunities Show less

• 

  Excelitas Technologies Corp.

  Nov 2020 - Jun 2022

  Mechanical Engineer

  Designed, optimized, & built 150+ opto-mechanical fixtures and tooling used in optical fab/coatingDeveloped & tested mass simulation vibrational fixture for 7 lens optical module to validate FEAManaged rapid prototyping 3D printing lab including SLA and FDM style printersStreamlined production through new business process synchronizing CAD models & process sheetsDeveloped fiber optic cable handling system through collaborations with an international teamLed successful analysis/acquisition effort for Ansys Mechanical Enterprise & supporting workstationInterviewed, trained, and mentored 5 new hires including developing technical on-boarding materials Show less

• 

  McWane, Inc.

  Jun 2022 - now

  • Codes & Standards General Manager

    Jan 2024 - now

  • Technical Services Regional Manager

    Jun 2022 - Dec 2023