Steve Hopwood

I am the R&D director for products associated with the multi-layer ceramic capacitor division of Knowles. These include surface mount multi-layer ceramic capacitors, radial & ribbon leaded MLCC's. Discoidal and planar array capacitors, and associated EMI filters and filter assemblies. Stacked capacitors and custom capacitor assemblies. All the above being based on the same basic MLCC structure   

A team feeling.

I started at a small UK company making MLCC discoidals, planar arrays, EMI filters, filtered connectors and custom assemblies as an engineering technician in 1986. Over the next 10 years I progressed through PE & development engineering. I joined Syfer (Knowles) in 1995 to create the EMI filter division and rose to be responsible for the technical aspects of the 'assembled' products.  When the Applications Engineering function was created I transferred to that role with an emphasis on customer facing engineering functions. Through a series of engineering management roles I became R&D Director in 2023.

Be honest, be keen and be prepared to get your hands dirty.  You learn more from 5 minutes on the shop floor than a lifetime in front of a computer, Don't be afraid to offer an opinion, but don't take it personally if it's rebutted, but expect an explanation as you are owed it. Respect everyone in the company. The assembly operator who does the job all day every day, knows far more than you about how products go together and what goes wrong. Listen and learn.