Mgr Design Engineering

Daikin•Waller, TX

About The Position

Daikin Comfort Technologies is seeking a Design Engineering Manager to develop and sustain residential and/or commercial HVAC products. The role works directly with internal customers, suppliers, and cross-functional team members to understand customer requirements and specifications and meet customer, design, quality, and program targets. The manager coordinates design, testing, and development activities and leads projects from concept through production, balancing cost, quality, safety, and delivery objectives. The position provides technical leadership and support to engineering teams, business units, and external customers; manages project schedules, teams, resources, and engineering budgets; and keeps leadership informed of project status. It guides design quality, cost, and regulatory reviews, supports product safety risk management, and leads cross-functional product launches, issue resolution, and product improvements. The role also maintains purchased-part engineering documentation, implements continuous improvement and lean initiatives, applies design-for-manufacturing tools, supports product design analysis, and ensures accurate engineering documentation and change requests. The manager works with suppliers to improve quality and resolve issues, supports safety and performance agency certifications, and interfaces with regulatory and testing organizations. The role includes developing team members through development plans and mentoring, and participating in additional projects as business needs arise. Work is aligned with the Director’s expectations, goals, and vision, under company policies and procedures. The position provides guidance and training to subordinates and has signing authority as established by company policy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, or Technology Engineering.
12 or more years of HVAC industry-related experience in product design, development, and launch.
8 or more years in a leadership role.
Comprehensive understanding of mechanical design engineering theory and practice.
Knowledge of refrigeration and/or air-conditioning design and application.
Technical understanding of vapor-compression systems, fluid mechanics, fans, blowers, compressors, TXVs, and evaporator and condenser design or selection.
Experience with design for Six Sigma, design failure modes and effects analysis, design of experiments, tolerance analysis, value engineering, and parts standardization.
Good understanding of system electrical and controls.
Knowledge of specifications and international standards used in the global HVAC industry.
Experience in a regulatory environment and awareness of AHRI, ASHRAE, and UL standards.
Working knowledge of computer simulations and CAD systems.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and MS Project.
Demonstrated ability to lead engineers in completing projects on time and meeting cost and quality objectives.
Strong project management, organizational, and time-management skills.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Strong communication and collaboration skills, ability to work as a team player, and ability to establish positive working relationships with internal and external customers.
Ability to learn quickly, work independently under minimal direction, prioritize work, and meet organizational needs.
Ability to apply good judgment, strong work ethics, and integrity on the job.
Ability to perform essential responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations.

Nice To Haves

8 or more years of product design experience in the automotive, appliance, or HVAC industry.
Six Sigma Black Belt or Green Belt certification.
Project Management certification.

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, and lead new product development from a technical standpoint to improve system quality and efficiency and reduce costs.
Manage multiple existing-product and new-product design projects from inception through production, meeting cost, quality, safety, and delivery targets.
Provide technical expertise and support to engineering teams, internal business units, and external customers.
Develop and manage project schedules, teams, and resources for modifications to existing products and new product designs.
Own and report engineering-team budgets and manage expenditures with cost consciousness.
Work with the Quality organization to report and address identified or reported product safety risks.
Keep leadership informed of project status through communication and requested reports.
Lead cross-functional teams to launch products, resolve issues, and support product improvements.
Oversee and guide design quality, cost, and regulatory reviews.
Maintain and update purchased-part engineering drawings, standards, specifications, and work instructions.
Define and implement continuous improvement opportunities, lean initiatives, and design-for-manufacturing tools.
Guide product design using technical knowledge and experience, including engineering analyses such as tolerance stacks, finite element analysis, and computational fluid dynamics.
Ensure accurate preparation of bills of materials, cost analyses, drawings, and engineering change requests.
Work with suppliers to improve quality and resolve product issues.
Support safety and performance agency certifications and interface with regulatory and testing agencies.
Create team development plans and mentor team members for greater responsibility.
Participate in additional projects to support ongoing business needs.
Provide guidance and training to subordinates and align work with the Director’s expectations, goals, and vision.