HVAC Senior Design Engineer (On-site)

Balco, Inc.

17h•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Design Engineer is a hands-on, self-directed engineering role supporting a small manufacturing team focused on residential and commercial HVAC products. This position reports to the Director of Engineering. The Sr. Design Engineer independently owns complex engineering assignments across new product development, sustaining, and value engineering, executing each task through completion with minimal supervision. This role requires the ability to work across disciplines, solve multi-variable technical problems, and deliver results that directly impact product performance, cost, and manufacturability. This is an onsite role based at the Aspen manufacturing facility in Humble, TX.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or equivalent engineering discipline
Five years of hands-on engineering experience in HVAC product development, manufacturing engineering, or related roles
Proficiency in SolidWorks 3D CAD modeling and engineering analysis
Demonstrated experience with engineering simulation tools (FEA, coil/heat exchanger design software, or vapor cycle modeling)
Practical knowledge of manufacturing processes relevant to HVAC product fabrication (brazing, tube expansion, sheet metal forming, assembly)
Experience planning and conducting lab testing for product performance and reliability verification
Working ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and wiring diagrams
HVAC product experience in a manufacturing environment

Nice To Haves

Experience with CFD analysis platforms
Engineering background spans more than one discipline (NPD, sustaining, applications, or value engineering)
Familiarity with AHRI certification processes, UL/ETL safety standards, and DOE efficiency test procedures
ERP system experience (Infor, SAP, or similar) for BOM and routing management

Responsibilities

Own the design and development of HVAC product subsystems and components, executing prototype builds, design verification testing, and production handoff with minimal oversight
Perform engineering CAD and analysis using SolidWorks, FEA, vapor cycle and coil design tools, and in-house analytical models to validate thermal, structural, and airside performance
Create, maintain, and release accurate bills of material (BOMs) and engineering documentation, ensuring revision control and configuration accuracy throughout the product lifecycle
Coordinate technical development—including scope, testing, simulations, and proof-of-concept builds—with management, engineering, and operations
Support production and factory operations by troubleshooting manufacturing issues and implementing design-for-manufacturing (DFM) improvements on new and legacy products
Manage engineering change notices (ECNs), BOM updates, and supplier qualification testing for sustaining activities including material substitutions, supplier changes, and field issue resolution
Contribute to cost-reduction and value engineering initiatives: support should-cost analysis, teardowns, competitive benchmarking, and assist in qualifying alternative components through testing and supplier coordination
Plan and execute lab testing for performance verification, reliability validation, and component qualification; analyze results and document findings with recommended design actions
Interface with sales, supply chain, and manufacturing to ensure customer and production requirements are met; support complex application requests and develop custom configurations as directed
Maintain working familiarity with applicable AHRI, UL, ASHRAE, and DOE standards for HVAC products; coordinate with regulatory agencies and testing labs as needed
Read and interpret electrical schematics and wiring diagrams; specify electrical components and coordinate with controls resources on system integration
Use structured problem-solving methods (root cause analysis, corrective action) to resolve recurring production and field issues