Lead Project/Hardware Engineer

Copeland•Sidney, OH

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Copeland's Controls Solutions business unit has an exciting opportunity to influence the next generation of variable speed drive products. We are looking for a highly motivated Lead Project/Hardware Engineer – Power Electronics to join our Global Power Electronics team. Reporting to the Director of Global Product Engineering - Power Electronics, the Lead Project/Hardware Engineer will utilize knowledge and experience of power electronics project/hardware design, development, modeling and simulation to support sourcing and qualification of variable speed drive products. Provide customer support and sustain appropriate life cycle of these products for growth and profitability.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics Engineering, or a related field
Minimum of 7-10 years of engineering experience in power electronics, motor drives, or variable speed drive development or equivalent combination of education and experience
Demonstrated expertise in the design and development of Variable Speed Drives ranging from 11kW to 500kW.
Strong technical knowledge of Power Electronics hardware design, IGBT and SiC technologies, motor control systems, inverter and converter topologies, gate drive circuits, DC bus systems, protection systems, and thermal management
Experience integrating variable speed drives with high-speed motors, compressor systems, industrial equipment, and embedded controls
Working knowledge of EMC/EMI design practices, electrical safety requirements, reliability engineering, and regulatory standards.
Experience leading product qualification programs, reliability testing, and certification activities.
Strong experience with laboratory test equipment.
Excellent project management, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with customers, suppliers, and global cross-functional teams.
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced product development environment.
Ability and willingness to work with a global team and accommodate late evening meetings at least once a week
Skilled in organizing, prioritizing, and coordinating highly effective working relationships with all levels of personnel both inside and outside the engineering organization

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or related discipline
10+ years of engineering experience developing commercial and industrial Variable Speed Drive products.
Experience with HVAC systems, High-speed motor drive systems, Active Front End (AFE) technology, Regenerative drive systems, SiC-based power conversion platforms
Experience working directly with customers, suppliers, and certification agencies including UL, VDE, CSA, CE, and IEC compliance organizations.
Experience with IEC 61800 series standards, IEEE 519, IEC 61000 EMC standards, and global regulatory compliance requirements.
Experience supporting supplier qualification, sourcing initiatives, and manufacturing transfers.
Proven ability to lead global engineering teams and influence stakeholders across multiple functions and regions.
Experience supporting field troubleshooting, customer support, and continuous product improvement programs.
Recognized technical expert in Variable Speed Drive technology, power electronics hardware, and drive-compressor-control system integration.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, qualification, and commercialization of Variable Speed Drive (VSD/VFD) products ranging from 11kW to 500kW for HVAC commercial and industrial applications.
Develop product requirements, technical specifications, system architecture, project schedules, design documentation, DFMEA, risk assessments, safety certification plans, and product release activities in collaboration with internal and external teams such as controls, firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, and quality.
Lead the design, analysis, testing, and validation of power electronics hardware with internal or external development teams.
Lead system integration activities between variable speed drives, motor controls, compressors, user interfaces, communication networks, and customer systems to ensure optimum performance and reliability.
Coordinate and execute design reviews, project reviews, qualification plans, reliability testing, compliance testing, and product validation activities.
Develop and maintain engineering design standards, test procedures, qualification requirements, and best practices for variable speed drive products.
Review and interpret agency and industry standards to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and customer requirements.
Lead Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), design updates, cost reduction initiatives, product enhancements, and obsolescence management throughout the product lifecycle.
Support root cause analysis and corrective actions related to field returns, manufacturing issues, supplier quality concerns, and customer-reported problems.
Work closely with suppliers to evaluate components, review technical capabilities, conduct supplier audits, support supplier qualification, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Perform competitive product benchmarking and technology assessments to support product roadmaps and next-generation drive platforms.
Provide technical leadership and support for customer applications, field installations, product commissioning, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
Serve as the technical subject matter expert for Variable Speed Drive technologies, power electronics systems, motor-drive integration, and compressor-drive applications.