Product Engineer

A. O. Smith•Milwaukee, WI

13d

About The Position

A.O. Smith is a global manufacturer of residential and commercial water heating equipment, boilers, and water treatment products. The Product Engineer performs advanced engineering tasks under limited supervision and helps mentor the engineering design team throughout development projects, from initial concept through completion. The role supports new product development and existing product lifecycle needs. It involves design and development, product sustaining, continuous improvement, cost reduction, quality review, manufacturing support, and CAD design and documentation. The work combines office-based engineering with hands-on support in a manufacturing environment. Occasional travel to suppliers or manufacturing sites may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
At least 3 years of product engineering or design engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
Knowledge of plastic part design and plastic injection molding processes.
Proficiency in SolidWorks, including 3D modeling, assemblies, and drawing creation.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes such as injection molding, machining, and assembly.
Experience with cost reduction and value engineering.
Familiarity with quality tools, including FMEA, root cause analysis, and Six Sigma methodologies.
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive projects to completion.
Detail-oriented approach with a focus on quality and continuous improvement.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with sustaining engineering and product lifecycle management.
Knowledge of water treatment and regulatory compliance.
Knowledge of PLM/PDM systems.
Experience with modeling tools such as CFD and FEA.

Responsibilities

Lead design and development activities for new products, including concept evaluation, CAD modeling, prototyping, testing, and validation.
Provide design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly input.
Assist in transitioning new products from development to production.
Provide engineering support for manufactured products to ensure performance, reliability, and compliance.
Investigate and resolve field issues, customer complaints, and internal quality concerns.
Maintain product design integrity through controlled engineering change processes (ECR/ECO).
Identify and implement design improvements to enhance product performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
Drive initiatives to reduce defects, improve durability, and simplify designs.
Collaborate with Quality, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain on improvement projects.
Analyze product cost structures and identify opportunities for material and component cost reductions.
Lead value engineering efforts, including alternative materials, supplier changes, and design simplification.
Support sourcing initiatives by working with suppliers to optimize cost and performance.
Participate in and lead product quality reviews, including root cause analysis and corrective actions.
Use tools such as FMEA, 8D, and statistical analysis to address quality issues.
Partner with Quality Engineering to ensure compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements.
Provide engineering support to manufacturing teams to resolve production issues and improve throughput.
Develop and refine work instructions, assembly processes, and production documentation.
Participate in troubleshooting and process optimization on the production floor.
Create, modify, and maintain 3D models, assemblies, and detailed drawings using SolidWorks.
Ensure engineering documentation is accurate, complete, and compliant with company standards.
Manage BOMs, drawing revisions, and data within the PDM/PLM system.
Help mentor the engineering design team in development projects.