Product Safety and Compliance Engineering Manager

Graco•Anoka, MN

11h

About The Position

Graco is seeking a Product Safety and Compliance Engineering Manager to lead its corporate product safety, global regulatory compliance, certification, and independent third-party approval program. The role partners with worldwide leadership and division engineering teams to ensure products meet applicable safety, health, environmental, and other regulatory requirements throughout their lifecycle—from design and development through manufacturing, market release, sustaining engineering, and ongoing compliance. The manager leads a team of Product Safety and Compliance Engineers and specialists who work with designers and engineers, develop and implement compliance strategies, provide technical guidance, support education and training, and promote the compliant and safe design and use of Graco products. The role also represents Graco with external organizations and provides technical consultation on product-liability matters, including investigations and legal proceedings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field.
10 or more years of experience in product development, product compliance, certification, or safety engineering.
Strong knowledge of global product safety, regulatory, certification, and consensus standards.
Demonstrated experience applying risk assessment, product safety principles, regulatory requirements, industry standards, and third-party certification processes to complex engineered products.
Ability to interpret regulatory requirements and translate them into practical product-development and compliance strategies.
Ability to travel as needed to support compliance and safety activities; travel is less than 10%.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent and unrestricted basis; the position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading or mentoring engineering or technical professionals.
Experience working with global certification bodies, test laboratories, regulatory authorities, or other third-party approval organizations.
Experience with machinery, electrical, hazardous-location, functional-safety, connected-product, or similar product-compliance disciplines.
Experience developing and implementing corporate product-safety or compliance procedures, processes, and training.
Experience supporting product-liability investigations or litigation.
Experience providing depositions or testimony in legal proceedings.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor Product Safety and Compliance Engineers and specialists, supporting continuous improvement, technical development, and effective client engagement.
Build cohesive, multidisciplinary teams between the corporate Product Safety and Compliance function and supported Graco divisions.
Monitor global product compliance requirements and guide their application to Graco products; lead corporate strategies for emerging regulations and evolving compliance obligations.
Support Design Centers in developing compliance strategies, addressing safety concerns, selecting conformity-assessment approaches, obtaining certifications and approvals, and resolving nonconformities.
Review and approve design changes, safety plans, compliance documentation, and release-to-sale activities for new and existing products.
Develop and improve corporate policies, procedures, tools, and controls for product safety, regulatory compliance, and product certifications and approvals.
Facilitate education and training on hazard analysis, risk assessment, safety planning, warnings, regulatory awareness, and compliance practices.
Acquire, interpret, and communicate regulations, standards, certification requirements, and emerging compliance obligations.
Maintain systems for regulatory intelligence, applicable standards, certifications, laboratory and agency reports, technical documentation, and compliance records.
Integrate product safety and compliance across the product lifecycle, including development, product changes, sustaining engineering, manufacturing transfers, and maintenance of certifications and documentation.
Build relationships with certification bodies, test laboratories, consultants, and regulatory authorities; lead certification projects, surveillance audits, and resolution of nonconformities.
Represent Graco in trade organizations and participate in external standards-development and advisory activities related to product and application safety and compliance.
Provide technical consultation on Graco products and applications in product-liability matters, including accident investigations and equipment identification.
Serve as a factual or opinion witness, including through affidavits, depositions, trial preparation, or trial participation, as needed.
Mentor engineers in product-liability matters and develop the team’s broader technical, regulatory, certification, and product-safety capabilities.