Senior Product Engineer

James Hardie•Fontana, CA

47d•$120,000 - $135,000

About The Position

The Senior Product Engineer – Building Products provides technical leadership and engineering support for applications of siding, decking, and home interiors products. The role applies expertise in application engineering, product performance testing, field performance initiatives, building code compliance, and product approvals. It serves as a technical resource for Application Engineering and Codes & Compliance, helping products perform as intended in real-world applications, supporting customer-focused innovation, and meeting regulatory requirements. The position collaborates with R&D, Product Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Marketing, Regulatory Affairs, external laboratories, consultants, standards organizations, and other industry stakeholders. It supports new product development, maintains and defends product approvals, develops technical substantiation, and strengthens the company’s technical leadership in the building products industry.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
7–10 years of relevant engineering experience in building products, construction materials, structural engineering, product development, application engineering, or a related field.
Experience managing technical projects and collaborating across multiple functions and with external technical partners.
Knowledge of building materials, construction practices, product performance testing, and field application requirements.
Working knowledge of ASCE 7 and related structural design concepts, including wind loading and attachment considerations.
Ability to interpret codes, standards, test methods, evaluation criteria, engineering data, and product approval requirements.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and engineering judgment skills.
Proficiency in technical report writing, presentation development, and communicating complex technical information to varied audiences.
Ability to translate test results, field observations, and technical findings into actionable recommendations.
Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills across technical and non-technical teams.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication abilities.
Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, and a continuous improvement mindset.
Ability to influence decisions without direct authority using sound technical reasoning and clear communication.
Strong organizational, planning, and project management capabilities.
Customer-focused mindset and ability to connect engineering solutions to field needs, business priorities, and market requirements.
Ability to travel up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Professional Engineer (P.E.) or Structural Engineer (S.E.) license.
Experience with product testing, performance validation, technical documentation, and interpretation of codes, standards, or evaluation criteria.
Experience leading innovation and product development initiatives within complex manufacturing.

Responsibilities

Provide engineering analysis, testing, and technical evaluations to support product applications, installation methods, and field performance needs.
Perform structural engineering evaluations and calculations, including work involving ASCE 7 requirements, loading, cladding, attachment, and related performance considerations.
Evaluate new installation methods, accessories, details, and system-level approaches to improve customer experience, constructability, and product performance.
Design, coordinate, and execute laboratory and field-testing programs to validate product performance, informed by customer insights and field observations.
Analyze test data and prepare technical reports, presentations, recommendations, and decision-support materials for internal and external audiences.
Assist in maintaining product code approvals, listings, certifications, evaluation reports, and related compliance documentation.
Develop and support technical substantiation packages for product approvals, code evaluations, listings, and regulatory inquiries.
Contribute technical responses regarding code compliance, product use, installation requirements, and performance criteria.
Research emerging technologies, building science trends, regulatory developments, product performance issues, and engineering methodologies.
Prepare technical papers, presentations, educational materials, one-pagers, FAQs, and other communications for internal stakeholders, customers, and industry audiences.
Represent the organization in appropriate industry forums, trade shows, standards activities, and technical discussions.
Maintain technical documentation, specifications, engineering records, test summaries, and substantiation files.
Manage multiple technical projects simultaneously while meeting timelines, business objectives, and stakeholder expectations.
Coordinate activities with internal teams, external laboratories, consultants, regulatory organizations, certification bodies, and industry partners.
Track project progress, identify risks or barriers, and communicate technical findings, recommendations, and next steps to leadership and project teams.
Translate complex engineering, testing, and code-related information into practical guidance for product development, technical services, marketing, sales, and customer-facing teams.