Staff Engineer - Reliability Quality

Rehlko•Sheboygan, WI

About The Position

Rehlko Power Systems (formerly Kohler Energy) is one of the world’s leading power generator manufacturers and has delivered energy solutions globally since 1920. Rehlko Power Systems offers power generation equipment for industrial, residential, mobile, and marine applications, along with automatic transfer switches, switchgear, monitoring controls, and accessories. As a Staff Engineer – Reliability Quality / Customer Quality Engineer , you will serve as a technical leader and subject matter expert responsible for improving product reliability, customer experience, and warranty performance across existing products and New Product Development (NPD). This role bridges hands‑on technical execution and strategic influence by leading complex problem‑solving efforts, mentoring engineers, and partnering cross‑functionally to proactively identify and mitigate reliability risks. The Staff Engineer plays a critical role in driving preventive and corrective actions that reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), ensure achievement of reliability and warranty targets, and support robust product releases. This position is expected to independently lead high‑impact initiatives, coach others in reliability best practices, and influence engineering, manufacturing, and supplier teams without direct authority.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, or related) from an ABET‑accredited institution.
7–10 years of applicable experience in Reliability, Quality, Design, or Manufacturing Engineering.
2–5 years of direct reliability or customer quality experience in industrial, automotive, engine, generator, or heavy‑equipment environments.
Strong working knowledge of: Structured problem‑solving methodologies (8D, DMAIC, 5‑Whys) Reliability concepts, test planning, and data analysis Warranty and field failure analysis
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical presentations to leadership.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI).

Responsibilities

Reliability Engineering & Customer Quality Leadership
Lead reliability improvement initiatives addressing field, warranty, and customer issues with significant business or customer impact.
Serve as a key member of the New Product Development (NPD) process, responsible for reliability test planning and closure of open incidents prior to product release.
Assist Product Development Engineering in the identification of Critical‑to‑Quality (CTQ) characteristics and development of test plans.
Drive reliability growth activities for NPD programs, including identification of new‑content risks and development of mitigation plans.
Serve as a technical escalation point for complex reliability, warranty, and customer quality concerns.
Support early warning processes by tracking new product field performance and leading containment and corrective actions as required.
Structured Problem Solving
Lead and facilitate advanced problem‑solving efforts using structured methodologies such as 8D, DMAIC, and related techniques.
Drive reduction of internal and external failure costs related to design, process, supplier, or usage‑related issues.
Ensure thorough root cause identification and implementation of sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
Data Analysis & Statistical Methods
Analyze warranty, field, and reliability test data to identify trends, prioritize improvement opportunities, and quantify business impact.
Apply statistical methods including Pareto analysis, failure rate analysis, Weibull analysis, and basic reliability modeling.
Support development of reliability targets, warranty estimates, and validation readiness for product releases.
Product Design & Development Support
Actively participate in and influence design reviews, including DFMEA, serviceability, robustness, and safety.
Develop and execute reliability test plans aligned with field usage, operating environment, and risk profiles.
As a key member of the NPD process you will verify and document closure of open reliability and customer quality issues prior to production release.
Cross‑Functional & Project Leadership
Lead cross‑functional teams including Design Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, Supplier Quality, Field Service, and Operations to close out quality issues.
Plan and manage multiple concurrent projects of moderate to high technical complexity.
Mentor and coach Engineers and early‑career Reliability Quality team members.
Continuous Improvement & Standardization
Contribute to the continuous improvement of Reliability Engineering processes, tools, and standard work.
Support development, deployment, and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures and best practices.
Act as a quality proponent and change agent across the organization.