Staff R&D Engineer - Technical Project Lead

nVent • Anoka, MN

8d

About The Position

Serve as the technical leader and engineering owner for sophisticated Data Solutions liquid-cooling product development programs, including in-row and in-rack CDUs, manifolds, and fluid-distribution solutions. Own system architecture and technical requirements, translating customer and product needs into engineering specifications, subsystem interfaces, design criteria, and verification plans. Drive system-level technical decisions and cross-disciplinary integration across thermal/fluid, mechanical, electrical, controls, structural, manufacturing, reliability, cost, compliance, and technical risk.

Lead technical design reviews and NPI readiness, ensuring engineering decisions are supported by appropriate analysis, risk assessment, testing, and validation evidence. Define and implement product verification, validation, and compliance strategies, including system-performance testing, internal and external testing, certification activities, and evaluation of results against engineering requirements. Provide technical leadership from prototyping and engineering builds through design verification, product validation, and production launch, including hands-on troubleshooting and engineering support as needed.

Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply, suppliers, Product Management, and Project Management to drive component selection, manufacturability, technical qualification, product requirements, risk mitigation, and production readiness. Mentor and influence multidisciplinary engineering teams without direct reporting authority, promoting strong technical ownership, standardized solutions, lessons learned, and reuse across the Data Solutions product portfolio. The role may require domestic travel up to 10%.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering field.
• At least 8 years of hands-on engineering experience, including technical leadership of thermal-management, liquid-cooling, fluid-distribution, or comparable electromechanical products from requirements through production launch.
• Solid understanding of fluid mechanics, hydraulics, heat transfer, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, piping, fittings, sensors, and related system components.
• Experience developing system architectures and integrating mechanical and fluid systems with electrical and controls architectures to deliver complete product solutions.
• Experience applying engineering design, risk, and validation methodologies such as DFMEA, DFM/DFMA, DRBFM, technical readiness assessments, structured design reviews, and verification and validation.
• Track record of leading multidisciplinary teams, making technically sound trade-offs, and solving complex system-level problems using engineering fundamentals, analysis, test data, and structured problem-solving.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, including the ability to translate complex technical topics into clear decisions, risks, recommendations, and actions while mentoring engineers.
• Experience partnering with manufacturing teams and suppliers through prototype, validation, qualification, and production-launch activities.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 10%.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical leader and engineering owner for liquid-cooling product development programs, including in-row and in-rack CDUs, manifolds, and fluid-distribution solutions.
• Own system architecture and technical requirements, translating customer and product needs into engineering specifications, subsystem interfaces, design criteria, and verification plans.
• Drive system-level technical decisions and cross-disciplinary integration across thermal/fluid, mechanical, electrical, controls, structural, manufacturing, reliability, cost, compliance, and technical risk.
• Lead technical design reviews and NPI readiness, grounding engineering decisions in analysis, risk assessment, testing, and validation evidence.
• Define and implement product verification, validation, and compliance strategies, including performance testing, internal and external testing, certification activities, and assessment against engineering requirements.
• Provide technical leadership from prototyping and engineering builds through design verification, product validation, and production launch; provide hands-on troubleshooting and engineering support as needed.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply, suppliers, Product Management, and Project Management on component selection, manufacturability, technical qualification, product requirements, risk mitigation, and production readiness.
• Mentor and influence multidisciplinary engineering teams without direct reporting authority.
• Promote technical ownership, standardized solutions, lessons learned, and reuse across the Data Solutions product portfolio.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits.
• Critical illness and accident insurance.
• Life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Employee stock purchase plan with company match.
• Tuition reimbursement may be available.
• Caregiver, personal, and parental leave may be available.
• Back-up care services may be available.
• Paid time off, including volunteer time, may be available.
• Well-being program may be available.
• Legal and identity theft protection may be available.
• Annual incentives may be available depending on the position offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior