Systems Engineer, OEM Products

SVP Worldwide•Nashville, TN

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

SVP Worldwide is seeking a Systems Engineer, OEM Products to serve as the technical lead for products manufactured by their OEM partners. This role, within the R&D organization, acts as the technical point person on OEM project teams across SVP Worldwide’s brands. The focus is on OEM products, but the role may also support supplier-engineered components with electronic or software content on internal development programs. The position requires defining clear, well-defined requirements and disciplined verification, owning this process end-to-end. The Systems Engineer will define what partners must build and, in partnership with the Test & Quality team, ensure deliverables meet SVP Worldwide’s requirements and delight end users. As a key member of new OEM product development project teams, the Systems Engineer will shape system and test requirements provided to partners, evaluate OEM design and engineering deliverables throughout development, and, with Test & Quality, recommend advancement through product development gates. These OEM project teams are global, with the Systems Engineer based at SVP Worldwide’s Nashville headquarters, typically working on several concurrent OEM programs. This role shapes how a significant part of SVP Worldwide’s portfolio is defined and developed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical/Electronics, Mechatronics, or Computer Engineering, or a related field
5–8 years of new product development experience, preferably with electromechanical consumer and/or commercial products
Proven experience defining product requirements and evaluating supplier or partner test data, ideally with exposure to formal verification and product qualification processes
Experience working with overseas suppliers and manufacturing partners
Ability to author clear engineering requirements and specifications for an external manufacturing partner.
Ability to read, interpret, and provide sound technical feedback on test plans and test data, and to make sound technical acceptance decisions.
Working knowledge across mechanical, electronics, and embedded/firmware disciplines sufficient to coordinate a multi-disciplinary product.
Comfortable working with overseas partners and teams across time zones.
Familiarity with common project and issue-tracking tools (e.g., Jira, Microsoft Project).
Ability to effectively communicate; excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Effective organizational skills with attention to detail.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt quickly to change; demonstrates learning agility.
Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a high performing team.
Willingness to develop, is self-aware, and open to feedback.
7-10 years experience in field and is considered to be a subject matter expert.
Knowledge of role typically obtained through advanced education and work experience.

Responsibilities

Define and own the system and test requirements that OEM partners build to, translating product intent and underlying end-user needs into clear, buildable specifications. Leverage existing requirements and verification practices and align to the standards used for SVP Worldwide’s internally developed products.
Define subsystem and interface requirements (mechanical, electronics, firmware) and how the OEM product integrates with the SVP platform.
Maintain requirement traceability and ensure specifications reflect cost, feasibility, and manufacturability targets, working closely with the Product Manager to understand trade-offs and support data-driven decisions.
Participate in early evaluation of candidate OEM suppliers and their existing “donor” products, assessing fit and gaps against SVP’s high-level project requirements.
Partner with the Test & Quality team on the verification strategy for OEM products, defining and reviewing partner test and validation plans so they demonstrate the product meets requirements and performs as end users expect.
Review and provide feedback on partner deliverables, including design documentation, engineering data, and test results, and drive any issues to resolution.
Together with the Test & Quality team, recommend whether OEM deliverables are ready to advance at each development gate.
Be the technical lead for OEM partners on engineering matters across the program, from concept through launch, working with the Program Manager (who owns program execution, schedule, and commercial terms) to build and maintain the schedule for technical workflows.
Communicate and coordinate effectively with domain experts across the broader R&D organization, engaging their support as needed to bring the right expertise to OEM programs.
Drive technical issue resolution and root-cause investigations with partners across the program, including during production ramp-up and launch, drawing on internal resources as needed.
Assess OEM partners’ technical capabilities and support improvements where needed.
Working with the PMO, recommend and implement improvements to the new product development process for OEM programs.