VAVE Engineer

About the Role

We are seeking a results-driven VAVE Engineer to optimize product costs and enhance competitiveness across our HVAC portfolio. In this role, you will identify, evaluate, and execute value-improvement opportunities across systems and components—ensuring strict adherence to quality, performance, and reliability standards. You will champion continuous improvement by bridging engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing to deliver measurable bottom-line impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Teardowns & Benchmarking: Independently lead product teardowns and competitive benchmarking to identify cost-reduction and design-improvement opportunities.

• Cost Analysis & Modeling: Build bottom-up cost models encompassing materials, direct labor, overhead, and logistics.

• Design Optimization: Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Service (DFS) principles to propose and evaluate design alternatives.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with sourcing and quality teams in supplier reviews and cost-reduction workshops.

• Validation & Testing: Support supplier component qualification and validation testing to verify that proposed changes meet all functional requirements.

• Project Execution: Manage and track small-scale cost-out projects from concept through implementation, presenting business cases to key stakeholders.

• Mentorship: Provide guidance and informal mentoring to junior engineers and interns.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 2–5 years of professional engineering experience, including at least 1–2 years in product design or manufacturing engineering.

• Experience in the HVAC or thermal systems industry is strongly preferred.

• Lean or Six Sigma Green Belt certification is a plus.

Technical Competencies:

• Solid foundation in HVAC systems, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics.

• Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling (SolidWorks, Inventor, Creo, or similar).

• Familiarity with PLM systems (Windchill, Teamcenter, Autodesk Vault), Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), and Bill of Materials (BOM) management.

• Working knowledge of relevant industry standards (ASHRAE, AHRI, UL, DOE).

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

• Office-based with regular cross-functional interaction.

• Hands-on physical handling of HVAC assemblies and components during teardowns and inspections.

• Occasional travel to manufacturing sites, test facilities, and supplier locations.