Robust Design Leader - Commercial HVAC

Job Number: 11355

External Description:

About This Role 

We are seeking an experienced Robust Design Leader to drive engineering excellence through the deployment of advanced reliability, risk mitigation, and robust design methodologies across chiller product development programs. This individual will serve as a trusted coach, mentor, and technical leader supporting engineering teams in designing highly reliable products while accelerating development timelines and reducing technical risk.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in Design FMEA, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), reliability engineering, and various testing methodologies with strong leadership and coaching skills. The role works closely with product development teams, system engineers, project leaders, design engineers, quality, manufacturing, service, and laboratories to ensure product risks are identified early, appropriately mitigated, and validated through effective testing strategies.

This position is responsible for elevating engineering capabilities and ensuring product development decisions are supported by data, sound engineering judgment, and disciplined risk management practices.

Key Responsibilities

Robust Design Leadership

• Lead the deployment and continuous improvement of robust design methodologies across product development programs.

• Serve as the engineering subject matter expert for:

  • Developing and using FMEAs

  • Critical Parameter Management

  • Design for Six Sigma principles

  • Risk management techniques

  • Developing standard practices to increase engineering key processes

• Coach engineering teams to proactively identify, quantify, and mitigate technical risks.

• Support the engineering organization in establishing a robust design culture focused on prevention rather than reaction.

FMEA Leadership and Risk Management

• Facilitate and coach cross-functional Design FMEA activities from concept through launch.

• Ensure failure modes, causes, controls, and mitigation plans are comprehensive and technically sound.

• Challenge teams to identify hidden risks, interface failures, and systemic failure mechanisms.

• Guide prioritization of risk-reduction activities based on severity, occurrence, and detection effectiveness.

• Conduct audits and assessments of FMEA quality and completeness.

• Support design reviews and technical gate reviews with clear risk assessments and recommendations.

Verification and Test Strategy Development

• Help engineering teams create efficient and effective verification plans.

• Ensure testing focuses on reducing uncertainty and retiring the highest technical risks early.

• Help teams improve product development efficiency by minimizing testing while maintaining technical confidence.

Design of Experiments (DOE) and Statistical Methods

• Coach engineers on DOE principles and application.

• Design and analyze screening, factorial, response surface, and optimization experiments.

• Improve engineering decision making through statistical analysis.

• Support development of predictive engineering models and design optimization strategies.

Training, Mentoring, and Capability Development

• Develop and deliver training on:

  • Robust Design

  • DFMEA

  • Reliability Engineering

  • DFSS

  • Statistical Methods

  • DOE

• Mentor project engineers, system engineers, design engineers, and technical leaders.

• Build organizational capability through coaching and standard work development.

Engineering Reviews and Governance

• Participate in and facilitate technical reviews throughout the Product Development Process.

• Ensure engineering decisions are supported by data, analysis, testing, and risk evaluations.

• Support engineering leadership with objective assessments of technical readiness and residual risk.

• Drive continuous improvement of engineering quality metrics and engineering processes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems, or Reliability Engineering.

• 10+ years of engineering experience in product development, reliability engineering, quality engineering, or robust design.

• 5+ years leading cross-functional technical teams and engineering improvement initiatives.

 Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or related discipline.

• Demonstrated expertise in Design FMEA and risk management.

• Strong understanding of product development processes and stage-gate methodologies.

• Experience developing and executing product verification and validation strategies.

• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and coaching skills.

• Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE).

• Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt.

• Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) certification.

• Experience with Relyence, ReliaSoft, Weibull++, Minitab, JMP, or equivalent analytical tools.

• Experience supporting HVAC, refrigeration, industrial equipment, electronics, automotive, aerospace, or other highly engineered products.

Job Number: 30215230

Community / Marketing Title: Robust Design Leader - Commercial HVAC

Location_formattedLocationLong: North Carolina, US