Product Engineer

Join to apply for the Product Engineer role at Southbendnc

Southbend, a division of the Middleby Corporation, is a global leader in heavy-duty commercial cooking equipment. Renowned for innovation in energy savings, cooking speed, automation, and safety, Southbend's products are highly regarded by chefs, consultants, and industry experts. With over 100 years of top-quality and reliable products, Southbend's equipment is widely installed in restaurants, institutional food service operations, and supermarkets worldwide.

Southbend has a great opportunity for a Product Engineer to join our team!

• Lead product design of commercial cooking equipment, including ranges, convection ovens, char broilers, griddles, fryers, and modular line-ups.
• Create and manage CAD models, detailed drawings, BOMs, and technical documentation.
• Develop thermal and combustion system designs for gas and electric cooking platforms.
• Ensure compliance with UL, CSA, NSF, CE, and DOE energy standards.
• Collaborate with manufacturing to ensure designs are production-ready (DFM/DFA).
• Coordinate prototype builds, validation testing, and field trials.
• Lead or participate in root cause analysis for field failures and customer issues.
• Identify and drive cost reduction, reliability, and performance improvements.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends in energy efficiency, smart controls, and ventless systems.
• Mentor engineers engineers and contribute to internal engineering standards and best practices.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field. 5+ years of industry experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 7+ years of experience in product development for commercial or industrial appliances.
• Proficient in CAD software (e.g., Solid Works, AutoCAD, or Creo).
• Familiarity with UL/NSF standards, combustion safety, and commercial kitchen compliance.
• Strong knowledge of sheet metal fabrication, welding, and assembly processes.
• Experience with DFMEA, design reviews, and validation protocols.
• Strong communication, project management, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Experience with commercial kitchen equipment or high-heat appliances (preferred).
• Experience designing gas burners, heating elements, control systems, or other thermal systems (preferred).
• Knowledge of smart appliance technology, controls, or sensor integration (preferred).
• PLM/ERP experience (Infor, SAP, Oracle Agile, or similar platforms) (preferred).
• Background in managing ventless systems, catalytic filtration, or oven recirculation technologies (preferred).

This role is primarily onsite at our Fuquay-Varina manufacturing facility, with time split between the engineering office, test lab, and shop floor. Occasional travel to customers, vendors, and trade events may be required.

• Be part of a legacy brand with over 100 years of commercial cooking innovation.
• Work in a collaborative, quality driven manufacturing environment.
• Contribute to products that serve leading restaurants, schools, hospitals, and institutions worldwide.
• Enjoy the support and career growth opportunities of the Middleby global network.

Southbend is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EOE/M/F/Vets/Disabled) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.

Not Applicable

Full-time

Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance

Machinery Manufacturing and Manufacturing