Engineering Manager- Thermal Solutions

Overview

Job Title: Engineering Manager – Product Development, Thermal Solutions

Watlow is a global technology and manufacturing leader providing world-class engineering expertise through innovative thermal products and systems. We pursue breakthroughs in thermal solutions with a focus on doing the right thing, continual learning, respect for all, and leading with service and humility. This role drives product development in thermal systems of electrical heaters – core heater technology.

We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated engineering leader to drive product development in the area of thermal systems for electrical heaters. The role requires a strong technical foundation, the ability to lead teams, timely decision-making, and effective balance of trade-offs to deliver high-quality results. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of leading cross-functional development efforts, engaging key stakeholders, and consistently meeting project timelines.

• Lead and manage product development activities focused on thermal and heat transfer solutions
• Drive timely and high-quality execution of projects by making informed technical and business decisions
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, supply chain, and business units
• Provide leadership to a team (direct reports or project/subsystem teams), including task planning, delegation, and execution oversight
• Support engineering builds and work closely with manufacturing and process engineering teams during production ramp-up
• Review engineering analyses including thermal calculations, FEA/CFD simulations, and tolerance stack-ups
• Lead exploration and design validation phases
• Work with risk mitigation tools such as DFMEA
• Apply structured problem-solving methodologies (5 Whys, Fishbone/Ishikawa diagrams, 8D, A3) to resolve technical challenges
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Six Sigma and statistical tools

• 8–10 years of industry experience in product development within thermal and heat transfer domains
• Proven leadership experience, either as a people manager (minimum 2 direct reports) or as a technical/project leader
• Strong understanding of:
• Heat transfer fundamentals and thermal system design
• FEA and CFD simulation tools
• Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis
• DFMEA and design validation processes
• Experience with statistical and quality tools including:
• Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Measurement System Evaluation (MSE)
• Coefficient of Variation (COV)
• Process variation analysis and CpK

• Background in material science or material technologies, particularly:
• Metallic materials and properties
• Fe Cr Al  alloys
• Ni Cr

• Ceramic materials and processes
• Refractories
• Ceramic powder
• Magnesium aluminate spinel
• Aluminum Nitride

• Six Sigma Green Belt (minimum) or Black Belt certification preferred
• Advanced experience working closely with manufacturing and process engineering teams

• Required:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field
• Preferred:
  Master’s degree in Thermal Engineering, Heat Transfer, or Materials Engineering
• Highly Preferred:
  PhD in Materials Science, Ceramics, or related discipline

• Strong leadership and team management skills
• High level of ownership and accountability
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities
• Effective communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to prioritize, manage trade-offs, and deliver under tight deadlines

The Watlow Total Rewards Plan includes a full range of life and career–enhancing benefits and competitive compensation:

• Annual Incentive Program
• 401(k) plan with company match and annual contribution based on company performance
• Wellness incentives
• Employee Personal Assistance Program
• Dental, medical, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance
• Paid holidays, personal time, and vacation
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement

We embrace diversity in all its dimensions and cultivate an inclusive culture. Watlow is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Please confidentially inform us if you need special accommodations to participate in our recruiting process by emailing