Product Engineer

Company / Location Information

A.O. Smith is a global leader applying innovative technologies and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications. A. O. Smith is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with approximately 12,000 employees at operations in the United States, Canada, China, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Primary Function

The Product Engineer is responsible for new product development, sustaining and improving existing product lines while also supporting manufacturing operations. This role focuses on innovative product design, continuous improvement, cost optimization, product quality, and maintaining accurate engineering documentation using SolidWorks.

Responsibilities

New Product Development Support 

• Lead design and development activities for new products, including concept evaluation, CAD modeling, prototyping, testing, and validation. 
• Provide design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) input. 
• Assist in transitioning new products from development to production. 
• Product Sustaining & Lifecycle Management 
• Provide engineering support for currently manufactured products to ensure performance, reliability, and compliance. 
• Investigate and resolve field issues, customer complaints, and internal quality concerns. 
• Maintain product design integrity through controlled engineering change processes (ECR/ECO). 

Continuous Improvement 

• Identify and implement design improvements to enhance product performance, reliability, and manufacturability. 
• Drive initiatives focused on reducing defects, improving durability, and simplifying designs. 
• Collaborate cross-functionally (Quality, Manufacturing, Supply Chain) to execute improvement projects. 

Cost Reduction & Value Engineering 

• Analyze product cost structures and identify opportunities for material and component cost reductions. 
• Lead value engineering efforts, including alternative materials, supplier changes, and design simplification. 
• Support sourcing initiatives by working with suppliers to optimize cost and performance. 

Product Quality Review 

• Participate in and lead product quality reviews, including root cause analysis and corrective actions. 
• Utilize tools such as FMEA, 8D, and statistical analysis to address quality issues. 
• Partner with Quality Engineering to ensure compliance with internal standards and regulatory requirements. 

Manufacturing Support 

• Provide engineering support to manufacturing teams to resolve production issues and improve throughput. 
• Develop and refine work instructions, assembly processes, and production documentation. 
• Participate in troubleshooting and process optimization on the production floor. 

CAD Design & Documentation 

• Create, modify, and maintain 3D models, assemblies, and detailed drawings using SolidWorks. 
• Ensure all engineering documentation is accurate, complete, and compliant with company standards. 
• Manage BOMs, drawing revisions, and data within the PDM/PLM system. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field required. 
• Minimum of 5 years of product engineering or design engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with sustaining engineering and product lifecycle management strongly preferred. 
• Knowledge of plastic part design and understanding of plastic injection molding processes. 
• Knowledge or water treatment and regulatory compliance preferred, but not required. 

Technical Skills 

• Proficiency in SolidWorks (3D modeling, assemblies, and drawing creation). 
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes (e.g., injection molding, machining, assembly). 
• Experience with cost reduction and value engineering. 
• Familiarity with quality tools (FMEA, root cause analysis, Six Sigma methodologies). 
• Knowledge of PLM/PDM systems is preferred. 
• Experience with modeling tools including CFD and FEA is beneficial. 

Competencies 

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. 
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive projects to completion. 
• Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and continuous improvement. 

Work Environment 

• Combination of office-based engineering work and hands-on support in a manufacturing environment. 
• Occasional travel to suppliers or manufacturing sites may be required. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, etc.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

We Offer

Competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits plans which include medical and dental insurance, company-sponsored life insurance, retirement security savings plan, short- and long-term disability programs and tuition assistance.
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ADA Statement & EEO Statement

In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, marital or military status.