Lead Product Engineer

About the role

The Lead Product Engineer will lead manufacturing-focused product engineering for a specialized analytical instrumentation product line serving process industry customers. Key responsibilities include sustaining engineering, manufacturing support, value analysis / value engineering (VA/VE), leading new product development, and cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical lead for manufacturing, owning day-to-day build issues and resolving product, process, and supplier-related challenges impacting production.
• Lead sustaining engineering activities across released products, including troubleshooting, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and design-for-manufacturability improvements.
• Support production readiness through hands-on involvement in builds, test setups, fixtures, work instructions, and transitions to production.
• Drive engineering change activities, including ECR/ECO ownership, configuration control, and controlled release of product documentation.
• Lead value analysis / value engineering (VA/VE) initiatives to improve product cost, manufacturability, and supply continuity while maintaining performance and quality.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to evaluate alternate materials, suppliers, and component strategies.
• Develop and maintain top-level BOMs and configuration variants, using ERP data and sound engineering judgment to support product decisions.
• Lead product design activities for existing and new products, including design improvements, requirements definition, prototyping, and design documentation.
• Apply GD&T, tolerance analysis, and sound drawing interpretation to support both sustaining and development efforts.
• Select materials appropriate for chemical compatibility, corrosion resistance, and manufacturability across process-wetted and structural components.
• Own system-level technical requirements and performance validation when integrating digital components into traditionally analog sensor systems, coordinating with internal or external electronics resources as needed.
• Collaborate closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Management to align product decisions with business, manufacturing, and customer needs.
• Participate in customer-facing technical discussions as needed to support product requirements, issue resolution, and design alignment.
• Lead multiple priorities with a hands-on, accountable approach and deliver on commitments in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

• Experience with industrial field instruments and/or analyzers used in process industries, including analytical liquid, gas analysis systems, or instrumentation is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation / Controls Engineering, or a closely related field. Chemical Engineering is preferred for candidates coming from adjacent industries.
• Demonstrated ability to support manufacturing and value engineering activities, including troubleshooting, root cause analysis, cost reduction, and design-for-manufacturability improvements.
• Ability to perform GD&T, tolerance analysis, and interpretation of engineering drawings in support of both new and existing products.
• Working proficiency with 3D CAD tools (Solid Edge or similar) is preferred, or demonstrated ability to clearly communicate product design intent to CAD designers.
• Demonstrated ownership of engineering change processes (ECR/ECO), configuration control, and controlled release of product documentation.
• Fluency in BOM development for top-level assemblies and configuration variants; experience working within an ERP system (Epicor or similar) is beneficial.
• Hands-on lab and shop skills, including prototype builds, test setups, fixtures, and safe laboratory practices.
• Applied knowledge of materials selection (metals, polymers, elastomers) with respect to chemical compatibility, corrosion resistance, and manufacturability.
• Ability to interface with electronics and firmware teams by defining sensor and system-level requirements, with working knowledge of analog-to-digital signal concepts relevant to analytical instrumentation.

Qualifications & Abilities

• Direct experience designing, supporting, or sustaining analytical instrumentation products, including liquid or gas analysis systems.
• Specific experience with pH / ORP sensors, electrochemical sensors, optical analytical sensors, and/or digital sensors.
• Familiarity with hazardous location (HazLoc) concepts, certification pathways (e.g., IECEx, ATEX, UL), and ISO 9001 design controls, with the ability to design toward compliance and support approvals.