Lead Project Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

About Us

We are a global climate technologies company engineered for sustainability. We create sustainable and efficient residential, commercial and industrial spaces through HVACR technologies. We protect temperature-sensitive goods throughout the cold chain. And we bring comfort to people globally. Best-in-class engineering, design and manufacturing combined with category-leading brands in compression, controls, software and monitoring solutions result in next-generation climate technology that is built for the needs of the world ahead. Whether you are a professional looking for a career change, an undergraduate student exploring your first opportunity, or recent graduate with an advanced degree, we have opportunities that will allow you to innovate, be challenged and make an impact. Join our team and start your journey today!

General Summary

The Lead Project Engineer serves as the technical leader for complex industrial refrigeration and gas compression projects and provides engineering leadership across multiple project teams. This role is responsible for ensuring technical excellence, project execution success, and adherence to company standards throughout the project lifecycle. The Lead Project Engineer acts as the primary technical authority for major customer projects, leading multidisciplinary engineering efforts from concept through commissioning. In addition to executing projects, this position drives continuous improvement initiatives, develops engineering standards and best practices, mentors Project Engineers and junior engineering staff, and serves as a key technical advisor to internal stakeholders and customers. Success in this role requires advanced engineering expertise, strong project leadership capabilities, the ability to influence without direct authority, exceptional customer-facing skills, and a commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and commercially successful solutions.

Who You Are

You effectively balance technical detail with business objectives. You lead through influence, inspire confidence in customers and colleagues, and drive teams toward successful outcomes. You proactively identify risks and opportunities, make sound decisions in ambiguous situations, and coach others to achieve higher levels of performance. You build strong partnerships across functions and consistently deliver results on complex initiatives. As a Lead Project Engineer, You will:

As a Lead Project Engineer, You will

Serve as the lead technical authority for complex industrial refrigeration and gas compression projects by reviewing customer specifications, evaluating technical risk, developing execution strategies, and engineering cost and schedule estimates. Direct and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering activities, ensuring technical alignment across mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, sourcing, quality, and field service functions. Report project status, resource requirements, technical risks, and mitigation plans to Engineering and Project Management leadership. Review and approve compression system designs for compliance with applicable codes, customer specifications, company standards, and regulatory requirements. Lead technical customer discussions, design reviews, and issue resolution efforts while serving as the primary engineering interface for key accounts. Champion continuous improvement and drive project execution improvements by developing engineering standards, design tools, lessons learned, and best practices that enhance quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Lead root cause investigations and resolution of significant technical issues encountered during design, manufacturing, testing, installation, or commissioning. Mentor and develop Project Engineers and junior engineers through technical coaching, project guidance, and knowledge sharing to ensure quality and adherence to established engineering practices.

Knowledge, Skills, and Ability

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive engineering experience, including significant experience leading complex engineered-to-order industrial equipment or systems projects.
• Demonstrated expertise in industrial refrigeration, gas compression, pressure piping systems, or related thermodynamic process systems.
• Strong knowledge of applicable industry codes and standards, including ASME, CRN, NFPA, AWS, and related regulations.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), system design, equipment integration, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience managing technical risk, project schedules, engineering deliverables, and customer-facing project execution activities.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all organizational levels.
• Understanding of ERP systems, manufacturing BOM structures, and engineered-to-order product environments.
• Ability to travel approximately 10-15%.
• Authorization to work in the United states now and in the future - sponsorship will not be provided for this role.

Preferred

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain.
• Experience leading large-scale industrial refrigeration or gas compression projects.
• Experience supporting global customers, field installations, and commissioning activities.
• Experience developing engineering standards, procedures, and design practices.
• Prior formal or informal leadership experience, including mentoring engineers and leading technical teams.
• Advanced knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, rotating equipment, and process systems.

Working Conditions

This position works in a typical office environment and will also have exposure to the manufacturing floor. Travel is required.

Our Commitment to Our People Across the globe

Our Commitment to Our People Across the globe, we are united by a singular Purpose: Sustainability is no small ambition. That's why everything we do is geared toward a sustainable future—for our generation and all those to come. Through groundbreaking innovations, HVACR technology and cold chain solutions, we are reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency in spaces of all sizes, from residential to commercial to industrial. Our employees are our greatest strength. We believe that our culture of passion, openness, and collaboration empowers us to work toward the same goal - to make the world a better place. We invest in the end-to-end development of our people, beginning at onboarding and through senior leadership, so they can thrive personally and professionally.

Flexible and competitive benefits plans offer the right options to meet your individual/family needs:

• medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) and more.

We provide employees with flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave, vacation and holiday leave.

Our Commitment to Inclusion & Belonging At Copeland

At Copeland, we cultivate a strong sense of inclusion and belonging where individuals of all backgrounds, and with diverse perspectives, are embraced and treated fairly to enable a stronger workforce.

Work Authorization

Copeland will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1 with OPT or CPT, H-1, H-2, L-1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Copeland is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to providing a workplace free of any discrimination or harassment. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, please contact: copeland.careers@copeland.com

With $5B of global revenue, Copeland is a leading provider of compression products, electronics, software, and solutions across many applications within Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR), where macro and regulatory trends towards environmental sustainability, leads to changes in HVACR technology. Other products include other heating applications, food service and retail, transportation, and healthcare/life sciences. This new business also has a solution portfolio that manages, monitors, and controls refrigeration units in the commercial setting, as well as software solutions that measure and monitor temperature conditions of refrigerated goods in transit, where there is a greater emphasis on energy management/sustainability solutions globally.