Product Owner / Senior Mechanical Engineer - Power Distribution Equipment

Description:

Rise Power Systems, a division of SMT, Inc., is seeking a Product Owner / Senior Mechanical Engineer - Power Distribution Equipment to join our growing team. This is a remote position with as needed travel to customers and Rise locations.

Overview

This role combines product ownership with deep mechanical engineering expertise to lead the development of mission-critical power distribution equipment, including PDUs, RPPs, and other low-voltage electrical equipment. The position bridges customer needs, product strategy, and hands-on engineering to deliver reliable, compliant, and manufacturable solutions.

Requirements:

Key Responsibilities

Product Ownership & Strategy

• Define product vision and lifecycle strategy for low voltage electrical equipment (RPP/HDPP/CDP)
• Own and prioritize the product backlog, balancing customer requirements, safety, cost, and schedule working with Product Management and Sales
• Translate customer and market needs into detailed technical requirements and specifications
• Partner with sales, product management, field engineers, and customers to gather feedback and define product improvements
• Support go-to-market activities including technical documentation, training, and product positioning

Mechanical Engineering Leadership

• Lead mechanical design of enclosures, busbar structures, cable management, and thermal solutions
• Develop CAD models, drawings, and BOMs for production
• Perform thermal and structural analysis for high-power electrical assemblies
• Ensure designs meet requirements for heat dissipation, fault conditions, and mechanical integrity
• Drive design for manufacturability (DFM) and cost optimization

Cross-Functional Execution

• Collaborate with electrical and firmware engineers on layout, clearances, and integration
• Lead design reviews and ensure alignment across disciplines
• Oversee prototyping, testing (thermal, short-circuit, environmental), and validation
• Manage engineering changes and product releases

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure compliance with applicable standards such as UL, NEC, IEC, and ANSI
• Support certification processes and regulatory submissions
• Monitor field performance and lead root cause analysis for failures

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (Electrical knowledge strongly preferred)
• 3+ years of experience in power distribution equipment, switchgear, or similar products
• Proven experience in both product ownership/product management and hands-on mechanical design
• Strong understanding of low-voltage power systems, including PDUs, RPPs, and switchboards
• Proficiency in SolidWorks and PLM systems
• Experience working in cross-functional Agile or stage-gate environments

Preferred Skills

• Experience with modular and scalable power systems
• Knowledge of busbar design, fault-current bracing, and thermal management
• Experience with UL certification and seismic requirements (e.g., IEEE 693)
• Background in data centers or other mission-critical environments