Senior Thermal Project Engineer

JOB TITLE: Senior Thermal Project Engineer

EMPLOYER: ZEVX INC.

DEPARTMENT: Product Engineering

REPORTS TO: Vice President, Engineering

COMPENSATION: Salary $120K - $150K, Benefits, and Company Stock Options

EFFECTIVE DATE: 2/12/2024

SUMMARY: At ZEVX, as a Sr. Thermal Project Engineer, you will champion our efforts by leading a team of Design Release Engineers utilizing engineering rigor to conceive, design, develop, validate, troubleshoot, and support the launch of thermal hardware throughout the product development cycle from concept through production and sustainment. You will work closely with counterparts from Purchasing, Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, and other cross-functional engineering teams to ensure the delivery of release packages on time, will be responsible for tracking and resolving open issues to be effectively and consistently coordinated with the Program Management team.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• You will report to the Manager of Thermal Systems, with the opportunity to contribute to the design, development, and validation testing of system components within the Mobile Charging Unit (MCU) platform, the heart of ZEVX’s value proposition.
• Lead an agile team of Design Release Engineers to execute proper product development and engineering documentation across multiple projects. You will also be an individual contributor as defined by the Manager of Thermal Systems.
• Follows and contributes to continual improvement of the product development process.
• Define and Document Requirements for the Thermal System that includes customer, company, industry specifications, and regulations.
• Interpret and Communicate Simulation Results for Thermal System optimization. Software platforms may include Simulink (MathWorks), Flonex and Fluent (ANSYS), and SimSolid (ALTAIR).
• Detail and perform the Design Validation Plan based on vehicle/system design specifications incorporating company/industry/regulatory standards, test procedures and material specifications.
• Perform DFMEA studies and work with test engineers to validate your designs.
• Follow and contribute to continual improvement of the product development process.
• Collaborate with cross-functional product teams (systems integration, electrical, battery, CAE/Analytics, manufacturing, testing, configuration management), in concert with vendors, on the complete life cycle of the project through product launch, and implementation of lessons learned on subsequent products.
• Apply fundamental thermal physics to lead the progression of design maturity from initial concept to product launch, to next concept.
• Lead definition of appropriate system-level engineering targets to meet function, quality, and attribute requirements of the program.
• Ability to develop, research, and adhere to vehicle/product requirements documentation that incorporates customer, company, and industry standards and regulations.
• Package Thermal components optimally within limited space and lead resolution of packaging incompatibilities through collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to lead or perform mechanical test planning and reporting in coordination with the Test and Validation team responsible for test execution. This may also include the management of test procedures with third-party test facilities.
• Lead resolution of design, attribute, or packaging incompatibilities through deep collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Troubleshoot and resolve validation issues.
• Support product launch and pre-production builds (both virtual and physical).
• Establish relationships with existing and future suppliers, traveling for occasional supplier visits.
• Identify opportunities for cost and mass optimization, leading change requests through implementation.
• Be able to travel up to 10% of the time.
• Develop & manage thermal specifications and requirements (at subsystem and component levels).
• Decompose requirements from system and subsystem levels into lower-level requirements.
• Mentor early-career Thermal Systems Engineers through the product development process.
• Standardize Thermal Systems Engineering approaches.
• Own the verification and validation of Thermal requirements, in collaboration with the Thermal test engineers.
• Establish relationships with existing and future suppliers, traveling for occasional supplier visits.

MUST-HAVE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adept in pivoting to overcome obstacles while successfully delivering complete solutions with minimal supervision across multiple simultaneous projects.
• Personal energy and passion for engineering great products and a “Get-it-done right the first time” attitude.
• A Bachelor's (required) or Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering (preferred), Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5-10 years experience in the automotive industry with emphasis on design release and/or integration across multiple engineering disciplines. Experience in all stages of the product lifecycle is preferred.
• Strong technical background in the thermal sciences related to vehicle HVAC systems, motor drive / inverter applications, and battery systems (e.g. vent gas and fire propagation, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and material response in fire).
• Excellent leadership skills that can drive a team to act quickly and decisively. Strong sense of accountability and ownership. Ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to specify thermal management components based on requirements and specifications for the rest of the systems.
• Engineering knowledge of defined requirements and validation of component(s)/system(s) design, function, performance, production & manufacturing requirements, testing, and validation.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in all stages of the product lifecycle.
• Familiarity with battery-based EV charging systems.
• Ability to perform thermal analytics and simulations (Simulink, Flownex, Fluent, Accusolve)
• Experience creating multi-component virtual physics-based simulation models for basic viability and the ability to work with the CAE simulation team to incorporate feedback on more complex models.
• Working knowledge of GD&T, RSS tolerancing, FMEA, DVP&R, DFSS, DFA, DFM, APQP, and engineering problem resolution. Prior experience signing off on related drawings and engineering documentation.
• Proficient in Siemens NX / Team Center with a robust knowledge base of change management processes.

COMPETENCIES:

• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs work flows and procedures.
• Design - Generates creative solutions; Translates concepts and information into images; Uses feedback to modify designs; Applies design principles; Demonstrates attention to detail.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
• Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Verbal Communication - Strong English language proficiency required. Ability to articulate your ideas and recommendations in a group setting and to communicate with vendors and partners clearly and effectively with minimal need to re-articulate your messaging.
• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; Understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; Analyzes market and competition; Identifies external threats and opportunities; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
• Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
• Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Quantity - Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly.
• Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; Determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
• Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
• Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Frequently required to stand

• Frequently required to walk
• Frequently required to sit
• Occasionally required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
• Occasionally required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, or crawl
• Frequently required to talk or hear
• Frequently utilize visual acuity to operate equipment, read technical information, and/or use a keyboard
• Occasionally required to lift/push/carry items up to 50 pounds
• Occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions (non-weather)
• Occasionally work around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals
• Occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions
• Occasionally exposed to extreme heat or cold (non-weather)
• Occasionally loud noise (test bench, etc.)
• Specialized equipment, machines, or vehicles used Test Equipment, Power Electronics, HV battery systems (up to 450Vpeak)

About ZEVX Inc.

ZEVX is the Worldwide Leader in Mobile Charging for the EV ecosphere providing scalable, battery-based charging for customers who need reliable, configurable, and safe charging infrastructure to power their respective platforms. It is an exciting time to join the company as we shape this rapidly evolving landscape. For more information, visit www.zevx.com.