Job Description

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.

Recognized by The Tennessean as one of the top Nashville area Workplaces, Lochinvar (A business unit of A. O. Smith) is a leading producer of energy-efficient boilers, water heaters, pool heaters and commercial package systems. We focus solely on serving our customers and offer them a product that delivers unmatched quality, performance, and application flexibility.

Primary Function

The Sr. Project Engineer – Electronics Systems NPD is a key role within the New Product Development (NPD) team in the Electronic Systems Engineering department at Lochinvar. This role focuses on the left side of the V-model, ensuring systems engineering principles drive the development of electronic and electromechanical controls for residential and commercial water heaters, boilers, and heat pumps. The Sr. Project Engineer will be responsible for requirement management, architecture and design specification creation, and V-model-based verification planning. The position requires deep collaboration with cross-functional teams, external partners, and internal stakeholders to ensure safety, quality, reliability, and performance of control systems.

Responsibilities

Systems Engineering & V-Model Implementation

• Apply Systems Engineering principles, ensuring alignment with the V-model development process.
• Develop and manage system-level requirements and decompose them into hardware, software, and firmware specifications.
• Drive architecture and design specification creation, ensuring compliance with industry and regulatory standards.
• Develop functional block diagrams and visual specifications to align teams on project objectives.
• Define bench-level and system-level test plans to verify compliance with defined requirements.

New Product Development (NPD) Execution

• Work as a core member of NPD projects, managing requirements, design reviews, and validation plans.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software teams to ensure seamless system integration.
• Work in partnership with internal electronics departments and external electronics suppliers to deliver new electronic control solutions.
• Ensure designs are reusable and scalable, supporting modularity and future product enhancements.

Testing & Validation

• Develop and execute product application test plans, ensuring alignment with system requirements.
• Drive design verification and validation (DV&V) using appropriate tools and methodologies.
• Support regulatory compliance by designing and developing requirements and specifications that align with UL, CSA, and IEC standards, ensuring compliance with agency safety requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Documentation

• Develop system and module specification libraries, maintaining a comprehensive knowledge base for electronic control systems.
• Participate in FMEA, DFMEA, and design reviews, ensuring risk assessment and mitigation throughout development.
• Maintain clear documentation for installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of electronic control systems.
• Work with service and training teams to ensure robust support strategies for new electronic control systems.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (B.S.) from an ABET-accredited university in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in electronic systems development, with a strong emphasis on requirements management and V-model methodologies.
• Experience with systems engineering tools and methodologies, including requirement decomposition and system verification planning.
• Strong understanding of system integration, including hardware, software, and firmware.
• Experience working with communications protocols (RS-485, Ethernet, Wi-Fi) and control logic (PLC/PID).
• Familiarity with reliability engineering, root cause analysis, and failure mode assessment (DFMEA/FMEA).
• Experience with electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and basic test instrumentation (multimeters, oscilloscopes, etc.).
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams and external partners.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s Degree (M.S.) in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline.
• Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) methodologies and tools.
• Familiarity with Agile or Hybrid Development processes for hardware, software, and firmware.
• Prior experience in water heater, boiler, or HVAC control systems.
• Hands-on experience with automated testing and validation environments.

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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