Engineering Program Manager, New Product Introduction

Johnson Controls; Burlington (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson Controls seeks an Engineering Program Manager for New Product Introduction to lead hardware programs from concept to volume production in Burlington, MA. This role requires coordinating engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams to plan, sequence, and drive successful launches of large industrial machines.

You will manage stage-gate processes, ECOs, and risk registers, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery while navigating fast-moving development cycles in a dynamic,

Qualifications

• Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial) or a related technical field, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of industry experience in program or project management for hardware/physical products
• Experience taking products through the full NPI lifecycle, from prototype through production launch
• Experience managing programs involving large industrial machines or capital equipment, including installation, commissioning, and ramp
• Direct experience managing engineering change orders (ECOs), including impact analysis, approval routing, and implementation tracking
• Industry experience building program schedules, stage-gate documentation, and risk registers
• Experience working with cross-functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, and quality
• Experience working with a range of vendors, contract manufacturers, machine builders, and suppliers
• Understanding of core hardware development processes (design reviews, DFM/DFA, qualification testing, change control)

Responsibilities

• Own the path from concept through full production release for new products and machines
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams spanning engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and commercial functions
• shepherd hardware programs through ambiguous, fast-moving development cycles while maintaining pace
• Regularly manage multiple complex, concurrent projects with shifting timelines and priorities
• Take full ownership of programs and drive them forward with urgency in a startup-like environment

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional

Scheduling

Risk management

Vendor management

ECOs management

Stage-gate

Hardware development

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

MS Project

Jira

Smartsheet

Job description

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, mission- critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education. For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real-world results and help move society forward. Visit johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @Johnsoncontrols on social platforms.

What You'll Do

Thermal constraints limit AI infrastructure, semiconductor equipment, power electronics, and defense systems. JCI removes those constraints. Enabled by the Stack Forging™ process, JCI produces high-performance thermal components and cooling loop solutions — purpose-built for direct integration into AI, HPC, and mission-critical systems. JCI has built the industry's leading thermal management platform for the applications that demand it most.

As a Builder on the Stack Forging Thermal Solutions team at Johnson Controls, you will join a team of sleeve-rollers who set a high bar for themselves and their co-workers. We foster a collaborative culture with no silos, where everyone is encouraged to think out loud. If you are passionate about your craft and don't give up until you've found a way, you will make an ideal Builder!

As an Engineering Program Manager for New Product Introduction, you will own the path from concept through full production release — including the large, complex industrial machines that make up our Stack Forging process. You will work with an interdisciplinary team spanning engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and commercial functions to plan, sequence, and drive execution of new product and new machine programs. You will shepherd hardware programs through ambiguous, fast-moving development cycles, and you will provide structure without slowing down the pace of a startup-like environment.

You will regularly manage multiple complex, concurrent projects with competing priorities and shifting timelines, keeping each one moving without letting the others slip. You take full ownership of your programs, driving them forward independently while maintaining a strong sense of urgency. This position is based in Burlington, MA. Candidates must be commuting distance to the facility, or able to relocate. Various relocation packages are available. Applicants must be US Citizens and/or Permanent Residents of the US, since sponsorship is not available for this position.

Who You Are

You are a hands-on program manager who enjoys untangling complex, cross-functional problems and taking ownership of a product's journey from first prototype to volume production. You have experience building and managing program schedules, risk registers, and stage-gate processes for physical hardware products, including large-scale industrial machinery and capital equipment. You are comfortable working directly with engineers, technicians, vendors, and executives to keep programs on time and on budget. You are equally comfortable juggling several high-stakes programs at once as you are running point on a single critical launch. You thrive in a fast-paced environment, apply a first-principles mindset to every roadblock, and are driven to continuously improve how the organization launches new products and brings new machines online. You know when to pivot, prioritize, and adapt to shifting demands to keep progress on track.

What you will need

• Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial) or a related technical field, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of industry experience in program or project management for hardware/physical products
• Experience taking products through the full NPI lifecycle, from prototype through production launch
• Experience managing programs involving large industrial machines or capital equipment, including installation, commissioning, and ramp
• Direct experience managing engineering change orders (ECOs), including impact analysis, approval routing, and implementation tracking
• Industry experience building program schedules, stage-gate documentation, and risk registers
• Experience working with cross-functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, and quality
• Experience working with a range of vendors, contract manufacturers, machine builders, and suppliers
• Understanding of core hardware development processes (design reviews, DFM/DFA, qualification testing, change control)

Preferred Experience

• Experience with large-scale automated or semi-automated industrial machinery in a production environment
• Experience with program management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira)
• PMP certification or equivalent formal program management training
• Experience with capital equipment, industrial machinery, or thermal/mechanical systems
• Familiarity with Lean/Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement methodologies

Export Control Requirement

This position may require access to information, technology, technical data, software, or other items subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. Any offer of employment for this position may be contingent upon the candidate’s ability to obtain and maintain any required export authorization or eligibility to access controlled items.

Salary Range

SALARY RANGE: $120,000 - $165,000 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.)

This role offers a competitive Bonus plan that will take into account individual, group, and corporate performance. This position includes a competitive benefits package.

The posted salary range reflects the target compensation for this role. However, we recognize that exceptional candidates may bring unique skills and experiences that exceed the typical profile. If you believe your background warrants consideration beyond the stated range, we encourage you to apply.

To support an efficient and fair hiring process, we may use technology assisted tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to help identify and evaluate candidates. All hiring decisions are ultimately made by human reviewers.

Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination

Johnson Controls International plc. is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other characteristic protected by law. To view more information about your equal opportunity and non-discrimination rights as a candidate, visit EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit here.

#LI-ONSITE

Johnson Controls: Enhancing the Intelligence of Buildings

Your buildings have a purpose. They are places for people to live or work. Facilities for learning or healing. Venues for entertainment and shopping. Sites for the specialized storage of tangible goods or mission-critical data. Your buildings have a huge variety of functions; they are central to your mission. This is where Johnson Controls comes in, helping drive the outcomes that matter most. Through a full range of systems and digital solutions, we make your buildings smarter. A smarter building is safer, more comfortable, more efficient, and, ultimately, more sustainable. Most important, smarter buildings let you focus more intensely on your unique mission. Better for your people. Better for your bottom line. Better for the planet. At Johnson Controls, we’ve been making buildings smarter since 1885, and our capabilities, depth of innovation experience, and global reach have been growing ever since. Today, we offer the world’s largest portfolio of building products, technologies, software, and services; we put that portfolio to work to transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play.