HVAC VAVE Engineer: Cost & Design Optimizer

Rare Bird Recruiting, LLC; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rare Bird Recruiting, LLC seeks a results-driven VAVE Engineer to optimize product costs across HVAC portfolios. This role identifies and executes value-improvement opportunities while ensuring quality, performance, and reliability in engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing interfaces.

You will build cost models, apply DFM/DFS, and lead cross-functional reviews to deliver measurable bottom-line impact. Travel to supplier sites and internal plants may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline.
• 2–5 years of professional engineering experience, including product design or manufacturing engineering.
• Experience in the HVAC or thermal systems industry is strongly preferred.
• Lean or Six Sigma Green Belt certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead teardowns and benchmarking to identify cost-reduction opportunities.
• Build bottom-up cost models including materials, labor, overhead and logistics.
• Apply DFM/DFS to propose design improvements.
• Collaborate with sourcing and quality teams on supplier reviews and cost workshops.
• Support supplier qualification and validation testing to verify requirements.
• Manage small cost-out projects from concept to implementation with stakeholder approvals.
• Mentor junior engineers and interns.

Skills

Teardowns

Benchmarking

Cost modeling

Collaboration

Mentorship

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Tools

SolidWorks

Inventor/Creo

Windchill/Teamcenter

Autodesk Vault

Job description

Rare Bird Recruiting, LLC seeks a results-driven VAVE Engineer to optimize product costs across HVAC portfolios. This role identifies and executes value-improvement opportunities while ensuring quality, performance, and reliability in engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing interfaces.

You will build cost models, apply DFM/DFS, and lead cross-functional reviews to deliver measurable bottom-line impact. Travel to supplier sites and internal plants may be required.