Innovation Engineer - R&D

Judge Direct Placement; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Job summary

A leading HVAC firm in Bend, OR is seeking an Innovation Engineer to lead research and development within their R&D department. This role focuses on identifying and deploying disruptive innovations in HVAC technology, requiring a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and extensive experience in HVAC system design. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background, including thermodynamics and product development expertise. Competitive salary range is offered.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in HVAC R&D or a related manufacturing engineering environment.
• Deep experience with HVAC system design and components.
• Proven success in new product introduction (NPI) within a manufacturing setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D efforts to identify and evaluate emerging technologies.
• Initiate and manage research projects focused on enhancing system performance.
• Design novel HVAC components and systems.
• Apply rigorous testing and analysis to validate new designs.
• Drive the transition of innovations from lab to production floor.

Skills

HVAC system design

3D CAD/CAE tools

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Fluid dynamics

New product introduction (NPI)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred)

Job description

Judge Direct Placement provided pay range

This range is provided by Judge Direct Placement. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$150,000.00/yr - $200,000.00/yr

Senior Account Manager at The Judge Group

We are working with an industry leader within the HVAC industry seeking an Innovation Engineer in their Redmond, OR location. This is a crucial, high-impact role centered within their Research and Development (R&D) department. This position serves as the critical link between emerging technology and market reality, tasked with identifying, prototyping, and deploying disruptive innovations—from sustainable refrigerants and advanced thermal solutions to IoT integration and smart manufacturing techniques. The ideal candidate blends deep technical expertise in HVAC systems with a relentless drive for novelty to ensure our product portfolio remains competitive, efficient, and compliant with evolving industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

• R&D Leadership & Technology Scouting:
• Lead R&D efforts to identify and evaluate emerging technologies (e.g., sustainable refrigerants, high-efficiency heat pumps, advanced controls, IoT integration) relevant to the future of HVAC.
• Initiate and manage research projects focused on enhancing system performance, energy efficiency, and cost reduction.
• Design & Validation:
• Apply core expertise in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics to design novel HVAC components and systems.
• Rapidly develop and build proof-of-concept prototypes.
• Conduct rigorous testing, simulation (CFD/FEA), and analysis to validate new designs, ensuring alignment with performance goals and regulatory standards (e.g., AHRI, Energy Star).
• NPI & Manufacturing Integration:
• Act as the critical link between R&D and Manufacturing Operations, driving the smooth transition of innovations from lab to production floor.
• Ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and scalability, collaborating closely with production engineering and supply chain teams.
• Intellectual Property (IP):
• Generate comprehensive technical documentation and actively pursue the creation and protection of Intellectual Property (patents) resulting from innovation projects.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred).
• Experience: 7+ years in HVAC R&D or a related manufacturing engineering environment is required.
• Technical: Deep experience with HVAC system design and components. Proficiency in 3D CAD/CAE tools. Proven success in new product introduction (NPI) within a manufacturing setting.

Seniority level

• Seniority level Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type Full-time

Job function

• Job function Product Management and Engineering
• Industries Engineering Services and HVAC and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing

Inferred from the description for this job

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)

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