Lead Product Engineer, Power Electronics

Copeland LP; Town of Sidney (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental and vision coverage

401(k) and more

Flexible time off plans

Job summary

Copeland LP is seeking a Lead Project/Hardware Engineer - Power Electronics to drive the design, development, and qualification of Variable Speed Drive products for HVAC commercial and industrial applications.

Reporting to the Director of Global Product Engineering, you will lead cross-functional teams, manage DFMEA, regulatory plans, and product validation while collaborating with controls, firmware, mechanical, and manufacturing groups worldwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 7–10 years in power electronics, motor drives or VSD development.
• Experience designing VSD/VFDs from 11kW to 500kW.
• Strong knowledge of power electronics hardware, EMC/EMI and safety.
• Experience integrating drives with high‑speed motors and controls.
• Leadership of product qualification and reliability testing.
• Proven ability to communicate with customers and global teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, qualification and commercialization of VSD/VFD products 11kW–500kW.
• Develop product requirements, specs, DFMEA, risk and safety plans.
• Lead design reviews, testing, and validation with internal/external teams.
• Coordinate system integration between drives, controls, interfaces and networks.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and implement ECNs and cost initiatives.
• Support field issues, supplier quality and manufacturing transfers.
• Provide technical leadership for customer applications and field installations.

Skills

Power electronics

VSD/VFD

EMC/EMI

Project leadership

Control systems

Thermal management

Regulatory compliance

Supplier collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Lab equipment

Job description

About Us We are a global climate technologies company engineered for sustainability. We create sustainable and efficient residential, commercial and industrial spaces through HVACR technologies. We protect temperature-sensitive goods throughout the cold chain. And we bring comfort to people globally. Best-in-class engineering, design and manufacturing combined with category-leading brands in compression, controls, software and monitoring solutions result in next-generation climate technology that is built for the needs of the world ahead. Whether you are a professional looking for a career change, an undergraduate student exploring your first opportunity, or recent graduate with an advanced degree, we have opportunities that will allow you to innovate, be challenged and make an impact. If you are an ENGINEERING Professional, Copeland’s Controls Solutions business unit has an exciting opportunity to influence the next generation of variable speed drive products. We are looking for a highly motivated Lead Project/Hardware Engineer - Power Electronics to join our Global Power Electronics team. Reporting to the Director of Global Product Engineering - Power Electronics, the Lead Project/Hardware Engineer will utilize knowledge and experience of power electronics project/hardware design, development, modeling and simulation to support sourcing and qualification of variable speed drive products. Provide customer support and sustain appropriate life cycle of these products for growth and profitability.

As a Lead Project/Hardware Engineer - Power Electronics, you will:

• Lead the design, development, qualification, and commercialization of Variable Speed Drive (VSD/VFD) products ranging from 11kW to 500kW for HVAC commercial and industrial applications.
• Develop product requirements, technical specifications, system architecture, project schedules, design documentation, DFMEA, risk assessments, safety certification plans, and product release activities in collaboration with internal and external teams such as controls, firmware, mechanical, manufacturing, and quality.
• Lead the design, analysis, testing, and validation of power electronics hardware with internal or external development teams.
• Lead system integration activities between variable speed drives, motor controls, compressors, user interfaces, communication networks, and customer systems to ensure optimum performance and reliability.
• Coordinate and execute design reviews, project reviews, qualification plans, reliability testing, compliance testing, and product validation activities.
• Develop and maintain engineering design standards, test procedures, qualification requirements, and best practices for variable speed drive products.
• Review and interpret agency and industry standards to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and customer requirements.
• Lead Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), design updates, cost reduction initiatives, product enhancements, and obsolescence management throughout the product lifecycle.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective actions related to field returns, manufacturing issues, supplier quality concerns, and customer-reported problems.
• Work closely with suppliers to evaluate components, review technical capabilities, conduct supplier audits, support supplier qualification, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Perform competitive product benchmarking and technology assessments to support product roadmaps and next-generation drive platforms.
• Provide technical leadership and support for customer applications, field installations, product commissioning, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
• Serve as the technical subject matter expert for Variable Speed Drive technologies, power electronics systems, motor-drive integration, and compressor-drive applications.

Required Education, Experience & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum of 7-10 years of engineering experience in power electronics, motor drives, or variable speed drive development or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Demonstrated expertise in the design and development of Variable Speed Drives ranging from 11kW to 500kW.
• Strong technical knowledge of Power Electronics hardware design, IGBT and SiC technologies, motor control systems, inverter and converter topologies, gate drive circuits, DC bus systems, protection systems, and thermal management
• Experience integrating variable speed drives with high-speed motors, compressor systems, industrial equipment, and embedded controls
• Working knowledge of EMC/EMI design practices, electrical safety requirements, reliability engineering, and regulatory standards.
• Experience leading product qualification programs, reliability testing, and certification activities.
• Strong experience with laboratory test equipment.
• Excellent project management, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with customers, suppliers, and global cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced product development environment.
• Ability and willingness to work with a global team and accommodate late evening meetings at least once a week.
• Skilled in organizing, prioritizing, and coordinating highly effective working relationships with all levels of personnel both inside and outside the engineering organization

Preferred Education, Experiences & Skills

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, or related discipline
• 10+ years of engineering experience developing commercial and industrial Variable Speed Drive products.
• Experience with HVAC systems, High-speed motor drive systems, Active Front End (AFE) technology, Regenerative drive systems, SiC-based power conversion platforms
• Experience working directly with customers, suppliers, and certification agencies including UL, VDE, CSA, CE, and IEC compliance organizations.
• Experience with IEC 61800 series standards, IEEE 519, IEC 61000 EMC standards, and global regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting supplier qualification, sourcing initiatives, and manufacturing transfers.
• Proven ability to lead global engineering teams and influence stakeholders across multiple functions and regions.
• Experience supporting field troubleshooting, customer support, and continuous product improvement programs.
• Recognized technical expert in Variable Speed Drive technology, power electronics hardware, and drive-compressor-control system integration.

Our Commitment to Our People Across the globe, we are united by a singular Purpose: Sustainability is no small ambition. That’s why everything we do is geared toward a sustainable future—for our generation and all those to come. Through groundbreaking innovations, HVACR technology and cold chain solutions, we are reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency in spaces of all sizes, from residential to commercial to industrial. Our employees are our greatest strength. We believe that our culture of passion, openness, and collaboration empowers us to work toward the same goal - to make the world a better place. We invest in the end-to-end development of our people, beginning at onboarding and through senior leadership, so they can thrive personally and professionally.

• Flexible and competitive benefits plans offer the right options to meet your individual/family needs: medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) and more.
• We provide employees with flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave, vacation and holiday leave.

Our Commitment to Inclusion & Belonging

At Copeland, we cultivate a strong sense of inclusion and belonging where individuals of all backgrounds, and with diverse perspectives, are embraced and treated fairly to enable a stronger workforce. Our employee resource groups play an important role in culture and community building at Copeland.

Work Authorization

Copeland will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1 with OPT or CPT, H-1, H-2, L-1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Copeland is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to providing a workplace free of any discrimination or harassment. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, please contact: [e-mail]

With $5B of global revenue, Copeland is a leading provider of compression products, electronics, software, and solutions across many applications within Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR), where macro and regulatory trends towards environmental sustainability, leads to changes in HVACR technology. Other products include other heating applications, food service and retail, transportation, and healthcare/life sciences. This new business also has a solution portfolio that manages, monitors, and controls refrigeration units in the commercial setting, as well as software solutions that measure and monitor temperature conditions of refrigerated goods in transit, where there is a greater emphasis on energy management/sustainability solutions globally.