PRODUCT DESIGN ENGINEER

Hotstart-1; Spokane Valley (WA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Hotstart-1 designs and manufactures thermal management solutions for industrial equipment markets. We are seeking a Product Engineer for our Design Engineering team in Spokane, Washington.

This role serves as the technical owner for assigned product lines, leading cross-functional projects and initiatives that improve product performance, reliability, manufacturability, compliance, cost, and customer value.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• 2+ years in product, design, sustaining, or manufacturing engineering.
• Experience with 3D CAD and engineering documentation; SolidWorks preferred.
• Knowledge of change management, BOMs, ERP/PDM systems, RCA, and design validation.
• Strong project management, planning, prioritization, and cross-functional coordination.
• Understanding of circuits, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics.
• Experience with industrial equipment or electromechanical products and adherence to DFx/Regulatory standards preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Self-starter with strong technical judgment and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned product lines through lifecycle from release to obsolescence.
• Lead cross-functional engineering projects from concept through validation and release.
• Identify and implement product improvements for performance, reliability, cost, and safety.
• Define engineering requirements through specs, redlines, tests, and documentation.
• Investigate issues; perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Support Sales and customers with product selection, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, IT, and suppliers to improve products and processes.
• Participate in prototype builds, lab and field testing, regulatory activities, and travel.

Skills

3D CAD

SolidWorks

Root cause analysis

Project management

Communication skills

Microsoft Excel

Cross-functional coordination

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

ERP/PDM systems

Design validation

Job description

Description

Hotstart designs and manufactures thermal management solutions for industrial equipment markets. We are seeking a Product Engineer for our Design Engineering team in Spokane, Washington. This role serves as the technical owner for assigned product lines, leading cross-functional projects and initiatives that improve product performance, reliability, manufacturability, compliance, cost, and customer value.

Requirements

Primary Position Responsibilities:

• Own assigned product lines throughout their lifecycle, including initial release, improvements, engineering changes, reactivations, new or custom configurations, and obsolescence
• Manage and lead cross-functional engineering projects from concept through validation, release, and implementation, managing scope, priorities, and action items
• Identify and implement product improvements that enhance product performance, reliability, quality, manufacturability, safety, and cost competitiveness
• Define and communicate engineering requirements through specifications, redlines, design reviews, testing, and technical guidance while supporting product documentation and engineering data management
• Investigate production, supplier, customer, and field issues; perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions
• Support Sales and customers with product selection, application, testing, troubleshooting, and optimization
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, IT, suppliers, and other stakeholders to improve products and processes
• Participate in prototype builds, laboratory and field testing, regulatory activities, and occasional travel

Preferred Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes:

• BS or MS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 2+ years of relevant product, design, sustaining, or manufacturing engineering experience
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software and engineering documentation practices; SolidWorks experience preferred
• Knowledge of change management, BOMs, ERP/PDM systems, root cause analysis, and design validation
• Project management experience, including planning, prioritization, and cross-functional coordination
• Knowledge of circuits, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics preferred
• Experience with industrial equipment, electromechanical products, manufacturing processes, DFM/DFA principles, supplier changes, or regulatory compliance and standards preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel
• Self-starter with strong technical judgment, project leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills