Product Development Engineer / Technical Services Lead – Phoenix, Arizona
Facade People
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Job summary
Facade People in Arizona seeks a Product Development Engineer / Technical Services Lead to drive development of aluminum cladding products and provide technical guidance to sales and customers. You will oversee concept through prototype, testing, and market rollout, while supporting design and installation inquiries.
Ideal candidates have CAD detailing skills, strong engineering background, and experience in exterior cladding systems.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field.
- Strong engineering fundamentals with ability to interpret drawings and specs.
- Experience in product development and technical services for building products preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead development of aluminum cladding products from concept to launch.
- Provide technical guidance to architects, contractors, and installers.
- Review drawings and provide installation details and product documentation.
- Coordinate prototypes, tests, and field evaluations.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The client is a U.S. manufacturer of architectural aluminum cladding systems headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. We design and fabricate extruded aluminum cladding products (ACM, etc) for commercial architects, general contractors, installers, distributors, and end-users across the country.
The client is a U.S. manufacturer of architectural aluminum cladding systems headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. We design and fabricate extruded aluminum cladding products (ACM, etc) for commercial architects, general contractors, installers, distributors, and end-users across the country. Their systems are designed for commercial exterior applications where performance, aesthetics, durability, and installation efficiency are critical.
The client is seeking a Product Development Engineer / Technical Services Lead to support the continued growth, development, and technical application of our aluminum cladding product line. This role serves two core functions. First, the position will lead and support the development of new client products, including extruded aluminum cladding systems, aluminum planks, battens, trims, attachment components, and related accessories. This work will span from concept development through design, prototyping, testing, documentation, and support for market rollout. Second, the role will serve as the client’s technical services lead, supporting outside sales and business development with technical inquiries related to how client products function, how they are detailed, how they are installed, and how they should be applied to project-specific conditions. The ideal candidate will combine practical engineering knowledge, product development experience, CAD/detailing capability, and strong customer‑facing communication skills. This is not intended to be a licensed Professional Engineer role. However, the position does require comfort with technical evaluation, preliminary calculations, and practical recommendations related to exterior aluminum cladding systems.
- Lead and support the development of new client aluminum cladding products, including cladding systems, planks, battens, trims, profiles, attachment components, and accessories.
- Take product ideas from concept through design development, prototype review, testing, refinement, documentation, and product launch.
- Work with company leadership, sales, marketing, operations, vendors, manufacturing partners, and outside technical resources to define product goals and technical requirements.
- Develop product concepts that consider aesthetics, structural performance, constructability, manufacturing feasibility, installation efficiency, cost, code requirements, and market demand.
- Create or oversee CAD drawings, extrusion profiles, installation sections, system details, and technical product documentation.
- Coordinate prototypes, samples, mockups, testing, and field evaluations.
- Support testing and evaluation related to structural performance, wind load conditions, fastening methods, thermal movement, finish performance, fire‑related requirements, and other building envelope considerations.
- Maintain product compatibility with applicable client certifications, testing, and published product data.
- Assist with the creation of installation guides, technical bulletins, product data sheets, specification language, standard details, marketing support materials, and launch documentation.
- Identify opportunities to improve existing client products based on customer feedback, installer input, field conditions, sales team feedback, and market trends.
- Serve as the client’s internal technical resource for outside sales, business development, project management, and customer‑facing teams.
- Support architects, general contractors, installers, distributors, and end‑users with technical questions related to client products and systems.
- Review architectural drawings, elevations, sections, project conditions, substrate conditions, and installation requirements to help recommend appropriate client products and details.
- Evaluate project‑specific technical conditions, including wind load requirements, allowable spans, deflection criteria, fastening layouts, attachment conditions, substrate conditions, thermal movement, and product profile limitations.
- Perform preliminary technical evaluations related to wind loads, spans, deflection, fastening, and attachment requirements for the client’s product profiles and systems.
- Provide practical recommendations regarding product selection, attachment spacing, support conditions, fastening methods, trim conditions, expansion gaps, and installation requirements based on the client’s product data, testing, company standards, and established engineering guidance.
- Coordinate with licensed engineers, testing agencies, code consultants, or other qualified professionals when stamped calculations, code‑specific engineering review, formal structural approvals, or engineering judgments are required.
- Assist with project‑specific design assist, including detailing guidance, buildability review, mockup support, submittal input, and field‑condition problem solving.
- Support responses to customer, architect, contractor, and installer inquiries during design, bidding, submittal, installation, and post‑installation phases.
- Provide technical input for shop drawings, including trims, clips, fasteners, transitions, substrate‑specific attachment conditions, panel layouts, reveal patterns, and expansion‑joint strategies.
- Help review requested details or project conditions that may conflict with the client’s tested or certified systems and recommend appropriate alternatives.
- Assist sales with technical presentations, product training, specification support, and project‑specific recommendations.
- Maintain and improve the client’s technical documentation, standard details, installation instructions, specification resources, and product support materials.
- Help train internal sales and customer‑facing teams so they can better communicate product capabilities, installation requirements, system limitations, and appropriate applications.
- Support the development and maintenance of CSI MasterFormat specification language, including Section 07 42 13 Metal Wall Panels and related sections where applicable.
- Assist with maintaining product resources for architects and specifiers, including CAD details, BIM content, ARCAT or similar specification resources, and product data.
- Support sample panels, mockups, and prototype packages for customer approval and repeat project applications.
- Help develop repeatable detail packages for multi‑site or repeat commercial customers.
- Translate project and customer feedback into product improvements, new SKU recommendations, or installation/detailing updates.
- Support marketing and sales during product rollouts by providing technical content, product explanations, diagrams, and application guidance.
The ideal candidate may come from one or more of the following backgrounds:
- Structural engineering, civil engineering, architectural engineering, mechanical engineering, building envelope engineering, construction technology, architecture, or a related technical discipline.
- Product development experience with building products, architectural metals, facade systems, rainscreen systems, exterior cladding, curtain wall, aluminum extrusions, ACM/MCM systems, or related construction products.
- Technical services, application engineering, design assist, technical sales support, field support, estimating support, or project engineering experience.
- CAD drafting, detailing, or design experience related to architectural systems, construction products, engineered assemblies, or exterior wall systems.
- Experience with aluminum extrusion design, exterior cladding systems, planks, battens, trims, fastening systems, or facade components is strongly preferred.
- Ability to read and interpret architectural drawings, specifications, shop drawings, installation details, and construction documents.
- Working knowledge of CAD software such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Inventor, Revit, or similar design/detailing tools.
- Understanding of structural concepts including wind loads, spans, deflection, attachment, fastening, thermal movement, material behavior, and support conditions.
- Ability to perform preliminary evaluations and calculations related to product spans, attachment spacing, deflection limits, and wind load conditions.
- Familiarity with building envelope principles, including rainscreen design, water management, ventilation, substrates, flashing, transitions, penetrations, and exterior wall assemblies.
- Familiarity with aluminum extrusion, fabrication, finishing, coating, packaging, and assembly.
- Working knowledge of relevant testing, certifications, and industry standards such as AAMA 2605, ASTM E283, ASTM E330, ASTM E331, ASTM E84, ASTM E136, ICC‑ES reports, Miami‑Dade HVHZ approvals, or similar standards is preferred.
- Ability to create clear technical details, installation drawings, product diagrams, written technical guidance, and customer‑facing documentation.
- Bluebeam Revu or similar takeoff/review software experience preferred.
- Revit, BIM content, ARCAT, BIMsmith, BIMobject, MasterSpec, SpecLink, Procore, or similar platform experience is a plus.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, industrial design, building science, or a related technical field preferred.
- Equivalent hands‑on experience in building products, cladding systems, facade design, architectural metals, aluminum extrusion, or technical product support will also be considered.
- Licensed Professional Engineer status is not required.
- 5+ years of relevant experience preferred, especially in architectural cladding, aluminum extrusion, facade systems, exterior wall products, technical services, or product development.
- Strong technical communication skills, with the ability to explain product and installation concepts clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
- Comfortable presenting technical recommendations to architects, contractors, owners, installers, customers, and internal sales teams.
- Ability to work cross‑functionally with leadership, sales, marketing, operations, vendors, manufacturing partners, customers, and outside technical consultants.
- Strong problem‑solving skills and practical judgment.
- Detail‑oriented, organized, and able to manage multiple product and project‑related priorities.
- Comfortable balancing product development work with active project support and customer‑facing technical inquiries.
The ideal candidate is technical, practical, and product‑minded. They understand how exterior building products are designed, manufactured, specified, sold, and installed.
This person should be comfortable moving between product development, CAD details, installation questions, project‑specific technical evaluations, customer support, specification support, and sales team guidance. They should be capable of evaluating technical conditions and making practical client product recommendations while understanding when a licensed engineer, testing agency, code consultant, or other qualified professional needs to be involved.
The right candidate will help the client improve existing products, develop new cladding systems, support successful commercial projects, and strengthen the technical confidence of our sales and customer‑facing teams.
- Permanent
- Location Arizona
- Salary $120k-$140k
- Adrian Susi
- adrian@facadepeople.com
- 1-236-788-2156
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