Project Manager- New Product Development - Liquid Cooling (51534)

Mas Hvac, Inc.; Maple Grove (MN); On-site; USD 115,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental plan

401k matching

Paid time off

Education assistance

Job summary

Gradian, a Maple Grove, MN-based engineering-led thermal solutions provider, seeks an experienced Project Manager to drive new product development for liquid cooling systems. You will own the full lifecycle from concept to launch, coordinating with R&D, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Marketing to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery.

The role requires PMP or equivalent, 5+ years of PM experience with 3+ years in NPD, and strong communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering or related field (or equivalent).
• PMP certification or equivalent project management education/experience.
• Minimum 5 years progressive PM experience, including 3 years leading NPD in manufacturing/engineering.
• Proficiency with project scheduling tools (MS Project/Smartsheet) and stage-gate processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience with DFx or DFM is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional NPD projects for new liquid cooling technology from concept through commercialization.
• Develop comprehensive project plans, schedules, budgets, and risk registers.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Marketing.
• Monitor performance, identify risks, and escalate blockers as needed.
• Facilitate stage-gate reviews and ensure criteria are met to progress.
• Collaborate with PMO to standardize practices and templates across NPD efforts.

Skills

Project management

NPD leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Stage-gate processes

Stakeholder management

Agile development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Job description

# Project Manager- New Product Development - Liquid Cooling (51534)Maple Grove Office - Maple Grove, MN 55369## OverviewSalary Range$115,000.00 - $145,000.00 Salary/yearLevelExperiencedPosition TypeFull TimeJob ShiftFirstEducation Level4 Year DegreeCategoryOther## DescriptionGradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.**Why work here**At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.It is core to our identity that we operate as one team — driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.**Position Summary:**The NPD Project Manager – Liquid Cooling leads new product development (NPD) projects within the Product Development team, with a focus on innovative liquid cooling solutions. This role owns the full project lifecycle, from concept initiation through design validation and product launch, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery while maintaining alignment with Gradian's engineering standards and strategic objectives.**Key Responsibilities****Project Leadership & Execution*** Lead cross-functional NPD projects for new liquid cooling technology from concept through commercialization, using a structured stage-gate or agile development process* Develop comprehensive project plans, including scope definition, schedules, resource plans, risk registers, and budget forecasts* Drive project execution by coordinating activities across Engineering, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Marketing* Monitor project performance against plan; proactively identify risks, develop mitigation strategies, and escalate blockers as appropriate* Conduct regular project status reviews with stakeholders and present updates to Advanced Development leadership**Process & Governance*** Partner with the PMO to adopt and maintain consistent project management practices, templates, and reporting standards across NPD efforts* Maintain accurate, up-to-date project documentation throughout the project lifecycle* Facilitate stage-gate reviews, ensuring deliverables meet defined criteria before progressing to the next phase* Support continuous improvement of Gradian's NPD process based on lessons learned and industry best practices**Collaboration*** Serve as the primary point of contact and communication hub for assigned NPD projects* Build strong working relationships with R&D engineers, product managers, manufacturing engineers, and external suppliers or partners* Coordinate with Supply Chain and Operations to ensure design-for-manufacturability (DFM) considerations are addressed early in the development process* Collaborate with Quality to ensure new products meet applicable performance, safety, and regulatory requirements**Resource & Budget Management*** Manage project budgets and track expenditures against approved plans; provide regular financial forecasts and variance explanations* Coordinate resource allocation across project teams; surface resource conflicts and work with functional managers to resolve them**Qualifications & Requirements****Required*** Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience* PMP (Project Management Professional) certification or equivalent formal project management education (e.g., a degree program with a concentration in project or program management), or equivalent relevant experience* Minimum of 5 years of progressive project management experience, including at least 3 years leading NPD or product development projects in a manufacturing or engineering environment* Demonstrated proficiency with project scheduling tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or equivalent)* Strong understanding of stage-gate product development processes* Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills**Preferred*** Experience in HVAC, thermal management, or related mechanical systems industries* Familiarity with liquid cooling architectures and equipment for data center and high-density applications (e.g., CDUs, rear door heat exchangers) and fluid-side heat transfer principles* Experience working within or alongside a PMO structure* Background in design-for-manufacturability (DFM) or design-for-quality (DFQ) methodologies* Proficiency with PLM or ERP systems* Six Sigma or Lean certification**Key Competencies*** Ability to engage meaningfully with engineering teams on product design, testing, and performance trade-offs* Strong sense of ownership; bias toward action and on-time delivery* Ability to manage complexity, prioritize competing demands, and keep projects organized under ambiguity* Skilled at leading cross-functional teams without direct authority* Clear and concise communicator, both written and verbal, able to tailor messages to technical and executive audiences alike* Continuously seeks to improve processes, tools, and team effectivenessBenefits:* Medical, vision, and dental plans* Short-term and long-term disability insurance* Group term life insurance coverage* HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care plans available* 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and generous PTO policy* 401k matching* Annual safety shoe allowance* Education assistance program EEO Statement:Gradian is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other legally protected status.Employment decisions at Gradian are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and actively promote a culture of fairness, equity, and opportunity.We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances, in accordance with applicable laws.