Senior Design Engineer - Innovation & Enabling

Sub-Zero, Inc.; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation based on skills

Industry leading health, dental, and vision plans

Generous 401 (K) savings and profit sharing

On-site UW Health clinic

Education assistance and internal training programs

Job summary

A leading luxury kitchen appliance manufacturer in Madison, WI is seeking a Senior Design Engineer to drive innovative product development. The ideal candidate will bring over 6 years of engineering experience, strong mechanical and thermal aptitude, and skills in CAD/Solidworks and simulation tools. Responsibilities include owning technical directions, evaluating product designs, and mentoring engineers. This role offers competitive salary and comprehensive benefits including health plans and education assistance.

Qualifications

• 6+ years relevant engineering, product development, or front-end innovation experience.
• Strong mechanical and thermal aptitude.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts to all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical direction of early-stage concepts that shape future products.
• Critically evaluate product designs considering user needs and durability.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers during early-stage concepts.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Thermal aptitude

Communication of complex concepts

Technical engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

CAD/Solidworks

Ansys

Fluent

Job description

Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, the leading manufacturer of luxury kitchen appliances, is a longstanding, family-owned company in the Madison area. Icons of design and paragons of performance and quality, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove are the refrigeration, cooking, and dishwashing specialists found in world’s most luxurious homes. We are looking for team members who are driven by innovation and excellence, striving to serve our customers by doing what is right—with integrity, teamwork, and accountability.

The Innovation and Enabling team is dedicated to accelerating Sub-Zero Group’s ability to identify, mature, and enable breakthrough technologies that will define the next generation of luxury appliances. We are seeking a motivated individual to support the design, test, and development of new products, features and capabilities. The most important impacts this position has on the organization relate to driving purposeful innovation to our products, the features they deliver, and the speed at which they are brought to market. This position will be a key member of cross‑functional teams that develop breakthrough front‑end innovations.

In addition, continual growth and development are important aspects of this position. If you aspire to build upon and apply thermal and mechanical engineering principles, this position will set you up for future success.

Primary Responsibilities

As a Senior Design Engineer within the Innovation and Enabling team, you will be expected to bring deep curiosity, technical rigor, and creative problem‑solving to create new and interesting solutions that disrupt and de‑risk the most challenging features. You will work to uncover unmet solutions, ideate creative ways to solve technical problems, and be the technical expert in the creation and execution into concepts that deliver best‑in‑class luxury appliances for our customers.

• Own the technical direction of early‑stage concepts that shape future products
• Apply science, simulation and technology to enhance innovative concepts
• Serve as a technical catalyst by challenging assumptions, constraints, and unlocking paths where traditional approaches fall short
• Critically evaluate product designs considering user needs, durability, materials and manufacturing processes
• Bring imagination to every phase of development to shape future design visions
• Confidently evaluate and manage external providers of emerging technology
• Pitch future focused concepts that influence product roadmaps to guide leadership decision‑making

Enabling Efforts

• Utilize design‑thinking methods, processes, tools & creativity
• Develop specifications and requirements
• Conduct and participate in ideation events
• Design and build physical prototypes for evaluation
• Develop and execute verification and validation test plans
• Conduct feasibility analysis, risk assessments and test results to generate data‑driven recommendations
• Report out developments, learnings, and key findings to transition into new product development programs
• Self‑starter who can manage goals and timelines
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers during early‑stage concepts

We value our employees by providing:

• Competitive compensation based on skills
• Industry leading health, dental, and vision plans
• Generous 401 (K) savings and profit sharing
• On‑site UW Health clinic, fitness center, and walking paths
• Education assistance and internal training programs
• Electric vehicle charging
• Mother‑& paternity leave
• Interested in learning more on our robust benefits package we offer? Click here !

This position requires a pre‑employment drug/alcohol test and background check, which will be administered after a conditional job offer is extended. A negative drug/alcohol test result is required for employment. Refusal to take the test or a positive result may disqualify a candidate from further consideration. All drug testing will be conducted in accordance with federal and state laws.

Qualifications

Skills

Behaviors

Motivations

Education

Experience

Required

• 6+ years relevant engineering, product development or front‑end innovation experience
• Strong mechanical & thermal aptitude
• Ability to communicate complex concepts to all levels of the organization
• Experience engaging technically minded individuals

Preferred

• CAD/Solidworks experience
• Ansys, Fluent or other simulation platforms
• Knowledge of CSA/UL agency requirements & consumer goods
• Experience or understanding of heating, cooling & cleaning technologies
• Hands‑on mindset that is not afraid to fail to learn
• Ability to apply critical thinking while being comfortable in ambiguous scenarios
• Naturally curious, inventive and persistent

Licenses & Certifications

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.