senior equipment development engineer - Sustainment Engineering Solutions

Starbucks Corp.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition coverage

Medical, dental, vision

Job summary

Starbucks Coffee Company seeks a Senior Equipment Development Engineer to improve reliability, safety, and total cost of ownership for beverage and foodservice equipment used in coffeehouses. You will analyze field data, lead corrective actions, and drive changes to commercialization and fleet implementation.

Responsibilities include leading investigations across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software areas, developing test plans, and collaborating with suppliers to meet Starbucks

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, or related field.
• 5 years of progressive engineering experience supporting commercial equipment, including project management.
• 5 years of experience developing test plans, building or evaluating prototypes, conducting tests and interpreting results.
• 5 years of demonstrated project management experience.
• Experience using field data to identify failure trends and prioritize engineering work.

Responsibilities

• Use field data to identify recurring failure modes and improvement opportunities.
• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective action development.
• Design, test, and validate sustainment solutions with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Manage technical changes through Starbucks review and release processes.

Skills

Mechanical design

Mechatronics

Root-cause analysis

FMEA

Data analysis (Excel/SQL/Tableau/Power

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field

Tools

Excel

SQL

Tableau/Power BI

Python

Job description

Now Brewing – Senior Equipment Development Engineer! #tobeapartner

From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee and the rich tradition, but that also brought a feeling of connection. We are known for developing extraordinary leaders who share this passion and are guided by their service to others.

The equipment development engineer contributes to Starbucks success by improving the reliability, safety, serviceability, and total cost of ownership of commercial beverage and foodservice equipment used in coffeehouses. The engineer turns field performance data and partner feedback into clear technical problems, leads root-cause investigations, develops and validates corrective actions, and carries approved changes to commercialization and fleet implementation.

Use field data to find the right problems

• Analyze work-task, parts-consumption, cost, telemetry, service-history, and equipment-performance data to identify recurring failure modes, reliability trends, and high-value improvement opportunities.
• Define the problem, quantify the operational and financial impact, establish baseline performance, and recommend priorities based on partner experience, coffeehouse availability, safety, reliability, and cost.
• Develop dashboards, Pareto analyses, life estimates, and clear technical summaries that support evidence-based decisions.

Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action

• Lead structured investigations of mechanical, electrical, controls, software, materials, water-system, and equipment-integration failures.
• Use methods such as fault-tree analysis, 5 Whys, fishbone analysis, FMEA, hypothesis testing, teardown inspection, materials analysis, and controlled experimentation.
• Work with suppliers and service partners to define containment, corrective actions, acceptance criteria, and verification plans.

Design, test, and validate sustainment solutions

• Review component redesigns, material changes, software or firmware updates, service procedures, preventive-maintenance improvements, in collaboration with equipment suppliers.
• Create requirements, specifications, statements of work, test plans, sample-size rationales, and pass/fail criteria. Update service and operations and maintenance manuals.
• Plan and conduct benchtop, reliability-lab, supplier, and coffeehouse testing, including first-article review, fit/function checks, accelerated life testing, and field trials.
• valuate manufacturability, backward compatibility, service installation, spare-parts strategy, inventory disposition, and implementation risk.

Manage suppliers and cross-functional work

• Lead engineering changes through Starbucks technical review and change-control processes, including required documentation, safety reviews, third-party certifications, approvals, and release readiness.
• Serve as a technical point of contact with equipment manufacturers, component suppliers, and internal stakeholders
• Track open issues and negotiate technically sound outcomes that meet Starbucks requirements.
• Build project plans, manage technical risks and dependencies, communicate status and decisions, and elevate barriers with clear recommendations.
• Monitor early-life field performance after implementation and verify that expected reliability, cost, and partner-experience improvements are achieved.

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, or a related technical field.
• 5 years of progressive engineering experience supporting commercial, industrial, consumer, or food service equipment, including project management
• 5 years of experience developing test plans, building or evaluating prototypes, conducting laboratory or field tests, and interpreting results.
• 5 years of demonstrated project management experience.
• Demonstrated experience conducting root-cause analysis and developing corrective actions for equipment or component failures.
• Experience using field-service, reliability, quality, or telemetry data to identify failure trends and prioritize engineering work. Ability to query and analyze large datasets using AI, Excel, SQL, Tableau, Power BI, Python or similar tools
• Experience authoring and maintaining technical requirements, engineering specifications, test reports, and change-control documentation.
• Demonstrated experience working with suppliers and cross-functional stakeholders to move changes from technical investigation through validation and implementation.
• Working knowledge of engineering statistics and reliability methods, including Pareto analysis, hypothesis testing, life-data analysis, and risk assessment.
• Knowledge of FMEA, HALT/accelerated testing, reliability principles, and supplier quality
• Ability to safely work hands-on with commercial equipment, components, tools, and laboratory test equipment.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues and recommendations to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Knowledge of food-equipment sanitary design and applicable third-party requirements such as NSF/ANSI, UL, IEC, or related standards.

Required qualifications

• Ability to work with cross-functional teams
• Project management skills, including measurement, reporting and financial analysis
• Basic skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Project
• Knowledge and application of engineering principles –
• Knowledge of technical engineering design, development, certifications and standards - Understanding of food microbiology

As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked), eight paid holidays, and two personal days per year. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program (S.I.P.), Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock), incentivized emergency savings, and financial well-being tools. Additionally, Starbucks offers 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, and access to other educational opportunities. You will also have access to backup care and DACA reimbursement. Starbucks will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and in accordance with its plans and policies. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative. For additional information regarding partner perks and more detailed information about benefits, go to starbucksbenefits.com.

The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

Join us and inspire with every cup.

Starbucks Coffee Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state and local ordinances.

Starbucks Coffee Company is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at [e-mail] or 1(888) 611-2258. [CM1]