Senior Project Engineer

Copeland LP; Town of Sidney (NY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Copeland LP is seeking a Senior Engineer - Mechanical Product Development to lead the design, development, and validation of advanced HVAC refrigerant compressors. You will guide mechanical testing, analysis, and production launches for fixed‑speed and variable‑speed technologies, ensuring performance, durability, and manufacturability.

You will collaborate with manufacturing, quality, sourcing, and other teams, mentoring engineers and presenting findings to leadership.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology.
• Experience: 5 years of relevant work experience; including internship, new product development, quality, sustainability, lifecycle, or product support.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with 3D CAD and engineering analysis tools; experience with compressors is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead Mechanical Product Development for HVAC compressor applications.
• Develop and validate mechanical components and systems using thermodynamics and machine design principles.
• Evaluate new compressor technologies to improve performance, durability, and manufacturability.
• Support development of environmentally friendly refrigerants and next‑gen HVAC tech.
• Perform engineering analysis and validation through mechanical test plans.

Skills

Thermodynamics

Fluid mechanics

Machine design

Dynamics

Tribology

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Creo

Inventor

CATIA

ANSYS

Minitab

Job description

About Us

We are a global climate technologies company engineered for sustainability. We create sustainable and efficient residential, commercial and industrial spaces through HVACR technologies. We protect temperature-sensitive goods throughout the cold chain. And we bring comfort to people globally. Best-in-class engineering, design and manufacturing combined with category-leading brands in compression, controls, software and monitoring solutions result in next-generation climate technology that is built for the needs of the world ahead. Whether you are a professional looking for a career change, an undergraduate student exploring your first opportunity, or recent graduate with an advanced degree, we have opportunities that will allow you to innovate, be challenged and make an impact.

Senior Engineer - Mechanical Product Development (HVAC Compressors) - Location: Sidney, Ohio

Are you a Mechanical Engineer passionate about designing, developing, and validating complex mechanical systems? Do you enjoy applying principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, machine design, and materials engineering to solve challenging real-world problems? Copeland is seeking a Senior Engineer - Mechanical Product Development to support the development of next-generation HVAC refrigerant compressors. In this role, you will lead the mechanical testing, analysis, and production launch of fixed-speed and variable-speed compressor technologies that improve performance, reliability, manufacturability, and sustainability. This position is ideal for engineers who enjoy hand-on product development, mechanical system analysis, laboratory testing, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver innovative rotating equipment solutions. This role supports a hybrid work model; however, project demands and laboratory activities require regular onsite presence. New hires should expect to work onsite during the initial onboarding period.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Mechanical Product Development Test, develop, and validate mechanical components and systems for HVAC compressor applications.
• Apply engineering fundamentals including thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, machine design, dynamics, mechanics of materials, and tribology to solve product design challenges.
• Evaluate and mature new compressor technologies, materials, and design concepts to improve product performance, durability, cost, and manufacturability.
• Support development activities related to environmentally friendly refrigerants and next-generation HVAC technologies.
• Perform Engineering Analysis and Validation: develop and execute mechanical test plans to evaluate product performance, reliability, and design risk.
• Utilize engineering tools such as NX, SolidWorks, ANSYS, and Minitab to perform design, simulation, analysis, and data interpretation.
• Analyze test data and translate findings into actionable design improvements.
• Apply structured engineering problem-solving methodologies to identify root causes and implement robust solutions.
• Investigate and troubleshoot compressor hardware issues through hand-on laboratory testing, component evaluation, and root cause analysis.
• Drive Products Into Production: partner with manufacturing, quality, application engineering, sourcing, and marketing teams to successfully transition products from concept through production launch.
• Support design reviews, risk assessments, and continuous improvement activities throughout the product development process.
• Apply Lean product development principles to improve engineering effectiveness and reduce development cycle time.
• Provide Technical Leadership: present engineering analyses, test results, and technical recommendations to engineering and business leadership.
• Mentor developing engineers in mechanical design practices, engineering fundamentals, and disciplined problem-solving techniques.
• Serve as a technical resource within global product development teams.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology.

Experience: 5 years of relevant work experience; including internship, new product development, quality, sustainability, lifecycle, or product support.

Technical Skills: Strong foundation in mechanical engineering fundamentals. Experience applying thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, machine design, mechanics of materials, dynamics, or related disciplines. Experience using 3D CAD software such as NX, SolidWorks, Creo, Inventor, CATIA, or similar platforms. Experience using engineering analysis tools such as ANSYS, Minitab, or equivalent. Demonstrated ability to analyze mechanical systems and solve complex engineering problems. Direct experience with compressors strongly preferred. Experience with rotating equipment such as pumps, motors, turbines, engines, gearboxes, or similar mechanical systems will also be considered.

Professional Skills: Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills. Ability to manage multiple technical projects simultaneously. Demonstrated ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences and present engineering recommendations to leadership teams.

Legal authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

7 years of experience developing mechanical products, rotating equipment, compressors, pumps, motors, or similar equipment. Experience with HVAC, refrigeration, or thermal systems. Experience conducting laboratory testing and product validation. Familiarity with Lean product development and design-for-manufacturing methodologies. Experience working directly with manufacturing and production environments.

What Makes This Role Unique

Design and develop industry-leading compressor technology. Work on challenging mechanical engineering problems involving thermodynamics, fluid flow, tribology, materials, and rotating machinery. Influence the next generation of environmentally responsible HVAC products. Collaborate with a global team of mechanical engineering experts.

See your designs progress from concept to production.

Our Commitment to Our People

Across the globe, we are united by a singular purpose: sustainability is no small ambition. That’s why everything we do is geared toward a sustainable future—for our generation and all those to come. Through groundbreaking innovations, HVACR technology and cold-chain solutions, we are reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency in spaces of all sizes, from residential to commercial to industrial.

Our employees are our greatest strength. We believe that our culture of passion, openness, and collaboration empowers us to work toward the same goal—to make the world a better place. We invest in the end-to-end development of our people, beginning at onboarding and through senior leadership, so they can thrive personally and professionally. Flexible and competitive benefits plans offer the right options to meet your individual/family needs: medical insurance plans, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) and more. We provide employees with flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave, vacation and holiday leave.

Together, we have the opportunity - and the power - to continue to revolutionize the technology behind air conditioning, heating and refrigeration, and cultivate a better future.

Our Commitment to Inclusion & Belonging

At Copeland, we cultivate a strong sense of inclusion and belonging where individuals of all backgrounds, and with diverse perspectives, are embraced and treated fairly to enable a stronger workforce. Our employee resource groups play an important role in culture and community building at Copeland.

Work Authorization

Copeland will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1 with OPT or CPT, H-1, H-2, L-1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Copeland is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to providing a workplace free of any discrimination or harassment. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, please contact: [e-mail]

With $5B of global revenue, Copeland is a leading provider of compression products, electronics, software, and solutions across many applications within Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR), where macro and regulatory trends towards environmental sustainability, leads to changes in HVACR technology. Other products include other heating applications, food service and retail, transportation, and healthcare/life sciences. This new business also has a solution portfolio that manages, monitors, and controls refrigeration units in the commercial setting, as well as software solutions that measure and monitor temperature conditions of refrigerated goods in transit, where there is a greater emphasis on energy management/sustainability solutions globally.