Design Engineer

Brightsmith are pleased to be partnering with an advanced fuel cell technology company looking to build a product that is manufacturable, cost-effective, reliable, and scalable. This role is for a hands-on, product-focused engineer with experience in high-volume thermal and mechanical systems (e.g., tankless water heaters, boilers, HVAC, or combustion systems) to take ownership of redesigning and industrializing an energy platform. This position is based in Pittsburgh.

This is not a maintenance role. You will be expected to challenge assumptions, identify weaknesses, and rebuild systems the right way.

Why This Role Matters
Direct influence on product architecture of a next-generation energy system
Your decisions will impact: Unit cost, Field reliability, Manufacturing scalability
Opportunity to redesign and build a system the right way from the ground up

What You’ll Do
Own the mechanical and system-level redesign of an energy product
Drive design for manufacturability (DFM), assembly (DFA), cost, and reliability
Re-architect system packaging for:
Thermal management, Serviceability, High-volume production, Reliability
Identify and eliminate:
Cost drivers, Failure modes, Over-complexity
Work directly with:
Suppliers, Fabricators, Assembly teams, Lead hands-on production support:
Act as primary engineering support for production lines
Troubleshoot issues impacting yield, quality, and output
Implement corrective actions for recurring problems
Support line ramp-up and new product introduction
Translate prototype designs into repeatable production systems
Implement validation and reliability testing frameworks
Operate with speed and urgency in a build-and-ship environment

What We’re Looking For
Experience in high-volume thermal/mechanical product environments
Proven work on systems such as:
Tankless water heaters
Boilers
HVAC systems
Combustion or high-temperature systems
CAD experience (e.g., SolidWorks or similar)
Nice to Have
Exposure to Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma methodologies
Strong root cause analysis skills
Experience scaling from low/mid-volume to high-volume production
Experience designing and building working prototypes

Skills & Mindset
Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals (fluids, heat transfer, materials)
Deep experience with:
Packaging dense thermal systems, High-temperature materials and insulation, Manufacturing processes and cost reduction
Comfortable working across the full product lifecycle:
Design → Build → Test → Iterate
Engineering → Manufacturability → Launch → Scale
Willing to:
Call out problems directly, Get hands-on with first builds, Take ownership of outcomes, Operate with minimal structure, Contribute beyond defined responsibilities


If you are interested please apply below, or reach out directly at a.knight@brightsmithgroup.com
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