Design Engineer - Cherne

2300 Vierling Drive West, Shakopee, Minnesota 55379 United States of America

Why Oatey?

Since 1916, Oatey has provided reliable, high-quality products for the residential and commercial plumbing industries, with a commitment to delivering quality, building trust and improving lives. Today, Oatey operates a comprehensive manufacturing and distribution network comprised of industry leading family of companies: Oatey, Cherne, Keeney, Quick Drain, Hercules, Dearborn, Oatey Canada, William H. Harvey, Masters, Contact, Belanger, Lansas, and Durgo.

 

At Oatey, we're doing big things — and by joining us, you'll have the chance to do big things too. You can build a strong career in an innovative, inclusive, high-performance environment, with the confidence that your company cares — about you, our customers and our world. Ready to make an impact in a place where you matter?

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Position Summary:

The Design Engineer works in collaboration with Senior, Lead, and Principal Engineers to design, analyze, and implement robust engineering solutions to address technical, performance, and manufacturing requirements that enhance Oatey’s products, systems, and capabilities across rough plumbing, water infrastructure, and related markets. This role contributes to concept development, continuous improvement efforts, detailed designs, and engineering documentation. Supporting both new and existing products throughout their lifecycle under the guidance of senior engineering staff.

The Design Engineer applies sound engineering principles while adhering to established company policies, procedures, and applicable industry codes and regulations. Primary responsibilities include the creation and refinement of concept models, incorporating input from Product Management, Sales, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain teams; finalizing designs and documentation; and developing DFMEAs and validation test plans to ensure robust, manufacturable, and compliant product solutions.

Position Responsibilities:

Design & Development

• Develop new products and technologies through ideation, concept generation, design, engineering analysis, prototyping, and validation.

• Support new product development, line extensions, and gap-fill initiatives aligned with strategic business objectives.

• Translate product requirements into detailed engineering solutions that meet performance, cost, quality, and manufacturability targets.

• Develop design verification and validation strategies aligned with product risk, regulatory requirements, and customer use conditions.

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts for design-related failures identified during testing or in the field.

Product Documentation

• Develop and maintain comprehensive product specifications including CAD models, detailed drawings, BOMs, purchase specifications, and related documentation.

• Ensure all design documentation is accurate, complete, and compliant with internal standards and external regulatory requirements.

Feasibility & Analysis

• Perform feasibility assessments to evaluate technical risk, cost, performance, and manufacturability in support of business cases.

• Conduct DFMEAs, tolerance studies, and design risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential failure modes.

• Utilize engineering analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), prototyping, and laboratory testing to validate designs.

Execution

• Execute assigned engineering projects by managing individual design tasks, deliverables, and timelines within a structured product development process.

• Support project plans by identifying technical risks, proposing mitigation strategies, and escalating issues as appropriate.

• Ensure designs progress efficiently from concept through validation and release while meeting project milestones and quality expectations.

Product Lifecycle & Sustaining Engineering

• Support sustaining engineering activities including cost reduction, quality improvements, and product enhancements.

• Investigate field issues, warranty claims, and customer feedback to drive design improvements and corrective actions.

• Manage engineering changes (ECRs) through implementation and release.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, and Marketing.

• Lead technical aspects of assigned projects, coordinating activities and communicating progress to stakeholders.

• Provide technical input and support during design reviews, pilot builds, and production launches.

• Partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering to optimize designs for manufacturability, assembly, automation, and cost reduction.

Knowledge and Experience:

Required

• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in a new product development or design engineering role.

• Ability to apply engineering principles and methods, including Finite Element Analysis, to analyze high-stress components and validate designs.

• Practical understanding of intellectual property considerations, applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.

• Hands-on experience with prototyping, laboratory testing, and design validation activities.

• Demonstrated ability to complete tasks accurately and on time while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to evaluate trade-offs and recommend sound engineering solutions.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and communicate effectively with diverse audiences.

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and a proven ability to manage documentation and meet project schedules.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, capable of clearly conveying technical and non-technical information.

• Ability to learn, apply, and demonstrate understanding of complex technical concepts.

• Solid background in mechanical design, material selection, and application.

• Proficiency with PC-based software including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and related tools.

Preferred Skills

• Experience working with SAP or similar ERP systems.

• 3D CAD modeling experience required; SolidWorks preferred.

• Knowledge of residential and commercial plumbing systems and related components.

• Lean Six Sigma certification or experience applying continuous improvement methodologies.

• Project management experience, including task planning, scheduling, and cross-functional coordination.

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field of study required. Will consider candidates with equivalent experience in lieu of a degree.

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Compensation Range for the Position:

$56,846.00 - $72,478.50 - $88,111.00 USD

Offer amount determined by experience and review of internal talent.

Oatey Total Rewards

• Generous paid time off programs and paid company holidays to support flexibility and work-life balance

• Annual Discretionary Cash Profit Sharing

• Immediate eligibility and vesting in 401(k), including 100% company match, up to 5% of eligible compensation

• Market leading health insurance including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance offerings for associates and qualified dependents

• Significant company contribution to Health Savings Account with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability income protection coverage at no cost to associates

• Paid Maternity and Paid Parental Leave

• Tuition reimbursement

• A strong set of complementary resources to support associate well-being, including resource groups, EAP, and dedicated mental health support.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Oatey family of companies are an equal opportunity employer committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We recruit, employ, promote, and offer competitive pay for all jobs without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Protect Yourself from Recruitment Scams

Oatey is committed to a safe and transparent hiring process. Please be aware of fraudulent recruiting communications.

How to recognize official Oatey communication:

• Emails will come from @oatey.com or oatey@myworkday.com

• We do not use unofficial or misspelled domains

What Oatey will never do:

• Ask for payment or fees at any stage

• Request sensitive personal or financial information early in the process

• Make a job offer without interviews

If something seems suspicious, do not engage. Instead, verify roles through our careers site and please make us aware by contacting recruiting@oatey.com.