ebm-papst, Inc.
Job Description
Job Title: Senior Qualification Engineer
Department: Research & Development
** This is not an IT or software role **
Summary: At ebm-papst Inc., a leader in innovative fans, motors, and engineering solutions, the Senior Qualification Engineer is responsible for developing, coordinating, and controlling the system-level testing and qualification process for product development projects. This role plans, monitors, and evaluates qualification activities across multiple test domains to ensure product quality & reliability.
In addition to supporting the broader project portfolio, this role will coordinate qualification activities for selected strategic customers, serving as a key technical interface between customers, R&D, Engineering, and test resources. The Senior Qualification Engineer is expected to contribute early in the product development process by identifying risks or gaps in requirements and supporting data-driven decisions related to product readiness and quality.
Essential Functions of the Job: The essential functions of this job require the person, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the following:
The essential functions of this job require the person, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the following:
- System-Level Qualification Planning & Control
- Develop, maintain, and coordinate system-level test & qualification plans in collaboration with R&D and Engineering.
- Review, evaluate, and where necessary clarify or supplement requirements to ensure test feasibility and adequate qualification coverage.
- Define test objectives, test conditions, test methods, and test sequence plans.
- Build qualification schedules aligned to sample maturity and validation phases (A-, B-, C-, D-samples).
- Coordinate and secure test resources (internal/external) and manage equipment capacity and scheduling in alignment with qualification needs and constraints. Monitor and ensure timely execution and issue resolution (e.g. environmental testing, EMC, other labs).
- Estimate and track test-related effort, schedules, and costs.
- Project Management & Stakeholder Coordination
- Act as a primary interface between qualification, development teams, project stakeholders, test facilities, and external resources.
- Track internal and external test progress and provide status reporting to stakeholders, including schedule impacts, risks, and mitigation recommendations.
- Document and drive closure of defects, anomalies, and corrective actions identified during testing in coordination with development team and technical departments.
- Execution Oversight & Technical Evaluation
- Verify execution of qualification and validation plan during test execution and ensure adherence to test conditions and methods.
- Analyze and interpret test results at the overall system level.
- Document product deviations, anomalies, and risks; support root-cause discussions with the technical team & internal subject-matter experts where applicable.
- Prepare cross-functional test reports including evaluations and recommendations.
- Strategic Customer Support
- Coordinate qualification planning and execution for assigned strategic customers; this role will support the customer-facing engineering team and some direct customer interaction will be required.
- Serve as a technical interface for customer validation topics, including test planning, progress updates, and result discussions.
- Ability to speak on deeply technical topics to any level audience, as well as maintain an “internal-only” vs. “share-able” information boundary when presenting to external parties.
- Continuous Improvement & Knowledge Contribution
- Support development and improvement of test methods, qualification processes, and internal standards.
- Contribute to lessons learned and knowledge transfer across projects.
- Support development or commissioning of test equipment and test setups as needed.
Recommended Education and/or Experience:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, or related technical field.)
- Experience: 5 or more years of relevant experience in qualification, validation, and/or test engineering (some environmental test experience is preferred)
- Technical Proficiency: Strong foundation in the technical aspects relevant to ebm-papst Inc.’s product line. Experience with system-level test planning and structured product development processes.
- Analytical Skills: Strong problem-solving abilities, with a focus on strategic thinking and risk management. Working familiarity with project planning concepts (scope, schedule, resources, requirements).
- Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Proficiency in presenting technical data and project information cross-departmentally & to diverse audiences. Experience interacting directly with customers on technical or validation-related topics is preferred.
- Leadership and Teamwork: Strong interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder management. Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-functional technical activities.
Additional Requirements
- Willing to travel as needed for project requirements, ~15%.
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
- Fluent in English; proficiency in additional languages is a plus.
All Employees are expected to:
- Follow the Employee Handbook policies and procedures and uphold organizational values.
- Contribute to building a positive work environment.
- Report for work consistently and on time.
- Report to supervision conditions or practices that are unsafe to ebm-papst and its employees.
Benefits: Eligible employees receive a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance; HSA options; life and disability insurance; voluntary supplemental benefits; a 401(k) retirement plan with company contributions; and paid time off.
