KB Racking specializes in the design and manufacture of innovative solar mounting systems for commercial and residential rooftops throughout North America.
We are looking for a Lead Product Design Engineer to take ownership of our product portfolio and lead the next stage of product innovation at KB Racking.
This is not a purely managerial engineering position. We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys designing and building physical products. Someone who gets excited about turning an idea into CAD, building a prototype, creating a test fixture, breaking something, understanding why it failed, improving it, and eventually seeing the finished product manufactured and installed in the field.
You will lead, and then grow, a small Product team, including a Product Designer, while remaining technically involved in product design, testing, manufacturing and certification.
The role combines two equally important responsibilities:
Product Innovation – developing new products, challenging existing designs, reducing cost, improving manufacturability and creating solutions that differentiate KB Racking from our competitors.
Product Operations – ensuring our existing products remain tested, certified, documented, compatible and technically supported throughout their lifecycle.
Responsibilities
- Own the performance and development of KB Racking's product portfolio.
- Lead the Product team and develop the technical capabilities of the Product Designer.
- Research, design, prototype, test and commercialize new products and product improvements.
- Develop concepts from early sketches through production-ready SolidWorks models and drawings.
- Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles throughout product development.
- Evaluate materials, geometry, tolerances and manufacturing processes to optimize performance, durability and cost.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of aluminum and steel properties, including strength, corrosion, forming and practical manufacturing considerations.
- Design and build fixtures, jigs and test setups for in-house product validation.
- Develop test plans, evaluate failures and use results to drive design iterations.
- Own third-party product testing and certification programs, including UL 2703, UL 3741, CSA and other applicable requirements.
- Manage relationships and projects with NRTLs, testing laboratories and certification organizations.
- Coordinate test samples, quotations, documentation, reports, certification updates and renewals.
- Own PV module compatibility and approval processes, including manufacturer coordination and supporting technical records.
- Maintain technical accuracy of installation manuals, product documentation, compatibility information and product requirements.
- Investigate product failures, installation issues and technical product inquiries and drive corrective actions where required.
- Work directly with manufacturers and suppliers to improve manufacturability, quality, cost and production efficiency.
- Prepare and review engineering drawings, specifications, BOMs, manufacturing files and technical documentation.
- Support product launches and the transition of new products into production.
- Monitor competitor products, manufacturing approaches and industry developments to identify opportunities for KB Racking.
- Maintain a prioritized product roadmap in collaboration with the COO, Sales and other stakeholders.
- Work closely with Engineering while maintaining clear functional ownership: Lead Product Design Engineer owns product design, performance, testing, compatibility and certification; Engineering owns project-specific structural analysis, external loading, ballast and roof attachment requirements.
- Continuously look for opportunities to make KB Racking products simpler, stronger, faster to install, easier to manufacture and more competitive.
The Successful Candidate
- Has a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Product Design Engineering or a related discipline.
- Has strong professional experience designing and developing physical products in a manufacturing environment.
- Is highly proficient in SolidWorks and comfortable personally creating and reviewing complex parts, assemblies and manufacturing drawings.
- Has strong knowledge of DFM/DFA and practical manufacturing processes such as sheet-metal forming, roll forming, extrusion, machining, welding, casting and fabrication.
- Understands mechanical material properties and can make sound design decisions involving aluminum, steel, fasteners and related materials.
- Has experience developing prototypes, fixtures, jigs and physical test setups.
- Understands engineering calculations, tolerances, failure modes and FEA and knows when each should be applied.
- Is comfortable using hand and power tools and working directly with prototypes, components and test equipment.
- Has experience with product testing, certification laboratories or regulated product-development environments.
- Can lead a small technical team while remaining hands-on with engineering work.
- Is naturally curious about how things are made and continually looks for ways to improve them.
Strong Assets
- Solar, racking, construction-product, automotive, aerospace or industrial product-development experience.
- Experience with UL, CSA or other third-party certification programs.
- Experience designing products manufactured from aluminum and steel.
- Formula SAE, Baja SAE, robotics or similar hands-on engineering experience.
- Personal experience building, repairing, fabricating or modifying mechanical systems outside of work.
Compensation
- Base Salary: $80,000–$95,000 CAD, commensurate with experience and demonstrated technical capability.
- Annual performance bonus eligibility.
- Group benefits and RRSP program.
- Paid vacation.
- Professional development support.
Why KB Racking?
This is an opportunity to lead Product within a small company where ideas can move quickly from concept to prototype, testing and commercialization.
You will have direct influence over what KB Racking develops next, work closely with company leadership and customers, and lead a Product team with the freedom to challenge how things have traditionally been done.
We compete in a market where better engineering, simpler installation and smarter manufacturing can materially change who wins a project. We want someone who finds that exciting.
KB Racking offers competitive compensation, benefits, RRSP support, professional development opportunities and a hybrid work environment in downtown Toronto.
Pay: $80,000.00-$95,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Flexible schedule
- RRSP match
- Vision care
- Wellness program
Application question(s):
- Have you personally designed production parts that incorporated any of these manufacturing methods?: Sheet metal forming / Roll forming / Extrusion
- Outside of employment, do you have hands-on experience building, repairing, fabricating or modifying mechanical products, vehicles, machines, or similar projects?
- Have you personally designed a physical product or component that progressed from CAD through prototype/testing and into manufacturing or production?
Experience:
- CAD: 3 years (required)
- Product development: 3 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Toronto, ON M6K 3P6
