What are the responsibilities and job description for the Product Design Engineer position at Day-O-Lite Manufacturing?
About Day-O-Lite
Day-O-Lite is a U.S. manufacturer of high-quality, specification-grade architectural lighting products. We design and manufacture innovative lighting solutions for commercial, institutional, healthcare, educational, and other architectural environments.
We are looking for a talented Product Design Engineer to join our team and help develop the next generation of Day-O-Lite LED lighting products.
The Opportunity
The Product Design Engineer will be the engineering execution lead for new product development, translating product and design concepts into complete, production-ready designs.
Working within the New Product Development team, this position will take products from concept through engineering development, prototyping, testing, certification, and final design release. The ideal candidate combines strong mechanical design skills with practical manufacturing knowledge and experience with LED lighting technology.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the mechanical engineering and detailed design of new LED lighting products from concept through design release.
- Create accurate 3D models, assemblies, production drawings, and engineering documentation using cad software.
- Develop production-ready drawings incorporating appropriate GD&T, tolerances, materials, finishes, and manufacturing requirements.
- Execute engineering deliverables throughout the New Product Development tollgate process.
- Design components and assemblies utilizing fabricated and formed sheet metal, aluminum extrusions, castings, plastics, spun metal, welding, and other relevant manufacturing processes.
- Select and integrate LEDs, drivers, controls, optics, and other electrical and mechanical components.
- Address thermal management, ingress protection, structural requirements, serviceability, and manufacturability throughout the design process.
- Build and evaluate prototypes and conduct in-house testing, including assembly/QC reviews, thermal testing, water-intrusion testing, and light measurements.
- Create bills of material and manufacturing documentation required for design release.
- Support UL/CSA, LM-79, and other applicable testing and certification activities, including DLC.
- Work with Purchasing and suppliers to evaluate components, sourcing options, tooling, lead times, and product costs.
- Participate in design reviews and cross-functional problem solving with Manufacturing, Purchasing, Sales, and other departments.
- Support product cost targets and value-engineering initiatives without compromising performance, quality, or design intent.
- Provide technical support for existing and custom products as capacity permits.
- Stay current with LED technology, lighting controls, manufacturing technologies, and relevant industry standards.
Qualifications
- 5 years of product design or mechanical engineering experience, preferably involving manufactured products.
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Advanced proficiency with cad software, including complex parts, assemblies, and production drawings.
- Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance analysis, and design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA).
- Hands-on knowledge of manufacturing processes such as:
- Sheet metal fabrication and forming
- Aluminum extrusion
- Welding
- Casting and spinning
- Injection-molded and vacuum-formed plastics
- Related tooling and finishing processes
- Experience designing products incorporating LEDs, drivers, lighting controls, optics, and thermal-management requirements.
- Understanding of UL 1598 and commercial lighting product safety requirements.
- Familiarity with LM-79/LM-80, photometric testing, and lighting performance evaluation.
- Experience with IP-rated enclosure design and environmental testing is highly desirable.
- Working knowledge of common LED, driver, controls, and lighting-component manufacturers and suppliers.
- Strong hands-on problem-solving skills and the ability to move effectively between CAD design, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing.
Preferred Experience
- Previous experience designing commercial or architectural lighting fixtures.
- AutoCAD, Revit, AGi32, or SolidWorks Composer experience.
- Experience working directly with UL or other Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories.
- Experience supporting products from initial concept through production launch.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for an engineer who enjoys designing products that actually get built. The right candidate will be comfortable developing concepts in SolidWorks, Auto CAD working through detailed engineering challenges, assembling and testing prototypes, collaborating with suppliers and manufacturing teams, and taking ownership of the engineering required to successfully release a new product.
This is an opportunity to have a meaningful impact on Day-O-Lite's product portfolio while working closely with a team focused on thoughtful design, engineering quality, manufacturability, and continuous improvement.
Interested candidates should submit a resume for consideration.
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person