Product Engineer - R+D

The Opportunity

Every carton of yogurt, bottle of juice, and vial of medicine begins in a plant that has to be cleaned to an exacting standard, often every single day. Sani-Matic, now joined by Douglas Machines, builds the automated equipment that makes that possible, and this role is where the next generation of it gets invented. As Product Design Engineer, you will take new products from concept through engineering, design, drafting, and testing across Sani-Matic's Clean-In-Place, Clean-Out-of-Place, and Open Plant Cleaning technologies, along with its hygienic component solutions.

You will also improve products already in the field, so they perform better, cost less to build, and serve customers longer. You will work from the Douglas Machines facility in Clearwater, Florida and report to the Product Development Manager through Sani-Matic's headquarters in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Your week blends time in SolidWorks with time on the shop floor inspecting assemblies, running tests, and working side by side with production. You will partner with Product Management, Marketing, and Sales, travel with sales or field service to hear directly from customers and collaborate with OEMs and engineering firms on custom cleaning solutions. The role calls for real technical depth, balanced with strong project management and a genuine feel for what the end user needs.

Why This Role?

• You will drive product development projects from Concept to Launch, so your work shows up in a product from the first sketch to the day it ships. Improvements to existing products are part of the seat too, which means you can make a visible difference early.
• Your designs help food, beverage, personal care, nutraceutical, and biopharma plants meet NSF, 3-A, FDA, UL, and CE requirements. The equipment you engineer protects products people eat, drink, and rely on every day.
• Sani-Matic actively welcomes new technology into product development, including 3D printing, CFD software, AI, AR, and IoT. You will also help show off what you build through videos and webinars with the Marketing team.

What the role entails:

• Take new Clean-In-Place, Clean-Out-of-Place, Open Plant Cleaning, and hygienic component products from concept through engineering, 3D modeling, drafting, and testing. You will develop, refine, and release designs in SolidWorks, backed by approval, assembly, and detailed fabrication drawings.
• Analyze existing products and processes and recommend gains in performance, quality, cost, and manufacturability. You will keep product cost and profitability goals in view and build capital justification cases around Total Operating Cost and ROI.
• Plan, execute, and manage the technical side of projects from Concept to Launch, including changes to existing products and manufacturing processes. You will carry multiple projects at once and keep priorities clear for everyone involved.
• Travel with sales or field service to learn what customers truly need, then turn those insights into new products and improvements. You will also build custom cleaning solutions with end users, OEMs, and engineering firms.
• Establish and maintain Sani-Matic engineering and design standards, calculations, and procedures. You will support compliance with NSF, 3-A, FDA, UL, and CE requirements and inspect completed parts, assemblies, and systems for conformance.
• Work hand in hand with Product Management, Marketing, Sales, and production. You will provide engineering support and training across departments and to customers and draw on vendors and suppliers for technical expertise.

Required Skills, Experience & Qualities:

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Mechanical preferred, or equivalent experience; or a Drafting and Design Certification with relevant experience
• 5+ years of manufacturing-related design work, including approval, assembly, and detailed fabrication drawings
• Strong 3D modeling skills, SolidWorks preferred, with comfort developing, tweaking, and releasing new designs
• Experience with fluid dynamics and related components: pumps, valves, instrumentation, NPSH, flow, and pressure
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for 2D, plus Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and CRM
• Ability to work hands-on in the plant, including ladders, catwalks, PPE, and lifting 50 lbs.
• Product development, R&D, or food and beverage equipment background
• Experience with or interest in 3D printing, CFD software, AI, AR, or IoT
• Capital expenditure justification using Total Operating Cost and ROI
• Knowledge of product costs and experience working toward profitability goals
• Familiarity with NSF, 3-A, FDA, UL, and CE requirements