Design to Order Engineering Manager
Trane Technologies · Grand Rapids, MI
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $111k–$158k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management manufacturing role at Trane Technologies (industrial) in Grand Rapids, MI. Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineers supporting design-to-order HVAC products and customer-specific solutions.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Base pay
- $111k–$158k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Michigan: typical posted base $78k–$162k. This one lists $111k–$158k.
Median of the low and high ends of 25 live postings that list pay, out of 70 manufacturing engineer openings in Michigan, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Michigan plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 69 other live manufacturing postings in Michigan.
- Base pay
- About 10% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (5+ vs 4+)
Typical $78k–$166k, from 24 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- New product launch 64%
- Tooling 53%
- Lean 39%
- Root cause 34%
- FMEA 34%
- ✓ Team leadership 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Union environment, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Trane Technologies
We found 3 people at this company and state: 3 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Mark → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Trane Technologies in Grand Rapids
21 other open roles at this site · 3 people we found in manufacturing roles at Trane Technologies.
- Mission Critical Customer Quality Engineer · Quality
- Controls Technician · Controls · Technician
- Calibration Technician · Quality · Technician
- OpEx Lean - Continuous Improvement Technician- 1st Shift · Lean / CI · Technician
- OPEX Lean Technician II-P4, 1st Shift · Lean / CI · Technician
- OPEX Lean Technician-P4, 2nd Shift · Lean / CI · Technician
Full description from Trane TechnologiesAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
requirements
and executable deliverables.
This leader will work closely with Manufacturing, Product Management, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, and Operations to ensure custom product solutions are technically sound, manufacturable, documented appropriately, and delivered on time. The ideal candidate brings strong HVAC engineering expertise, experience in design-to-order product environments, and a proven ability to lead people, manage change, and drive cross-functional execution.
What you will do
- ◆Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineers supporting design-to-order HVAC products and customer-specific solutions.
- ◆Translate external technical
requirements
from customers, suppliers, design consultants, channel partners, and other third-party sources into actionable engineering specifications and internal work plans.
- ✓Oversee engineering execution for custom and configured HVAC products, ensuring alignment with performance, manufacturability, cost, quality, and delivery objectives.
- ✓Drive disciplined engineering processes related to documentation, design reviews, change management, and release readiness.
- ✓Partner cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Product Management, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, and Operations to support successful project execution and product delivery.
- ✓Ensure custom product designs are feasible to manufacture, service, support, and sustain in production environments.
- ✓Manage multiple concurrent priorities, schedules, and technical issues in a fast-paced, high-variation product environment.
- ✓Support issue resolution and design changes resulting from customer requests, field needs, supplier constraints, and evolving project requirements.
- ✓Promote strong engineering rigor in requirement definition, design validation, risk identification, and problem-solving.
- ✓Improve team effectiveness through talent development, performance management, workload prioritization, and continuous improvement efforts.
- ✓Ensure engineering outputs meet applicable quality expectations, industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal design practices.
- ✓Foster a collaborative, accountable, and customer-focused team culture.
requirements
into internal engineering actions, deliverables, and documentation.
- ✓Strong technical knowledge of HVAC systems and components, including system integration, performance considerations, and application-specific design factors.
- ✓Experience working with cross-functional teams in manufacturing or product-based environments.
- ✓Familiarity with engineering documentation, design control, engineering change processes, and product release practices.
- ✓Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholder groups.
- ✓Proven organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Be a part of our mission! As a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable, and efficient climate solutions for buildings, homes and transportation, it's our responsibility to put the planet first. For us at Trane Technologies , and through our businesses including Trane® and Thermo King , sustainability is not just how we do business—it is our business. Do you dare to look at the world's challenges and see impactful possibilities? Do you want to contribute to making a better future? If the answer is yes, we invite you to consider joining us in boldly challenging what's possible for a sustainable world.
Learn about our benefits designed for you to Thrive at work and at home.
We boldly go.
Where is the work
Monday to Thursday, work onsite with your colleagues. Fridays, choose your work location, balancing what your work requires.
What's in it for you
The Design to Order Engineering Manager – HVAC will lead a multidisciplinary engineering team responsible for delivering engineered-to-order HVAC solutions that meet unique customer, application, and project requirements. This first-level manager role is accountable for translating complex technical inputs from external stakeholders—including customers, suppliers, design firms, channel partners, and third-party engineering resources—into clear internal engineering
What you will bring
- •Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
- •5+ years of engineering experience in HVAC, thermal systems, refrigeration, custom equipment, or similar engineered product environments.
- •2+ years of leadership experience as a supervisor, team lead, project lead, or people manager in an engineering setting.
- •Demonstrated experience supporting custom, configured, or design-to-order product development and execution.
- •Experience translating external technical
Yes Sales Commission Eligible
No
Thrive at work and at home
- •Benefits kick in on DAY ONE for you and your family, including health insurance and holistic wellness programs that include generous incentives – WE DARE TO CARE!
- •Family building benefits include fertility coverage and adoption/surrogacy assistance.
- •401K match up to 6%, plus an additional 2% core contribution = up to 8% company contribution.
- •Paid time off includes 15 vacation days, 9 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, sick leave, and additional options to support volunteer and parental leave.
- •Educational and training opportunities through company programs along with tuition assistance and student debt s