Product Development Manager - Commercial HVAC

Location

Hybrid - 1-2 days/week in our Minneapolis office

Join Our Dynamic Market Transformation Team

We are looking for a Product Development Manager - Commercial HVAC to join our Market Transformation team! This role will report to the Director of Market Transformation Technologies. The Market Transformation team is responsible for accelerating the development and adoption of emerging energy efficiency technologies, bringing efficiency and electrification technologies and practices more rapidly to scale. As a Product Development Manager, you will be responsible for identifying efficient emerging technologies, products, and services, and developing them into market transformation (MT) concepts and eventually programs.

This role will focus on the commercial HVAC sector. This position will provide technical support to existing MT initiatives, as well as scanning and assessing new technologies and MT approaches in this sector, and shepherding these initiatives through the concept development stage of MT. This work will include tracking and validating equipment performance and strategies that deliver energy savings, as well as identifying products that are attractive to end users and will be supported by the supply chain. This position will also need to apply science and engineering principles to understand how products work, opportunities for improvements, and potential for meeting their performance claims.

The Product Development Manager also needs exceptional communication skills as they work with a broad range of stakeholders including manufacturers, distributors, utilities, and contractors. The person in this position will build relationships with these stakeholders, with the goal of understanding MT program opportunities and barriers, as well as encouraging stakeholders to develop and deploy efficient products and services.

This position does not have any direct reports.

Who We Are

Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) is a clean energy nonprofit with offices in North Loop of Minneapolis and St. Paul.We provide practical energy solutions for homes, businesses, and communities to cut energy waste and harmful emissions. We collaborate regularly with field peers and partners, and we employ curious people who enjoy learning and contributing to the Midwest's quality of life and economy. Recognized as one of Minnesota's top 200 workplaces by the Star Tribune, CEE is known for its open communication, respect for diverse perspectives, and commitment to work-life balance.

What We Offer

• Insurance Coverage Options: To ensure you and your family are well protected, we have got you covered with Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Health Saving Account, and Flexible Spending Accounts. Please see our 2025 Benefit Summary.
• Impact: We want to make the world a better and more energy efficient place. Our work and the decisions we make are rooted in this foundational desire.
• Future Planning: To help you secure your financial future, benefit from our retirement saving program. Reach your goal sooner with our immediate vestingand company contribution.
• Work/Life Balance: We recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and are dedicated to supporting our team members in various aspects of their lives. Our benefits include generous Paid Time Off (PTO), paid parental leave, and salary continuation for major medical events, ensuring that you have the support you need during significant life moments and personal challenges.
• Holidays: Our company provides nine paid holidays each year, offering you ample time to observe important occasions and enjoy personal time.
• Growth: We want everyone to grow and learn within their roles. We offer professional development opportunities and education assistance.
• Championing DEI: Our committed DEI Committee promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment by establishing clear goals and assessing progress throughout the organization.
  

What You'll Do

Concept Development

• Identify promising emerging technologies that fill gaps in the market transformation portfolio and develop market transformation concepts for these initiatives
• Participate in scanning activities to identify new and promising technologies for the ETA portfolio
• Review research lab studies on new technologies

Product Advancement

• Develop product plans that outline the current state of products and where product improvement is needed over time with approaches to achieve advancements
• Track products as they evolve through their lifecycles
• Identify research needs and then scope, oversee, and potentially execute lab studies and field demonstrations
• Manage applicable sub-contractors and projects related to product development, field demonstrations, and testing
• Develop product specifications or collaborate with national entities to improve product specifications as a means of advancing product development
• Collaborate with national and international standards and ratings organizations to improve product testing and labeling methods

Market Deployment Support

• Collaborate with and support the Market Deployment team on MT initiatives, activities, and deliverables from a technical and product perspective
• Scope, oversee and potentially execute energy modeling and simulation to understand and convey energy saving potential
• Engage and collaborate with key supply chain actors such as product manufacturers on product development and market intervention strategies
• Build national coalitions to advocate for ongoing product advancements that will benefit ETA initiatives
• Present project findings at applicable events and conferences.
• Support curriculum development on technical subject matters
• Support energy code strategy development and code compliance
• All other duties as assigned or apparent

Skills & Knowledge We're Looking For

• BA or BS degree in Engineering, Marketing, Business, Building Sciences, or related field
• 5+ years of experience with commercial HVAC products, equipment, and/or buildings
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to apply results and inform strategy development
• Demonstrated ability to understand and communicate relevant technical subject matter
• An equivalent combination of education, experience and training that would provide the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the successful performance of the essential job duties will also be considered
  

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or MS in Engineering
• Demonstrated experience working with emerging technology, innovation or new product development, specifically identifying and developing strategies to overcome specific market barriers in the early stages of product life-cycle
• Supervisory or management experience
• Knowledge of energy efficiency, electric or gas utility business and operations, and/or Minnesota/Midwest energy markets
• Knowledge of process for creating Federal and voluntary standards
• Experience or familiarity with commercial building design and construction practices

Compensation

Dependent on qualifications and experience, we expect the pay range upon hire for this position will be $120,000-125,000 per year.

Center for Energy and Environment is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment with us without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law. We are committed to creating teams that are as diverse as the communities we serve and encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply.