R&D Project Manager

At ABB, we help industries run leaner and cleaner—and every person here makes that happen. You’ll be empowered to lead, supported to grow, and proud of the impact we create together. Join us and help run what runs the world.

This position reports to:

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Your roles and responsibilities

ABB Distribution Solutions is a global leader in power distribution, delivering innovative low- and medium-voltage products and services. We care about your tomorrow by providing solutions that enable a smarter, safer, more sustainable and more reliable flow and distribution of electricity.

Our R&D engineers and scientists develop breakthrough technologies that change the way the world works, and how industries operate. We constantly push the limits of convention, while maintaining a strong focus on delivering solid returns for our customers and shareholders.

As an R&D Project Manager, you will provide technical leadership for new and sustaining product development, supporting our highly successful ANSI LV Switchgear and Busway product lines. Leveraging strong engineering project management skills, you will lead cross-functional teams and collaborate closely with product managers, sales application test engineers, supply chain and manufacturing operations to design and deliver improved products that provide extreme value to our customers, and are commercially successful for ABB.

The work model for the role is: #LI-onsite

This role is contributing to the Electrification Distribution Solutions in Mebane, NC.

You will be mainly accountable for:

• Develop and analyze product requirement specifications directly from customers and from our product management and sales teams to provide and recommend product configuration design models as developed by your project team.

• Lead engineering projects with a strong delivery mindset, ensuring that project plans, design, test and user documentation, product cost estimates, risk mitigation techniques, and operating procedures are fully implemented and effectively executed, including high-quality projects status reporting.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional departments and team members including Engineering, Product Management, Supply Chain Management, Laboratory, Technical Services, Operations, and Quality Control.

• Ensure preparation of technical documents required for developed products (including drawings, bill of material, assembly instructions, test instructions and configurators).

• Coordinate activities related to product industrialization and the transfer of know-how from R&D to mass production.

Qualifications for the role

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical or Electrical Engineering degree preferred) is required, Master’s degree is considered an advantage, with a minimum of 8+ years (5+ years in case of Master’s degree) of experience in product design and sustaining engineering of electrical power systems in a high-volume production environment.

• Direct experience in low or medium voltage electrical distribution equipment designs and applications in a protection products design/manufacturing environment is strongly preferred.

• Must possess strong project management skills with demonstrated capability to meet project deadlines and deliver excellent product design models and product development plans in alignment with approved budget allocation.

• PM certification is an advantage as well as experience in managing stage-gate projects using waterfall project methodology; Additional experience using Agile product development methodology is a plus.

• Having direct experience in both protection and control product development within an industrial manufacturer is highly desirable.

• Experience with low voltage products testing is desirable.

• Must have ability to travel domestically and internationally (up to 20%).

• Candidate must have work authorization to work in the U.S. 

What's in it for you

We want you to bring your full self to work—your ideas, your energy, your ambition. You’ll have the tools and freedom to grow your skills, shape your path, and take on challenges that matter. Here, your work creates impact you can see and feel, every day.

ABB is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer for protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities at ABB.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their- sex (gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation), marital status, citizenship, age,  race and ethnicity, inclusive of traits historically associated with race or ethnicity, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles, color, religious creed, national origin, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal and state law.

For more information regarding your (EEO) rights as an applicant, please visit the following websites: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

As an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer for Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities, applicants may request to review the plan of a particular ABB facility between the hours of 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. EST Monday through Friday by contacting an ABB HR Representative at 1-888-694-7762.

Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access ABB's career site as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by calling an ABB HR Representative at 1-888-694-7762 or by sending an email to [email protected]. Resumes and applications will not be accepted in this manner. #LI-Onsite

ABB Benefit Summary for eligible US employees

[excludes ABB E-mobility, Athens union, Puerto Rico]

Go to MyBenefitsABB.com and click on “Candidate/Guest” to learn more

Health, Life & Disability

• Choice between two medical plan options: A PPO plan called the Copay Plan OR a High Deductible Health Plan (with a Health Savings Account) called the High Deductible Plan. 

• Choice between two dental plan options: Core and Core Plus

• Vision benefit

• Company paid life insurance (2X base pay)

• Company paid AD&D (1X base pay)

• Voluntary life and AD&D – 100% employee paid up to maximums

• Short Term Disability – up to 26 weeks – Company paid

• Long Term Disability – 60% of pay – Company paid.  Ability to “buy-up” to 66 2/3% of pay.

• Supplemental benefits – 100% employee paid (Accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance

• Parental Leave – up to 6 weeks

• Employee Assistance Program

• Health Advocate support resources for mental/behavioral health, general health navigation and virtual health, and infertility/adoption

• Employee discount program

Retirement

• 401k Savings Plan with Company Contributions 

• Employee Stock Acquisition Plan (ESAP)

Time off

ABB provides 11 paid holidays.  Salaried exempt positions are provided vacation under a permissive time away policy.

More about us

ABB Smart Power provides energy distribution solutions for data centers, industrial and manufacturing plants, critical infrastructure and commercial buildings. The Division’s technical teams work closely with industry partners, delivering advanced solutions that support rapid growth, energy transition, and sustainability objectives.

The Division’s portfolio includes industrial circuit breakers, low-voltage systems, motor starting applications, and safety devices like switches and relays. Its Power Protection unit supports the world’s largest data center companies with advanced energy-efficient UPS solutions. The Division’s ABB Ability™ Energy Manager provides a scalable, easy-to-use platform that helps organizations save energy and reduce CO2 emissions.

We value people from different backgrounds. Could this be your story? Apply today or visit www.abb.com to read more about us and learn about the impact of our solutions across the globe.

Building a cleaner, smarter future takes all kinds of minds: the curious, the courageous, and the creative. That's why we welcome people from all backgrounds and experiences.

Ready to make an impact?

Apply today or visit https://www.abb.com to learn more about the impact of our solutions across the globe.