Technical Specialist – Refrigerant Heat Exchangers (Condensers, Evaporators, IRD & Desiccant)
Job Description
At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard —from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features.
Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.
The Role
Technical Specialist – Heat Exchangers (Condensers, Evaporators, IRD & Desiccant)
The Technical Specialist is recognized as a subject matter expert (SME) with extensive experience in the design, specification, validation, and manufacturing of heat exchangers. A strong understanding of heat
transfer, fluid dynamics, materials, joining methods, and high-volume automotive manufacturing processes is required. Knowledge of refrigerant behavior, oil migration, and system-level HVAC / heat pump operation is expected.
This role includes global requirement development and strategy rollout, supporting execution and evaluation of BOM management, design, analysis, testing, validation, cost, quality, and durability of refrigerant heat exchanger components. Creativity, initiative, and a high level of independent technical judgment are required. The TS consults with the ETL, DREs, systems engineers, and cross-functional partners as needed and plays a key role in quality, reliability, durability, and warranty resolution activities. Support and regular travel to Lockport production facility is required.
What You'll Do
As a fully qualified individual contributor you will provide expert judgment and analysis for the design, development, and implementation of refrigerant heat exchangers and related technologies.
- Act as technical owner / SME for condensers, evaporators, IRDs, and desiccant technologies across vehicle programs, developing the strategic vision for these components as integral parts of their sub-systems and driving the strategy application forward.
- Lead innovation projects to support strategic vision.
- Manage and approve engineering solutions from suppliers for heat exchanger core designs, manifolds, headers, integrated receiver driers, desiccant packaging, and interfaces.
- Support and/or lead Product Development Teams (PDTs) as necessary to ensure component designs are properly coordinated with vehicle packaging, airflow, thermal systems, and manufacturing constraints.
- Work with VPOs to decompose vehicle level performance requirements to the subsystem and component level.
- Drive virtual analysis with internal teams and external suppliers to ensure performance.
- Own and manage component cost, mass, performance, and quality strategy to have best in industry TEC.
- Manage component timing plan templates, ensuring alignment with program milestones, sourcing events, and validation deliverables.
- Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and KCDS for components.
- Author and release component spec C2 for sourcing Statement of Requirements (SOR).
- Participate in and lead technical reviews, peer reviews, and sourcing support activities, including supplier technical evaluations.
- Conduct quality reviews and lead DFMEAs for components and linking with system-level FMEAs.
- Drive design issue resolution using the Problem Resolution Tracking System (PRTS).
- Lead and support benchmarking activities for current and emerging heat exchanger technologies (materials, architectures, manufacturing methods) to ensure the component strategy meets customer expectations with the lowest TEC.
- Track, analyze, resolve and read across warranty and field issues, including root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
- Document and read across lessons learned into the appropriate document (Best Practice, K-PAC, GMW, etc.)
- Technically support DREs for assigned architectures, ensuring adherence to engineering best practices, peer review standards, and documentation requirements.
- Support special projects (EWS, TierN etc) and advanced technology initiatives under ETL guidance.
This role requires the ability to lead and influence others, often directing technical work without direct authority. A high degree of creativity, autonomy, and technical depth is expected.
Your Skills & Abilities
- Extensive experience in automotive refrigerant heat exchanger development, sourcing, validation, and production launch.
- Demonstrated technical expertise in condenser, evaporator, IRD, and desiccant design, including system integration considerations.
- Strong understanding of:
- Heat transfer and thermodynamics
- Refrigerant flow distribution and oil management
- Airflow and pressure drop tradeoffs
- Materials selection and corrosion durability
- Experience managing suppliers on technical deliverables, including design, analysis, validation, and manufacturing readiness.
- Demonstrated skill in supplier technical management and purchasing strategy support
- Experience developing and executing RASICs for cross-functional engineering deliverables (CAE, Dimensional Engineering & GD&T, Manufacturing Bill of Process, CAD/PLM, Engineering Release/ECR).
- Experience with component and system-level testing, including thermal performance, pressure cycling, vibration, environmental durability, and vehicle integration testing.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical topics clearly to diverse audiences.
- High level of analytical ability to solve unusual and complex engineering problems.
- Understanding of DFSS methodologies; Black Belt / Red X knowledge preferred.
- Ability to work effectively with cross-functional partners to meet shared objectives.
- Strong demonstration of innovation and owning the outcome.
- Demonstration of Artificial Intelligence tool usage applied to productivity enhancement (ex: analysis of CAE results, customer complaints, etc.)
What Will Give You a Competitive Edge
- Deep technical experience in heat exchanger manufacturing processes, such as:
- Aluminum brazing (CAB, vacuum brazing)
- Tube/fin and microchannel architectures
- Header and manifold joining methods
- Desiccant integration and sealing strategies
- Experience with HVAC and automotive heat pump systems for ICE and BEV applications.
- Demonstrated expertise in heat exchanger integration with vehicle airflow, packaging
- constraints, and assembly manufacturing requirements.
- Experience developing service and UPC/FNA BOM strategies.
- Familiarity with PE diagrams, refrigerants, and system-level thermal architectures.
- Master’s degree in Science or Engineering.
About GM
Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.
Why Join Us
We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.
Benefits Overview
From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.
Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)
General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.
All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.
We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.
Accommodations
General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us or call us at 1-800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.