Test and Integration Engineer (51651)

Gradian is an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner serving data center and other mission-critical, commercial, and industrial markets. Headquartered in Maple Grove, MN, with additional facilities across North America, we design and manufacture liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment, heat rejection units, and modular, factory-assembled thermal management solutions.

Gradian was founded through the unification of four complementary, established brands: MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and EcoChillers. Together, we act as a single-source provider, deploying cooling technologies as scalable systems optimized for efficiency, spatial constraints, and overall performance. With a vertically integrated engineering and manufacturing model, we pair rapid design turnaround with precision fabrication, so customers can move faster on complex projects where reliability, timeline, and quality all matter.

Why work here

At Gradian, you'll work alongside others who get genuinely fired up by complex problems, see your work go from first sketch to job site in weeks, not years, and know that while we're developing the technologies critical for AI infrastructure to scale, our culture remains people-first by design.

It is core to our identity that we operate as one team - driving to win together, energizing others, and building lasting relationships that make the work fun and rewarding.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Test & Integration Engineer to own the execution, validation, and continuous improvement of laboratory and system-level testing across Gradian’s air handling, liquid cooling, and chiller product lines. This role owns the Design Verification Plan (DVP), translating product and system requirements into traceable verification methods, test procedures, acceptance criteria, schedules, and objective evidence. The position leads test configuration, integration, commissioning, data analysis, and onsite system setup while partnering with NPD, Quality, Operations, Controls, and Product Engineering teams to validate product performance, reliability, safety, compliance, and release readiness.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own, develop, and maintain the Design Verification Plan (DVP) for air handling, liquid cooling, and chiller products, including requirements traceability, verification methods, test ownership, acceptance criteria, schedules, risks, and closure evidence.

• Define and execute functional, performance, reliability, compliance, integration, and commissioning tests across NPD programs; ensure results support design decisions and product release readiness.

• Set up, configure, operate, and monitor air, liquid, and refrigeration test systems, including fans, blowers, dampers, coils, pumps, heat exchangers, compressors, valves, sensors, filtration, fluid-handling equipment, ductwork, piping, and environmental controls.

• Develop and review test procedures to ensure correct system configuration, instrumentation placement, airflow and fluid-flow control, refrigeration conditions, electrical and controls interfaces, safety controls, and environmental conditions.

• Monitor and evaluate system behavior, including thermal capacity, psychrometrics, airflow, pressure stability, fluid-flow characteristics, refrigerant circuit performance, acoustics, vibration, leak detection, and overall system integrity.

• Collect, analyze, validate, and report high-quality test data using calibrated temperature, pressure, airflow, fluid-flow, humidity, electrical, and refrigeration instrumentation, ensuring precision, repeatability, and traceability.

• Perform instrumentation verification and calibration checks, validate sensor accuracy, and maintain calibration, configuration, and deviation records to protect data integrity.

• Lead test issue resolution by documenting anomalies, supporting root-cause analysis, coordinating corrective actions, and updating the DVP and verification evidence as designs evolve.

• Assemble, adjust, and reconfigure test fixtures, ductwork, piping, brackets, controls, and lab hardware; support installation and commissioning of prototype and production equipment.

• Create and maintain test logs, configuration records, procedures, work instructions, results summaries, and DVP status; communicate risks, gaps, equipment issues, and verification conclusions to cross-functional stakeholders.

• Provide day-to-day work direction to Test Technicians by clarifying procedures and acceptance criteria, coordinating resources, monitoring execution, and reviewing test records and results for completeness and accuracy.

• Collaborate with Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Systems, Quality, Operations, Product Management, suppliers, and external laboratories to improve product validation, laboratory capability, safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from an accredited institution.

• 1–3 years of engineering experience in product verification, a test laboratory, R&D, HVAC, thermal systems, or related equipment development environment.

• Working knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, psychrometrics, airflow, hydronics, and refrigeration-cycle fundamentals relevant to air handling, liquid cooling, and chiller systems.

• Hands-on mechanical aptitude with pumps, piping, fittings, valves, heat exchangers, coils, fans, blowers, ductwork, compressors, and fluid or refrigerant systems.

• Experience developing or executing verification plans, test procedures, acceptance criteria, and requirements traceability; ability to organize objective evidence through DVP closure.

• Familiarity with temperature, pressure, airflow, fluid-flow, humidity, electrical-power, vibration, and refrigeration instrumentation and associated data-acquisition systems.

• Ability to analyze test data, assess uncertainty and repeatability, identify abnormal system behavior, and communicate technically sound conclusions.

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, refrigeration schematics, wiring diagrams, control sequences, specifications, and product requirements.

• Ability to work safely around rotating equipment, pressurized systems, electrical controls, refrigerants, water/glycol mixtures, and operating HVAC equipment.

Preferred:

• Experience testing air handling units, computer-room air handlers, liquid-cooling distribution units, heat-rejection equipment, or packaged chillers.

• Experience with DAQ and controls platforms such as LabVIEW, PLC-based systems, building automation systems, or similar tools.

• Knowledge of applicable HVAC, chiller, pressure, electrical, and product-performance standards and certification test methods.

• Experience with glycol-based coolants, water treatment, fluid cleanliness, filtration, evacuation, charging, refrigerant handling, and contamination control.

• Experience with statistical analysis, test uncertainty, design of experiments, failure analysis, and corrective-action methods.

• Basic programming or data-analysis capability for automating tests, processing data, and generating repeatable engineering reports.

Key Competencies:

• Ownership mindset with the ability to drive a DVP from planning through execution, issue resolution, evidence review, and closure.

• Strong systems thinking across mechanical, electrical, controls, airflow, hydronic, and refrigeration interfaces.

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy, configuration control, and requirements traceability.

• Clear technical communication and the ability to coordinate priorities, risks, and decisions across cross-functional teams.

• Ability to provide clear work direction, technical coaching, and constructive feedback to Test Technicians while maintaining accountability for safe, accurate, and timely test execution.

• Practical problem-solving skills, sound engineering judgment, and a disciplined approach to root-cause analysis.

• Ability to adapt to evolving product requirements, prototype maturity, test availability, and shifting program priorities.

• Strong safety mindset and ownership of laboratory organization, equipment readiness, and continuous improvement.

• Hands-on approach with curiosity and a passion for developing robust products and test capability.

Benefits:

• Medical, vision, and dental plans
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Group term life insurance coverage
• HSA, FSA, and Dependent Care plans available
• 8 paid holidays, 4 floating holidays, and generous PTO policy
• 401k matching
• Company paid events
• Annual safety shoe allowance
• Education assistance program

EEO Statement:

Gradian Thermal Solutions is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other legally protected status.

Employment decisions at Gradian are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and actively promote a culture of fairness, equity, and opportunity.

We also provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances, in accordance with applicable laws.