Validation and Compliance Engineer

Job description

Imagine working at the forefront of innovation in fluid-flow technology, with over 1,400 colleagues across the globe, and contributing to a legacy of excellence that spans eight manufacturing facilities on four continents. Armstrong Fluid Technology is more than just a leader in our industry; we are a community of the brightest and most creative minds, driven by a shared mission to engineer the future and safeguard our planet. As part of our team, you'll be immersed in an environment that fosters growth, creativity, and collaboration. Here, you'll have the opportunity to push boundaries, tackle exciting challenges, and develop cutting-edge solutions that promote energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Every day offers the chance to make a meaningful contribution to a more sustainable future, driving innovations that help lower global carbon footprints. Together, we’re creating a legacy that goes beyond business—one that’s changing the world for the better. In this role, you are responsible for ensuring Armstrong products meet regulatory standards globally and helping to move products through the regulatory process. In addition to annual initiatives, the key accountabilities of this position are: Key Responsibilities Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Audit Readiness Monitor regional and international regulatory standards (e.g., BIS, CE, SABRE, GSO, SASO, MOHAP, GOEIC, CPSO) relevant to value streams such as HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection and works with product development to ensure products comply with relevant standards, including submitting products for approval when required. Interpret evolving compliance requirements and communicate changes to product teams and leadership. Develop and implement regulatory compliance strategies and procedures throughout the product lifecycle. Collaborate with offering managers, QA, and manufacturing teams to ensure alignment with mandatory and customer-driven compliance requirements. Analyze and improve compliance workflows, identifying gaps and driving corrective actions. Maintain organized documentation of validation reports, DFMEAs, certifications, and compliance records to ensure audit readiness. Support and lead internal audits; assist during external audits and inspections led by regulatory authorities. Serve as an internal auditor when required, leveraging expertise to support broader compliance assessments across the organization Lead Product Risk Assessments and Develop Design Validation Plans Facilitate and update Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) to identify, assess, and mitigate risks across mechanical, electrical, and control systems. Ensure alignment of DFMEAs with current product designs and maintain traceability of risk mitigation measures throughout product lifecycle. Conduct risk workshops, train teams on hazard/risk analysis and FMEA methodologies, and foster a culture of proactive risk management. Integrate DFMEA outputs into design validation and product certification strategies. Create and support comprehensive Design Validation Plans (DVPs) based on DFMEA and regulatory requirements to verify product functionality, reliability, and compliance. Collaborate with engineering, quality assurance, and manufacturing teams to define test methods, develop test procedures, and coordinate testing activities. Manage relationships with external test laboratories when specialized testing is required beyond in-house capabilities. Analyze validation results, drive root cause analysis for failures, and coordinate design or process improvements. Manage Product Certification Processes Lead the end-to-end certification process for products, including preparation and submission of technical documentation, test samples, and justifications to third-party certification bodies (UL, NSF, CE, etc.). Estimate and communicate certification costs (initial and recurring), assess feasibility, and support offering managers in budget and ROI discussions. Ensure timely availability of safety and regulatory certifications aligned with key project milestones. Maintain certification and compliance records, prepare Declarations of Conformance, and oversee certification renewals and updates due to revised standards. Collaborate Cross-Functionally and Integrate Projects Actively participate in PI Planning, sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other cross-functional meetings to integrate regulatory and validation activities into project plans. Serve as the key liaison between offering managers, project technical leads, design engineers, and validation teams to ensure regulatory considerations are embedded in product development timelines. Coordinate resource allocation and prioritization of regulatory and validation tasks across multiple concurrent projects. Facilitate compliance plan reviews, safety design reviews, and regular status updates to stakeholders. Train Teams and Drive Continuous Improvement Provide training and mentorship on regulatory compliance, hazard/risk analysis, FMEA, and validation processes to engineering, QA, and manufacturing teams. Develop and maintain compliance manuals, procedural documents, training materials, and FAQs for consistent regulatory knowledge sharing. Drive continuous improvement initiatives by researching and implementing best practices in compliance, validation, and certification management. Encourage innovation in testing, validation, and certification approaches to improve efficiency and reduce time to market. What We’re Looking For To thrive in this role, you should bring: Education and Experience Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related Engineering fields. 3–5 years of experience in validation and compliance engineering, preferably in a manufacturing or product development environment. Proven experience with product certification processes and working alongside regulatory bodies or test labs (e.g., CSA, UL, ULC). Exposure to national and international regulatory frameworks; experience interpreting technical codes and developing test strategies. HVAC or building services industry experience is considered an asset. Experience conducting internal audits and assessments of new products against safety, environmental, and compliance standards. Experience working within agile development teams and cross-functional engineering environments . Technical Skills Strong understanding of compliance engineering, safety standards, and product validation methodology. Familiarity with ISO, ANSI, IEC, and industry-specific compliance frameworks. Proficient in FMEA, root cause analysis (RCA), and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes. Working knowledge of lean principles, process mapping, and value analysis/value engineering (VA/VE). Familiarity with CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers) standards, specifically applicable to the UK market. Skilled in hypothesis testing, data analysis, and statistical test design for validation. Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and Bills of Materials (BOMs). Hands-on involvement with validation plans, protocols, and documentation (e.g., IQ/OQ/PQ, DFMEA, PFMEA). Familiarity with ISO 17025 (testing and calibration competence), ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and ISO 45001 (facility standards).