Director, Advanced Product Applications

As a global leader in the design and manufacture of a wide range of specialty heat exchangers and heat transfer solutions, API Heat Transfer has a legacy of industry-leading performance that can be traced back more than 140 years. Throughout our history, we’ve built a corporate culture based on reliability and superior performance - from our innovative technologies to the people behind them. Experience has taught us that design and engineering expertise, supported by professionals who have a passion for their work, can bring about only one result: the ability to provide the right solutions for our customers.

Are you ready to be part of something transformative? At API Heat Transfer, we’re not just evolving—we’re revolutionizing. With a bold new mission, visionary leadership, and a fast-track journey toward a Lean Cultural Change, we’re building a team that thrives on innovation, collaboration, and impact.

We’re looking for a curious, hands-on, and forward-thinking Director, Advanced Product Applications to join our cutting-edge Research & Development team in Buffalo, NY. If you love solving real-world problems, experimenting with new ideas, and being part of a global innovation hub—this is your moment.

As a Director, Advanced Product Applications, you will assist the R&D team by providing technical support to the global API organization in the verification of products thermal and hydraulic conformance, to required customer specifications.

Why You'll Love Working Here:

• Global Innovation - Collaborate with a premier R&D team shaping the future of heat transfer technology
• Hands-On Impact - Work on real products that serve industries worldwide
• Career Growth & Benefits - Full benefits, 401(k), PTO, and continuous development opportunities
• Compensation - Annual Salary Range: $160,000 - $200,000
  
  

Perks of Our Buffalo Location:

• Only 20 minutes from the beautiful Buffalo waterfront and 45 minutes from Niagara Falls
• On site market style cafeteria with plenty of healthy, delicious options
• A foodie's paradise—Buffalo’s famous wings, Beef on Weck, and a booming craft brewery scene
  
  

What You Will Do:

The Director, Advanced Product Applications requires proficiency in refrigerant technologies and heat exchanger designs, with a focus on driving sales growth through API. As API’s technical expert, the individual will analyze client application scenarios, provide efficient and compliant thermal solutions, and collaborate with client engineers as well as our sales and engineering teams to translate technical advantages into commercial opportunities.

• Serve as the API Refrigerant Subject Matter Expert: Develop competencies, tools, and training to support refrigerant heat transfer technologies, including shell and tube and Plate and Frame.
• Design solutions based on refrigerant properties (such as R-410A, CO₂, ammonia, low-GWP alternatives)
• Collaborate with sales teams and customers to understand refrigerant requirements and develop solutions
• Lead technical presentations, address client inquiries, and verify feasibility through thermodynamic calculations and cost-benefit analyses
• Use CAD/CFD tools (such as SolidWorks, ANSYS) to optimize heat exchange performance while ensuring compliance with ASHRAE, ASME, and other industry standards
• Coordinate with R&D, Engineering and Production teams to translate designs into manufacturable products and resolve technical issues
• Lead development of proprietary software and tools to support refrigeration applications
• Assist in drafting technical documentation such as whitepapers and case studies to support marketing campaigns. Educate the API team and network on refrigerant technologies
• Evaluate compliance with refrigerant substitution regulations (e.g., EPA regulations, SNAP program) to address environmental and legal considerations
• Monitor updates to refrigerant policies (e.g., EPA revisions, California environmental regulations) and industry trends (e.g., hydrofluoroolefin applications) to inform product development
• Analyze competitor solutions, identify technical differentiators, and support API product, market and sales strategy development.
• Participate as a member of API’s Innovation and New Business Development Council
• Identify, align and support future product-market initiatives
• Perform other tasks as assigned
  
  

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, or Chemical Engineering; master’s or PHD degree preferred.
• 10+ years in heat exchanger/HVAC industries with expertise in refrigerant applications (types, performance, regulations).
• Accountable, self-driven with urgency
• Leadership of cross-functional teams
• Proficiency in engineering software (AutoCAD, ANSYS) and data analysis tools (Excel, Python)
• Effective client communication and presentation
• Familiarity with industrial refrigeration systems (e.g., food cold chain, data center cooling) and emerging sectors (e.g., heat pumps, thermal management for energy storage)
• EPA 608 or 609 certification (preferred)
• Professional Engineering license (preferred)
• Prefer candidates local to Buffalo, NY for in-person collaboration, but we’re open to considering exceptional remote candidates as well
• Willingness to travel up to 35%, more if remote
• Physically able to work hands-on with equipment in a lab or manufacturing environment
  
  

At API we take our culture transformation seriously! To help find the best fit for our positions and organization, we ask that you complete our 10 minute Culture Index Survey. Simply follow the link after submitting your application to help us use our interview time to dive deeper into your job behaviors and work history. https://surveys.cultureindex.com/s/7Y0awCvsZZ/89482

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