Technical Development & Commercialization Lead - Data Center Couplings

Gates is expanding its presence in the rapidly evolving data center market, where advanced liquid cooling and thermal management technologies are critical to the performance, reliability, and scalability of next-generation computing infrastructure. We are seeking a Technical Development & Commercialization Lead - Data Center Couplings to provide technical leadership and drive the development, validation, and commercialization of differentiated fluid conveyance solutions for this high-growth market.

This role will serve as a technical authority for Gates' data center coupling, hose, and engineered assembly portfolio, translating customer needs and emerging industry requirements into innovative, high-performance products. The successful candidate will lead complex technical programs from concept through commercialization, partnering across Product Management, Engineering, Innovation, Sales, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and external customers to accelerate time to market and deliver solutions that meet demanding performance, reliability, cleanliness, and quality requirements.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in fluid transfer, couplings, sealing technologies, or engineered assemblies with the leadership, commercial acumen, and execution discipline to turn technical innovation into scalable business growth. This individual will help shape Gates' product roadmap, influence customer specifications, establish robust qualification and validation practices, and strengthen Gates' position as a trusted engineering partner in data center infrastructure.

Technical Strategy & Leadership

• Serve as the technical subject matter expert for Data Center hose, coupling, and assembly solutions.
• Lead technical strategy and product development efforts for liquid cooling and thermal management applications.
• Provide guidance and direction to engineering teams on product design, performance requirements, materials selection, and system integration.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, industry trends, and competitive solutions to support product innovation.
• Drive technical decision-making throughout the product lifecycle.

Product Development & Engineering

• Lead the technical development of new products from concept through commercialization.
• Define product specifications, design requirements, performance criteria, and validation plans.
• Collaborate with R&D, Product Management, and Manufacturing teams to develop innovative solutions that meet customer and market demands.
• Support stage-gate development activities and ensure technical deliverables are achieved.
• Review designs and validate compliance with customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.

Customer & Application Engineering

• Serve as a senior technical partner to strategic customers, including hyperscale data center operators, OEMs, cooling system providers, colocation providers, and system integrators.
• Engage directly with customers to understand system architectures, operating conditions, performance targets, integration challenges, and evolving technical requirements.
• Lead technical discussions, design reviews, product evaluations, and solution development activities to position Gates as an engineering partner rather than solely a component supplier.
• Translate application requirements into optimized hose, coupling, and assembly solutions that address flow performance, pressure drop, sealing integrity, materials compatibility, cleanliness, reliability, and ease of installation.
• Collaborate with Sales and Business Development to evaluate opportunities, develop technical proposals, support customer qualification, and advance strategic programs toward commercial awards.
• Lead the technical resolution of complex customer issues, coordinating root-cause analysis, corrective actions, and cross-functional follow-through.
• Identify opportunities to expand Gates' participation within customer platforms and programs through differentiated technical solutions and broader application coverage.

Testing, Validation & Reliability

• Define and lead comprehensive product validation, qualification, and reliability strategies appropriate for demanding data center liquid cooling applications.
• Establish test methods, performance benchmarks, and acceptance criteria for coupling, hose, and assembly solutions in collaboration with Quality, Engineering, and customers.
• Drive rigorous evaluation of critical performance characteristics, including pressure and flow performance, leak integrity, connection reliability, material compatibility, cleanliness, durability, and operating limits, as applicable to each product.
• Ensure technical evidence, test data, and validation documentation support customer requirements, product specifications, and applicable industry standards.
• Lead technical investigations of product failures and performance issues, applying structured root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.
• Partner with internal laboratories and external testing organizations to expand validation capabilities and accelerate customer qualification.
• Establish repeatable technical processes that support consistent product quality and reliable performance at commercial production volumes.

Cross-Functional & Organizational Leadership

• Align Engineering, Innovation, Product Management, Sales, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations around shared technical priorities and commercialization objectives.
• Influence stakeholders across functions and regions to resolve competing priorities, allocate resources, and maintain momentum on critical development programs.
• Provide technical direction, coaching, and mentorship to engineers and cross-functional team members, building organizational capability in data center fluid conveyance technologies.
• Develop effective working relationships with global engineering and manufacturing teams to leverage expertise, capabilities, and capacity across regions.
• Establish clear accountability for technical deliverables, program milestones, risk mitigation, and launch readiness.
• Provide leadership visibility into program status, technical risks, resource requirements, and decisions needed to achieve business objectives.

Industry Engagement & Innovation

• Maintain a strong understanding of data center infrastructure trends, liquid cooling architectures, evolving customer specifications, competitive technologies, and relevant industry standards.
• Engage with customers, industry organizations, technology partners, and external experts to anticipate market needs and inform product strategy.
• Contribute to intellectual property development, technical innovation, and the advancement of Gates' fluid conveyance and assembly capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to extend existing technologies into new data center applications and develop differentiated solutions that address emerging market requirements.
• Represent Gates in technical discussions and industry forums, strengthening the company's credibility and influence within the data center ecosystem.

The successful candidate will:

• Combine technical depth with commercial impact: Translate engineering expertise into differentiated products, customer wins, and profitable growth.
• Drive end-to-end execution: Take ownership of technical programs from early concept through qualification, launch, and production scale-up.
• Accelerate speed to market: Make timely, data-driven decisions, proactively resolve barriers, and maintain accountability for development milestones.
• Lead through influence: Align global, cross-functional teams and build strong partnerships across technical and commercial organizations.
• Champion quality and reliability: Apply rigorous engineering principles and validation practices to meet the demanding requirements of mission-critical cooling applications.
• Anticipate customer and market needs: Stay ahead of evolving cooling technologies, industry standards, and competitive developments.
• Build organizational capability: Develop technical talent, strengthen engineering processes, and establish repeatable approaches to successful product commercialization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 11+ years of progressive experience in engineering, product development, application engineering, or technical leadership.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in fluid transfer systems, hose and coupling technologies, sealing solutions, engineered assemblies, or related industrial products.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional technical programs from development through qualification and commercialization.
• Strong understanding of product design, materials selection, performance testing, validation, manufacturing processes, and production readiness.
• Demonstrated ability to translate customer and application requirements into technical specifications and practical product solutions.
• Experience resolving complex technical problems using structured analysis, testing, and data-driven decision-making.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to drive alignment across functions, geographies, and organizational levels.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to customers, executives, and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• Experience in data center infrastructure, liquid cooling, thermal management, or other mission-critical applications.
• Knowledge of direct-to-chip cooling, cooling distribution units (CDUs), immersion cooling, and associated fluid conveyance requirements.
• Experience with quick-disconnect couplings, large-diameter hose, fluid connectors, sealing technologies, and engineered fluid-transfer assemblies.
• Familiarity with applicable industry specifications, customer qualification requirements, cleanliness standards, and product certifications.
• Experience establishing validation methods, reliability testing programs, and technical qualification processes.
• Experience collaborating with global engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain organizations.
• Experience supporting strategic customer engagements, technical business development, or product platform wins.
• Experience with structured product development, stage-gate processes, and commercialization of engineered products.