JobsGenerac

Engineering Lab Planner

Generac · Waukesha, WI

Posted Jun 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you found a scheduling conflict before it became a crisis. How did you spot it and what did you do next.

proactive conflict detection versus reactive firefighting

Describe a time you had to escalate a resource or capability risk to leadership. How did you frame it and what happened after.

judgment on when to escalate and ability to present risk with options, not just alarm

Tell me about a time your schedule recommendation was rejected or overruled. How did you handle that and what did you learn.

ego and adaptability when their plan isn't the final word

Give me an example of a process improvement you made to a planning system, and how you measured whether it actually helped.

continuous improvement mindset and whether they follow through with evidence of impact

Technical

Walk me through how you'd build a resource-loaded schedule for a lab that has test cells, technicians, and specialized tools all competing for the same time slots.

whether the candidate actually knows how to construct a multi-constraint schedule rather than just a simple calendar

What technical constraints have you had to learn on the fly to make a schedule realistic, things like changeover time, floor space, or HVAC and heat rejection limits?

whether they grasp that lab planning fails without real physical constraints baked in, not just calendar math

How do you keep a lab resource catalog current and trustworthy when equipment status and capability change all the time?

data governance instinct and whether they see planning assumptions as something that needs active maintenance

What planning or scheduling tools have you used, and how would you use something like Smartsheet or OnePlan to build a forward-looking capacity view?

actual hands-on tool fluency versus familiarity by name only

How would you set up a planning cadence and intake process for a lab that currently has no formal prioritization system?

ability to design process from scratch, not just operate an existing one

How do you decide what counts as a hard constraint versus a soft preference when building a capacity model?

depth of reasoning about model accuracy versus oversimplified scheduling

Situational

Say two NPI programs both need the same load bank test cell in the same week and neither team will budge. What do you do.

how the candidate handles tradeoff conversations without unilaterally deciding technical priority themselves

A program lead tells you their test dates moved up two weeks and now your long-range plan is wrong. Walk me through what you do in the next 24 hours.

composure and process under sudden change, not just tool fluency

Explain how you'd present lab capacity and schedule health to a group of program stakeholders who each think their project should come first.

communication skill under competing-priority pressure and ability to stay neutral

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The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? The Engineering Lab Planner supports the Lab Portfolio Manager by developing and maintaining long-range plans and forward-looking schedules for lab resources in a technically complex environment. This role partners cross-functionally with NPI/NPD project teams, Technical Engineering, Lab Operations, Test Engineering, and program leadership to translate project demand into executable lab capacity plans across test cells, test technicians, and specialized test tools. The Planner evaluates capacity, capability, and resource constraints to identify conflicts, recommend scheduling tradeoffs, and enable timely decisions that protect project milestones and safe, efficient lab utilization. Major Responsibilities • Develops, publishes, and maintains long-range lab resource plans and forward-looking schedules for test cells, test technicians, and specialized test tools • Builds and maintains resource-loaded schedules that account for capacity, changeover/set up time, and technical constraints; updates schedules as priorities and test definitions evolve • Identifies capacity/capability conflicts and communicates risks and tradeoffs with recommended mitigation options • Partners with Lab Operations to maintain a lab resource catalog and ensures planning assumptions are current and auditable • Establishes and maintains lab planning cadence, intake, and prioritization views • Surfaces conflicts and decision needs, document assumptions, and escalate resource/capability constraints to the Lab Portfolio Manager and relevant stakeholders (execution remains with Technical Engineering/Lab Operations/Test Engineering) • Supports NPI/NPD planning by integrating test readiness, facility needs, and prerequisite activities into the schedule • Facilitates alignment across accountable teams and escalates constraint impacts and decisions as needed • Prepares and presents lab capacity and schedule health to the Lab Portfolio Manager and program stakeholders • Drives continuous improvement of lab planning processes, scheduling governance, data quality, and tool utilization to improve visibility and reliability of long-range plans Minimum Job Requirements Education • Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Technology, Industrial Engineering, or similar) Work Experience • 5 years’ experience in planning, scheduling, or project coordination roles supporting engineering and test preferred • Experience in planning, scheduling, or program coordination in technically constrained environments, with demonstrated ability to identify schedule conflicts and escalate resource/capability risks • Experience creating resource-loaded schedules, capacity models, and iterated project schedules to quantify the impacts of competing demand on constrained lab resources • Experience building and maintaining forward looking schedules Knowledge / Skills / Abilities • Ability to plan work requested by project teams and functional groups to align demand, dependencies, and priorities into a single plan • Comfortable working in dynamic environments where project priorities, test needs, and inputs shift, with the ability to adjust plans and clearly communicate any schedule impacts • Understanding of test lab operations and the ability to learn and apply technical constraints and capabilities (e.g., load banks, fuel compatibility, floor space, HVAC/heat rejection limits, instrumentation/tooling availability). • Strong planning and coordination capability and comfort building long-range schedules, resource allocation views, and capacity outlooks. • Demonstrated ability to communicate lab capacity/capability constraints, resource conflicts, and schedule tradeoffs to project leadership, including recommendations and mitigation options. • Strong written and verbal communication skills • Proficient with common planning, scheduling, and analysis tools such as Smartsheet and OnePlan • Proficient in MS Office applications While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear; and use hands to manipulate objects or controls.  The employee is regularly required to stand and walk.  On occasion, the incumbent may be required to stoop, bend, or reach above the shoulders.  The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Specific conditions of this job are typical of frequent and continuous computer-based work requiring periods of sitting, close vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Occasional travel.   “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

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