JobsGenerac

Mechanical Engineer II

Generac · Sussex, WI

Posted Jul 9, 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

Walk me through a time you led a root cause investigation on a field failure. What tools did you use to get to the actual cause, and how did you know you'd found it and not just a symptom?

whether they can drive a structured investigation to completion rather than stopping at the first plausible explanation

Describe a situation where you had to explain a technical root cause to someone without an engineering background, maybe a service tech or a customer. How did you adjust what you said?

ability to translate technical findings for non-technical audiences, which the posting explicitly calls out

Tell me about a design change you pushed for based on field failure data. How did you get design engineering or manufacturing on board, especially if it meant extra cost or schedule impact?

influence and cross-functional persuasion skills without formal authority

You mentor less experienced engineers according to this role. Tell me about a time you taught someone a diagnostic approach rather than just giving them the answer.

whether they build capability in others or just solve problems solo

Tell me about a time you were juggling several open quality investigations of different complexity at once. How did you decide what got your attention first?

prioritization skills under a workload of competing, unequal-priority problems

Technical

Tell me about a time you used 8D or a similar structured problem-solving process on a real issue. What part of that process tends to get rushed, and what happens when it does?

real hands-on familiarity with formal RCA methodology versus just knowing the buzzwords

What's your experience with liquid-cooled engine systems or generator controls? Give me an example of a problem you diagnosed on one of those systems.

depth of relevant domain knowledge versus general mechanical background

How comfortable are you with basic electrical engineering concepts, given that a lot of these failures sit at the boundary between mechanical and electrical systems?

whether they can hold their own in a cross-disciplinary failure investigation without deferring everything to EE

Tell me about a time an FEA or CFD result didn't match what you were seeing in the field or on the bench. What did you do with that mismatch?

whether they trust data over models appropriately and know the limits of simulation

What materials have you designed with, plastics, aluminum castings, sheet metal, and can you tell me about a failure you traced back to a material or process choice?

practical materials knowledge beyond textbook familiarity

How have you used SAP or a similar ERP system in tracking quality issues or parts history? Walk me through how you'd pull the data you need for an investigation.

practical fluency with the systems they'll actually use day to day

Situational

Say a generator model starts coming back with a coolant leak complaint from the field, and it's showing up across a few different customer sites. How would you start narrowing down whether this is a design issue, a manufacturing issue, or a service issue?

ability to triage a quality problem across design, manufacturing, and service before committing resources to a fix

Imagine you're brought into an escalated customer issue on an industrial unit that's already been through service twice with no resolution. What's your first move?

judgment under pressure and ability to add engineering value when others have already tried and failed

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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 Mechanical Engineer II – Customer Quality plays a key role with ensuring customer satisfaction within the Commercial and Industrial Business Group.  The position is responsible for providing engineering input for the resolution of product quality issues while interfacing with a cross functional team consisting of engineering, manufacturing, quality, and service.  The position will utilize Six Sigma problem-solving and root cause analysis methodologies to identify root cause and implement engineering solutions. Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline; • 2+ years of relevant work experience; Preferred Qualifications: • Ability to perform detail-oriented work with a high degree of accuracy on multiple projects of increasing complexity • Design experience with a variety of materials (ie plastics, aluminum castings, sheet metal) and basic knowledge of material specs and use; • Experience/knowledge of liquid cooled engine design and control. • Experience/knowledge of generator design and control. • Experience in new product design and development; • Experience conducting analysis using FEA, CFD, etc; • Basic understanding of electrical engineering principles and systems • Demonstrated written communication and presentation skills; • Ability to translate technical information to all audiences; • Applies engineering knowledge and experience to improve products, services and processes; • Able to solve moderate to complex engineering problems; • Experience with 3D modeling such as Creo or SolidWorks • MS Excel, MS Word; • Previous experience with SAP or equivalent ERP. • Experience with root cause analysis methodologies and techniques including 8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagrams, and FMEA. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Work with cross functional teams including quality, service, production and design engineering to perform root cause investigations and implement solutions to correct issues on existing designs and prevent repeat issues on future products. • Design, develop, execute and evaluate diagnostic steps required to clearly define root cause on assigned issues. • Participate in quality improvement projects to enhance reliability, reduce field failures, and improve customer satisfaction. • Support the Industrial Service team with resolving escalated customer issues when engineering insight is required. • Collaborate with Product Engineering and Manufacturing to embed lessons learned and field feedback into new product design and production processes. • Occasional travel to other Generac facilities and customer sites as required for root cause investigation • Acts as a resource to mentor and teach less experienced engineers.                                                “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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