JobsGenerac

Supervisor Engineering

Generac · Jefferson, WI

Posted Aug 12, 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 led a new technology concept from an early idea all the way through prototype and testing. What did that path actually look like?

whether the candidate can drive ambiguous early-stage work to a concrete technical outcome, not just manage a defined project

Give me an example of a system-level trade-off you had to make between cost, performance, and safety. How did you decide, and who pushed back?

ability to reason across competing constraints and defend a technical decision to stakeholders

Tell me about a time you had to coach or develop an engineer who was struggling, whether that was a direct report or someone you led informally.

real people-leadership experience versus purely technical management

Tell me about a project where the requirements were fuzzy and you had to define the test plan yourself. How did you decide what to measure and what good looked like?

comfort operating without a fully specified brief, which this NTI role demands

Tell me about a time you worked with an outside supplier or technology partner on something still in development. What went wrong and how did you handle it?

experience managing external partners through uncertainty, a named preferred qualification

Technical

Walk me through how you'd structure a technology readiness evaluation for a new battery chemistry or power electronics approach being considered for a portable power station.

understanding of structured feasibility and readiness-level thinking versus ad hoc testing

How would you integrate mechanical, electrical, controls, and thermal considerations when you're only at the concept stage and don't have full data yet?

depth of cross-disciplinary systems thinking specific to portable generator and battery architecture

Describe how you've used teardown or competitive benchmarking to shape a new product concept.

hands-on rigor and whether they actually do the grunt work of comparative analysis, not just direct it

How do you take a raw customer insight, something someone said in the field, and turn it into an actual engineering requirement?

whether they can bridge voice-of-customer input and hard technical specs

Situational

Say your prototype build is delayed because a supplier component didn't show up on time and your test lab window is closing in two weeks. What do you do?

practical prioritization and resourcefulness under real schedule pressure common in NTI work

If two engineers on your team disagree about which technology path to pursue and both have good data, how do you resolve it and keep the team moving?

decision-making style and ability to maintain team cohesion during technical disagreement

Suppose leadership wants a technology readiness decision in three weeks but your test data is only 70 percent complete. What do you tell them?

honesty and judgment when forced to make a call with incomplete evidence

You'll be splitting time between Waukesha and Jefferson roughly once a week. How would you keep a distributed team aligned on priorities and lab schedules across two sites?

practical plan for managing execution and communication across locations, called out explicitly in the posting

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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? Generac Home is hiring for an Engineering Supervisor who will lead the Portable Generator New Technology Introduction (NTI) team, providing hands-on technical leadership for the research, evaluation, integration, testing, and development of new technologies and product concepts for portable generators and portable battery power stations. In this role you will set clear direction for the team, drive execution across cross-functional technology exploration and product development programs, and create an engineering culture built on collaboration, experimentation, technical rigor, hands-on problem solving, and accountability. This position is on-site in either Waukesha, WI OR Jefferson WI with travel between offices (average 1 day a week). Major Responsibilities • Lead hands-on technology investigation and concept development activities from opportunity identification through feasibility, prototype build, test execution, validation planning, and technology readiness decisions. • Execute the NTI roadmap and engineering plans required to deliver innovative portable power solutions for portable generators and portable battery power stations that meet customer needs, business objectives, safety expectations, cost targets, and performance requirements. • Effectively manage the development process (e.g. develop time compression techniques, design and application standards for improved repeatability, manage deliverables in process globally and across multiple locations). • Coordinate prototype builds, test plans, lab priorities, supplier inputs, design iterations, and teardown or benchmarking activities to support rapid learning, technology validation, and informed concept selection. • Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement by identifying emerging technologies, challenging conventional approaches, applying structured engineering judgment, and promoting cross-functional knowledge sharing. • Evaluate technology options, system architectures, components, and product concepts through research, competitive benchmarking, supplier engagement, analytical assessment, and practical testing. • Integrate mechanical, electrical, controls, engine, battery, power electronics, fuel system, thermal, structural, acoustic, and user-interface considerations into early-stage portable power concepts. • Recruit, develop, coach, and retain engineering talent while establishing clear expectations, accountability, and professional development plans. Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical or electromechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline • 5+ years of experience in engineering • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional engineering projects from concept through prototype, test, and technical recommendation Preferred Qualifications • Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field • Prior people leadership experience (formal or informal) • Experience researching, evaluating, integrating, testing, and/or developing emerging technologies, new product concepts, or product system architectures • Experience identifying and translating customer insights into product requirements • Experience working with suppliers and external technology partners • Experience with portable generators, battery energy storage systems, power electronics, engines, alternators, fuel systems, controls, thermal systems, or related portable power technologies • Experience planning and executing engineering tests, documenting results, and using data to make design or technology readiness recommendations • Experience with system-level trade-off analysis involving performance, safety, cost, manufacturability, reliability, serviceability, and customer experience • Experience working in early-stage development environments where ambiguity, rapid learning, and technical risk reduction are expected At this time candidates who require sponsorship now or in the future cannot be considered inclusive of OPT or H1B transfer. 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. #LI-HR1 “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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