Senior Product Engineer

THE COMPANY

 

Our client is a highly successful global marketing and manufacturing firm.  It serves an enviable list of customers who are leaders in their respective industries and who demand world class performance from their partners.  Our client has risen to this challenge and today is a trusted partner to such global leaders as Disney, Kellogg’s, M&M Mars, McDonald’s and Nestlé.

 

Every year, our client develops over 1500 new products for its customers and ships a staggering 1 billion units.  It is best known for its innovative work in toys and games.  The firm provides a highly energizing environment to its employees.  It is very fast paced, with customers desiring fast turnaround on new products under development.  It has a global flavor, with customers located on every continent and manufacturing partners centered in Asia.  Its products are fun and frivolous, but the company takes product design and product integrity very seriously, and has produced over 10 billion products in its history without a single recall.

 

THE POSITION



 

The Senior Product Engineer is the hub of the wheel in bringing new products to market.  Working directly with the account team, the creative team, and at times directly with customers, this individual will take product concepts and shepherd them through a rigorous design process to create engaging consumer products that are also safe and affordable.  This involves coordination with engineers (local and overseas), sculptors, model makers, design engineers, and a variety of other functions.  In our client's model, this individual will engage in direct product development work as well as providing project leadership to overall development process.

 

 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

 

We seek an individual with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline and 5 or more years of product development experience.  This individual must be able to demonstrate competence in the following areas:

 

Product Development in Plastics: The successful candidate must show a strong affinity for mechanical design with the ability to review mechanical mechanisms and understand how they work, relating this understanding to specific product functions.  He/she must also be able to apply that to a variety of plastic processes such as tooling, injection molding, blow molding and rotocast molding.  Simple knowledge of electronics is also a benefit, as is knowledge of decoration processes (e.g. painting, coatings, printing, silk screening, transfers, etc.).

 

Project Management: Although a team of individuals is involved in developing a product, the senior design engineer takes ultimate responsibility for the timeliness of the project, as well as the product quality, safety, affordability and appeal to the end consumer.  He/she must be adept at project management, ensuring the timely contribution of team mates from various functions as necessary. 

 

Strong Communication Skills: This individual will work closely with a variety of colleagues, as well as directly with customers.  He/she must be an outgoing, engaging person who enjoys interacting with others, can persuade and be open to persuasion, and who others seek out.  An individual who prefers to work in an independent, “go it alone” fashion will not be successful in this role.

 

Collaborative Working Style: Hand in glove with the communication skills outlined above is the ability to work collaboratively.  Although this individual will have project leadership responsibilities, he/she will depend on a variety of other colleagues in various functions for his/her success. The company is a very fast moving, results driven organization that depends on collaboration, not hierarchy, to get things done.  This individual must be energized by such an environment.