NPD Product Design Engineer II

Description

The Best Experience Company is dedicated to creating the Best Experience for its associates, consumers, and end users, business partners, and communities. They seek to hire passionate self-starters who share their commitment to excellence.

Position Summary

Responsible for creating, supporting, and developing new and innovative product/process designs and redesigning existing products/processes. This involves understanding customer requirements, utilizing quality tools, and pursuing continuous improvement.

Objectives

• Concept Development (30%)
• Identify consumer and market needs; translate them into product requirements using QFD and other structured design tools.
• Develop multiple concepts and functional prototypes for evaluation.
• Participate in consumer focus groups and market research activities.
• Reduce early concepts to commercially viable solutions.
• Create mechanical drawings and 3D models.
• Support evaluation of concept patentability and help identify potential IP risks.
• Design Development (50%)
• Coordinate and prioritize design and engineering activities based on NPD and product management goals.
• Design products and components with emphasis on safety, durability, reliability, manufacturability, value, and ease of assembly.
• Contribute to both short-term and long-term design and development planning.
• Select materials and evaluate potential suppliers.
• Evaluate product and tooling costs and assist with project justification.
• Facilitate design reviews across functional groups and integrate manufacturability feedback into designs.
• Prepare reports, summaries, and presentations related to engineering activities.
• Maintain engineering files, drawings, and documentation in accordance with internal standards.
• Interface with suppliers and purchasing to resolve supplier-related quality issues.
• Administrative & Continuous Improvement (20%)
• Collaborate with NPD and Marketing to introduce new product concepts and improve existing products.
• Support and follow the New Product Development stage-gate process.
• Review patents and help assess potential patent risks.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives (root-cause analysis, corrective actions, 5S, process improvements).
• Maintain and organize lab areas according to 5S principles.

Requirements

• Education and Experience: BS in Engineering with 4+ years of relevant work experience.
• Flexible with assignments, able to work independently, and collaborate effectively in a team environment.
• Organized, methodical, able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and capable of meeting established timelines.
• Receives direction from the Engineering Manager.
• Manages multiple medium- or limited-scope projects and documents testing results clearly.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Design & Technical Skills:
• Strong conceptual and detailed design skills.
• Creativity and innovation proficiency, including concept generation and early design exploration.
• 3D CAD proficiency (SolidWorks preferred; AutoCAD experience acceptable).
• Knowledge of drafting standards (e.g., ASME Y14).
• Experience with metal, plastic, and wood components and processing preferred.
• Familiarity with QFD and other customer-driven design translation tools.
• Strong general math/calculation abilities.
• Project & Documentation Skills:
• Technical writing skills for specifications, lab reports, and project updates.
• Able to collect, organize, and manage engineering data.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication.
• Able to manage work according to established project timelines.
• Software & Tools Proficiency:
• Proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and general PC skills.
• Experience with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, SmartSheets, etc).
• Experience using PLM and ERP systems and general document control environments.
• Interpersonal & Collaboration Skills:
• Strong interpersonal skills for working with engineering, suppliers, marketing, manufacturing, and cross-functional teams.