Product Development Engineer

About the Company

Petmate is a global leader in pet supply products, with trusted brands including Petmate®, Chuckit!®, Quirky Kitty®, Vittles Vault®, Wild Eats®, and Arm & Hammer®. Founded over 60 years ago with a focus on safe pet transportation, Petmate has evolved to develop innovative products that improve quality of life and strengthen the bond between people and their pets. The company prioritizes environmentally responsible manufacturing and rigorous product testing, ensuring safety remains central to its products and processes. Petmate’s portfolio spans toys, feeding and watering solutions, food storage, kennels, bedding, treats, and more.

Our Why: To enrich families’ lives by cultivating the bond between people and their pets.

Our Vision: Families everywhere trust us to enhance their pets’ well-being at every step of the adventure.

• Own It! We take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and outcomes.
• Steadfast Determination: We pursue what’s next with commitment and enthusiasm.
• Do the Right Thing: We align our actions with our values in every situation.
• Safety Without Compromise: We prioritize the safety of employees, consumers, and pets without compromise.

About the Role

The Product Development Engineer is responsible for designing and developing innovative products that meet Petmate’s quality and performance standards. This role focuses on engineering design for plastics and basic electronic integration, leveraging expertise in 3D CAD modeling, prototyping, project scheduling, and product specifications. The ideal candidate combines technical proficiency with creativity and problem-solving skills to bring new concepts to life.

Responsibilities

• 3D CAD Design: Create robust 3D models using SolidWorks for new product concepts, ensuring manufacturability and design integrity.
• Electrical Design: Design, test, and validate basic electronic control systems for new product concepts.
• Plastic Design Expertise: Analyze and verify CAD models with emphasis on plastic design principles and production feasibility.
• Documentation: Generate accurate 2D drawings from 3D models and maintain detailed specifications for materials, components, and assemblies.
• Industrial Design Integration: Interpret design aesthetics and translate them into functional, manufacturable CAD models.
• Prototype Management: Schedule, order, and build prototypes to support development needs; maintain prototype equipment and supplies.
• Project Coordination: Utilize Microsoft Project to track timelines and ensure alignment with marketing priorities.
• Hands-On Prototyping: Construct rough prototypes to communicate product functionality during early development stages.
• Vendor Collaboration: Travel as needed to work with overseas teams and tooling vendors to ensure successful execution of designs.
• Continuous Improvement: Stay current with engineering software and technology to enhance design efficiency and accuracy.

Requirements

• Proficiency in SolidWorks (3D CAD) and strong understanding of plastic design principles.
• Experience with basic electrical design and testing.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• Willingness to travel internationally as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in a product engineering role; experience within consumer packaged goods or durable goods is highly preferred.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequently required to stand and walk.
• Occasionally required to sit.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Regularly required to talk and listen.

Work Environment

This position is based at our corporate office, which offers a professional, climate-controlled setting and fosters a collaborative and supportive atmosphere where teamwork and professional growth are highly valued. The office is pet-friendly, and employees should be comfortable working around dogs and other pets in shared spaces.

While the primary work location is the corporate office, the role may occasionally require visits to manufacturing and distribution sites. These environments can be loud, are not climate-controlled, and require strict adherence to safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as closed-toe shoes, safety glasses, and hearing protection as needed.