Product Development Engineer

Product Development Engineer

Position Overview Our client is a global manufacturer of advanced equipment and tooling solutions for the plastics and packaging industry. They are seeking an experienced Product Development Engineer to join their engineering and product development organization.

This individual will lead the technical development of new packaging and injection molding products, from initial concept and system architecture through engineering validation, product release, and launch into manufacturing. The role offers significant ownership and visibility while working closely with engineering, manufacturing, business development, validation, and other cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities Lead the technical development of new products and tooling solutions from concept through manufacturing launch.

Develop system-level designs and product architectures with limited direction and in situations where established design standards may not exist.

Translate customer, market, and business requirements into technical product concepts.

Participate in the development and evaluation of business cases for new products and technologies.

Create system-level concepts including functional block diagrams, CAD layouts, functional decomposition, and preliminary design concepts.

Lead and participate in design reviews, technical brainstorming, and product definition activities.

Establish and review engineering documentation, validation plans, and product release requirements.

Apply sound mechanical engineering principles to product design, development, and problem solving.

Select and size mechanical and electromechanical components, including motors, sensors, bearings, gearboxes, belts, seals, servo systems, and pneumatic/hydraulic components.

Select appropriate materials and apply relevant engineering and design standards.

Lead or participate in risk assessment and FMEA activities and develop appropriate risk-mitigation strategies.

Ensure products meet applicable regulatory, compliance, quality, and performance requirements.

Work closely with Manufacturing, Electrical Engineering, Software, Fluid Power, Analysis, Metallurgy, Validation/Test, and Business Development teams.

Help drive the product development and product release processes while ensuring required technical milestones are met.

Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities throughout product development.

Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to other engineers and design team members.

Serve as a technical resource for customers, suppliers, and external technology partners when needed.

Present technical concepts, development status, and product strategies to internal leadership and executive stakeholders.

Represent the engineering organization in cross-functional product development initiatives.

Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
10+ years of relevant mechanical/product design and development experience.

Strong experience with product development, mechanical design, tooling, or complex engineered equipment.

Specialized knowledge of injection molding, plastics processing, packaging equipment, and/or tooling.

Advanced understanding of manufacturing and assembly processes associated with injection molding tooling.

Strong CAD modeling experience; UG/NX experience preferred.

Strong understanding of engineering calculations, design parameters, material selection, and component sizing.

Experience with mechanical and electromechanical components such as motors, sensors, bearings, gearboxes, belts, seals, servo motors, pneumatic systems, and hydraulic systems.

Demonstrated ability to develop products from early-stage concepts through validation and…