Product Design Engineer

Compensation: $105,000–$120,000 Base Salary + Bonus
Location: Sherwood, Arkansas

A growing, privately owned organization is seeking an experienced Product Design Engineer to lead mechanical product development from initial concept through production.

This is a hands‑on engineering position with cradle-to-grave ownership of products
, including concept development, mechanical design, prototyping, testing, validation, manufacturing release, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience designing sheet metal and/or plastic injection‑molded components and strong proficiency with Solid Works
. This individual will work closely with manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and product management to develop robust, cost‑effective, and manufacturable products.

The position has been created due to company growth and will work alongside an experienced Product Engineer with more than 15 years of tenure.

• Own mechanical product development from concept through production
  .
• Develop detailed mechanical designs and 3D models using Solid Works
  .
• Produce engineering drawings, BOMs, specifications, and product‑release documentation.
• Translate product requirements into practical mechanical designs.
• Develop concepts and prototypes and iterate designs based on testing and feedback.
• Ensure products meet performance, quality, cost, and schedule requirements.

• Design products and components utilizing:
  • Sheet metal
  • Plastic components
  • Injection‑molded parts
  • Formed components
• Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles throughout product development.
• Apply Design for Assembly (DFA) principles to improve manufacturing and assembly efficiency.
• Consider tooling, manufacturing processes, tolerances, materials, and production scalability throughout the design process.

• Create and support product prototypes.
• Develop and participate in laboratory testing and product validation.
• Support field‑validation activities when required.
• Analyze test results and incorporate findings into subsequent design iterations.
• Troubleshoot design and performance issues throughout development.
• Ensure designs are thoroughly validated before release to production.

• Perform basic Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
• Conduct tolerance stack‑up analyses.
• Perform basic stress and thermal assessments.
• Evaluate mechanical performance and identify potential design risks.
• Use engineering analysis and testing data to support design decisions.

• Work closely with manufacturing and industrial engineering teams to successfully transition products into production.
• Collaborate with suppliers regarding component design and manufacturability.
• Troubleshoot production and manufacturing issues.
• Modify designs when necessary to improve quality, cost, manufacturability, and performance.
• Ensure designs can be efficiently scaled for production.
• Provide engineering support throughout the product lifecycle.

• Collaborate with:
  • Manufacturing
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Quality
  • Suppliers
  • Product Management
• Support system‑level integration involving ventilation systems, fans, HVAC components, or related mechanical systems when applicable.
• Communicate technical requirements and design decisions effectively across engineering and non‑engineering teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve existing products and manufacturing processes.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles and tools where applicable.
• Support initiatives focused on:
  • Cost reduction
  • Lead‑time reduction
  • Quality improvement
  • Manufacturing efficiency
  • Product reliability
• Incorporate lessons learned from production and field performance into future product designs.

• Identify opportunities to improve existing products and manufacturing processes.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles and tools where applicable.
• Support initiatives focused on:
  • Cost reduction
  • Lead‑time reduction
  • Quality improvement
  • Manufacturing efficiency
  • Product reliability
• Incorporate lessons learned from production and field performance into…