Engineering NPD Manager, Water Safety

About the Role Engineering NPD Manager, Water Safety is a highly technical leader responsible for driving new product innovation with a deep focus on mechanical engineering, fluid dynamics, and pressure-balancing valve design. This role leads a cross-functional engineering team from concept through launch, partnering with Product Management to deliver high-quality NPD programs on time and on budget. What You'll Do

• Lead full-lifecycle NPD programs from concept through pilot builds, including planning, risk assessment, team formation, milestones, reporting, escalation, and delivering on schedule and budget.
• Communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences, tailoring complexity to audience needs.
• Influence and motivate cross-functional teams through collaborative leadership; coach junior engineers.
• Partner with Product Management through Stage-Gate to define optimal solutions balancing customer requirements with engineering constraints.
• Integrate mechanical, electrical, and software elements into cohesive product designs; benchmark against legacy designs.
• Approve engineering deliverables (specs, drawings, material requirements, DFMEAs/PFMEAs, verification reports) and document results.
• Apply CFD for flow modeling, pressure-drop analysis, cavitation prediction; interpret simulations against test data.
• Leverage force-balance calculations and sealing technologies (O-rings, bellows, diaphragms) and evaluate performance across temperature, chemical, and pressure ranges.
• Drive continuous improvement through professional development, workshops, and participation in professional societies; keep up with standards and third-party certifications.
• Ensure design for manufacturability and design for assembly; collaborate with Manufacturing and Sourcing as needed.
• Maintain professional knowledge and share tribal knowledge to build clear, teachable engineering practices. What We're Looking For
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of product development experience, ideally in fluid-handling or valve applications.
• Proven project/program management experience; ability to independently manage cross-functional projects.
• Proficient in CAD; Autodesk Inventor preferred.
• Experience with cost estimations, DFM, DFA, and program accounting.
• Strong interpersonal communication; experience with suppliers, customers, regulatory personnel, and management.
• Experience collaborating with overseas development teams and manufacturing partners; familiarity with copper alloy and iron casting/forging, plastics, and plastic molding for water systems (a plus).
• Knowledge of compliance, test standards, and third-party certification requirements.
• Strong decision making, critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage projects beyond immediate responsibilities; self-directed work style.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills; able to interact with management.
• Flexible in work assignments; adapt to changing team needs.
• Proficient with Microsoft 365.
• Manufacturing environment experience preferred.
• Authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship now or in the future. Nice to Have
• Experience with copper alloy and iron casting/forging, plastics molding for water systems (a plus).
• Experience collaborating with overseas development teams and manufacturing partners (a plus). Compensation & Benefits
• Not disclosed in the posting.