Description Conair, a member of the Piovan Group, is the leading producer of auxiliary equipment for plastics processing in the world. We make and market over 450 different products, including resin-drying systems, blenders, feeders and material-conveying systems, temperature-control equipment and granulators. Extrusion solutions include gravimetric control systems, film and sheet scrap-reclaim systems and downstream equipment for pipe and profile extrusion. Conair is also a leader in plastics process integration, engineering and installing complete manufacturing systems that help plastics processors manage their valuable raw materials, handle their critical manufactured parts, and improve their process yield.
Purpose The Director of New Product Development (NPD) Engineering is responsible for leading the design and development of Conair's next generation of auxiliary equipment for plastics processing, from concept through production launch. This position leads the NPD Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Advanced Research / Co-op groups and serves as the senior mechanical engineering authority for new products. The Director drives NPD projects through Conair's stage-gate process, manages engineering schedules and deliverables, and mentors and develops a team of engineers and designers. The Director works closely with Product Management, Sustainment Engineering, Manufacturing, and Purchasing to deliver new products that meet customer, cost, quality, and compliance targets. This position is located in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Drive NPD projects through Conair's stage-gate process from concept through launch, including requirements definition, gate deliverables, design reviews, and gate recommendations.
- Manage engineering schedules, resources, budgets, and deliverables across the NPD project portfolio, including alpha and beta prototype builds and release to production, and report status to engineering leadership.
- Serve as the technical lead and senior mechanical engineering authority for new products: set the design approach, lead design reviews and problem solving, ensure sound design practice (calculations, tolerance analysis, GD&T, materials selection, documentation standards), and identify patentable inventions.
- Lead design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA), design-to-cost, and value engineering, including designs suited to sheet metal fabrication, weldments, castings, machined and molded components.
- Plan and oversee prototype testing, verification and validation, and DFMEA with the Lab, and ensure new products meet applicable safety and regulatory requirements (e.g., UL, CE, NFPA 79).
- Partner with Product Management to translate voice-of-customer and business-case requirements into product specifications, and support product launches, including trade show display equipment.
- Coordinate mechanical, electrical, controls, and software development, and work with Purchasing and suppliers on sourcing, tooling, and cost targets, to deliver integrated, manufacturable designs.
- Transition new products smoothly into production and Sustainment Engineering with complete and accurate drawings, bills of material, specifications, and manuals.
- Mentor engineers and designers, building technical depth, design judgment, and project skills across the team, and support Conair's engineering co-op program.
- Review, hire, and train engineering staff; set goals, manage performance and workloads, and develop future technical leaders.
- Establish and track key performance metrics, such as gate schedule adherence, product cost versus target, and launch quality, and drive continuous improvement of the NPD process.
- Collaborate with Conair's engineering teams in the U.S., Italy, and India, and cultivate an environment which encourages teamwork, innovation, trust, and customer-inspired motivation.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering required; Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or MBA a plus.
- Position typically expects 12+ years of mechanical design and product development experience in industrial equipment or machinery, with at least 5 years leading engineering teams; plastics processing auxiliary equipment, extrusion, or injection molding experience strongly preferred.
- Proven record of taking new products from concept through production launch using a stage-gate or phase-gate process.
- Strong hands-on mechanical design background, including sheet metal, weldments, castings, machined and molded parts, mechanisms, pneumatics, and heat transfer, airflow, or fluid systems.
- Strong working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, DFMEA, and design verification and validation; familiarity with 3D CAD and PDM/PLM systems sufficient to review designs and guide the team; FEA or simulation experience a plus.
- Demonstrated DFM/DFA, design-to-cost, and value engineering results; experience designing for in-house sheet metal fabrication a plus.
- Familiarity with electrical controls, PLCs, and machine safety standards (e.g., NFPA 79, UL 508A, CE Machinery Directive).
- Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop engineers and designers and to manage schedules, resources, budgets, and competing priorities in a cross-functional organization; working knowledge of ERP systems.
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, sound decision-making, and strong structured problem-solving (e.g., 8D, 5-Why, root cause analysis), with the ability to work effectively with customers, Product Management, and executive leadership.
- Ability to travel 10-15% of the time, including visits to customers, suppliers, trade shows, and Conair facilities, with occasional international travel.
Piovan Group is a world leader in the development and production of systems for the automation of production processes for the storage, transport and treatment of polymers, plastic, and food powders. The Group is close to its customers, on a global basis, through continuous technical assistance and support from the design phase to the installation and start-up of the system.
Customers, People, Innovation. These are the pillars of our philosophy that have led us to grow in a path that began more than fifty years ago, pursuing our development objectives with honesty, integrity, and transparency.
Piovan Group offers an outstanding compensation and benefits package including profit sharing, bonus plans, 401(k) with company match, medical insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, health club reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance, and employee referral bonus program.
Piovan Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and offers employment opportunities to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability (except where physical or mental abilities are a bona fide occupational requirement), veteran status, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, HIV-positive status, possession of the sickle cell trait, genetic characteristics, political views, and any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.