Principal Engineer, Product Development

The Principal Engineer, Product Development, will be responsible for developing best-in-class product enhancements that deliver superior functional performance and great value to their customers. The highest levels of product functionality, quality, and speed to market are critical components in the success of this role.
The Principal Engineer, Product Development will synchronize product initiatives with the marketing, global sourcing, and merchandising groups. Success will be measured relative to launching products to the market based on the development schedule. This role will review and approve product design, make detailed plans to accomplish goals, and direct the integration of technical activities. This includes analyzing technology, resource needs, market demand, and planning and assessing the feasibility of projects. Approximately 50% of the role will focus on the development of new products and 50% on sustaining, updating, customizing, and redesigning existing products.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Execute targeted development calendars to ensure that product processes ultimately achieve performance, quality, and time-to-market goals.
• Deliver best-in-class product features that increase top-line sales, reduce returns, and drive brand equity.
• Ensure compliance with core company values and consistently drive improvement while championing transparent collaboration with other key stakeholders in the business.
• Develop preventative action plans and catch-all processes to keep quality and performance levels consistent.
• Enhance existing product performance and quality to compete with market leaders.
• Identify market opportunities for new product development projects to drive larger market share.
• Confer with management, production, and marketing staff to discuss product/project specifications and procedures.
• Make detailed plans to accomplish goals and integrate technical activities.
• Analyze technology, resource needs, and market demand to plan and assess the feasibility of products/projects.
• Review and approve product design and changes.
• Assess current global development team, in-progress projects, the product roadmap, historical project delivery, tollgate process outcomes, and other products.

Scope

• Staff supervision and development: No
• Decision making: Provide data for decision support, Provide consultation or expert advice
• Travel: Up to 10%
• Flex Designation: Anywhere

Requirements

Education and Experience

Education Requirements

• BS Engineering or similar undergraduate degree.

Years of Experience

• 8-10 years of related product development experience including a solid understanding of testing

Skills

• Understands how Development Engineering fits in the manufacturing business (Quality, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Sales, and Marketing).
• Prefer product development experience with welding equipment
• standards and regulatory compliance standards: UL, CSA, ANSI, etc.
• Willingness to travel and work in China with excellent cultural sensitivity as well as genuine appreciation and respect for cultural differences
• Experience partnering with global development teams and a proven history of creating processes that deliver winning products to market
• A track record of successfully partnering with multiple cross functional key stakeholders, and ability to work in a highly collaborative environment
• Extensive problem solving experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience evaluating tools, offshore factories, and manufacturing processes in order to perform root cause analysis and implement sustainable solutions to improve product quality and performance

Physical Requirements
General office environment requiring ability to:

• Stand, walk, sit for extended periods of time.
• Speak and listen to others in person and over the phone and video conferencing. *Use keyboard and read from computer screen and reports.
• The ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to travel frequently within China to various supplier manufacturing sites.
• Ability to walk factory manufacturing operations and spend considerable time on the factory floor.

Safety

• Must be able to perform this job safely in accordance with standard operating procedures and good manufacturing practices, without endangering the health or safety of self or others.

About Harbor Freight Tools

We're a 45 year-old, $8 billion national tool retailer with the energy, enthusiasm, and growth potential of a start-up. We have over 1,600 stores in 48 states across the country and are opening several new locations every week. We offer our customers more than 7,000 tools and accessories, from hand tools and generators to air and power tools, from shop equipment to automotive tools. We provide our customers with the right tool for the right job at the right price, always delivering quality and value.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $136,900 – $205,200 depending on location, knowledge, skills, education and experience. This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. In addition, we offer comprehensive and competitive benefits to Associates (and their families) such as medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability. Eligible Associates are able to enroll in our company's 401k plan, as well as a deferred compensation plan. Associates will accrue paid time off up to 236 hours per year, (inclusive of PTO, floating holidays and paid holidays). Paid sick time up to 80 hours per year unless otherwise required by law.