Technical Product Development Manager

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions Ltd; Hemel Hempstead; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits

Job summary

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions Ltd in Hemel Hempstead is seeking a technically strong Technical Product Development Manager to own the technical direction of a range of consumer electronic products. The role sits between engineering, product development and supplier collaboration, with hands-on work and China-based partners.

You will review designs with factory engineers, translate research into product direction, and drive innovation and improvements across the product range.

Qualifications

• Background in electronics, hardware engineering, or technical product development.
• Ability to understand and challenge engineering decisions.
• Strong analytical mindset and curiosity for how technology works.
• Experience working with manufacturing partners or hardware suppliers.
• Ability to translate technical research into product direction.
• Strong experience developing products with Chinese OEM/ODM manufacturers and working with factory engineers.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical product roadmap.
• Review and challenge supplier electronic designs, schematics, and system architectures.
• Validate new product ideas through technical research, engineering analysis, and testing.
• Work closely with suppliers to push technical performance and innovation.
• Drive continuous improvement of existing products through component optimisation and design changes.
• Translate scientific research, technical papers, and patents into engineering targets and product improvements.
• Build test rigs to validate LED output, power systems, battery performance, and other parameters.
• Analyse customer feedback and reviews to identify product improvement opportunities.
• Define product specifications and technical requirements for suppliers.
• Support marketing teams by translating technical capabilities into clear consumer benefits.

Skills

Electronics

Hardware engineering

Product development

Engineering collaboration

Technical leadership

Chinese OEM/ODM experience

Job description

Role: Technical Product Development Manager - Consumer Electronic Products

Location: Hemel Hempstead - this is an office-based role.

Salary: Up to £55,000 + Benefits

KO2's client is seeking a technically strong Technical Product Development Manager to take ownership of the technical direction and evolution of a range of commercial electronic products.

This role sits between engineering, product development, and supplier collaboration. You will act as the internal technical authority when working with external manufacturing partners, reviewing designs, challenging engineering decisions, and ensuring products deliver industry-leading performance.

This position is ideal for someone who understands electronics and hardware development, but is equally motivated by product innovation, research, competitor analysis, and translating technology into successful consumer products.

Some travel will be required to partners in China, our client need someone who is genuinely hands on in product development, ideally with a strong electronics / hardware background and good experience developing physical consumer Products with Chinese factories.

You will need to be able to work directly with factory engineers, challenge technical solutions, review samples, solve problems and help get Products properly across the line into production. The role will cover both developing new Products and improving / problem solving their existing product range

Key Responsibilities

• Own the technical product roadmap
• Review and challenge supplier electronic designs, schematics, and system architectures
• Validate new product ideas through technical research, engineering analysis, and testing
• Work closely with suppliers to push technical performance and innovation
• Drive continuous improvement of existing products through component optimisation and design changes
• Translate scientific research, technical papers, and patents into engineering targets and product improvements
• Build test rigs to validate LED output, power systems, battery performance, and other parameters
• Analyse customer feedback and reviews to identify product improvement opportunities
• Define product specifications and technical requirements for suppliers
• Support marketing teams by translating technical capabilities into clear consumer benefits

Experience & Skills

• Background in electronics, hardware engineering, or technical product development
• Ability to understand and challenge engineering decisions
• Strong analytical mindset and curiosity for how technology works
• Experience working with manufacturing partners or hardware suppliers
• Ability to translate technical research into product direction
• Strong experience developing Products with Chinese OEM / ODM manufacturers and working directly with factory engineers.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working between engineering and product leadership. You should feel comfortable discussing technical challenges with engineers while also considering how products succeed in the consumer market.

The role requires curiosity, experimentation, and continuous improvement, with a focus on analysing technology, challenging assumptions, and working with suppliers to achieve better outcomes.