Knowledge Analyst - Product Development

McKinsey & Company, Inc.; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company, Inc. seeks a cost-focused professional in the Product Development domain. You will work on cost estimation, teardown-based design optimization, and new product development projects, delivering value to client teams.

The role emphasizes onsite collaboration with consulting teams, knowledge creation, and cross-geography exposure to drive improvements in cost, time, and quality for client products.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree (Mechanical, Automobile, Electrical, Production, Electronics); MBA with Operations specialization is a plus.
• 1+ years of experience in should costing of parts or systems in OEM/Tier1 environments.
• Strong analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills to disaggregate costs and identify drivers.
• Proficient in reading engineering drawings and technical specifications.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes across OEM/Tier1/Tier2.

Responsibilities

• Assist in estimating product cost using clean sheet costing to design low-cost products.
• Rationalize product design based on teardown analyses and customer insights.
• Support new product development to reduce time, cost, and quality attributes.
• Contribute to development and maintenance of product development knowledge initiatives.

Skills

Analytical skills

Cost modeling

Reading drawings

Manufacturing knowledge

Team collaboration

English communication

Education

Engineering degree

MBA - Operations specialization (adv)

Job description

Do you want to do work that matters, alongside supportive leaders who will help you grow faster than you ever thought possible? Are you a creative problem-solver who is energized by challenges? You’ve come to the right place.

YOUR IMPACT

You will spend a significant part (~70% to 80%) of your time working onsite as part of consulting teams helping solve complex client problems in product development domain. Your work majorly includes (and is not limited to) helping client teams estimate product cost based on clean sheet costing (and hence design a low cost product), rationalizing product design based on competitive teardown analysis and customer insights, working on new product development arena reducing new product development time, cost and quality attributes, carrying on survey to understand improvement aspects of the organization to support an efficient and effective product development and improving thereof to build a sustainable capability for the R&D organization for clients, etc. The remaining time (~20% to 30%) will be spent on developing cutting-edge knowledge related to the Product Development (PD) domain and in delivering specialized remote services to clients. You will focus on product development & design across industries. You will be expected to work on various product development engagements, provide expert client service by way of clean sheet costing, cost saving ideas/lever identification, and product teardown analysis. You will also be required to support development and maintenance of various practice knowledge initiatives (build firm’s knowledge on product development related topics). This is a global role (cross geography, cross industry) and would work well for those who truly envision themselves growing into ‘experts’ within the PD domain.

YOUR GROWTH

Driving lasting impact and building long-term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward. In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we'll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues—at all levels—will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you'll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else. When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning:Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters:From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community:With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World-class benefits:On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Engineering degree (Mechanical, Automobile, Electrical, Production, Electronics). In addition to an Engineering degree, an MBA from a school with a specialization in Operations will be an added advantage
• 1+ years of experience in should costing of parts or systems under procurement / R&D functions at OEM or Tier 1 (systems suppliers); prior experience in a multi-national environment is desirable
• Strong analytical and quantitative problem-solving skills, including the ability to disaggregate complex cost structures, identify root causes and drivers, and propose optimization solutions
• Proven experience building or using bottom-up cost models; familiarity with research-based modeling (e.g., process parameters, cycle times, material utilization, yields) is highly valued
• Proficient in reading engineering drawings and technical specifications
• Knowledge of the manufacturing process of various categories (OEM/Tier1/Tier 2)
• Excellent problem-solving skills, including the ability to disaggregate issues, identify root causes and recommend solutions
• Flexibility, patience and understanding of fluid, demanding, and unstructured environments, where priorities evolve constantly, and methodologies are regularly challenged
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, interact effectively with members from all levels in McKinsey and client organizations, with strong communication skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills. Fluent in both written and spoken English

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

FOR NON-U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites.