NPI Manager

Q-Free; Trondheim; Hybrid; NOK 1,200,000 - 1,700,000; Full time

Job summary

Q-Free in Trondheim seeks an experienced New Product Introduction (NPI) Manager to lead the industrialisation of complex electronics for roadside tolling products. You will own production architecture, test philosophy and ensure smooth handover from R&D to serial production.

In this senior role you collaborate with R&D, Supply Chain and external EMS partners, guiding design-for-manufacturing decisions, defining production lines and test setups, and travelling occasionally to partners in

Qualifications

• Solid foundation in electronic hardware engineering with industrialisation and production experience.
• Degree in electronics, electrical engineering, automation or related field.
• Strong English; Norwegian is a strong advantage for collaboration with partners.
• Experience leading technical tracks in development or industrialisation projects.
• Understanding of manufacturability, testability, production robustness and lifecycle cost.
• Experience with manufacturing partners, EMS environments or production lines.

Responsibilities

• Lead NPI activities from design freeze to ramp-up and volume production.
• Own the technical industrialisation track in development projects.
• Design, establish and qualify new production lines at EMS partners.
• Define and follow up test strategies and production quality.
• Collaborate with R&D on design-for-manufacturing and design-for-test.
• Act as technical owner and main interface towards EMS partners.
• Coordinate technical activities across internal teams and external partners.

Skills

Electronic hardware engineering

Industrialisation experience

Production

Test engineering

Education

Electronics/Electrical Engineering degree

Job description

Q-Free is a global leader in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). For more than four decades, we have developed technology that improves traffic flow, enhances road safety, reduces emissions, and enables secure, large-scale mobility systems worldwide. Our solutions combine advanced electronics, hardware, software, and systems that operate as payment-critical infrastructure in demanding environments across the globe.

To strengthen our Supply Chain organization within the Tolling Systems business area, we are now looking for a New Product Introduction (NPI) Manager with strong technical competence and experience from industrialisation of complex electronics.

In this senior role, you will have an overall responsibility for successful introduction of new products into production and act as a key technical interface between R&D, Supply Chain and our external manufacturing partners. Based in Trondheim, you will work closely with Q-Free’s R&D organisation where our electronics products are designed and developed, and together with a skilled team of HW and SW engineers you will define, develop and own the overall industrialisation and production architecture for our products – from architecture and test philosophy to stable, high-quality serial production.

Responsibilities | Your Role at Q-Free

As NPI Manager, you will be part of the Supply Chain team in Trondheim, working at the intersection of electronics design, industrialisation and manufacturing strategy.

The team is responsible for industrialization and continuous production of all roadside and on-board tolling products. This includes new product introductions (NPI), definition and ownership of production architecture, test strategy and processes, as well as continuous improvement of released products and production lines across our manufacturing partners.

In this senior role you will have an end-to-end responsibility for successful transition of new products from R&D into stable serial production. You will act as a key technical authority and interface between R&D, Supply Chain and our two external electronics manufacturing partners, with particular focus on architectural choices, manufacturability, test concepts and long-term production robustness.

Based in Trondheim, you will work closely with Q‑Free’s R&D organisation where our electronics products are designed and developed and take an active role in shaping how products are industrialised, tested and produced.

The role requires a strong hands‑on understanding of electronic hardware, production processes and test setups, combined with the ability to take ownership of complex technical decisions and drive alignment across multiple stakeholders.

You will report to the Supply Chain Manager Tolling Industrialization and Production, with clear technical ownership of industrialisation and production architecture decisions.

Occasional travel to production partners in Singapore and Norway is part of the role.

In addition to the tasks and responsibilities described above, some of the key responsibilities include:

Lead NPI activities technically from design freeze through ramp‑up and volume production.

Own the technical industrialisation track in development projects, ensuring that products are ready for stable and efficient production.

Design, establish and qualify new production lines at EMS partners, including equipment, test setups and production flow.

Define and follow up test strategies, production tests and production quality in close collaboration with R&D and manufacturing partners.

Contribute actively in technical discussions related to hardware, production testing and troubleshooting of products and test setups.

Work closely with R&D on design‑for‑manufacturing and design‑for‑test throughout product development.

Act as technical owner and main technical interface towards EMS partners for selected products.

Contribute to development and improvement of hardware and test solutions used in production.

Collaborate closely with R&D, Supply Chain and Quality to ensure smooth handover into production.

Coordinate technical activities across internal teams and external partners to ensure alignment and progress in industrialisation projects.

Qualifications | What We're Looking For

The most important capacity you bring to this role is a solid foundation in electronic hardware engineering combined with extensive experience from industrialisation, production, test engineering, or closely related technical roles. You have worked hands‑on with hardware moving from development into production and are comfortable taking technical ownership across disciplines.

You should have a degree in electronics, electrical engineering, automation, or a closely related field, providing a solid understanding of electronic circuits, hardware design and production constraints. Equivalent practical experience may compensate for formal education.

The role requires strong communication skills in English; Norwegian is a strong advantage, particularly in collaboration with local production partners and internal stakeholders.

We further believe you check off on most of the following points:

Solid experience with electronics industrialisation and an interest in how production lines, test setups and processes are designed and established.

Experience leading or owning technical tracks in development or industrialisation projects, with responsibility beyond pure execution.

A good understanding of how design choices impact manufacturability, testability, production robustness and long‑term lifecycle cost.

Experience working closely with manufacturing partners, EMS environments or production lines.

The ability to take technical ownership and make sound trade‑offs, without needing to be the deepest specialist in every detail.

An understanding of change handling, documentation and quality aspects as part of taking products into and through production.

It is an advantage if you also have:

Experience with test development, production test systems or HW/SW test integration.

Background from low‑volume / high‑complexity electronics products, or products produced in multiple variants.

Familiarity with quality systems, traceability, or regulated / high‑reliability production environments.

Who You Are As a Person

You take clear ownership of your work and are comfortable being accountable for technical decisions. You bring structure to complex problems and are able to balance hands‑on involvement with a broader, long‑term perspective. You communicate clearly and work effectively across organisational boundaries with engineers, production partners and cross‑functional teams.

You enjoy collaborating closely with both R&D and manufacturing, and you are motivated by turning advanced electronics into robust, repeatable and efficient production solutions. You are pragmatic, able to make decisions based on imperfect information, and confidently discuss technical topics related to hardware, production and testing with experienced engineers and partners.

You see value in building production concepts, test strategies and processes that make everyday work more predictable and scalable — and are motivated by seeing your decisions result in reliable products used around the world.

Is Q-Free Right For You?

If you are motivated by turning advanced technology into reliable, real-world products, Q-Free offers an environment where your work truly matters. You will join a company where technical depth, collaboration, and ownership are valued, and where small, dedicated teams play a critical role in delivering payment‑critical and safety‑critical systems worldwide. If you enjoy working close to both engineering and production, taking responsibility, and contributing to solutions with real societal impact, you may be a great fit for Q-Free.

What we offer

A key role in bringing advanced, society‑critical technology from development into real‑world operation.

Close collaboration with skilled colleagues across R&D, test, production, and supply chain.

Direct involvement with manufacturing partners and insight into the full product lifecycle.

A work environment characterized by trust, openness, and short decision paths.

Flexibility in how you structure your work, within a supportive and professional framework.