Here at LionsBot, we are all one team, striving together for excellence.
We are seeking a highly skilled and organized Program Manager (NPI - New Product Introduction) to join our team and become an integral part of shaping our exciting journey in the development of our cleaning robots. You will lead the successful rollout of complex hardware products from engineering to mass production. This role serves as the key link between R&D, Production, Supply Chain, Service and Operations, ensuring every engineering change is fully implemented, documented, and traceable — with high product quality and operational readiness. The successful candidate is also expected and responsible for hands-on technical work, ensuring highest standards in reviewing team deliverables and maintaining structured progress updates for product and department heads.
What you will do
- Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) activities from design freeze through to full mass production.
- Manage and lead a small team to produce complete, controlled, and up-to-date manufacturing documentation including BOMs, work instructions, drawings, testing protocols, SOPs, and quality control plans.
- Track hardware build versions and maintain full traceability throughout the product lifecycle.
- Maintain a centralized product documentation database with a clear revision log across hardware version numbers from the pilot build stage
- Run and drive pilot/pre-production builds between Engineering/Production Teams to systematically uncover and resolve >95% of design or process issues prior to mass production
- Maintain a log and tracker of design updates required for scaling up production during DV and PV stages, inclusive of pre-SOP PFMEA
- Resolve production and potential ramp-up issues quickly using structured problem-solving and risk analysis methodologies such as: 8D, 5-Why, Fishbone, PFMEA, DMAIC, and Fault Tree Analysis.
- Orchestrate cross-functional collaboration between design, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, quality, service, and logistics teams to proactively identify and resolve issues
- Own and drive Engineering Change Management processes (ECO/ECN/ECR), ensuring timely alignment and coordination with all operational stakeholders.
- Ensure timely updates of interrelated documentation - spare part manuals, service manuals, user manuals, wiring diagrams, production work instructions, hardware revision logs, etc.
- Provide technical support and guidance to the production team during manufacturing, troubleshooting any design-related issues, minimizing disruptions and yield impact, ensuring successful product assembly post-ECNs
- Fully onboard suppliers and contract manufacturing (CM) partners, including PPAP, FAI, process qualifications, and production readiness prior to mass production.
What you will need
- Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
- 3–5 years experience in New Product Introduction, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Management or a related field
- Proven experience successfully bringing complex products (high mix, low-medium volume) from design to volume production
- Operations experience in rolling out hardware or robotic products is preferred
- Strong technical expertise in DFA, process engineering, and complex assembly operations (electronics, wiring, plastics, mechatronics, software integration and testing).
- Hands-on experience with supplier qualifications, PPAP, FAI, audits, and process capability assessments (preferred).
- Mastery of manufacturing documentation development and synchronization (BOMs, work instructions, SOPs, test protocols, control plans).
- Familiarity and experience from driving pilot builds and cross-functional build management.
- Working knowledge of change management systems (ECO, ECN, ECR processes).
- Expertise in manufacturing quality systems (ISO 9001, IATF 16949 preferred).
- Proficient in ERP and MES systems (such as SAP, ORACLE, or similar).
- Skilled in Excel / Google Sheets for analysis and reporting.
- Experience designing jigs, fixtures, utilizing rapid prototyping techniques for proof-of-concepts.
- Familiar with Solidworks Composer or wiring diagram software (such as E3, Eagle, or similar).
- Strong root cause analysis capabilities using multiple structured problem-solving methodologies.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills
- Ability to manage complex cross-functional relationships and drive alignment between engineering, operations, and suppliers.
- Excellent communication skills across both technical and non-technical teams.
- High ownership mentality with the ability to both delegate and execute hands-on when necessary.
- Comfortable working directly on the production floor to troubleshoot and validate manufacturing processes.
If you have a passion for product development, enjoy working with cross-functional teams, and have experience in the sectors we serve, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Our work environment is dynamic and collaborative, where you'll work alongside a team of experts who share your enthusiasm for building robots. Apply now and join our team that's shaping the future of cleaning robots!