Product Design Engineer III

Watts Water; Menomonee Falls (WI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Watts Water seeks a senior Product Engineer to lead complex development initiatives and drive product improvements from concept through release. You will coordinate with product management and manufacturing teams to ensure robust, manufacturable designs that meet schedule and cost targets.

Ideal candidates bring 7+ years in mechanical engineering, strong CAD skills, and experience with electro-mechanical/plumbing systems, plus ability to mentor junior engineers in a matrix environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 7+ years of relevant engineering experience; experience with design/manufacturing of commercial plumbing, safety, washroom, electro-mechanical, or related products beneficial.
• Master's degree, PE registration, project management cert, or advanced credential beneficial.
• Advanced design with electro-mechanical/plumbing systems and manufacturing processes (sheet metal, casting, stamping, machining, injection molding, coating, assembly).
• Advanced CAD proficiency with SolidWorks/Siemens NX/Autodesk Inventor/AutoCAD.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage complex projects, and make timely technical decisions with minimal oversight.
• Proficiency interpreting laws/regulations/codes and ensuring product designs meet certification requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex new product development and sustaining engineering projects from concept to release.
• Develop robust designs that can be manufactured economically and on schedule.
• Define components, materials, and validate performance from specs and customer needs.
• Collaborate with Product Management to align projects with roadmaps and strategy.
• Provide technical leadership for risk reviews, DFMEAs, and design verifications.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Mechanical design

Product development

Design for manufacturability

Technical judgment

CAD proficiency

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree or PE beneficial

Tools

SolidWorks

Siemens NX

Autodesk Inventor

AutoCAD

Job description

We're Watts. Together, we're reimagining the future of water.

We feel proud every day about what we do. We're all part of the same crucial mission, no matter what function we support -- it's to provide safe, clean water for the world, and to protect our planet's most valuable resource.

What we do:

For 150 years, Watts has built best-in-class products that are trusted by customers in residential and commercial settings across the world. We are at the forefront of innovation, working with cutting-edge technology to provide smart and connected, sustainable water solutions for the future. Watts is a leading brand with a quality reputation - and we have a dynamic future ahead.

Scope of Position

This highly motivated individual, as part of the Product Engineering Team, will lead complex engineering projects in collaboration with other engineers, designers, cross-functional team members, project managers, and business leaders to execute product line maintenance, product improvement, cost reduction, compliance, and new product development initiatives. This level is intended for a senior engineer who leads and influences product strategy, technical direction, risk resolution, and cross-functional execution across multiple products, platforms, or major initiatives.

Career level differentiator: Leads and Influences

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead complex new product development, product improvement, cost reduction, compliance, special product, and sustaining engineering projects from concept through release.
• Develop robust designs for new, special, or existing products that can be manufactured economically and according to established project timelines.
• Work from product specifications, customer needs, regulatory requirements, and product roadmaps to design components and assemblies, specify materials, and validate product performance.
• Work closely with Product Management and business leaders to define, plan, and execute new and existing product projects in alignment with product roadmaps, portfolio priorities, and corporate strategy.
• Determine technical approaches for ambiguous engineering challenges and bring clarity, reasoning, alignment, and resolution to complex product and business issues.
• Lead or execute advanced engineering calculations, analysis, performance testing, tolerance analysis, and design verification activities.
• Lead cross-functional design reviews, DFMEAs, design verification planning and reporting, technical risk reviews, and corrective action efforts.
• Coordinate project workloads for designers, supporting engineers, lab resources, outside suppliers, and contracted services to achieve project objectives.
• Serve as technical authority and reviewer for assigned products, platforms, and major programs, including high-risk engineering changes and product release decisions.
• Provide advanced technical support to manufacturing, quality, supply chain, sales, technical service, compliance, and customer-facing teams.
• Explore new technologies, materials, components, and manufacturing methods and evaluate how they can integrate into existing or new Bradley products.
• Mentor Product Engineer I and II team members, designers, and project contributors; model disciplined engineering judgment and effective cross-functional leadership.
• Influence engineering standards, design practices, product documentation quality, and continuous improvement of product development processes.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or an equivalent technical discipline.
• 7+ years of relevant engineering experience preferred; experience with design and manufacturing of commercial plumbing, safety, washroom, electro-mechanical, or related products beneficial.
• Master's degree, professional engineering registration, project management certification, or advanced technical credential beneficial.
• Advanced design experience with electro-mechanical and plumbing systems and manufacturing processes including sheet metal fabrication, casting, stamping, machining, injection molding, coating, and assembly.
• Advanced ability to apply GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, material selection, design for manufacturability, regulatory knowledge, and product validation strategy.
• Advanced proficiency with CAD platforms and related vault or PDM systems such as SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor, or AutoCAD.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage complex projects, resolve ambiguity, and make timely technical decisions with minimal oversight.
• Proficiency with interpreting laws, regulations, codes, and industry standards and ensuring that product designs satisfy certification requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to quantify and balance product performance, quality, manufacturability, cost, schedule, risk, serviceability, and customer value.
• Strong technical judgment, mechanical aptitude, leadership presence, communication ability, and attention to detail.
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