Product Development Engineer

Crosslinked

Des Moines (IA)

On-site

USD 54,000 - 66,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Employee discount

Flexible spending account

Job summary

Putco Inc. designs and manufactures vehicle accessories and is seeking a hands-on Product Development Engineer to lead the technical development of products from initial requirements through production launch.

You will work with vehicles, prototypes, customers, suppliers, and the manufacturing team to ensure products perform as intended on the vehicle and on the production floor. This role requires a BS in engineering and strong CAD/GD&T skills.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
Strong 3D CAD and mechanical-design skills using SolidWorks or Creo.
Ability to create and interpret drawings, tolerances, GD&T, and specs.
Hands-on experience building, installing, testing, or troubleshooting products.
Clear communication with customers, suppliers, and manufacturing teams.

Responsibilities

Translate customer needs and OEM specs into engineering requirements.
Develop product concepts, 3D models, assemblies, drawings, and BOMs.
Design for performance, fitment, appearance, durability, cost, and manufacturability.
Evaluate materials, processes, tolerances, finishes, and packaging.
Lead design reviews with input from cross-functional teams.
Maintain schedules and engineering documentation.

Skills

3D CAD

GD&T

Mechanical design

Prototype testing

Project coordination

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

Job description

Crosslinked

Jobs/Thermoplastics/Product Development Engineer

Product Development Engineer

Putco Inc

Des Moines, IAtoday

$60k

Seniority Mid-level

Work On-site

Type Full-time

Degree BS

Industry Automotive

Role Product Development

Schedule Standard

Materials plasticssheet metalcoatings

Techniques 3D CADGD&TFEAtolerance analysis

Benefits

employee discountflexible spending account

Role details

Putco designs and manufactures innovative, vehicle-specific automotive and truck accessories for OEM and aftermarket customers. For more than 50 years, we have developed products that combine performance, quality, distinctive design, and practical installation.

We are seeking a hands‑on Product Development Engineer to lead the technical development of products from initial requirements through production launch. This is not a CAD-only position. You will work with vehicles, prototypes, customers, suppliers, and Putco’s manufacturing team to ensure products perform as intended both on the vehicle and on the production floor.

What You’ll Do

Translate customer needs, vehicle information, and OEM specifications into clear engineering requirements.
Develop product concepts, 3D models, assemblies, drawings, bills of materials, and technical specifications.
Design for performance, vehicle fitment, appearance, durability, cost, manufacturability, and ease of installation.
Evaluate materials, manufacturing processes, tolerances, finishes, attachment methods, clearances, and vehicle packaging.
Lead design reviews and incorporate input from customers, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and suppliers.
Maintain project schedules, engineering documentation, and design-change records.
Manage multiple development projects at different stages while identifying and communicating risks early.

Prototype, Test, and Validate

Develop prototypes and coordinate prototype fabrication.
Install and evaluate products on vehicles to verify fit, function, appearance, clearances, and installation.
Create or contribute to test and validation plans based on customer requirements and anticipated product use.
Conduct testing methodically, analyze results, document findings, and make design improvements.
Use engineering calculations, tolerance analysis, and simulation tools when appropriate.
Evaluate designs and samples against engineering, customer, quality, and manufacturing requirements.
Use production issues, warranty information, customer feedback, and test results to improve products and future design standards.
Investigate failures using structured root‑cause analysis and develop permanent corrective actions.

Support Manufacturing and Production Launch

Work directly with Putco’s manufacturing team during prototype builds, first runs, production trials, troubleshooting, and launch.
Design with tooling, fixtures, manufacturing processes, inspection methods, labor, quality, and production efficiency in mind.
Support the development and evaluation of tooling, fixtures, manufacturing processes, and inspection requirements.
Work with Purchasing, Quality, and suppliers to establish clear technical requirements for components, tooling, and finished products.
Review supplier designs, prototypes, tooling, samples, and first articles.
Help resolve technical, quality, and manufacturing issues before they affect production or the customer.
Follow products through validation, tooling, first articles, production trials, and successful launch.

Support Automotive OEM Programs

Work with OEM drawings, specifications, design requirements, validation standards, and program milestones.
Participate in customer design reviews and technical discussions.
Maintain accurate engineering deliverables and track open technical issues through resolution.
Own or contribute to engineering documents such as DFMEAs and DVP&Rs.
Support Quality and other departments with applicable APQP, PPAP, and engineering-change requirements.
Communicate technical concerns, schedule risks, and proposed solutions clearly and early.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant product-development experience.
Strong 3D CAD and mechanical-design skills using software such as SolidWorks, Creo, or a comparable system.
Ability to create and interpret engineering drawings, tolerances, GD&T, and technical specifications.
Understanding of mechanical design principles, materials, manufacturing processes, and design for manufacturability.
Hands‑on experience developing, building, installing, testing, or troubleshooting physical products.
Strong analytical and practical problem‑solving skills.
Ability to organize multiple projects, priorities, deadlines, and technical deliverables.
Ability to communicate technical information clearly to customers, suppliers, production employees, and other departments.
Willingness to work with vehicles, prototypes, tools, and manufacturing equipment in both engineering and plant‑floor environments.

Preferred Experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas is valuable but not required:

Automotive products or vehicle accessories
Automotive OEM development programs
APQP, PPAP, DFMEA, or DVP&R
Vehicle measurement, fitment, integration, or scan data
Complex 3D surfacing
Sheet‑metal fabrication, forming, machining, welding, extrusion, or plastics
Coatings, finishes, and automotive appearance requirements
LED lighting or automotive electrical products
FEA or other engineering‑analysis tools
Tooling and fixture development
Supplier product development
New Product Introduction and production launch
Additive manufacturing and 3D printing

What Success Looks Like

Understands the customer and product requirements before beginning the design.
Takes ownership of engineering activities and keeps projects moving.
Produces designs that work on the vehicle and can be manufactured consistently.
Identifies technical and schedule risks early.
Works effectively with customers, suppliers, Manufacturing, Quality, and Purchasing.
Uses testing, production experience, and field feedback to improve product designs.
Resolves problems through root‑cause analysis and permanent corrective action.
Maintains accurate drawings, specifications, validation records, and change documentation.
Follows products through successful production launch and continues supporting them throughout their lifecycle.

This is an opportunity for an engineer who wants to do more than design individual parts. You will develop complete products, work directly with automotive customers and manufacturing teams, solve real-world product challenges, and see your designs move from an initial concept to finished products on vehicles.

Pay: From $60,000.00 per year

Benefits