Product Development Engineer - AI-Enabled Innovation

Freudenberg; Plymouth Charter Township (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Freudenberg is seeking a hands-on Mechanical/Mechatronics Engineer to drive the development of new products from concept to prototype validation. You will translate customer needs into technical requirements and execute design work that balances performance, manufacturability, and cost.

Collaboration across materials, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and commercial teams is essential to deliver robust solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical/ mechatronics/ robotics engineering.
• 5+ years in product development or related engineering function.
• Experience leading products from concept to validation and proficiency in 3D CAD and data-driven decision making.
• Exposure to coding, automation, and digital engineering workflows a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of new products from concept through prototype validation.
• Translate customer needs into technical requirements and concepts.
• Design, model, prototype, test, and refine products using sound engineering principles.
• Define validation plans and verify performance with lab teams.
• Collaborate with materials, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and commercial teams to ensure robust, manufacturable designs.
• Leverage digital engineering tools to accelerate design iterations.
• Manage technical projects and communicate results to stakeholders.

Skills

3D CAD

Python

AI-enabled engineering tools

Data-driven decision making

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Robotics Engineering

Tools

3D CAD

Python

AI tools

Engineering analysis software

Job description

Working at Freudenberg: We will wow your world!

Responsibilities

Lead the development of new products from concept through prototype validation, applying structured engineering and innovation methodologies. Translate customer needs and market opportunities into technical requirements, product concepts, and differentiated engineering solutions. Design, model, prototype, test, and refine products and systems using sound engineering principles and data-driven decision making. Define and execute validation plans, collaborating with laboratory and technical teams to verify product performance and reliability. Partner with materials, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and commercial teams to ensure designs are robust, manufacturable, and cost-effective. Leverage digital engineering tools, coding, automation, and AI-assisted workflows to improve productivity, accelerate design iterations, and enhance engineering outcomes. Manage technical projects, risks, and deliverables while effectively communicating recommendations and results to customers, leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Robotics Engineering, or a related engineering discipline. 5+ years of experience in product development, new product engineering, mechanical design, or a related engineering function.

Demonstrated success leading products from concept through design, prototyping, testing and validation. Strong proficiency with 3D CAD, engineering analysis, technical documentation, and product development processes. Solid understanding of engineering fundamentals, problem solving, design trade-offs, tolerance analysis, root cause investigation, and data-driven decision making.

Experience working in a manufacturing environment and collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop innovative products. Exposure to coding, engineering automation, Python, AI-enabled engineering tools, or digital engineering workflows, with a passion for leveraging emerging technologies to improve engineering effectiveness.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

About Freudenberg

Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership Welcome to Freudenberg Without Freudenberg, indoor air would not be as clean, cars would not drive and wounds would not heal as quickly. And these are just three examples from thousands of our applications. Working at Freudenberg: "We will wow your world!" This is our promise. As a global technology group, we not only make the world cleaner, healthier and more comfortable, but also offer our 51,000 employees a networked and diverse environment where everyone can thrive individually. Be surprised and experience your own wow moments.