Senior Product Design Engineer

Fellow; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee equity plan

Generous paid time off

401k with company contribution

Job summary

Fellow, based in San Francisco, seeks a Senior Product Design Engineer to lead the next generation of home appliances. You’ll own programs from concept through mass production, ensuring function, reliability, and user experience align with our design ethos.

You will collaborate with industrial design, electrical, software, and manufacturing teams, mentoring engineers and driving prototypes to production while meeting cost and timeline targets.

Qualifications

• Lead design projects from concept to mass production, ideally with connected home appliances.
• Deep mechanical engineering expertise with consumer hardware shipping experience.
• Expert in CAD platforms and managing large CAD databases.

Responsibilities

• Own CAD, analysis, simulation, and testing for from prototype to production.
• Collaborate with industrial design, engineering, operations to meet targets.
• Lead end-to-end design of consumer hardware like coffee makers and kettles.
• Mentor engineers, run design reviews, and direct external partners.
• Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Skills

CAD proficiency

Mechatronics

Thermal management

DFM (design for manufacturability)

Cross-functional leadership

Prototyping & testing

Strong communication

Evening collaboration with Asia

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

Onshape

Job description

About Fellow

We believe that the act of making should be meaningful and fulfilling, done with intention and precision. Fellow makes beautifully functional tools for any kitchen, designed in San Francisco and used around the world.

When the simple motions of life become small moments of joy, that’s Everyday Magic.™

This role is based in our office in San Francisco, CA and is required to have an in office presence. Availability for regular evening calls with team members and partners in Asia is required as well as occasional travel to these locations (once to twice a quarter).

Who You Are

Fellow is looking for a Senior Product Design Engineer to lead the engineering and design of our next generation of home appliances, including precision coffee makers, grinders and kettles. You’ll own programs from concept through mass production. You’ll make sure every product meets our standards for function, reliability and user experience, and carries the design appeal our customers expect.

A successful candidate will have deep mechanical engineering expertise and a track record of shipping consumer hardware at scale. This is a rare opportunity to shape the core of Fellow’s product lineup as we grow into new categories.

Reporting to the VP of Engineering, you’ll lead design programs and connect industrial design, electrical engineering, software, operations, suppliers and contract manufacturers. You’ll direct external partners, mentor other engineers, run design reviews and be the technical lead for our TPMs. You bring a clear point of view, a high engineering bar, and the operational instincts to get products from prototype to production on time, on budget and to spec.

This is a hands-on technical lead role. You’ll set the technical direction, and you’ll also roll up your sleeves to own CAD, analysis, simulation, calculations and testing yourself.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Product Design Process:

  • Hands-on ownership of product design and development activities: CAD, analysis, characterization, testing, prototyping, leading efforts related to preproduction builds to mass production.

  • Partner with industrial design, engineering and operations teams to ensure products meet quality, cost and timeline targets.

  • Oversee the end-to-end design and development of consumer hardware products, focusing on connected home appliances like coffee makers, kettles, and grinders.

  • Create detailed 3D models, CAD designs, and engineering drawings.

  • Perform sensor and system characterization

  • Perform calculations related to fluid mechanics, heat transfer, structures and mechanical power transmission, etc..

  • Perform material selections for challenging applications

  • Support regulatory compliance efforts

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure designs meet product specifications, technical requirements, and business goals.

• Innovation & Concept Development:

  • Lead the generation of new ideas, driving designs related to product functionality, and user experience.

• Prototype & Testing:

  • Utilize rapid prototyping to test design concepts and gather feedback.

  • Oversee testing for performance, durability, reliability and user interaction, ensuring product designs meet quality standards.

  • Iterate on designs based on feedback from internal stakeholders and external users.

• Mentorship & Team Leadership:

  • Provide technical leadership and guidance to the design team, mentoring other engineers and promoting a collaborative work environment.

  • Lead regular design reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members.

• Collaboration with Manufacturing:

  • Work closely with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure that designs are optimized for cost-effective production.

  • Oversee the design for manufacturability (DFM) process to minimize production issues and ensure a seamless transition from prototype to mass production.

• Project Management:

  • Work with TPMs to manage manufacturing partners and suppliers. Facilitate communication both internally and externally. Help determine priorities and objectives.

  • Work with TPMs to communicate project status, risks, and milestones to key stakeholders.

• Compliance & Documentation:

  • Ensure all product designs comply with relevant safety, regulatory, and industry standards.

  • Maintain comprehensive documentation throughout the design and development process.

• Work closely with the Hardware Engineering, Product Management and Program Management Office (PMO) to develop resource plans and program schedules.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design or a related field, or equivalent experience

• 7+ years of experience in product design and development, focused on consumer hardware

• Proven track record of leading design projects from concept to mass production, ideally with connected home appliances

• Expert in at least one major CAD platform (SolidWorks, Creo, NX or similar) and able to manage large CAD databases; Onshape experience strongly preferred

• Experience with tolerance analysis and creating detailed technical drawings using GD&T

• Hands-on experience with mechanism design and mechatronics, including selecting, qualifying and integrating sensors, actuators and valves

• Experience with heat transfer applications and thermal management

• Experience packaging electronics into consumer products

• Strong working knowledge of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, overmolding, LSR, compression molding, die casting, CNC machining, progressive die and deep-draw sheet metal, extrusion and hydroforming

• Experience with rapid prototyping, product testing and validation

• Solid grasp of the product development lifecycle, DFM principles and quality assurance practices

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple projects at once

• Excellent communicator who can influence and align teams, both internally and with external partners

• Driven and enthusiastic, and thrives in a fast-paced environment with evolving requirements

• Able to work evenings with partners in Asia

Preferred Skills

• Experience with connected devices (IoT) or smart appliances, including connectivity modules and embedded systems

• Knowledge of regulatory standards for consumer electronics

• Experience with sustainable and eco-friendly design principles

Why You’ll Love This Role

• A creative, fast-moving environment where ideas turn into action.

• Competitive compensation including employee equity plan

• Generous paid time off plan

• 401k with company contribution after 6 months of employment

• Medical/dental/vision insurance

• Better Yourself Wellness credit & Better Your Community donation matching

• Monthly Fitness Stipend

• Summer Fridays

• Paid Parental Leave

• Generous discount on Fellow products

• Best coffee anywhere

The salary range for this position is $190,000 - $210,000 base plus bonus & equity. We intentionally publish salary ranges to promote transparency and set clear expectations. Final compensation is determined based on a number of factors, including relevant experience, skills, expertise, scope of previous work, demonstrated impact, and internal equity. As a result, not every candidate will be hired at the top of the range.

Our highest goal at Fellow is creating a safe, inclusive, and rewarding environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and thrive. We are committed to building diverse teams and strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

Fellow is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.