Mechanical Engineering Manager

Description :

Whisker is the maker of Litter-Robot, Feeder-Robot, and Litterbox.com. At Whisker, we believe pet parenthood can always get better.

As leading innovators in pet tech and refined pet accessories, we work tirelessly to solve problems and deliver smarter insights for pet parents while enriching the lives of pets. Whether it’s a self-cleaning litter box that automates scooping, an automatic feeder that helps pets develop healthier eating habits, or a modern cat tree that delights both humans and felines, we strive to deliver better solutions for consumers while transforming pet care along the way. To us, having a pet is the best thing ever. At Whisker, life together just keeps getting better.

Whisker is based in Auburn Hills, Michigan and Juneau, Wisconsin with 700+ passionate team members. We work onsite 4+ days a week.

What You’ll Do :

The Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the Whisker team of Mechanical Engineers in the design, development and launch of current and upcoming connected pet products. The Mechanical Engineering Manager will work with cross functional engineering teams to ensure cohesive product development and best in class mechanical design to drive the Whisker product roadmap.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.

Leads and manages a team of mechanical engineers through all phases of product development : concept, design, prototyping, testing, and production

Defines mechanical design strategies, processes, and best practices to meet product requirements, cost, and timeline goals

Responsible for both people management (development, coaching) and project escalation

Collaborates with cross-functional teams including industrial design, electrical engineering, manufacturing, and product management to develop robust, high-quality consumer products

Ensures the team delivers innovative, manufacturable, and reliable electro-mechanical product designs using appropriate materials, processes, and technologies (e.g., injection molding, die casting, CNC, etc.)

Ensures that programs are properly resourced (both staffing and skills required) with respect to hardware activities

Drives root-cause analysis and continuous improvement for mechanical-related issues in development and production

Ensures the team is using best practices of mechanical design

Manages and recommends professional training (informal and formal) where needs arise

Stays up to date with market trends and drives benchmarking studies

Will perform additional responsibilities when required

Requirements :

Leadership Responsibilities :

Directly supervises department Teams. Carries out supervisory responsibilities following Whisker policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, training, and hiring, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, addressing team issues, and upholding safety and quality guidelines.

What You’ll Bring :

BS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or other relevant field and / or equivalent years of experience

10+ years experience in product design

5+ years experience managing a team of Mechanical Engineers

Experience overseeing and evaluating the design of durable consumer products from start to finish

6+ years experience with injection molded plastics, electronics packaging and motor-driven mechanisms

Experience with domestic and overseas manufacturing partners.

Proven ability to be a leader and motivate teams to be creative, agile, and detail oriented

Background in plastics product design

Familiar with top down modeling techniques, as well as surfacing

Has been involved in multiple successful new product introductions

Strong knowledge of DFM / DFA, GD&T, and materials commonly used in electronics (plastics, metals, thermal materials)

Proficient in PTC Creo

Maintains confidentiality of proprietary information

Ability to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptions

A high degree of initiative, self-motivation, and ability to motivate others

Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleagues

Comfortable with office pets (cats, dogs)

Not Required but nice to have :

Experience with IoT connected devices and mechatronics.

Windchill PDM

Arena PLM

Benefits & Purrks :

Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the “why”, and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow’s pet products—plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with :

Premium Medical / Dental / Vision insurance

Paid parental leave

Whisker Parents Program

1 day "pawternity" leave for new pet adoption

Pet Insurance Discount

401K match

Flexible spending accounts

Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Generous paid time off

14 Paid Holidays

Top of the line equipment

Pet-friendly office

Whisker products and swag

Continuing education Support

On-site gym with Peloton

Referral program

Statement of Inclusivity :

We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

Please ensure to regularly check your email spam folder for any communication from Whisker to avoid missing important updates regarding your application status.

#onsite1