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Product Development Engineer

Department: Product

Report to: Director of Engineering

Location: In person Baltimore, MD HQ (with travel to factories/suppliers as needed)

Position Overview

LifeStraw is hiring a Product Development Engineer to own the technical design and engineering execution of new water filtration products, from working concept through mass production. This is a hands-on engineering role centered on creativity, CAD, DFM/DFA, BOM management, and supplier-facing technical problem-solving. The Product Development Engineer owns getting the design right and manufacturable.

The role reports to the Director of Engineering and is based at LifeStraw's Baltimore, MD headquarters. You will work daily with our lab engineer/researcher based in Hanoi, who leads validation and testing on your projects, and will travel to factories domestically and overseas as needed during key project phases such as tooling kickoff, pilot production, and line trials.

What You'll Be Doing - The Essentials

• Take product concepts from working-principle definition through CAD modeling and sketching (Creo, Catia, SolidWorks, or similar), prototyping, and design validation to production release.
• Own technical design decisions: FEA, material selection, tolerance stack-up, seal calculations, and thread analysis.
• Lead DFM/DFA/DFC reviews and translate findings into manufacturable design changes.
• Create and maintain BOMs, CAD releases, and change control (Promotion Requests, Engineering Change Notices) in Windchill.
• Build and release tooling and production tech packs (2D and 3D) for suppliers.
• Propose and validate technical solutions to concept, design, and manufacturing problems as they arise.
• Partner closely with the Product Manager at every milestone gate, providing technical input and staying tightly aligned on priorities and status.
• Partner closely with the lab engineer/researcher in Hanoi on proof-of-concept testing, validation plans, and design iteration based on lab findings.
• Work directly with domestic and overseas suppliers on RFQs, supplier qualification, tooling timelines, and Alpha/Beta/Golden sample reviews.
• Collaborate with industrial designers, sourcing, and factories to translate concepts into real, manufacturable products.
• Review and sign off on supplier submissions, including dimensional reports, PPAP, control plans, and work instructions.
• Support Quality with traceability requirements, defect definitions, and inspection criteria.
• Travel to factories and supplier sites, up to approximately 30% of the time, concentrated during key project phases (tooling, pilot production, line trials).
• Take on other Product department initiatives and priorities as needed.
• Commit to LifeStraw's core behaviors: Fighting for Good; Living, Working and Creating with Impact in Mind; Erring on the Side of Action; and Leaving Everything Better.
• Contribute to LifeStraw's impact on People and Planet, including local volunteering.

What We're Looking For

• Strong technical instincts, comfortable proposing and defending engineering solutions to concept, design, and production problems.
• Positive, hands-on attitude with an inquisitive, self-directed approach to problem-solving.
• Flexible and collaborative; works well with multiple, competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills for working closely with a remote lab/research partner and global suppliers.
• Confident self-starter who can drive technical decisions with minimal supervision.
• Cultural awareness and willingness to work across global time zones (Hanoi, Baltimore, and supplier locations).
• Strong data-gathering and analytical skills.
• Good sense of humor.

Experience and Education Profile

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or related field; Master's a plus.
• 3-5+ years of hands-on product design/development experience, from concept through mass production, ideally on physical/consumer products.
• Strong CAD proficiency (Creo, Catia, SolidWorks, or Fusion 360) including concept sketching and part/assembly modeling; Creo experience a plus.
• Experience with Windchill for BOM management, change control, and PDM workflows is a nice plus.
• Strong experience with plastic part design; hands-on injection molding experience is important.
• Familiarity with other manufacturing processes (extrusion, stamping, bonding, assembly) across materials such as plastic, silicone, steel, and glass is a plus.
• Proven track record working directly with domestic and international suppliers and factories, including supplier qualification and on-site support during tooling and production ramp-up.
• Experience collaborating with industrial designers to bring concepts to production-ready designs.
• Willing to travel to factories/suppliers, domestically and internationally, up to approximately 20 to 30% of the time, concentrated during key project phases.