New Product Development Manager

About WaterScience

Established in 2014, WaterScience focuses on enhancing the quality of non-drinking water used in bathing, washing, and cooking. Trusted daily by over 2 million consumers, the company offers a wide selection of shower and tap filters, water softeners, and hard-water solutions. Beginning in a modest Bangalore warehouse, WaterScience has grown to a team of more than 120 employees across six Indian cities. Their mission centers on raising industry standards in water filtration beyond drinking water, promoting healthier lifestyles and environmental sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end new product development process for water-care products including filters, faucets, softeners, and cartridges — from ideation, feasibility studies, and conceptual design through prototyping, validation, and commercial manufacturing launch.
• Ensure product designs emphasize manufacturability and ease of assembly to achieve reliable large-scale production within targeted cost frameworks.
• Collaborate with industrial design, research & development, and quality assurance teams to translate product requirement documents into detailed engineering drawings, bills of materials, and process specifications.
• Manage the entire product lifecycle through a structured stage-gate methodology, closely monitoring schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Develop and validate plastic components and injection molding tools (including single- and multi-cavity molds) for parts such as housings and fittings, overseeing mold trials and resolving production challenges like shrinkage or warpage.
• Select appropriate engineering polymers (such as ABS, PP, POM, PC) considering mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and safety for water contact.
• Source and develop high-precision metal machined parts from materials like brass, stainless steel, and aluminum, defining machining processes and tolerances while addressing quality issues with suppliers.
• Oversee surface treatment processes including painting, electroplating (chrome, nickel), PVD coating, and powder coating to ensure aesthetic quality and corrosion resistance, maintaining compliance with industry standards.
• Drive automation initiatives by identifying needs and collaborating with machine builders to design and implement special purpose machines and semi-automated fixtures that boost assembly, testing, leak inspection, and quality control throughput.
• Manage product cost structures from concept through production, applying Design-to-Cost and Value Engineering methodologies to uncover cost-saving opportunities in materials, tooling, and processes without compromising quality.
• Develop and maintain a network of reliable vendors and suppliers for molding, machining, plating, packaging, and components; conduct audits, assess capabilities, negotiate commercial terms, and lead supplier quality improvement programs.
• Maintain accurate, multi-level bills of materials ensuring part numbers, specifications, and revisions are up-to-date, managing engineering change notices and coordinating with production planning and procurement for seamless operations.
• Define rigorous product testing protocols covering flow rate, pressure resistance, filtration efficiency, durability, and water safety compliance; work closely with quality teams to ensure regulatory adherence and handle issue resolution through root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and development for a team of design engineers, project engineers, and technicians; establish clear objectives, conduct performance reviews, and enhance technical expertise within the team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, sales, supply chain, quality assurance, and customer service to align product launches with market demands and ensure robust post-launch support.
• Analyze market intelligence including sales trends, product performance metrics, retail and e-commerce channel dynamics, and consumer feedback to inform product improvements and strategic decisions.
• Contribute to commercial aspects such as pricing, packaging, and go-to-market strategies while benchmarking competitors and identifying emerging trends or gaps in the product category.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should have a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) or Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree in Plastics Technology, Production and Industrial Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering.