Product Development Manager

Summary

Join Caraway, a fast-growing home goods brand, as their Product Development Manager. You will play a key role in managing existing products, optimizing processes, reducing costs, and improving packaging and quality. This position requires research into new technologies, particularly in coatings development, and involves creating test plans and interpreting data. You will also support the development and launch of new products, collaborating with design agencies, internal teams, and overseas manufacturers. The role involves frequent communication with suppliers and the customer support team to address quality issues. This hybrid position requires 2-3 days per week in the Manhattan office and involves evening supplier calls and potential international travel.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in a mechanical, systems, or hardware engineering role. Experience in consumer products, particularly small home appliances, is a plus
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes
• Ability to participate in weekly evening calls between 8 PM EST - 11 PM EST
• Be able to assess, dissect, and draw concise conclusions from large data sets. Use data to guide decision making and drive discussions with suppliers
• Knowledge of prototyping processes and options. Has exposure to refining designs and iterating on prototypes through hands-on work. Can use CAD efficiently, but does not need to be an expert
• Superior organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload autonomously
• A love of details with strong aesthetic sensibility and an eye for design. Desire to always move fast while balancing speed versus expected deliverables
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Able to disseminate information in a clear and concise manner for internal and external audiences

Responsibilities

• Own product improvement initiatives encompassing research, test plan development, qualifications, validations, costing, implementation strategy, and more to properly test, validate, and incorporate advancements to core products
• Work with operations and CX to determine cut-in dates and lot tracking to validate product improvements in the field
• Conduct detailed technical assessments for existing and new product development, including outlining tests and experiments for suppliers, data analysis based on test results, providing alternative solutions to technical issues, etc
• Write detailed technical specifications and quotation packages for suppliers, including technical overviews, cosmetic and quality requirements, product requirements, and other details
• Meet with design firms and internal stakeholders to discuss products in development and provide feedback on design and concept direction with regards to pricing concerns and feature set requirements
• Work hand-in-hand with the Caraway Product, CX, and Operations teams to establish priorities, collect customer data for top quality issue drivers, communicate with factories to resolve quality issues, and establish new guidelines for quality control
• Be able to conduct tests on product samples in order to assess performance and associated customer impacts. Communicate improvements and action plans to suppliers
• Own end-to-end new product development, from market & product research, competitive analysis, timeline development, design, sourcing, costing and packaging, and pricing from ideation through launch

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with overseas manufacturers for new product development with hands-on exposure in factory environments strongly preferred

Benefits

• Equity: We believe in our product and that the sky's the limit for where our business is going. You are an asset to Caraway’s success and we think you should be rewarded for it
• 401k: A 3% company match to help you plan for for your future
• Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental + vision coverage options with generous employer contributions + access to FSA/HSA/Dependent Care FSA’s
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, depending on tenure, and access to additional fertility care services via KindBody
• A Setup that works for you:: From MacBook to PC, we’ve got you covered. Let us know what you prefer and we’ll get your at-home set up stocked!
• Elevate your Workspace: Annual reimbursements for you to elevate your workspace , from standing desks to desktop succulents, you got it!
• Fully Remote: Need to pick up the kids? No problem. Have a doctor’s appointment? Enjoy! Flexibility when you need it most
• Coworking Reimbursement: Need a break from the home setting? Monthly reimbursements for you to get out of the house and work from anywhere. From day passes, to monthly memberships, the world is your oyster, we mean office
• Events + Swag: Connection is top of mind (Yes, even in our completely remote environment). We have monthly virtual events, company wide offsites, and many opportunities for new Caraway swag!
• Leveling Up with Caraway: In addition to exciting opportunities and exposure in your day-to-day work, we offer annual reimbursements to all full-time employees to support their professional development aspirations!
• #AwayFromCaraway: We believe healthy, happy humans do better work. We offer unlimited PTO in addition to our 11+ paid annual holidays and quarterly wellness days
• Wellness Reimbursement: Monthly reimbursements for you to stay well . From meal services to gym memberships to monthly massages, we want our team to have the flexibility to choose what wellness means for them
• Employee Discount: We provide an employee discount on all Caraway Home products so you can continue to level up your kitchen and home life, too!
• Home Upgrade(s): Complimentary product as a new hire + continuous to expand your Caraway Home collection