Lead Product Development Engineer

Location: Belagavi, India (Aequs Facility)

Work Arrangement: Onsite 4 days/week

Job Type: Full-Time

Employment: While the day-to-day work location for this role is the Aequs premises in Belagavi, employment will be with Mattel Technology & Innovation Center (MTIC), Hyderabad. MTIC will manage all employee-related processes, including onboarding, payroll, benefits, and other HR-related services.

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard—when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Opportunity

Lead Product Development Engineer stationed out Belagavi, India. As Mattel looks to grow its global manufacturing footprint you will be part of the newest product development team in India. With a wide range of manufacturing vendors across India your role will be to be facilitate the product engineering pilots, debug and production support in conjunction with the contract manufacturing vendors in addition to supporting new product introduction development activities. This is a high visibility position with a high level of autonomy which will benefit from a proactive approach.

Responsibilities

Assist in the development, design and translation of product concepts to defined products/toys, including project management and resolving technical issues.; Effectively partner with upfront development teams to launch new or resourced products in OEM plants.; Drive debug, pilot & trouble shooting to assure products produced are meeting quality, cost & schedule.; Drive process control & production line efficiency, minimize scrap rate and maintain quality.; Identify value improvement and cost saving opportunities.; Apply manufacturing knowledge in plastics, assembly techniques, molding processes, and integration of electronics to deliver robust and scalable solutions.; Mentor and develop newer engineers, setting technical direction and reviewing designs to strengthen team expertise across mechanical and electro-mechanical domains.; Champion value engineering and quality assurance initiatives, ensuring products meet brand objectives, safety regulations, and consumer expectations.; Drive projects to meet business objectives on schedule.

Requirements

BA/BS degree or higher in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related discipline) preferred, or equivalent work experience.; 5+ years of relevant experience working in Product Engineering, Product Development or related field in toys or consumer products; Good written English and ability to communicate clearly with a global development team; Proven understanding of engineering principles, product lifecycle, and quality assurance.; Extensive knowledge of plastic materials, molding, tooling, decoration, electronics, and assembly processes.; CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, Creo) and simulation tools; Proven track record managing large, complex projects and collaborating with cross-functional teams.; Strong analytical and critical thinking mindset; Working knowledge of FEA. Able to read and understand results; Ability to positively interact and connect with a diverse group of individuals (e.g. Design, Marketing, Engineering, Model Makers, Manufacturing, Finance, Planning, etc.); Effective listening, influencing and problem-solving capabilities.; Good organization and multi-tasking skills; Travel required as needed International & Regional