JOB PURPOSE Lead Engineer – Product Development & Innovation will serve as the R&D; Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for the Cookware and Pressure Cooker categories under the Nirlep brand. The individual will partner closely with Marketing, Materials Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Manufacturing and OEM/ODM partners to identify product opportunities, define technical requirements, evaluate concepts, guide product development, drive validation and ensure successful commercialization of new products.
The role will own technical decision-making throughout the NPD lifecycle and provide engineering direction to OEM partners for achieving desired product performance, quality, reliability, cost and consumer experience targets. The individual will also be responsible for identifying emerging technologies, materials, coatings and claim opportunities that can create competitive differentiation for the Nirlep portfolio.

Technical Support in NPD planning
Act as the primary R&D; interface for Marketing for Cookware and Pressure Cooker categories.
Participate in product concept reviews and define target specifications, performance criteria and cost objectives.
Provide technical recommendations to Marketing teams during product strategy and portfolio planning discussions.
Support business case development through technical feasibility, risk and competitive assessments.
Define engineering requirements, CTQs (Critical to Quality characteristics) and performance targets.
Review and approve product concepts, specifications, engineering proposals, drawings and design changes submitted by OEMs.
Challenge and improve OEM designs from perspectives of performance, reliability, manufacturability, safety, consumer experience and cost competitiveness.
Ensure final products meet Nirlep brand standards and quality expectations.




Support value engineering and cost optimization initiatives without compromising performance or quality.

Technology integration/Scouting, Materials Innovation integration & Claim Development and Cost Excellence
Partner with Materials Engineering, Advanced Development teams and technology partners to identify differentiated product opportunities.
Benchmark leading domestic and global brands to identify innovation and cost opportunities and future product platforms.
Develop and substantiate consumer-relevant claims related to performance, durability, safety and cooking experience.
Recommend cutting-edge claims in alignment with Nirlep brand strategy

Review validation results, identify technical risks and drive corrective actions with OEM partners.
Provide tech input in pilot production, manufacturing readiness and successful product commercialization.
Ensure compliance with applicable safety, quality and regulatory requirements.

BE/B. Tech – Mechanical or relevant engineering discipline
Postgraduate qualification in Engineering or Management

WORK EXPERIENCE

~10–15 years of experience in Product Development.

Mandatory experience in both:
Six Sigma BB, AI generalist training will be added advantage

Experience in new product development and lifecycle projects

Internal: R&D;, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance/Commercial/Marketing
Suppliers (FG and Components), testing labs, prototype labs

Knowledge of cookware materials, coatings and manufacturing processes.
Strong understanding of consumer requirements, product performance and category trends.
Product benchmarking and competitive analysis.

NPD process management.
Design-to-Value and cost optimization.

Product validation planning.
DFMEA and risk management.
Root Cause Analysis.
Statistical interpretation and data-driven decision making.
Compliance and regulatory awareness .

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