Mechanical Engineering Manager

Company: Whisker
Location: Auburn Hills
Posted on: June 3, 2025

Job Description:

Description:

A high number of candidates may make applications for this position, so make sure to send your CV and application through as soon as possible.

Whisker is the maker of Litter-Robot, Feeder-Robot, and Litterbox.com. At Whisker, we believe pet parenthood can always get better.

As leading innovators in pet tech and refined pet accessories, we work tirelessly to solve problems and deliver smarter insights for pet parents while enriching the lives of pets. Whether it's a self-cleaning litter box that automates scooping, an automatic feeder that helps pets develop healthier eating habits, or a modern cat tree that delights both humans and felines, we strive to deliver better solutions for consumers while transforming pet care along the way. To us, having a pet is the best thing ever. At Whisker, life together just keeps getting better.

Whisker is based in Auburn Hills, Michigan and Juneau, Wisconsin with 700+ passionate team members. We work onsite 4+ days a week.

What You'll Do:

The Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the Whisker team of Mechanical Engineers in the design, development and launch of current and upcoming connected pet products. The Mechanical Engineering Manager will work with cross functional engineering teams to ensure cohesive product development and best in class mechanical design to drive the Whisker product roadmap.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.

Leads and manages a team of mechanical engineers through all phases of product development: concept, design, prototyping, testing, and production
Defines mechanical design strategies, processes, and best practices to meet product requirements, cost, and timeline goals
Responsible for both people management (development, coaching) and project escalation
Collaborates with cross-functional teams including industrial design, electrical engineering, manufacturing, and product management to develop robust, high-quality consumer products
Ensures the team delivers innovative, manufacturable, and reliable electro-mechanical product designs using appropriate materials, processes, and technologies (e.g., injection molding, die casting, CNC, etc.)
Ensures that programs are properly resourced (both staffing and skills required) with respect to hardware activities
Drives root-cause analysis and continuous improvement for mechanical-related issues in development and production
Ensures the team is using best practices of mechanical design
Manages and recommends professional training (informal and formal) where needs arise
Stays up to date with market trends and drives benchmarking studies
Will perform additional responsibilities when required
Requirements:

Leadership Responsibilities:

Directly supervises department Teams. Carries out supervisory responsibilities following Whisker policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, training, and hiring, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, addressing team issues, and upholding safety and quality guidelines.

What You'll Bring:

BS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or other relevant field and / or equivalent years of experience
10+ years experience in product design
5+ years experience managing a team of Mechanical Engineers
Experience overseeing and evaluating the design of durable consumer products from start to finish
6+ years experience with injection molded plastics, electronics packaging and motor-driven mechanisms
Experience with domestic and overseas manufacturing partners.
Proven ability to be a leader and motivate teams to be creative, agile, and detail oriented
Background in plastics product design
Familiar with top down modeling techniques, as well as surfacing
Has been involved in multiple successful new product introductions
Strong knowledge of DFM/DFA, GD&T, and materials commonly used in electronics (plastics, metals, thermal materials)
Proficient in PTC Creo
Maintains confidentiality of proprietary information
Ability to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptions
A high degree of initiative, self-motivation, and ability to motivate others
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleagues
Comfortable with office pets (cats, dogs)

Not Required but nice to have:

Experience with IoT connected devices and mechatronics.
Windchill PDM
Arena PLM

Benefits & Purrks:

Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the "why", and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow's pet products-plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with:

Premium Medical/Dental/Vision insurance
Paid parental leave
Whisker Parents Program
1 day "pawternity" leave for new pet adoption
Pet Insurance Discount
401K match
Flexible spending accounts
Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Generous paid time off
14 Paid Holidays
Top of the line equipment
Pet-friendly office
Whisker products and swag
Continuing education Support
On-site gym with Peloton
Referral program

Statement of Inclusivity:

We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

Please ensure to regularly check your email spam folder for any communication from Whisker to avoid missing important updates regarding your application status.

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Keywords: Whisker, Warren , Mechanical Engineering Manager, Engineering , Auburn Hills, Michigan