Product Designer - Research & Development

Job Summary
The Product Designer will be a key member of the Product Design team, responsible for developing innovative products—primarily rigid plastic goods—from concept through commercialization. This role also supports continuous product improvement initiatives focused on performance, manufacturability, quality, and cost optimization.

The successful candidate has a background in plastics, mechanical or manufacturing engineering, with extensive knowledge and experience in CAD and plastic part design. Specifically, experience working with various types of plastics molding and metal fabrication methods. The ideal candidate demonstrates creativity, curiosity, and a passion for developing innovative products.
This is primarily an on-site position based in Mississauga, Ontario, requiring presence at the facility 5 days per week.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Product Design Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Support Project Leaders by generating studies and concept sketches and CAD models for the purpose of understanding, communicating or overcoming technical issues.
• Generate innovative solutions to problems that resolve issues on projects as well as open potential avenues to new products, patents and cost savings.
• Execute engineering calculations for mechanical and/or fluid dynamic related subjects for design ideation and validation purposes.
• Analyze and provide data necessary for CAE studies such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Mold Flow Analysis, and optimize designs based on results.
• Creation of production ready CAD models and drawings for tooling, primarily for injection moulds, review plastic parts and help troubleshoot.
• Creation of rapid prototypes using 3D printing equipment for design validation.
• Keep abreast of advancements in product design and plastic goods manufacturing technologies.
• Design and perform experiments and tests to validate product design. Generate written reports.
• Conduct design reviews with internal and external stakeholders, to identify challenges and offer solutions.
• Creation of timelines for product development activities.
• Vendor interaction, quote requests and purchase order submittals.
• Attend project meetings, liaise with product management and operation team members to obtain scope and product specifications.
• Review and ensure product complies with applicable codes and standards, stipulate inspection standards.
• Identify the best materials and manufacturing methods to meet the performance requirements of our products.
• Ensures accurate execution of assignments related to Engineering Change Requests (ECR) and provide responses within a predetermined time frame.
• Understands and follows existing policies, procedures, work instructions and standards and makes recommendations for continuous improvements.
• Maintain work area in a clean, safe manner. Adhere to all health and safety rules outlined by the employee handbook and individual manufacturing facility.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Plastics Engineering.
• 3–5 years of product development experience in plastics manufacturing.
• Advanced knowledge of injection molding processes.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks CAD modeling and assemblies.
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
• Experience developing production-ready drawings and technical documentation.
• Strong communication and project coordination skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Extrusion process knowledge.
• Injection mold design experience.
• Experience with SolidWorks PDM.
• Experience using ANSYS, SolidWorks Simulation, CFX, or Fluent.
• Experience with Moldex3D.
• Knowledge of plumbing industry standards and regulatory requirements

The compensation for this position is between $64, 800 and $81, 000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

IPEX is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and, upon request, will work with qualified job applicants to provide suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability. Accommodation requests are available to candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process for IPEX jobs. To request an accommodation, please contact HR at [email protected]