Product Innovation Engineer (m/w/d) -Microwave & Oven Appliances

MERC, Stuttgart

Full-time

Permanent employee

65,000 - 110,000 € per year

Your responsibilities

1. European Market & Consumer Insight

Monitor European consumer trends, cooking habits, lifestyle changes and emerging product needs related to microwave and oven appliances.
Conduct market, competitor and technology analysis to identify opportunities for product innovation and differentiation.
Collect and translate feedback from European customers, consumers, retailers, Sales & Marketing teams and other market stakeholders into product requirements.
Identify unmet consumer needs and emerging trends and turn them into actionable innovation opportunities.
Benchmark competitors and best-in-class products across European markets.

2. Product Innovation & Concept Development

Lead and support the development of new product concepts for the European market, from initial ideation through concept validation.
Define product concepts, key features, value propositions and technical requirements based on market needs and business objectives.
Evaluate the technical feasibility, cost, competitiveness and potential customer value of new product ideas.
Identify and introduce new technologies, functions, materials and solutions that can enhance product performance, user experience and market differentiation.
Develop and maintain a forward-looking product innovation pipeline and contribute to the product roadmap for the European market.

3. Bridge Between Europe and Midea HQ

Act as the key technical and product innovation interface between European teams and Midea’s HQ R&D and product development organizations in China.
Translate European market requirements into clear and actionable technical/product requirements for HQ R&D teams.
Challenge and support HQ development proposals from a European market and consumer perspective.
Facilitate effective communication and alignment between European stakeholders and HQ throughout the product development process.
Ensure that European market requirements, regulatory considerations, user expectations and competitive positioning are properly reflected in product development.

4. Product Development & Innovation Projects

Lead or coordinate cross-functional product innovation projects from concept to launch.
Work closely with R&D engineering teams to assess technical solutions, prototypes and product performance.
Participate in design reviews, prototype evaluations, testing and product validation.
Provide technical and market input throughout the development process and ensure that key product requirements are achieved.
Identify potential technical or market risks at an early stage and drive appropriate solutions together with relevant teams.
Support successful transition from product development to mass production and market launch.

5. Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with Sales & Marketing, Product Management, R&D, Quality, Sourcing, Manufacturing and other functions to ensure successful product development.
Support product launch activities by providing technical and product knowledge to Sales & Marketing teams.
Represent MOA R&D/Product Innovation in customer meetings, product demonstrations, trade fairs and other relevant external activities when required.
Build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders across Europe and China.

Your profile

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Mechatronics, Product Design, Industrial Engineering or a related technical discipline.
10+ years of relevant professional experience in product development, R&D, product innovation, product management or engineering within the home appliance, consumer electronics or related industries.
Strong understanding of microwave ovens, ovens, cooking appliances or adjacent home appliance technologies.
Demonstrated experience in taking products from market insight / concept → development → validation → commercialization.
Strong understanding of European consumer needs, market trends and competitive product landscapes.
Proven ability to translate customer and market requirements into technical/product requirements.
Experience working with international R&D teams and/or global headquarters is highly preferred.
Strong project management and cross-functional coordination skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence technical and commercial stakeholders.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a customer- and innovation-oriented mindset.
Willingness to travel within Europe and occasionally to China.
Fluent English is required. German and/or Chinese language skills would be an advantage.

What we offer

The opportunity to play a key role in shaping the next generation of Microwave & Oven Appliances for the European market.
A highly international working environment connecting European market teams with Midea’s global R&D organization.
High visibility and direct exposure to both European market requirements and Midea HQ.
The opportunity to influence product strategy and innovation from the early concept stage through commercialization.
A dynamic environment with significant opportunities to develop and implement new technologies and product concepts.

About us

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME - With this slogan, Midea Group has been committed to enriching households and people's lives through innovative technologies and products for over 50 years. Through continuous development, Midea Group is now a global leading technology group in consumer electronics and air conditioning, robotics, industrial automation and logistics. Every day more than 190,000 employees from over 200 countries develop products and solutions for the world of tomorrow.

Midea Europe GmbH is a subsidiary of the Midea Group. With products of the brands Toshiba, Midea, Comfee we offer surprising solutions for our customers in Europe. Rapid growth, daily challenges and opportunities motivate our employees to help shape the Midea success story.