Product consultant - Kitchen & Electronics Wiesner Products Inc. New York, NY Job Details Full-time | Contract 16 hours ago Qualifications Construction site experience Full Job Description Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Product Consultant for Kitchen & Electronics to support the development and expansion of our small domestic appliance business. This individual will serve as a technical and sourcing expert, partnering closely with our Product Development, Sales, Design, Sourcing, and overseas teams to guide products from initial concept and factory sourcing through testing, certification, production, and shipment. The ideal candidate has significant experience developing small kitchen appliances for the U.S. retail market , with a strong understanding of China-based manufacturing, product construction and functionality, U.S. testing and certification requirements, quality standards, and cost engineering. This role is particularly important as we expand into the kitchen electrics category and will provide technical expertise, supplier guidance, and industry knowledge to help establish scalable product development and sourcing processes. Key Responsibilities Product Development & Technical Expertise Provide technical guidance throughout the development of small kitchen appliances, from initial concept through production. Evaluate product construction, components, materials, motors, heating elements, controls, electronics, and other internal mechanisms to ensure products are appropriately engineered for their intended use. Review product specifications and supplier proposals to identify potential performance, safety, quality, or manufacturing concerns. Help establish appropriate performance specifications and testing protocols for individual appliance categories. Evaluate prototypes and samples for functionality, performance, durability, usability, and overall product quality. Troubleshoot product performance or engineering issues with factories and recommend practical solutions. Benchmark competitive products to understand construction, functionality, performance, features, and potential opportunities for cost or product improvement. Advise the team on when supplier-proposed specifications or construction may create unnecessary cost versus when investments are necessary for safety, performance, or durability. China Sourcing & Supplier Evaluation Identify and evaluate qualified manufacturers in China specializing in small domestic appliances. Leverage existing factory relationships and industry knowledge where appropriate to expand the company's supplier base. Assess factories based on technical capabilities, category specialization, U.S. export experience, certifications, quality systems, production capacity, pricing, and reliability. Help distinguish experienced direct manufacturers from trading companies or intermediaries when evaluating new suppliers. Review factory quotations and BOM/component specifications to help determine whether pricing is competitive and technically appropriate. Support cost engineering and value-engineering initiatives without compromising safety, regulatory compliance, or product performance. Work closely with overseas sourcing and product development teams during supplier selection, sampling, testing, and production. Participate in factory visits and supplier evaluations in China as needed. Testing, Compliance & Certification Serve as a subject-matter resource regarding U.S. regulatory, safety, testing, and certification requirements for small domestic appliances. Guide the team in determining applicable requirements based on individual product categories, construction, electrical specifications, and intended use. Possess strong working knowledge of relevant requirements and standards, including UL/ETL safety certification, FCC requirements, FDA requirements where applicable, California Proposition 65, and other federal or state requirements affecting small appliances. Work with factories and third-party testing laboratories to establish appropriate testing and certification plans. Review testing reports and certification documentation and identify potential gaps before production. Understand differences between existing factory certifications and certifications/listings that may need to be obtained or updated for specific products, brands, components, or constructions. Help establish internal compliance checkpoints so regulatory and certification requirements are considered early in development rather than immediately prior to shipment. Quality & Production Support Help establish product-specific quality standards, inspection criteria, and performance expectations. Review pre-production and production samples and identify potential reliability or manufacturing concerns. Advise on appropriate reliability, life-cycle, performance, and abuse testing based on product category. Partner with factories and quality teams to investigate product failures, customer complaints, or testing issues and identify root causes. Recommend corrective actions and engineering changes when necessary. Help establish best practices for product specifications, technical documentation, testing records, and compliance documentation. Cross-Functional Partnership Partner closely with Sales and Product Development to determine whether proposed products are technically feasible at target retail and cost requirements. Translate complex technical information into clear recommendations for non-engineering team members. Work effectively with overseas development, sourcing, engineering, and quality teams. Provide technical input during retailer presentations or customer discussions when needed. Educate internal teams on appliance construction, terminology, testing requirements, sourcing considerations, and category-specific development risks. Help develop a repeatable product development process as the company's kitchen electrics business grows. Preferred Experience & Qualifications 8-10+ years of experience in small domestic appliances, kitchen electrics, consumer electronics, or a closely related product category. Significant hands-on experience developing and sourcing small kitchen appliances from China for the U.S. market. Strong network and knowledge of established appliance manufacturing regions and suppliers in China. Demonstrated experience working directly with appliance factories, engineers, sourcing teams, testing laboratories, and quality teams. Strong understanding of electrical appliance construction, components, functionality, performance, and common failure points. Working knowledge of U.S. appliance safety, regulatory, testing, and certification requirements. Experience working with UL, ETL/Intertek, SGS, TÜV, Bureau Veritas, or similar testing and certification organizations preferred. Experience reviewing technical specifications, test reports, BOMs, factory quotations, and product certification documentation. Strong understanding of cost engineering and the relationship between product specifications, component selection, manufacturing cost, and performance. Experience developing products for major U.S. retailers strongly preferred. Experience across multiple small appliance categories is highly desirable. Relevant Product Categories Experience in several of the following categories is preferred: Electric kettles, personal and countertop blenders, immersion blenders, hand mixers, food choppers/processors, juicers, rice cookers, air fryers, ice makers, sandwich/panini makers, coffee-related appliances, and other countertop kitchen electrics. Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate combines the mindset of a product developer, sourcing expert, and technical appliance specialist . This person should be comfortable opening up a product and understanding how and why it works, discussing engineering and component decisions with a Chinese factory, evaluating whether a supplier is technically capable of producing a reliable product, and explaining those considerations clearly to a commercial team. We are looking for someone who can not only identify problems but also recommend practical, commercially viable solutions. Because this is a growing category for our organization, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to help establish the supplier network, technical standards, compliance processes, and product development practices that will support the long-term growth of the business. Engagement Structure This position may initially be structured as a consulting/contract engagement , with scope and hours determined based on experience and business needs. The consultant should be available to support ongoing product development, supplier evaluation, technical reviews, and troubleshooting, with travel to China and/or testing facilities as needed.

Location:

On-site at NY office

Compensation:

Up to $10,000 per project (Negotiable based on the potential)

Job Types:

Full-time, Contract Experience:

Kitchen & Electronics:

8 years (Required) Ability to

Commute:

New York, NY 10018 (Required)

Work Location:

In person