At Reach Robotics, our vision is to extend human reach into harsh environments. We do this through our innovative development and manufacturing of advanced subsea robotic manipulator arms and integrated control systems.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced
NPI (New Product Introduction) & Sustaining Engineering Lead
to provide technical leadership across the transition of new products from engineering development into production, as well as the ongoing improvement and support of released products.
This role provides a critical
technical interface between Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Service
, ensuring products are production-ready, thoroughly verified and validated, and continuously improved throughout their lifecycle.
The role will have primary responsibility for
NPI and sustaining technical activities
, supported by a small team of NPI / Sustaining Engineers, with a focus on high-performance
integrated electromechanical products
such as robotic manipulators, motor drive systems, control units, sensors and actuators.
You will work closely with Mechanical, Electrical/Electronics, Software, Production, Quality and Service teams to identify and resolve product and process issues and drive robust product releases.
Key Responsibilities
Engage early with Engineering during product development to establish
NPI, manufacturing, assembly, test requirements
, and assess manufacturing feasibility.
Lead NPI builds and associated
verification and validation (V&V;)
activities at both product and production-process levels.
Identify defects, design issues and manufacturing risks not identified during engineering development or prototyping, and lead structured
root-cause analysis and problem solving
.
Provide technical feedback to System and Design Engineers to improve product robustness, manufacturability, reliability and serviceability.
Lead NPI Engineers in developing and streamlining
manufacturing, assembly and test processes
, including jigs, fixtures, tooling and golden samples where required.
Lead preparation of NPI documentation including
BOMs, Work Instructions, inspection / QC requirements, test procedures and production documentation
.
Work with Production during pre-production builds to ensure a smooth
transfer and handover from Engineering to Manufacturing
.
Support production ramp-up from engineering builds through to full-scale production and commercial release.
Act as the
technical gatekeeper between Engineering and Manufacturing
, ensuring product and process readiness before production release.
Continuously improve the NPI framework, processes, gates and workflows.
Sustaining Engineering Lead
Lead investigation and resolution of design-related defects identified through
production, QC, RMA, field service and customer feedback
.
Perform structured
root-cause analysis (RCA)
and coordinate corrective actions across Engineering, Manufacturing,



Quality and Service.
Identify opportunities to improve
product
reliability, manufacturability, serviceability, cost and performance
across the product portfolio.
Support ongoing optimisation of
production processes
across released products.
Lead engineering changes and revisions through the
Engineering Change / ECN process
, ensuring appropriate technical assessment, documentation, verification and production implementation.
Ensure
lessons learned
from NPI, production and field performance are systematically fed back into product development and future NPI activities.
Technical & People Leadership
Provide technical leadership and direction to the NPI / Sustaining Engineering team, including planning, prioritisation, allocation of work and technical problem-solving.
Mentor engineers in NPI and sustaining practices.
Establish effective collaboration and communication between Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Service / Support teams.
Participate in and provide
NPI / production readiness representation at key design and milestone reviews
, ensuring manufacturing and sustaining considerations are appropriately addressed.
Develop and maintain NPI and sustaining engineering processes, standards, metrics and continuous improvement initiatives.
Background in
Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering
, with strong
3D CAD
capability, preferably using
SolidWorks
.
3-5+ years' experience in NPI, sustaining, product development or manufacturing engineering
, with demonstrated responsibility for taking finished products from engineering development into production and supporting them through their lifecycle.
Demonstrated ability to provide
technical leadership
and
guide engineers
through complex product and production issues.
Experience in NPI and productionisation of
complex hardware products
, including engineering builds, pre-production builds, production transfer, ramp-up and commercial release.
Proven experience with
integrated electromechanical products incorporating embedded electronics, motors, sensors, actuators and firmware/software
.
Strong experience in
technical problem-solving, fault investigation and RCA
, including defects identified during NPI, production and field service.
Experience developing and improving
manufacturing, assembly, inspection and functional test processes
.
Experience with
V&V; planning and execution
, including identification and resolution of product and process issues.
Experience managing




Engineering Change / ECN processes
and implementing product revisions into production.
Experience developing and maintaining manufacturing documentation including
BOMs, Work Instructions, inspection / QC requirements and test procedures
.
Strong understanding of
Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Test (DFT), reliability and serviceability
.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams, manufacturing, quality and service / support functions.
Solid technical communication, documentation and stakeholder management skills.
Desired (Nice to Have) Experience
Experience in
robotics, industrial automation, defence, aerospace, medical devices, automotive, drones, AGVs or other complex motion-control products
.
Experience with
robotic manipulators, motor drive systems or embedded control systems
.
Experience establishing or improving
NPI / production-readiness frameworks, stage-gate processes or engineering-to-manufacturing workflows
.
Experience implementing
lean / continuous improvement, Six Sigma or other structured problem-solving methodologies
.
Experience leading or mentoring a small engineering team.
What We're Looking For
A
technically strong product engineer / NPI leader
who understands what it takes to turn complex engineering prototypes into robust, repeatable and commercially ready products.
Someone who has worked with
complete integrated electromechanical systems
, rather than only standalone mechanical, electrical or software components.
A practical, hands-on
problem solver
who is comfortable getting close to the product, production line and test equipment to understand and resolve issues.
Someone who can effectively bridge the gap between
engineering intent and manufacturing reality
, while maintaining product performance, quality and reliability.
A leader who can provide clear
technical direction
to the
NPI / Sustaining team
while working collaboratively with multidisciplinary stakeholders.
Strong ownership mindset, with the ability to drive issues through to
root cause, corrective action and verified closure
.
Passionate about continuous improvement and building better
products, processes and engineering systems
.
Why you should join our team
Supportive and collaborative engineering environment.
Diverse and collaborative workplace culture.
Competitive salary based on experience.
Professional learning and development opportunities.
Role growth driven by your motivation, technical capability and leadership skills.
Opportunity to work on high-performance robotic systems operating in harsh environments.
Reach Robotics is an equal-opportunity employer. If you're passionate about tackling meaningful engineering challenges and making a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.
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📌 Npi & Sustaining Engineering Lead (New South Wales)
🏢 Reach Robotics
📍 New South Wales