Whisker, formerly known as AutoPets, 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 350+ passionate team members.

What You’ll Do:

The Value Engineer - Mechanical is responsible for championing Value Engineering (VE), productivity improvements, and reductions in material costs across Whisker products and processes.  The individual will be able to influence stakeholders in engineering, sourcing, operations, and manufacturing; and will require the ability to understand the impact of design, sourcing, and manufacturing changes on the cost of parts, products, and processes.

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.

• Supports engineering by reviewing existing products and processes to identify value engineering opportunities 
• Tracks and implements identified opportunities while maintaining or improving product functionality and integrity
• Applies engineering fundamentals and structured problem solving to enable top-notch engineering designs
• Works with production engineering to provide product design solutions to continually improve factory throughput
• Works with product development engineers and quality engineering to qualify new suppliers for existing products
• Leads cost reduction efforts on a continuous basis from a design perspective
• Engineering design lead for VE and new product development
• Develops and implements recommendations for improving efficiency and cost savings 
• Works as an active member of the team and ensures effective communication between colleagues and positively contributes regularly to meetings and briefings
• Will perform additional responsibilities when required 

What You’ll Bring:

• BS in Mechanical Engineering 
• 3+ years of experience in Mechanical or Mechatronic Engineering
• 1+ years experience with Injection Molded Plastics
• 1+ years experience with Electronics Packaging
• 1+ years experience with Motor-driven Mechanisms
• CAD experience with PTC Creo or similar systems
• Ability to read and understand design and manufacturing drawings
• Practical knowledge of Value Engineering (VE) techniques and strong financial awareness
• Strategic thinking skills and detail-oriented work habits
• Proven ability to be creative, agile, and detail oriented
• Maintains confidentiality of proprietary information
• Ability to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptions
• High degree of initiative, self-motivation and ability to motivate others
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleagues

Not Required but Nice to Have!

• Knowledge of GD&T
• Background in Consumer Product Manufacturing
• PTC Windchill or other PLM 
• Not required to have pets, but highly recommended!

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
• Life Insurance
• PTO
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• 401K with 4% Match
• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Top of the line equipment

Statement of Inclusivity:

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