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Product Developer Job Description

Man holding a blackboard written product development

Product Developers are employed in various industries to develop and design industrial and consumer products. The products range from healthcare devices to home goods to vehicles. Thus, a Product Developer should have extensive knowledge about industrial and engineering design principles.

Let’s dive deep into the job title meaning.

What is a Product Developer?

A Product Developer is a professional in charge of analyzing marketing opportunities and gaps and creating products to attend to consumer needs and problems. They work with the marketing and sales department along with engineers to develop products.

They use analysis, software, research methodologies to find consumer insights, transform them into product features, and work with the marketing department to communicate the benefits to the target audience. They analyze opportunities to launch competitive products.

Product Developer conducts thorough research to develop a strategic proposal and then supervise the whole designing process. In addition to creating new products, they are responsible for improving the existing products.

A successful Product Developer should be familiar with the prototype design process. Also, they should have excellent verbal communication and written skills. Consequently, an experienced Product Developer is expected to possess the problem-solving ability, highly innovative, and ability to work with the team. 

What does a Product Developer do?

The product developers are the ones who develop products within the assigned timelines and budget and make updates when the business changes, working together with the Project Manager to execute and coordinate different product developments and management activities.

The product developer creates process improvements to make productivity and quality of the product, aiming for the continuous and smooth operation of his area in relationship with other related areas.

In terms of innovation, they communicate new concepts and product ideas with the manager and prepare product features and design specifications. They ensure that the final product attends to the consumer’s requirements, solves their current problems, and even surprises them.  

Product Developer Job Description

The Product Developer will be responsible for developing new products based on consumer insights. The ideal candidate will be in charge of developing new products based on consumer research and improving and updating existing products.

We are looking for a candidate with a background in market and consumer research, design, and engineering, along with the ability to express her/his ideas clearly and concisely.

She/He will support and provide feature ideas for the design and prototype process. The ideal candidate for the Product Developer position is a go-getter who recognizes opportunities and is willing to make the most of them.

Product Developer Job Responsibilities:

  • Work in collaboration with the design and engineering teams to develop innovative ideas while also improving upon colleagues’ ideas.
  • Understanding, analyzing, and presenting consumer insights to update existing products to keep the line up competitive, extending their product life cycle, and increasing sales and profitability.
  • Work together with the marketing research department to develop focus groups, observational studies, and quantitative analysis to identify consumer problems and needs, test concepts, and evaluate prototypes.
  • Interacting with consumers and clients to better understand their demands to develop a product that perfectly solves the problem they’ve been facing.
  • Transform consumer needs into product benefits and product specifications to ensure that the company keeps attending to consumer needs within the target product cost to provide a competitive retail price.
  • Support and follow up on prototypes’ development to ensure Design and Engineer areas have a successful result.
  • Consult and analyze relevant data from the industry. Collaborate with the sales team to ensure that the product idea and prices are viable and above competitor product features.
  • Maintaining the perfect balance between the designing, management, and the collaborative aspect of the job by working within a team to meet deadlines.
  • Collaborate with Design and Engineer teams to accomplish the product development on time and with high-quality standards.
  • Identify and report manufacturing challenges and issues that arise during the design and development phase of the product.
  • Working in partnership with the manufacturers and designers to make the product idea come to life organized.
  • Determining product specifications, helping creating manuals, packaging, and support material for the marketing and sales teams.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

  • Solid design and engineering knowledge and the understanding of how components of a product and materials work in tandem both aesthetically and functionally.
  • Having a knack for coming up with creative ideas is necessary for coming up with product design and ideas.
  • Effective problem-solving skills to ensure a quick response whenever an issue arises regarding the product design and development.
  • Willingness to work within a team’s confines and outside of it while conceptualizing and coming up with unique designs.
  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, engineering, industrial design, or a related field.
  • Proven prior experience of working with product development and product management.

Position reports to:

  • Product Director
  • Product Manager
  • Product Marketing Director
  • Product Marketing Manager

How much does a Product Developer make?

Based on an average of seven job search/salary research websites, the starting salary of a Product Developers is $41,557/year in the USA, while the median salary is $67,797, and the higher paid ones make $93,695.

In Conclusion

Product Developers have a significant role to play in small or large businesses. They improve existing products and develop new products to meet the consumer’s requirements. Furthermore, they collaborate with the manufacturing, marketing, engineers, and designers during the product development process.

Thus, a Product Developer connects engineering, design, and business skills to develop products to meet production and market requirements.

This job description sample will help you create a job application to attract the best-qualified candidates for the role. Feel free to copy, alter, and use this outline for you and your company’s hiring purposes and goals. Do not duplicate this content as an article on the Internet.

Make sure you send your comments and needs for whatever improvements you suggest to this Product Developer job description. Also, let us know if you need help on any other similar job posting, and we will post it here as soon as possible.

Skills Required

Business Intelligence, Customer Service, Global Marketing, Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Niche Marketing, Product Marketing
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