---
title: 'Senior Mechanical Engineer at Chefman'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-chefman-mahwah-heraypswp0rn'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-29'
---

# Senior Mechanical Engineer at Chefman

- **Company:** Chefman
- **Location:** Mahwah, NJ
- **Compensation:** $120k–$140k
- **Posted:** 2026-01-19
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-29
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/chefman/jobs/4093644009

## Job description

We are seeking a highly skilled, self-motivated, and hands-on Senior Mechanical Engineer to join our Product Development team. The ideal candidate will be a proactive self-starter and CAD expert with proven experience taking consumer products from concept through production, including close collaboration with overseas factories in China. This role focuses on delivering manufacturable, high-quality, and cost-effective product designs across all development stages.

## Key Responsibilities

- Lead the mechanical design, development, and manufacturing of new and existing products.
- Own CAD modeling and detailed design, ensuring manufacturability, and alignment with product and industrial design intent.
- Collaborate closely with China-based factories, evaluating tooling, materials, and production processes while ensuring DFM best practices.
- Partner with Product Development, Industrial Design, and Electrical Engineering teams to drive innovation and resolve technical challenges.
- Work independently and proactively to move projects forward, maintaining ownership through all stages of the development cycle.
- Support all phases of the product lifecycle — from concept and prototyping to validation, pilot builds, and mass production.
- Evaluate and troubleshoot factory tooling and injection molding processes to improve yield and reduce costs.
- Conduct design validation and reliability testing, analyze results, and implement corrective actions.
- Investigate and resolve product quality issues, working closely with Quality, Compliance, and Legal teams.
- Participate in product safety and compliance reviews, including documentation and Intellectual Property (IP) assessments.

## Qualifications & Skills

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
- 8+ years of experience in mechanical engineering and product development, ideally in CPG, electronics, or durable goods.
- Advanced proficiency in CAD software (SolidWorks or equivalent) with a focus on precision and manufacturability.
- Direct experience collaborating with overseas factories, including tooling evaluation and production troubleshooting.
- Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.
- Self-starter with a hands-on, solutions-oriented approach and strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
- Familiarity with injection molding, metal stamping, and other high-volume manufacturing processes.
- Proven success managing projects through multiple development stages.

Salary Range (commensurate with experience) $120,000—$140,000 USD

## About Chefman

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Chefman is a leading North American brand of small kitchen appliances, designing and distributing products like air fryers, toaster ovens, and electric kettles, alongside its digitally connected smart appliance brand, CHEF iQ.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Privately Held)
- **Headquarters**: Mahwah, New Jersey, United States
- **Founded**: 2011
- **Founders**: Not publicly available (entity is RJ Brands, LLC)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Manufacturing, Consumer Electronics, Smart Home Appliances
- Target customers: B2C (home cooks and families), B2B (retailers and distributors)
- Mission or purpose statement: "To provide the world with innovative products that make everyday cooking a better experience." Vision: "To have every kitchen cooking with Chefman products."

## Products & Services
- **[Chefman Core Line]**: A full range of premium small kitchen appliances including electric kettles, air fryers, toaster ovens, cookware, and food processors. The company claims to be "America’s #1 brand of electric kettles."
- **[CHEF iQ Brand]**: Launched in 2020, an ecosystem of digitally connected kitchen appliances (smart cookers, probes) that use guided cooking experiences and an app to streamline food preparation. This represents a pivot toward IoT and smart home technology.
- **[Product Development Services]**: The company has an in-house engineering and design team that handles everything from firmware (Embedded Linux, BSP) to industrial design (SolidWorks, PTC Creo).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (Privately Held)
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of **$59.1 million** (as of 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: No public funding rounds reported (likely bootstrapped or funded via private debt/equity).
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 110 employees, up **12.5% year-over-year** (+18 people). Operating in 6 countries (US, Mexico, UK, China, Brazil, Finland). Recent opening of a manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, China. Strong online presence with 6,735 LinkedIn followers (+10.3% yearly growth).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Brand Dominance in a Niche**: Clear market leadership in electric kettles, providing a strong baseline for cross-selling other appliances.
- **In-House Technical Depth**: Unlike many consumer appliance brands that outsource everything, Chefman maintains a significant in-house engineering team (firmware, software, IoT) and a design department, allowing for rapid product iteration and smart product integration.
- **Dual-Brand Strategy**: The established "Chefman" brand for traditional appliances and the "CHEF iQ" brand for premium, connected smart appliances allow the company to target both value-conscious and tech-forward segments without diluting the core brand.

## Strategic Focus
- **Smart Appliance Ecosystem**: Heavy investment in the CHEF iQ brand and its connected cooking experience (app, guided recipes, IoT hardware).
- **Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Growth**: Active management of its website (Shopify) and digital marketing (TikTok, influencer/affiliate programs) suggests a push to reduce reliance on third-party retailers.
- **Global Manufacturing & Supply Chain**: The new factory in China indicates a focus on vertical integration and controlling the supply chain for cost and quality.
- **Engineering-Driven Innovation**: Hiring for roles like Senior Embedded Linux/BSP Engineer and Senior Firmware Engineer signals a commitment to building complex software-defined hardware.

## Why Work Here
- **Hands-On Engineering Culture**: For engineers, the role involves deep work on embedded systems, IoT, and firmware for physical products—offering a tangible sense of creation (e.g., testing a "Volcano Waffle Maker").
- **Rapid Innovation Cycle**: The company moves at the pace of a startup (small teams, 110 employees) but operates in the high-volume manufacturing world.
- **Hybrid/In-Office Policy**: Roles are explicitly "In-Office" in Mahwah, NJ, with "Typical time on-site: None" listed for some roles on Built In, indicating flexibility but a preference for in-person collaboration.
- **Perks & Benefits**: Offers healthcare (dental, vision, life insurance), 401(K), generous PTO, employee discounts on products, free snacks, and "customized development tracks" for promotion.
- **Employee Rating Caveat**: The company has a low employer rating (2.7/5.0 on LinkedIn from 82 reviews), with specific weaknesses noted in Compensation (2.6) and Culture (2.7). This is a significant caveat for prospective employees.

## Sources
1. [LinkedIn - Chefman & CHEF iQ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/chefman)
2. [Chefman Official Website - About Us](https://chefman.com/pages/about-us)
3. [Built In - Chefman Careers](https://builtin.com/company/chefman)
4. [Greenhouse - Jobs at Chefman](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/chefman)

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