Job Description

Position: Product Development Manager - Headphones Location: Hyderabad, Telangana Employment Type: Full-Time
Contact @: admin@meretaudio.com

Company Overview

At Meret Audio, our philosophy revolves around marrying cutting-edge engineering with meticulous design to produce headphones, loudspeakers, and audio equipment that set new benchmarks for fidelity, comfort, and innovation. As part of our growth strategy, we are seeking a seasoned Product Development Manager to spearhead our headphone division and guide the creation of flagship models--wired, wireless, and noise-cancelling--that delight the most discerning listeners.

Position Summary

As the Product Development Manager for Headphones, you will lead cross-functional teams to conceptualize, develop, and launch category-defining headphone products. You'll interface with industrial design, electrical and mechanical engineering, acoustics specialists, firmware/DSP engineers, and marketing to ensure each headphone model exemplifies superior sound quality, ergonomic comfort, and modern feature sets (e.g., Bluetooth connectivity, active noise cancellation, high-resolution audio support). The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in headphone transducer engineering, acoustic enclosure design, electronic integration (ANC and wireless), and project management, with a passion for delivering world-class auditory experiences.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Roadmapping, Technical Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Define and maintain the headphone product roadmap in alignment with corporate objectives, market trends, and competitive analysis. Own the end-to-end product development lifecycle for headphone families (over-ear, on-ear, in-ear), from initial concept through production. Partner with industrial designers to ensure ergonomic factors--cup shape, headband pressure, ear-tip materials--balance comfort with acoustic isolation. Work closely with electrical engineers and DSP/firmware teams to implement features such as active noise cancellation (feedforward, feedback, hybrid topologies), adaptive EQ, transparency modes, and Bluetooth protocols (e.g., SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC). Coordinate mechanical engineering efforts to optimize housing materials (plastics, aluminum, composites), hinge mechanisms, swivel joints, and cable/band durability for both aesthetic and functional performance. Oversee acoustic tuning: select driver units (dynamic, planar magnetic, electrostatic) based on target performance (impedance, sensitivity, THD), model enclosure/backplate designs, and refine venting schemes for intended bass response and dispersion characteristics.

Prototyping & Testing

Manage rapid prototyping workflows: 3D-printing of enclosures, CNC milling for metal parts, custom tooling for driver assembly, and iterative fit-testing with mock-ups. Establish and supervise in-house and third-party acoustic measurement procedures: quasi-anechoic response sweeps, impedance and phase measurements, distortion analysis, latency testing, and SEAM (shielded electroacoustic microphone) verifications for ANC performance. Set up environmental and durability testing: drop tests, hinge fatigue cycles, sweat/corrosion resistance, and battery cycle life assessments for wireless models.

Supply Chain & Manufacturing Alignment

Collaborate with procurement and supply chain teams to qualify and onboard key suppliers for drivers, PCBs, microphones (for ANC and voice pickup), Bluetooth modules, batteries, cushions, and headband materials. Liaise with contract manufacturers (CMs) to develop efficient production methodologies, ensuring strict tolerances for driver placement, enclosure gasketing, and PCB assembly. Author comprehensive manufacturing documentation: Bills of Materials (BOMs), assembly drawings, Gerber files, mechanical tolerancing sheets, and QA checklists.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

Lead durability and reliability testing programs, including mechanical stress tests (hinge life, fatigue), environmental stress screening (temperature/humidity cycling), and electrical safety checks. Define Quality Gates and Production Acceptance Criteria (PAC) for pilot and mass-production units; review first-off build reports and enforce corrective actions. Oversee electrical safety checks per BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) requirements, including insulation resistance, earthing continuity, and over-current protection. Ensure all wireless headphone models obtain WPC (Wireless Planning & Coordination) approval under the Indian Radio Equipment Rules. Achieve BIS Certification (ISI mark) for electrical safety and any other relevant certifications.

Team & Project Management

Mentor and manage a multidisciplinary team of audio engineers, mechanical engineers, and firmware engineers; foster a collaborative culture focused on innovation and continuous improvement. Develop project plans with clear milestones (alpha prototypes, beta builds, tooling sign-off, pre-production, mass production), monitor budgets, allocate resources, and track progress using project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, or MS Project). Communicate status updates, risks, and mitigation strategies to senior leadership and stakeholders, ensuring alignment on go-to-market timelines.

Qualifications & Experience

Education:Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Acoustical Engineering, or equivalent required. Master's or Ph.D. in a related field (e.g., Audio Engineering, Acoustics, Applied Physics) is advantageous.

Professional Experience:5+ years of hands-on experience leading headphone or in-ear audio product development in a consumer electronics, professional audio, or specialty audio equipment company. Proven track record of multiple headphone product launches--covering wired, wireless (Bluetooth), and noise-cancelling architectures. Deep technical expertise in: Driver Technology: Familiarity with dynamic, planar magnetic, and/or electrostatic transducer design; knowledge of diaphragm materials (PET, Mylar, Beryllium-coated, etc.), magnet assembly (ferrite vs. neodymium), voice-coil thermal considerations, and acoustic suspension topologies. Acoustic Enclosure Design: Enclosure resonance control, cavity tuning, damping materials selection, and acoustic port/vent placement to achieve target low-frequency extension without boominess. Crossover and Filtering: For multi-driver in-ear or hybrid headphone designs, understanding of passive and active crossover topologies, high-pass/low-pass filters, and impedance matching for seamless blending. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Expertise in feedforward, feedback, and hybrid ANC systems; microphone array design; adaptive algorithms; and calibration processes to minimize latency and maximize attenuation across low-frequency bands. Wireless Audio Integration: Knowledge of Bluetooth SoCs, antenna design, RF certification processes, codec support (aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LDAC), Qualcomm QCC series, or similar chipsets. DSP & Firmware: Hands-on experience collaborating on firmware development for noise cancellation, adaptive EQ, and digital audio processing pipelines; proficiency with C/C++ and embedded system debugging tools. Strong familiarity with simulation and measurement tools: MATLAB/Simulink, COMSOL Multiphysics, Listen Inc. Soundcheck, Klippel Suite, Apollo Twin or similar DAW measurement setups, and Klippel's TDK-Lambda measurement rigs. Excellent understanding of mechanical CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent) for enclosure and component design. Demonstrated ability to drive cost-efficient designs without sacrificing performance--balancing BOM costs, yield optimization, and aesthetic requirements.

Preferred Skills & Attributes

Excellent leadership and mentoring capabilities; experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams. Outstanding project management skills: adept at creating detailed Gantt charts, managing risk registers, and meeting aggressive time-to-market deadlines. Proficient communication skills--both written and verbal--capable of translating complex technical concepts to marketing, sales, and executive stakeholders. Passion for high-fidelity audio and strong critical listening skills; regularly participate in listening evaluations to refine sonic tuning. Creative problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced environment and embraces continuous innovation. Exposure to user experience (UX) design considerations for headphones: intuitive controls, companion mobile apps, and voice assistant integration. International travel flexibility (up to 15-20%) to visit suppliers, contract manufacturers, and attend trade shows (e.g., CES, IFA, Audio Engineering Society conventions).

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: Highly competitive "Best in Industry" compensation package commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Bonus & Incentives: Eligibility for annual performance-based bonuses.

Professional Growth: Opportunities to collaborate with top acousticians, publish technical papers, and present at industry conferences.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From ?50,000.00 per month

Benefits:

Paid time off
Work Location: In person

Speak with the employer

+91 9030751188
Expected Start Date: 01/09/2025