Product Development & Engineering Lead — Smart / Mechanized Furniture

Product Development & Engineering Lead — Smart / Mechanized Furniture 📍 Remote / Global 📅 Type: Contract / Fractional / Milestone-Based 💰 Compensation: Limited Startup Base + Milestone / Performance Incentives About Us DanKen Industries is an early-stage product manufacturing company focused on developing luxury furniture, smart furniture, and mechanized furniture. Our product categories may include: - Smart beds and upholstered beds - Sofas and sectionals - Electric recliners - Home theater seating - Smart bedroom sets - Nightstands, dressers, and mirrors - Commercial and hospitality furniture We are especially focused on furniture that includes mechanized, electrical, and smart features, such as: - Electric recline systems - Linear actuators and motion mechanisms - Adjustable bed mechanisms - LED lighting - Bluetooth speakers / stereo systems - USB and Type-C charging - Wireless charging - Touch controls - Control panels - Wiring harnesses - Power supplies - Electric fireplaces - TV lifts - Smart mirrors - Heating, cooling, and other comfort features Role Overview We are looking for a Product Development & Engineering Lead with real experience designing and developing smart furniture, mechanized furniture, motion furniture, electric recliners, adjustable beds, or furniture with integrated electronics. This is not just a rendering or design role. We need someone who can help turn product ideas, reference images, 2D drawings, smart feature concepts, and rough specifications into real manufacturable furniture products. The right person should be able to help with: - Product concept development - Furniture structure and frame design - Mechanism and actuator engineering and design - Proper and efficient engineering of mechanism and component integration into furniture design and development - Electrical/electronic component planning - CAD models and 2D technical drawings - BOM development - Material and component selection - Supplier technical coordination - Prototype/sample planning - DFM / manufacturability review - Assembly logic and production-readiness planning Key Responsibilities The selected candidate should be able to support: - Developing smart/mechanized furniture from concept to sample readiness - Designing or reviewing frames, support structures, dimensions, hardware, foam, upholstery, and assembly logic - Engineering and designing mechanisms, actuators, motion systems, and component integration into furniture products - Properly and efficiently integrating electric recline systems, actuators, adjustable mechanisms, TV lifts, and other motion features into the furniture structure - Planning placement for LED lighting, Bluetooth speakers, USB/Type-C ports, wireless charging, control panels, wiring, power supplies, and smart components - Creating or coordinating CAD files, 2D drawings, exploded views, assembly drawings, cut lists, wiring layouts, component placement drawings, and technical specs - Building product BOMs with materials, mechanisms, electronics, hardware, upholstery, foam, packaging, suppliers, and estimated costs - Reviewing products for strength, comfort, durability, cost, manufacturability, serviceability, and safety - Helping identify technical risks before samples are built - Coordinating with suppliers, CAD designers, electrical engineers, mechanism suppliers, upholstery specialists, and manufacturing partners - Supporting prototype/sample-build planning, testing, revisions, and production-readiness checklists Initial Phase Objective We are still in the early product development stage and do not have finalized engineering packages in place. The goal is to build the first proper smart furniture development process and prepare for: - Initial product samples - Supplier validation - CAD and drawing packages - BOM development - Mechanism and electronics integration planning - Prototype/sample planning - Early production readiness We need someone who can help determine what technical information is missing, what drawings/specs are needed, which products should be developed first, and what specialists or suppliers may be required. Ideal Candidate Strong preference for someone with experience in: - Smart furniture or mechanized furniture - Electric recliners or motion furniture - Adjustable beds or lift mechanisms - Mechanism and actuator engineering and design - Proper and efficient mechanism/component integration into furniture design and development - Furniture with LED lighting, Bluetooth audio, USB charging, wireless charging, control panels, or wiring systems - Furniture product development - Upholstered furniture, sofas, sectionals, recliners, beds, or home theater seating - Mechanical design or product engineering - CAD modeling and 2D technical drawings - BOM development - Prototype/sample development - DFM / Design for Manufacturing - Supplier coordination and manufacturing readiness - China/global component sourcing or contract manufacturing support Preferred Deliverables Please include what you can provide, but we are especially interested in: - Smart furniture development roadmap - CAD models and/or CAD review - 2D manufacturing drawings - Product specification sheets - BOMs and cost breakdowns - Mechanism and actuator engineering/design plan - Mechanism and component integration plan - Electronics/component placement plan - Wiring layout guidance - Supplier technical requirements - Prototype/sample-build checklist - DFM and manufacturability review - Sample testing and revision checklist - Production-readiness checklist Compensation This is a new startup and the role will be virtual/remote-based starting out, so initial base compensation will be limited in the beginning. However, we are open to building a fair structure that rewards. To Apply Please include: - Relevant experience with smart, mechanized, or motion furniture - Examples of furniture/products you helped design, engineer, prototype, or prepare for production - CAD/software experience - Experience with mechanisms, actuators, electronics, wiring, LED lighting, Bluetooth audio, USB charging, or power systems - How you would help us develop the first smart furniture engineering process - Proposed deliverables - Preferred compensation structure We are looking for someone practical, technical, and hands-on — someone who can help turn smart furniture concepts into real products ready for samples, supplier validation, and production. Best regards, Daniel DanKen Industries