New Product Insights Development Engineer

About the role

The NPI Market Development Engineer in the Abrasive Systems Division will lead Voice of Technology work to define and validate new growth spaces by uncovering unarticulated unmet customer needs. This role strengthens ASD’s insight‑led NPI pipeline by translating market, customer, competitive, and technology signals into qualified opportunity areas.

Key responsibilities

• Lead global Voice of Market discovery by engaging customers, application engineers, technology experts, and industry participants to uncover unmet needs and emerging application opportunities.
• Define and prioritize technology‑enabled market spaces using customer insights, market trends, competitive dynamics, IP landscapes, manufacturing considerations, and AI‑supported analysis.
• Identify and shape a balanced opportunity pipeline across adjacent and emerging growth spaces, focusing on significant NPI opportunities.
• Partner with product, technical, and application teams to develop, test, and validate opportunity hypotheses, value propositions, target applications, and technical solution fit.
• Translate complex technical, customer, and market inputs into clear opportunity narratives that connect customer value and commercial potential with technology capabilities.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution (completed before start).
• At least seven years of combined experience in technical, engineering product, customer‑facing market development, strategy, customer insights, sales, or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across functions, simplify complex analysis, and deliver clear recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Experience working in a global matrix organization with curiosity, resilience, and comfort navigating ambiguity.

Required skills

• AI‑enabled analysis tools for market insight synthesis.
• Patent search, literature review, and competitive analysis techniques.
• Technology white‑space assessment and IP landscape evaluation.
• Knowledge of abrasives, industrial markets, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience with NPI processes, front‑end innovation, and lean‑startup principles.

What we offer

• Competitive total‑cash compensation ranging from $164,612 to $201,193 per year, including variable incentive pay.
• Comprehensive benefits package (medical, dental, vision, retirement, flexible spending accounts, etc.).
• Potential relocation assistance.
• Up to 20% domestic/international travel.
• On‑site work at the 3M Center in Maplewood, MN (minimum four days per week).