New Product Development Manager Jobs in California
New Product Development Manager jobs in California concentrate heavily in consumer electronics, medical devices, biotechnology, and enterprise software, reflecting the state's deep manufacturing and innovation base. The largest hiring metros are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where anchored employers such as Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and Qualcomm consistently recruit new product development managers across mid-level and director-level roles. Cross-functional leadership and experience guiding products from concept through launch are the most in-demand specialties in California listings. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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- Sunnyvale, CA, United States
- Not Remote
- Manufacturing & Operations
- JOB214238
Company Description
It started with a simple idea: what if surgery could be less invasive and recovery less painful? Nearly 30 years later, that question still fuels everything we do at Intuitive. As a global leader in robotic-assisted surgery and minimally invasive care, our technologies—like the da Vinci surgical system and Ion—have transformed how care is delivered for millions of patients worldwide.
We’re a team of engineers, clinicians, and innovators united by one purpose: to make surgery smarter, safer, and more human. Every day, our work helps care teams perform with greater precision and patients recover faster, improving outcomes around the world.
The problems we solve demand creativity, rigor, and collaboration. The work is challenging, but deeply meaningful—because every improvement we make has the potential to change a life.
If you’re ready to contribute to something bigger than yourself and help transform the future of healthcare, you’ll find your purpose here.
Job Description
Primary Function of Position
This role drives enterprise level quality outcomes by leading strategic initiatives, shaping quality practices, and influencing decisions across business units. The Staff QE operates with broad autonomy and is recognized as a technical and leadership authority.
Essential Job Duties
Leads initiatives that change how quality is executed across multiples BUs or sites
Establishes standards, frameworks, or methodologies adopted beyond local teams
Serves as escalation owner for high impact product quality & compliance risks
Leadership of critical product, process investigations and audits.
Indentification, execution and advise on strategic quality projects with company wide impact.
Ownership of quality investigations for complaints and non-conformances.
Author, review, and approve QA documentation, protocols
Leadership of critical CAPAs
Serves as subject matter expert in critical audits.
Analyze and interpret advanced quality data and KPI trends.
Mentor junior and senior engineers in technical expertise.
Ensure compliance with company and regulatory standards (GMP, ISO, FDA). Provides industry expertise.
Advise cross-functional teams on quality requirements.
Indentification and ownership of continuous improvement projects.
Design Control and Risk Management Stewardship: Planning and execution of design controls, risk management, and
design verification/validation for new products
o Advocate product design history file and ensure compliance with internal processes and external standards and
regulations.
o Understand user needs and assure they are translated to the design, while ensuring compliance with usability
and human factors standards and regulations.
o Partner with engineering to define design inputs, design outputs, and traceability matrices.
o Contribute to the strategy and execution of risk-based design verification and validation.
o Accountable for overall risk management file: participate and support the development of product risk
management file, to analyze and assess the product risks associated with user, design, process and supplier.
Support design controls activities associated with new product development. Advocate and ensure the transfer of
reliable and scalable designs to manufacturing
o Review and provide feedback on design architecture, selections, requirements, and drawings from early
design.
o Collaborate with manufacturing, purchasing, test engineering, and supplier engineering to facilitate transfer of
scalable designs into production.
Breadth of Impact and Leadership
Demonstrated impact at BU or enterprise level
Outcomes are adopted and sustained beyond the business unit
Develops other Senior QEs into future Staff level leaders
Influences senior leadership decisions through data, judgment, and presence
Acts as a role model for quality culture and leadership behaviors
Qualifications
Required Experience and Education
Minimum 12 years of experience in QE/QA and bachelor’s degree in engineering or relevant discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Advanced understanding of quality principles and methodologies
Advanced data analysis and data interpretation skills
Expert ability to resolve quality issues
Respected ability to foster a quality culture
Expert communication and team collaboration, ability to influence stakeholders, executive presence
Expertise with evolving quality standards, tools and technologies
Strong ability to mentor and teach junior engineers
Physical Requirements
Office, lab, production, and site travel as needed.
Frequent computer and inspection work.
Occasional lifting (<25 lbs) and PPE for production or regulated areas.
Additional Information
Due to the nature of our business and the role, please note that Intuitive and/or your customer(s) may require that you show current proof of vaccination against certain diseases including COVID-19. Details can vary by role.
Intuitive is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, genetic information or any other status protected under federal, state, or local applicable laws.
Mandatory Notices
U.S. Export Controls Disclaimer: In accordance with the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR §743.13(b)), some roles at Intuitive Surgical may be subject to U.S. export controls for prospective employees who are nationals from countries currently on embargo or sanctions status.
Certain information you provide as part of the application will be used for purposes of determining whether Intuitive Surgical will need to (i) obtain an export license from the U.S. Government on your behalf (note: the government’s licensing process can take 3 to 6+ months) or (ii) implement a Technology Control Plan (“TCP”) (note: typically adds 2 weeks to the hiring process).
For any Intuitive role subject to export controls, final offers are contingent upon obtaining an approved export license and/or an executed TCP prior to the prospective employee’s start date, which may or may not be flexible, and within a timeframe that does not unreasonably impede the hiring need. If applicable, candidates will be notified and instructed on any requirements for these purposes.
We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with fair chance laws.
Preference will be given to qualified candidates who do not reside, or plan to reside, in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Tennessee.
This position may be filled at a different job level than listed here depending on
business need and/or on the selected candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills.
Compensation will be based primarily on the job level at which the role is filled and the
candidate’s qualifications, consistent with applicable law.
Accommodation & Accessibility Notice:
Intuitive is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation during any part of the application or interview process, please contact People Services at HRHelpNow@intusurg.com.
We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, incentives, benefits, and equity. It would not be typical for someone to be hired at the top end of range for the role, as actual pay will be determined based on several factors, including experience, skills, and qualifications. The target compensation ranges are listed.
Base Compensation Range Region 1: $177,300 USD - $255,100 USD
Base Compensation Range Region 2: $150,700 USD - $216,800 USD
Shift: Day
Workplace Type: Set Schedule - This job will be onsite weekly, the percentage of onsite work will be defined by the leader.
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Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
New Product Development Manager Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Food & Beverage
- Technology & Software
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in new product development manager jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related technical field required
- Five or more years leading cross-functional product development teams from concept to launch
- Demonstrated experience with stage-gate or agile product development processes
- Proficiency in product lifecycle management tools and roadmap planning software
- Strong track of collaborating with regulatory, manufacturing, and marketing stakeholders
- Experience managing vendor relationships and third-party development partnerships
New Product Development Manager Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a new product development manager in California?
Most California employers expect a bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related technical field, with a master's degree preferred for senior roles. No state-issued license is required for the role itself, but candidates in medical device or biotech sectors benefit from familiarity with FDA product development regulations. California hiring paths typically progress from product engineer or associate product manager to a full NPD manager title, often after leading at least one product from concept through commercial launch.
Which companies hire new product development managers in California?
California new product development manager roles are posted by Eight Sleep, Molex, and Heico and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's concentration of medical device, consumer electronics, and enterprise software companies makes it one of the most active states for this role year-round.
Which California cities have the most new product development manager jobs?
San Francisco, Fremont, and Chico have the most new product development manager openings in California. The Bay Area dominates because of its density of consumer electronics and enterprise software headquarters, while Los Angeles draws openings from aerospace and consumer goods companies, and San Diego's medical device and biotech cluster generates consistent demand in those sectors.
Are there remote new product development manager jobs in California?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely desk-based roles, since new product development managers often need to collaborate in person with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams. About 33% of new product development manager openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026. The portions of the role most likely to be performed remotely include strategic planning, roadmap reviews, and vendor coordination.
How can I get hired as a new product development manager in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into an associate or junior product manager role, then building toward NPD manager responsibilities over time. Large California employers in medical devices and consumer electronics, such as those based in the Bay Area and San Diego, regularly hire for rotational new product introduction programs that bring in candidates from adjacent roles like manufacturing engineer, quality engineer, or product analyst. A PMP certification or a certificate in product management from a California university extension program strengthens early-career applications significantly.
Where can I find and apply to new product development manager jobs in California?
You can find and apply to new product development manager jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and target location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
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