Product Manager

**Company Description** Changing State Technologies (CST) is an Auckland\-based industrial technology company developing patented fluid\-dynamics technology that turns cavitation from a constraint into an advantage. Our first commercial product is the MPR™ Pump Module — a standardised module designed for integration into OEM pump systems. We are a small, technical company moving from proven prototypes and field trials into commercial OEM partnerships. **About the role** This is a hybrid Product Manager role: part market\-facing product leadership, part internal product ownership, and — for the first 6–12 months — hands\-on engineering leadership. You will own the product from market insight through requirements, roadmap, OEM engagement, and delivery. You will also manage two senior mechanical engineers and run project plans while the company scales its engineering function. The role is both inside (product definition, requirements, engineering leadership, roadmap, trials) and outside (OEM customers, market discovery, field feedback, commercial engagement alongside senior leadership). **Key responsibilities** * Gather, synthesise, and prioritise market requirements from pump OEMs, end users, trials, and industry channels. * Write clear Market Requirements Documents (MRDs) and Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) for the MPR™ module and follow\-on variants. * Own the product roadmap: module variants, integration interfaces, performance envelopes, cost\-down, manufacturability, and future applications (cooling, purification). * Translate OEM integration needs into specifications that engineering can build against (controls, packaging, materials, certification). * Define success metrics: performance vs conventional pumps, TCO, reliability, installation flexibility, energy efficiency, and OEM value proposition. * Engage new and existing OEM customers jointly with senior leadership. * Lead or support technical\-commercial discussions: integration feasibility, performance claims, trial design, differentiation, and partnership structure. * Represent the product in customer visits, site trials, trade discussions, and technical presentations. * Line\-manage two senior mechanical engineers: priorities, quality of work, development, and delivery. * Own project plans for product development, prototype iteration, lab benchmarking, field trials, and OEM integration work. **About you** * Mechanical engineering background, ideally with fluid dynamics, turbomachinery, pumps, hydraulics, or multiphase flow. * Proven product management or technical product ownership in physical / industrial products — not software\-only PM experience. * Experience writing market and product requirements and turning them into engineering work. * Demonstrated project / programme management: plans, milestones, dependencies, risk, and delivery against hardware timelines. * People leadership: ability to manage senior engineers and set technical and delivery expectations. * Comfortable in front of OEM engineering and commercial teams — credible on both physics and business case. * Strong written communication: requirements, trial briefs, technical summaries, and customer\-facing product language. * Willingness to work both in the office/lab and in the field (customer sites, trials, OEM visits). * Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, or a closely related discipline required.