Product Development Manager, Water Rides

WhiteWater makes products, but we are a service business at our heart, which means we are a people business. In this way, we excel and create value for our clients by listening to their needs, collaborating to develop solutions, problem-solving and attending to the details. Our culture, as you would expect, reflects these traits. We are a diverse group of experts, from creative designers to talented engineers. Whatever expertise we bring from all over the world, we listen and learn from each other because we are aligned with a clearly understood purpose. Together, we create fun for families globally. Are you interested in starting an exciting career with WhiteWater? Apply today!

Position:                           Product Development Manager, Water Rides

Shift:                                  Regular Full Time, 40 hours a week
Department:                Water Rides
Location:                          Richmond, BC, Canada
Reports to:                   General Manager, Water Rides                                             

Purpose:

The Product Development Manager, Water Rides leads the end-to-end development of water-based amusement ride systems, from concept to release. The role covers everything from precision mechanical devices (vehicles, safety systems, passenger interfaces) to large-scale machinery (conveyors, lifts, flumes, water propulsion). It combines strong technical expertise with leadership, guiding teams through Stage-Gate processes while using agile sprints and rapid prototyping to drive progress. A key focus is maintaining rigorous design reviews to ensure safety, quality, and performance at every stage. This is a hands-on leadership role in a dynamic industry where safety comes first, and the ultimate reward is creating experiences enjoyed by families worldwide.

Essential Responsibilities:

Leadership & Oversight:

Act as the technical authority for new water-based amusement ride systems and features, providing final approval on critical design, safety, and manufacturability decisions.

Champion a culture where safety, quality, and guest experience are prioritized above all else.

Define, implement, and enforce a formal design review process with structured multidisciplinary reviews, documented findings, and verified action closure.

Plan, monitor, and adjust budgets, schedules, and resources for assigned product development projects.

Establish best practices, standards, and processes for staged product development while incorporating agile sprint cycles and iterative prototyping.

Mentor, coach, and manage engineers and designers, ensuring accountability and professional growth.

Foster collaboration across engineering disciplines (mechanical, controls, project management) and with manufacturing, sales, and service functions.

Product Development & Design Execution:

Lead staged execution of ride vehicle and system development, from concept through design freeze, prototyping, validation, and release.

Translate client and market requirements into innovative ride concepts, components and features.

Chair and document formal design reviews, ensuring alignment with requirements, safety and regulatory standards.

Manage design across a wide scope: from precision passenger restraint mechanisms to large-scale machinery such as conveyors, lifts, rotating structures, and flume vehicles.

Direct the production of CAD models, drawings, BOMs, specifications, and ECOs, ensuring conformance to company standards and industry codes (ASTM F24, ISO, CSA, UL, CE).

Apply DFM/DFA principles to improve cost-effectiveness, quality, and reliability.

Oversee integration of vehicles, conveyors, lifts, and subsystems into complete ride packages.

Prototyping, Testing & Validation:

Manage prototype builds of ride vehicles and system components, validating safety and manufacturability.

Develop and execute test protocols for verification and validation, including performance, throughput, durability, and safety testing through the use of formal Design Validation Processes (DVP)

Lead root cause investigations, corrective actions, and risk mitigations using DFMEA/PFMEA outcomes.

Conduct formal hazard analyses and risk assessments (HAZOP, FMEA, FTA) to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Ensure designs meet reliability, maintainability, and safety objectives at all development stages.

Client, Supplier & Project Interface:

Interface with clients during design reviews, product demonstrations, and installation phases.

Collaborate with suppliers and partners on specifications, prototypes, and readiness, ensuring cost, quality, and schedule alignment.

Support sales proposals by providing preliminary concepts, technical inputs, budgets, and cost estimates.

Manage development deliverables against project scope, schedule, and budget, escalating issues when required.

Extensive international travel: 10-20% may be required for the role for meetings, site visits, and validation testing.

Continuous Improvement, Innovation & Compliance:

Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned, design standardization, modular approaches, and adoption of new tools and technologies.

Research the current state of the art in ride technology to inform product roadmaps.

Prepare and submit invention disclosures for intellectual property (IP) protection and patent filings.

Ensure compliance with ASTM F24 and other standards, quality systems, and safety regulations.

Execute responsibilities with integrity and in accordance with lawful and ethical standards.

Qualifications & Experience:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

Professional Engineer designation (P.Eng. in Canada or P.E. in the U.S.) preferred.

10+ years of product development experience with complex mechanical systems, ideally within amusement rides, heavy equipment, automotive, or aerospace industries.

Hands-on machine design expertise ranging from precision mechanisms to large-scale systems (e.g., conveyors, lifts, flume structures).

Demonstrated success implementing and leading structured design review processes.

Extensive experience conducting formal risk assessments (HAZOP, FMEA, FTA).

Track record of leading cross-functional teams through Stage-Gate or similar product development processes.

Experience applying agile methodologies, including sprint cycles and iterative prototyping.

Proficiency with 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Inventor, CATIA, NX) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.

Strong knowledge of steel fabrication, composites, machining, assembly, and integration of controls/electrical systems.

Familiarity with industry standards and compliance requirements (ASTM F24, ISO 13849, CSA, UL, CE).

Competencies, Skills & Abilities:

Strong leadership presence with the ability to thrive in fast-paced environments and adapt to shifting priorities.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across internal teams and external partners.

Advanced analytical and critical thinking skills to solve complex technical and organizational challenges.

Quick learner with the ability to grasp industry dynamics and business objectives.

Demonstrated professionalism and integrity when engaging with stakeholders.

Excellent organizational, time management, and prioritization skills.

Proactive in anticipating problems and developing contingency plans.

Strong sense of accountability, consistently meeting commitments with a focus on quality and excellence.

Whitewater Competencies:

Accountability – We do what we say

Collaboration – We work well together

Customer Focus – We know and respond to our customers

Communication – We listen to and understand each other

Authenticity – We are honest and trust each other

Resilience – We deal effectively with pressure, are persistent and optimistic

Flexibility & Adaptability – We are willing and able to respond to changing circumstance

WhiteWater
is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate the diversity of all employees and applicants and are strongly committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone.

We thank all the candidates who take the time and energy to apply. Given the volume of applications, it makes responding personally to each applicant difficult, but please know we are grateful for your interest. We look forward to connecting with you through this search or future ones. All the best in your job search.