Product Safety Manager

About the position

The Product Safety Manager will be responsible for overseeing the safety compliance for our new line of decorative lighting products. This role will lead a team of QA auditors to ensure that products comply with rigorous safety standards, using our testing protocols and criteria. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in electrical engineering and proven expertise in managing product safety programs, particularly in consumer goods with electrical components. This full-time position reports to the Chief Safety Officer and is expected to work in a hybrid model, which currently includes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in our Burlingame and Redwood City offices. Frequent international travel to manufacturing facilities in Asia is required.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with relevant safety regulations and standards (e.g., UL, CE, IEC, and other applicable international standards)
• Conduct safety risk assessments and hazard analyses (FMEA, Fault Tree Analysis) for electrical components and finished products
• Oversee product testing protocols, including validation of safety features
• Provide supervision to a small team, defining tasks aligned with common goals, and foster the professional development of team members through active discussion, feedback, coaching, and mentorship
• Manage and mentor a team of QA auditors to execute safety testing at factories, ensuring alignment with internal protocols
• Refine, update, and enhance existing safety guidelines and testing protocols based on evolving product lines and new regulatory requirements
• Lead incident investigations for safety-related issues and coordinate corrective actions with factories
• Maintain documentation for safety certifications, test results, and compliance reports
• Contribute to development of safety labels, user manuals, and warnings compliant with global safety standards (e.g. UL 588, IEC 60598)
• Provide technical guidance to internal teams, including product development, compliance, and sourcing teams
• Partner with R&D, engineering, and legal teams to integrate safety into product design
• Train factory staff and QA auditors on safety protocols and emerging regulations

Requirements

• Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering or a related field; Master’s preferred
• 5+ years of experience in product safety management with a focus on electrical/consumer products
• Expertise in electrical safety standards and testing methodologies
• Proficiency in risk assessment tools (FMEA, Fault Tree Analysis)
• Familiarity with other compliance areas, such as EMC, Wireless and Environmental compliance
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders
• Willingness to travel internationally frequently (up to 40% of the time) to inspect factories and oversee testing processes

Nice-to-haves

• Experience working in consumer electronics
• Knowledge of reliability engineering and statistical analysis for safety data
• Hands-on experience with lab testing equipment and product certification processes
• Proven leadership skills with experience managing QA auditors or safety teams

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, including a cash-based incentive plan; salary is reviewed yearly
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, with 100% of monthly premiums covered for team members
• Up to $2,000 annual funding toward HSA accounts
• Medical, transit, dependent care FSA
• Infertility coverage offered on all medical plans
• Generous parental leave program and flexible return options
• Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
• Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to $4,000 per calendar year
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other mental health and wellness perks
• Paid holidays, annual shutdown week, PTO, and volunteer time-off (VTO) packages
• Paid 5-week sabbatical leave after 10 years of employment
• Annual continuous learning benefit up to $1,000 per person, per fiscal year
• Up to $300 flexible reimbursement to support setup of new team member's work-from-home environment
• Generous team member merchandise discount
• Valuable extras: identity theft protection, subsidized parking, monthly wellness, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance