Richard Mueller

Product Development Manager · Ergobaby

Park City, UT

In My Own Words

Driven, goal oriented technical leader having broad product development management experience with leaders in the consumer product space. Strengths include new product development, offshore manufacturing, technical problem solving, multi-disciplinary team-building and R&D.

Work Experience

Product Development Manager

Ergobaby

2016 – Present

Using collaborative design techniques in an entrepreneurial environment, am responsible for developing thoughtful, compelling and innovative products for Ergobaby's Hardgoods Line. Products to date included strollers, hip seats and various hard accessories. Managed stateside and offshore partners and stakeholders to take product concepts from marketing brief to finished packaged product on shelf at retailer, and post production/ECN support. My latest Ergobaby product is the Metro Compact City Stroller, which debuted to great response at the 2018 Kind and Jugend tradeshow in Cologne, DE. Recently, the Metro Compact City Stroller was awarded the prestigious 2019 iF Design award for its thoughtful design and appealing aesthetic.

Program Manager, Audio

Skullcandy, Inc.

2010 – 2016

Drove a cross functional team representing industrial design, design engineering, product management, quality, and packaging to develop a compelling assortment of earphones, headphones and Bluetooth speakers successfully. Responsibilities start from managing ID to CAD, tooling, further development and additional capacity tooling, as well as remote and on-site product management with off-shore partners. Products successfully launched include: XTFree, XTPlyo, Air Raid, Hesh 2.0, Mix Master, Method, and Smokin’ Buds 2.0. Continually develop relationships with Asia/Pac suppliers to foster open communication of goals and requirements for successful product launches

Manager, Engineering Laboratories

Goodrich Aerospace, SIS

2009 – 2010

As part of the Core Engineering Group - Sensors and Integrated Systems, managed a staff of 17 technicians within the Engineering and EMI Laboratories providing testing and test equipment build services for internal and external customers. Provide technical support and troubleshooting for engineers of commercial, government and vehicle health/utilization management value streams for fixed wing and rotary aircraft.

Increased On-Time Delivery to Internal Customers from 80 to 95+%.

Engineering Manager

Revision Eyewear

2007 – 2009

Supporting the #1 supplier of ballistic protective eyewear to the US Military, operated as chief technical resource for product development, testing and compliance to various US and International protective eyewear standards.

Managed project timelines, budgets and performed R&D functions on new product introductions for future battlefield needs (laser protection, increased ballistic protection, and increased abrasion resistance).

Developed in-house expertise, manufacturing and testing capability for the emerging laser protective lens market, anticipated sales exceeding $4 million.

Managed Revision Eyewear’s $1 million+ state of the art testing laboratory, including budget, equipment procurement, technical staffing, workflow, scheduling etc.

Fundamental in start-up of Revision’s Optical Molding and Coating initiative, including capital equipment recommendations, material and coating selection, final product prove-out and 3rd party testing certification

Development Engineer - Advanced Optical Products

Oakley, Inc.

2001 – 2007

Working for the premier sports eyewear brand on the planet, led multidisciplinary teams to transition design concepts into viable, production ready products, including recommending capital expenditures, resource allocation, research, testing, validation, workflow design, pilot run and production hand off. Spearheaded Next Generation Superhydrophobic Coating for sports specific lenses, sales exceeded $50 million in first year.

Developed Lens Tinting Process in half the time it took competitors, first year sales topped $40 million.

Recommended Pilot line, development and testing equipment including start-up and PLC/Robotics debug for newly installed Lens Development Laboratory with annual budget of $1 million.

Research and Development Laboratory Manager

BURTON Snowboards

1996 – 2000

Oversaw operation of the singular R&D facility for the most respected snowboard company in the world. Functioned as R&D Lab Manager developing Work Request and Tracking Systems, recommended capital expenditures for new equipment to service the ever expanding product line, and designed fixturing to allow the use of existing equipment for new product testing. Performed all research and development to integrate carbon fiber and end grain balsa wood into Burton Snowboards super-high-end technology models.

Expanded Laboratory testing from simply snowboards to include Burton bindings, boots and apparel.