Women in Science Series #2: Cindy Zha

We loved speaking with Cindy Zhang (Engineering Manager – Plumbing, R&D Xiamen, HHI department) about her experiences working as a women in engineering.

Tell me more about your career in science and what you do at Spectrum Brands. 

I am mechanical engineering manager, working for the Pfister faucet engineering team in Xiamen, China, HHI department. Our team’s key responsibility is to develop new products and support existing products (such as value engineering, exiting product design improvement, customer complaint trouble shooting etc.). We work closely with the Pfister US engineering team, cross functional teams, such as marketing, sourcing and quality as well as  local suppliers to support the new product from design, tooling, first article, qualification, PQP to production. Our Pfister major products include: kitchen faucets, lavatory faucets, tubs & showers, Roman tubs, showerheads, handheld showers, bath accessories, etc. As an engineering manager, I manage and provide engineering resources to NPI and sustaining projects, lead and inspire the team to deliver quality engineering works and work collaboratively with team to resolve design and quality issues.

What attracted you to a career in science? What do you love most about working in science?

Engineering is a very creative career. It can create new products and make people’s lives better and easier. As a Pfister engineer, the proudest thing for us is to see the product we designed go to a consumer’s family and support their daily needs. Such as our recently launched kitchen faucet, Seahaven, with magnet docking, top mount, and new waterblade flow pattern. It can fulfill consumer needs with easy installation, easy docking, and more options for the flow pattern – aerator, spray and water blade flow.

What I love most about working in engineering is to see the product in our mind or in the computer become the real product with functions; you can touch it and use it.

How can we support women and girls in science? 

We can encourage women and girls to get familiar with engineering and see if they have an interest in this area. There is a stereotype that men are more suitable than women to work in engineering. Many of high school girls, when they choose their major in university, they don’t think about engineering. In fact, in my career, I met, and am working with, many fantastic women engineers. They are doing great.

How has your science career grown at Spectrum Brands?

I am very lucky to work here and appreciate HHI, Spectrum Brands. The company built an open, equal and friendly working environment for women engineers. I started my engineer career as a design engineer in HHI 12 years ago, working with the lockset design team at the very beginning. I’ve been promoted to senior design engineer, lead engineer, supervisor on the lockset team, then transferred to the Pfister team as engineering manager. I didn’t encounter any gender discrimination in my career in HHI, but rather met many great leaders, mentors and colleagues and they helped me through many challenges and continue to help me grow.

What is your best piece of advice for women who want to break into a science field?

Trust yourself and don’t set your own limit, just keep going and do your best, you will be the person you want to be.