The Position: Product Designer, Sr.
Purpose:
The Product Designer, Sr. develops and implements creative, unique, and innovative design concepts and solutions relevant to specific market requirements to strengthen the brand image and promote company growth.
The Product Designer collaborates with multiple team members of the R&D team to translate design concepts, sketches, drawings, and prototypes into the final product sample. The Designer does ongoing research into target user requirements, new materials, technologies, processes, and design trends that can be utilized to advance the company’s portfolio of products.
Responsibilities and Duties:
•Analyzes complex problems and design challenges to find creative, relevant, functional, and aesthetically sound design solutions
•Visually communicates and presents design solutions to the team and participates in design reviews
•Ability to develop and/or partner with PD Specialist to develop comprehensive design packages, which will be used to clearly communicate a product concept to an overseas vendor or an in-house pattern maker for accurate translation into a prototype
•Works with the Product Development Specialist and Engineering team to review the counter-samples and Pre Production (QA) samples received from offshore vendors
•Ensures the final appearance and function of all products stay true to Gregory’s design principles in every way possible
•Conducts market research to clearly understand the identified target customer, current industry trends, and market conditions to develop relevant product direction
•Tests prototypes to ensure any newly developed design features or styles function as intended
•Interprets product testing and evaluation results in a way that improves product functionality, style, quality, and success in the marketplace
•Interacts with Manufacturing, Engineering and Product Development Specialist throughout the product development and commercialization process to ensure high quality, efficient and cost effective product manufacturability
•International and domestic travel may be required to perform market research for specific product line development projects, or to gain an understanding of unfamiliar market situations
•Periodic product development visits to manufacturing facilities will be required
•Regularly communicate program status and key metrics to Director of PD
•Develops and implements testing and evaluation protocols for new product development.
•Communicates product features and benefits, as well as technical specifications of product components and materials to Sales and Marketing
Requirements/Experience:
Must have proven track record of designing, developing and successfully commercializing backpacks or comparable products in partnership with offshore manufacturing facilities.
Must have a deep passion for technical and lifestyle product functionality, in-house prototyping, cut and sew manufacturing and Industrial Design.
Bachelors of Science or Arts Degree in Industrial Design or equivalent
3-5 years product design experience
Proven experience in developing products from concept through successful commercialization
Significant experience working with domestic and offshore vendors and development teams
Strong team working skills
Strong ability to listen to and filter customer feedback into successful and well received new product designs
Ability to assess industry color trends and target customer color preferences
Ability to communicate effective color strategies that can be applied to specific product lines, which are consistent with the company's overall color strategy
Strong understanding of hard and soft good quality standards, including raw goods, finished parts, and final product assembly
Knowledge of tool design to ensure an optimal blend of part design, tooling and part costs, amortization objectives, and product value perception
Knowledge of pattern making and an understanding of technical manufacturing issues, to ensure an efficient communication process between designers, pattern developers, PD Specialists and the prototype lab
Strong presentation (verbal/written) skills to effectively promote, sell, and defend creative concepts
Knowledge of domestic and offshore product commercialization process and final product costing standards
Ability to balance workload and priorities based on strict timeline requirements and key milestone objectives
Versed in the complexities of color, coatings, finishes, manufacturing processes, and applications of textiles, foams, composites, and metals
Position Type: Full Time
Country: United States
Willing to Relocate: No
Willing to Travel: Yes
Minimum Experience Required: 3-5 years
E-mail: careers@gregorypacks.com
