Physical Product Development

Apply Here or send your resume and cover letter to jobs@shibumishade.com with the subject line "Product Development Engineer"

Location

Remote with (25%) domestic and international travel. Preference to candidates in North Carolina. 

About the Role

The Product Development Engineer will be an integral member of the Shibumi design team, tasked with bringing Shibumi’s product vision to life. This role is responsible for developing highly innovative shade and sit products with a focus on solving complex mechanical challenges and pushing the boundaries of what's technically possible. The Product Development Engineer will convert designs into manufacturable, high-performance products that can meet both consumer needs and business goals.

The position requires strong engineering skills, a passion for innovative product development, and an ability to work across multiple product categories and stages of development.

Key Responsibilities

  • Product Development and Engineering: Transform product concepts into fully realized designs that balance aesthetics, functionality, and manufacturability. Create detailed 3D models, technical drawings, and specifications for prototyping and manufacturing.
  • Material Selection: Evaluate and select appropriate materials and manufacturing processes based on performance, cost, and production requirements
  • Functional Analysis and Proactive Problem Solving: Conduct functional analysis to ensure all components and assemblies work together seamlessly as a complete system. Identify potential design issues early and develop creative solutions that maintain design intent.
  • Design for Manufacturability: Ensure designs are manufacturable, scalable, and cost-effective. Assess production feasibility of designs and provide recommendations for manufacturability improvements. Collaborate with manufacturing partners on tooling design and production processes. Create detailed manufacturing documentation including assembly instructions.
  • Prototyping: Build and refine functional prototypes to validate design concepts and mechanical performance using 3D printing, CNC machining, other rapid prototyping methods and working with external suppliers. Iterate designs quickly based on prototype testing results and user feedback. Document testing procedures, results, and design improvements.
  • Develop Testing Protocols: Collaborate with the Director of Product to test prototypes and refine designs based on feedback from testing, consumer insights, and market trends. Determine strength and durability testing plan for all products to ensure products meet performance specifications.
  • Problem Solving & Innovation: Develop creative engineering solutions that push the boundaries of what's possible. Stay on top of industry trends, emerging technologies, and consumer behavior to inform new product concepts and design improvements.
  • Design Documentation: Create and maintain design documentation, including tech packs and 3-D models to ensure clarity throughout the product development lifecycle.
  • Maintain Brand Consistency: Design products that align with Shibumi’s brand aesthetics, values, and overall product vision. Contribute to maintaining a strong, consistent brand identity across product lines. 
  • Collaborative Design: Work alongside the Director of Product and Design team to ideate, design, and iterate on product concepts for both existing and new products all while ensuring technical feasibility. Use customer research (e.g., surveys, focus groups, user testing) to inform product design decisions, ensuring the final product resonates with target consumers.

What We’re Looking For

Proven success in developing commercial products in the market.

  • Experience:  6-9 years of experience in product design and development, with a strong portfolio showcasing a variety of physical consumer or industrial products (hard goods experience with specific focus in chairs development preferred). Hands-on experience with prototyping methods including 3D printing, CNC machining, vacuum casting, manual fabrication and other rapid prototyping techniques. Strong understanding of hard good materials (plastics (ABS, PC, PP, Nylon, etc.) and metals (Aluminum, steel, stainless, etc.)) and their properties and manufacturing processes. Experience with functional analysis and system-level design thinking. Experience with design for assembly (DFA) and design for cost (DFC) principles. Color, material and finish (CMF) experience. Knowledge of injection molding, die casting, stamping, or other high-volume manufacturing processes.
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Product Design Engineering,  Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, or equivalent work experience.
  • Technical Proficiency: Proficient in 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Rhino, or similar) and visualization tools (Adobe Creative Suite).
  • Strong Communicator: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to present design concepts to stakeholders and work collaboratively with design, production and manufacturing teams.
  • Attention to Detail: High attention to detail and a strong ability to execute design specifications accurately while considering manufacturability and product costs.
  • Adaptability & Problem-Solving: Comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities, able to work on a range of product categories and pivot as needed to meet changing business goals.
  • Brand and Market Awareness: An understanding of brand identity and market trends, particularly within the outdoor product industry, and how to align design strategies with business objectives
  • Strong Ability to Work With In The Company Culture: Thrives in fast-paced environments, works autonomously with minimal oversight, welcomes constructive feedback, and demonstrates agility in adapting designs quickly

Why Join Shibumi?

At Shibumi, you’ll have the opportunity to be part of a fast-growing company that values innovation, creativity, and a collaborative culture. As a Product Development Engineer, you’ll have direct influence on the product development process, helping to create meaningful products that delight our customers and elevate our brand.

About Shibumi Shade

Shibumi is a rapidly growing outdoor lifestyle brand based in Raleigh, NC. Founded by two brothers and their best friend in 2016, the Shibumi Shade changed how people experience the beach by working with the wind, not against it. The classic Shibumi Shade is now the most popular beach shade on the East and Gulf Coasts, gaining popularity for being portable, easy to set-up, and for providing enough shade for 6 people to sit comfortably. In 2022, Shibumi launched its second product, the Shibumi Shade Mini, ideal for small groups and traveling to any beach in the world. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

Apply on LinkedIn or send your resume and cover letter to jobs@shibumishade.com with the subject line "Product Development Engineer"