Chums

This position is an in house role with a salary range of $65-80k per year.

Product Design and Developer Summary:

The Product Design and Developer is responsible for helping bring innovative, functional, and commercially successful Chums products from concept through production. This role combines creative product design with hands-on product development, sourcing, technical documentation, costing, testing, and project coordination.

Working closely with Product Development Manager, Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, Operations, and external vendor partners. This role transforms product ideas and consumer needs into well-designed, production-ready products that reflect the Chums brand.

This position requires someone who can balance creativity with technical execution—developing product concepts while also considering materials, manufacturing capabilities, cost targets, timelines, functionality, durability, and margin goals.

Chums develops physical consumer products, soft goods, and outdoor accessories. This is not a software product design position.

Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesProduct Design & Development

• Develop new product concepts and improvements to existing products from initial idea through development life cycle, commercialization, and launch.
• Translate concepts into renderings, prototypes, and production-ready designs and tech packs.
• Create, update, and maintain detailed tech packs throughout the product development process.
• Partner with manufacturers to determine the best materials, construction methods, and production techniques for each product.
• Ensure designs balance aesthetics, functionality, durability, manufacturability, cost, and Chums brand standards.
• Experience with packaging design
• Manage product development timelines and communicate key milestones, due dates, sample needs, costing, and delivery status.
• Manage sample requests and organization throughout the development process, including prototypes, wear-testing samples, and Sales and Marketing samples.
• Request and review vendor WIP reports and proactively identify potential development or production delays.

Sourcing & Vendor Management

• Work with Product Development Manager to identify, evaluate, source, and onboard manufacturers and suppliers.
• Maintain excellent relationships with vendors through frequent, professional communication.
• Communicate design intent and technical requirements clearly to domestic and international manufacturing partners.
• Review vendor samples and provide clear, actionable feedback and revisions.
• Collaborate with vendors to improve quality, functionality, manufacturability, cost, and speed to market.
• Maintain and update Bills of Materials and product specifications to support accurate costing.
• Identify opportunities to improve product value through materials, construction, manufacturing methods, or sourcing.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, and Operations throughout the product development process.
• Incorporate customer, Sales, Marketing, and business partner feedback into product development decisions.
• Provide clear communication regarding product specifications, samples, timelines, costing, changes, and delivery expectations.
• Support go-to-market activities by providing product information, samples, technical details, and product presentations as needed.
• Participate in product planning, development reviews, and launch meetings.
• Recommend improvements to product development processes that increase efficiency, communication, quality, and accountability.

Brand & Quality Stewardship

• Understand and consistently apply Chums brand standards throughout product development.
• Monitor the outdoor, lifestyle, and accessories markets for emerging trends, materials, technologies, product innovations, and competitive activity.
• Ensure products reflect Chums' commitment to simplicity, functionality, durability, and innovation.
• Participate in product testing and wear testing to validate quality and performance.
• Incorporate testing results and customer feedback into product revisions.
• Support applicable product compliance, labeling, testing, and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Product Design, Industrial Design, Product Development, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 3–5+ years of experience in product design and/or product development, preferably involving soft goods, outdoor products, accessories, lifestyle products, or sporting goods.
• Proficiency with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Excel, and Google Workspace 
• Demonstrated experience creating and maintaining detailed tech packs and product specifications required.
• Experience with 3D CAD or other product visualization/design tools.
• Understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, sourcing, costing, and product commercialization.
• Experience working directly with domestic and/or international manufacturers and suppliers.
• Strong project-management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple products and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent communication skills; written, verbal, visual, and presentation.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to translate creative ideas into accurate technical specifications.
• Understanding of outdoor products and how consumers use products in real-world environments.