Soft Goods - Product Developer

Peak Design makes radical, meticulously-engineered gear for detail-obsessed people. Our backpacks, travel bags, camera gear, and phone accessories are used dang-near everywhere. If you’ve visited Machu Picchu, Tokyo, or an REI store in the last 10 years, you’ve been within ogling distance of a Peak Design product.

Alongside our award-winning gear is a brand that truly reflects who we are as people—passionate about design, deeply caring about our environmental and social impact, unafraid to speak up, radically transparent, and generally down to clown. Whether we’re explaining a product, running a sale, launching a nonprofit, sponsoring a film, or razzing the biggest company on Earth, we do it with our trademark honesty, warmth, and wit. Through our products and our brand, we aim to create delight, and leave this world better than how we found it.

We are seeking a talented Soft Goods Product Developer to join our team. In this role, you will collaborate closely with our Product Designers, Project Managers, external manufacturers, and suppliers to ensure the successful mass production of our new soft goods product designs. Additionally, you will be responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving our existing product lines throughout their lifespan.

We require someone who is driven to bring challenging and unconventional designs to production within tight timelines. Functionality, beauty, and cost are equally important considerations to us, as we aim to create the most functional and aesthetically pleasing carry solutions in the world. We are looking for someone who is passionate about building top-of-the-line gear.

We currently have three new product lines under development that incorporate soft goods, along with an existing bag business valued at over $42 million that requires ongoing maintenance. Two of the product lines in development combine soft goods with hardware.

As a member of our small and flexible team, you will have a voice in shaping the design and "story" of our new products. However, your main focus will be on the development and execution of each product design. If you are up for the challenge, we invite you to join us in redefining the world of soft goods.

What You’ll Do:

• Play a critical role in the product creation process by building and maintaining Bills of Materials (BOM’s) and Technical Specifications throughout the prototyping process from concept to mass production. 

• Support the product creation process by facilitating communication between a wide range of talented human beings, from visionary designers to efficiency-driven suppliers.

• Ensure projects run on time by collaborating on development calendars and communicating schedules to internal teams and external vendors. 

• Apply your technical knowledge of soft goods product construction and materials to drive improvements to quality and efficiency while identifying opportunities for sustainability improvements.

• Set the bar high for quality by establishing comprehensive quality control documents and inspection plans with our trusted suppliers.

• Create and execute product testing plans to ensure ambitious performance and quality goals are met and our customers are delighted with their gear.

• Discover cost-down and functional improvement opportunities, exploring new methods, technologies, materials, and vendors.

• Collaborate with designers, bringing their creative visions to life by delivering support documents to technical drawing packages that wow our manufacturing partners.

• Organize and maintain critical documentation and communications related to product manufacturing, playing a vital role in our success.

The following list represents a range of traits and experience that would help make you highly effective and impactful in this role:

• Have at least 5 years of experience working with soft goods vendors to bring products to mass production for consumers.

• Have experience throughout all phases of the product creation process and an established track record in bringing products to market.

• Are a natural collaborator that thrives when bringing together teams with a wide range of skill sets ranging all the way from visionary designers to efficiency-driven factory managers. 

• Have a strong proficiency in building soft goods drawing packages, also known as "Tech Packs," using the power of Adobe Illustrator. The quicker and more accurate, the better!

• Take pride in your ability to work within structured product development systems, ensuring every crucial step is followed on the path to final mass production. Phase gate systems and PLM (product lifecycle management) will be your allies.

• Have a broad range of software-related skills sets and are proficient with spreadsheets and knowledgeable with Adobe Illustrator and CAD software used for technical artwork.. 

• Are comfortable in a shop environment and happy to get your hands dirty improving a prototype or creating an in-house test.

• Have expertise in setting up quality control expectations and documentation, ensuring the highest level of product quality at our manufacturing partners.

• Employ a solid understanding of softgoods-related construction methods and can leverage it toward building detail-oriented quality control-related documentation for overseas vendors.

• Able to travel to Asia, including countries like China, Vietnam, and potentially others in the future,3 to 6 times per year. Trips generally last around 7 to 14 days each, and will be dedicated to development and production.

• Local to the San Francisco Bay Area (or willing to relocate for this role) and willing to work from our office/workshop in the Dogpatch neighborhood a minimum of 2-3 days per week (i.e. this is not a remote role, though we do maintain flexibility). 

Note that while these skills are valuable, they are not absolute requirements. If you possess the necessary drive and determination, we're open to being convinced of your capabilities.

Not required, but always valued:

• You use and care a lot about gear (photography, outdoor, or other passion areas). 

• You have strong opinions about the products that you use in your life and enjoy debating what makes these products great.

• You’re a systems thinker and love optimizing workflow and efficiency - you are capable of navigating surprise roadblocks with rational thinking and problem solving.

• You have prior experience with enterprise-level product lifecycle management software.

• Written application - online.

• Initial screen - via phone - 30 min.

• Take home assignment + team member interviews - Zoom - 60 min.

• Final round interviews - Zoom or in person - 120+ min.

- 100% covered employee premiums for medical, dental, and vision insurance

- Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options

- Life/AD&D, long-term disability, and short-term disability coverage

- Generous mental health and fertility health reimbursement options

- 401(k) plan with employer matching

- Unlimited PTO policy, 12 paid company holidays, and flexible work schedules

- 100% paid parental leave

- Peak Design product and exclusive industry discounts

- Monthly cell phone reimbursement

- Pre-tax commuter benefits

- Annual career development stipend

- Charitable donation program with employer matching

- Quarterly onsite or offsite collaboration weeks with the whole Peak Design team

Thanks to the folks at Outside Magazine, we can tell you that Peak Design is an objectively great place to work. Why? We provide opportunities to go deep in your craft, work both autonomously and collaboratively, drive your professional growth, and recharge with flexible Fridays and unlimited paid time off -- the saucy list of perks and benefits goes on. So, how do we maintain this exquisite way of working while also pulling off an exceptionally thoughtful brand and product line? A close-knit culture that values transparency, community, trust, and questioning the status quo.

Many employees find the way we run our business to be radically different from what they’ve experienced elsewhere. You might call it the opposite of micromanagement: employees are often expected to set their own priorities and roadmaps for their areas of the business. Who thrives here? Self-starters. Question-askers. People who make their own to-do lists. Folks who can do a little bit of everything. People who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty with nitty-gritty details in order to see a vision through.

If you prefer to work in a more traditional corporate environment, Peak Design might not be the place for you. But if you’re pickin’ up what we’re putting down, we look forward to hearing from you!

At Peak Design we believe a diverse team is an innovative team and something worth celebrating. A range of perspectives and backgrounds creates a stronger and more creative work environment (not to mention more fun). We’re committed to equality and inclusivity across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and experience.

Some candidates may see a long list of job requirements and feel discouraged because they don’t match every single bullet point – we strongly encourage you to apply anyway! If what we do resonates with you, and you feel excited and able to contribute, we’re equally stoked for the opportunity to engage with you.

Peak Design provides reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in the job application and interview process (including if you have any difficulty using our online system). If you need such an accommodation, please complete the application form below.