Product Design Engineer

For over 50 years KENT OUTDOORS has been the ultimate destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a curated collection of industry-leading brands driven by the pure pursuit of adventure.  

KENT Outdoors is a collection of brands all obsessively focused on building the most innovative and reliable equipment for use in our most revered natural playgrounds. We relentlessly dream, build, and offer products that empower the very best days outside. We're a collection of outdoor fanatics, product geeks, marketing mavens, and entrepreneurs all focused on pushing through boundaries, both on land, and in the water.   

Holding true to our roots while evolving for the future, the family of KENT brands today includes Absolute Outdoors, Arctic Shield, Aquaglide, Arbor Snowboards, Barefoot International, BOTE, Connelly, FatSac, Freedom Foil, Full Throttle, HO Sports, Hyperlite, KENT, Liquid Force, Margaritaville, O'Brien, and Onyx. 

Your Impact

This is a newly created role and a rare opportunity to help build BOTE's design engineering function from the ground up. You will partner with Industrial Design, Marketing, Product Management, Sales and Operations to take new products from early ideation through 2D/3D CAD development, prototyping, and performance testing, all the way to DFM/DFA-driven scale-up and launch. Working directly with overseas factories and development partners, you'll ensure every product we bring to market-across paddle boards, kayaks, coolers, furniture, and beyond-is engineered to perform, built to last, ready to scale, and designed to delight.

What You'll Do 

Product Ideation & Concept Development

• Partner with Industrial Design, Product Management, Sales and Marketing to translate consumer insights and category opportunities into new product concepts across BOTE's full portfolio.
• Sketch, model, and rapidly iterate on early-stage concepts to evaluate form, function, and feasibility before committing to full development.
• Research materials, construction methods, emerging technologies and competitive products to inform design direction and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Build proof-of-concept models and quick prototypes to pressure-test ideas and support go/no-go decisions early in the development process.
• Champion concepts that reflect BOTE's "Stand Apart" philosophy of innovation, simplicity, and boundary-pushing design.

2D/3D CAD Development & Design Engineering

• Create and maintain detailed 2D drawings and 3D CAD models for new products and components, from concept through production-ready specification.
• Develop GD&T-compliant drawings, BOMs, and technical documentation that clearly communicate design intent to manufacturing partners.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles throughout the design process to optimize for cost, quality, and manufacturability.
• Design components and assemblies in plastics and other materials, accounting for tooling, molding processes, and structural performance requirements.
• Manage design revisions, version control, and engineering change documentation across active product programs.

Prototyping & Performance Testing

• Build and coordinate prototypes-from rapid 3D-printed models to production-intent samples-to validate design, fit, function, and durability.
• Design and execute performance and durability test protocols that ensure products meet BOTE's quality standards for outdoor and marine environments.
• Analyze test results and iterate on designs to resolve performance, safety, or manufacturability issues prior to launch.
• Coordinate third-party testing and compliance evaluations as needed to support product certification and market readiness.

Manufacturing Collaboration & Scale-Up

• Collaborate directly with overseas factories and development partners to guide products from prototype through tooling, pilot runs, and full-scale production.
• Travel to manufacturing partners as needed to troubleshoot production issues and ensure first-article and production units meet design intent.
• Manage timelines, critical paths, and cross-functional communication to deliver on-time, on-quality product launches across BOTE's entire portfolio.

What You've Accomplished 

• 5+ years of experience designing, scaling, and launching new consumer goods products from concept through production.
• Proficiency in 2D/3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks or equivalent) for product design, modeling, and engineering documentation.
• Hands-on experience with prototyping methods and performance/durability testing protocols.
• Strong working knowledge of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating directly with overseas factories and manufacturing partners throughout the product development cycle.
• Excellent communication and project management skills, with the ability to drive multiple product programs simultaneously in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the outdoor, watersports, or sporting goods/lifestyle industry.
• Proficiency with Keyshot and/or other product rendering software solutions.
• Specific experience with plastic part design and manufacturing processes (injection molding, rotomolding, blow molding, or similar).
• Experience with soft goods design and manufacturing a plus.
• Familiarity with PLM and digital asset/documentation management systems.

How You Thrive

You go "all out."  You tend to approach everything you do with velocity.  From your next exhilarating outdoor adventure to scaling meaningful peaks at work, you act with speed, direction, ethics, and forethought. Your efficiency is rooted in the knowledge that resources are not infinite. You are goal-oriented and focused on outcomes. When you see a challenge or obstacle to overcome, you jump in collaboratively to find a solution; team achievements should be celebrated more than individual performance. You are compelled to share your perspective because it is rooted in experience and synthesis thinking - you know that healthy debate yields better decisions. You are humble despite your impressive past accomplishments. Your communication style is honest and forthright, yet empathetic, with everyone.  

KENT Outdoors is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.