Director of Product Research, Testing and Quality

REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.)•Seattle, WA

About The Position

At REI, we design and deliver products that help people enjoy life outside. As Director of Product Research, Testing and Quality, you will lead how we test, validate, and improve our Co-op Brands products. You’ll guide teams across research, testing, quality, and compliance. You’ll help ensure every product is safe, durable, and built for real outdoor use. You’ll also partner with leaders across design, supply chain, legal, and retail to set clear standards and improve how we work. This role leads our Magnusson Lab and Prototyping Shop, where ideas turn into tested, ready-to-use products. You’ll help shape strategy, build strong partnerships, and use data to support better product decisions.

Requirements

12+ years in product creation, including research, testing, and quality
8+ years leading teams in technical or product-focused roles
Experience working across functions like design, supply chain, and operations
Strong knowledge of product testing, safety standards, and quality systems
Skilled in setting strategy and using data to inform decisions
Ensure high scientific aptitude on team through strong understanding of standards, best practices and systems to support work assignments that have wide variety and complexity; possess and share overview knowledge of adjacent functions
Apply vision for product technologies, materials, manufacturing methods and other concepts to strategically plan quality assurance and performance validation programs for future consumer product needs

Responsibilities

Set strategy for product research, testing, quality, and compliance across Co-op Brands
Lead and develop teams in research, test engineering, and quality assurance
Manage lab and prototyping operations, including budgets and external partners
Develop and enforce seasonal plan for product teams to leverage product specific research methodologies, including field testing to simulate intended end-users in the intended environment and context.
Inspire and protect team competencies in creation of innovative test methods and requirements that accurately predict intended end use and customer experience, and when appropriate, advocate, share and standardize these techniques through supply chain and industry partnerships.
Foster an enterprise approach to Product Quality function through partnership with strategic leaders of divisions accountable for product quality investigation, disposition and remediation.
Set strategic direction and governance for Product Compliance, ensuring regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements are integrated across the product lifecycle.