Principal Product Engineer - Columbia & Sorel Footwear

Columbia Sportswear • Portland, OR

14d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is designated as a hybrid role based out of our headquarters near Portland, Oregon. The current expectation is for employees to work onsite four days per week, subject to change based on business needs. This in-office requirement may be adjusted at the discretion of the company. The Principal Product Engineer for Columbia and Sorel drives the improvement of product performance, fit, comfort, durability, and quality. Designs complex protocols to validate fit and product performance standards, monitors and troubleshoots product quality issues, and provides accurate and timely direction to the category team members so materials, construction, and manufacturing practices can deliver world class product. HOW YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE Provides footwear technical design solutions, material choices, and product construction input. Ensures products meet consumer fit, function, and performance expectations from technical and engineering perspectives. Partners with other engineers, developers, and project managers to perform technical footwear engineering duties, including patterning, tooling, 3D-prototyping, and manufacturing. Develops new methods of testing, identifying and analyzing results to resolve engineering problems. Engages with and supports all factions of the Product Integrity Group. Acts as an intermediary between new technology/innovation, material development, and product creation. Reviews tech packages, dev samples, and production samples to ensure quality and consistent manufacturability. Works with offshore development, engineering, QA, and factory teams to proactively identify potential product-manufacturing concerns and to provide solutions. Collaborates with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and improve existing development, engineering, and manufacturing processes. Educates employees on product engineering processes, best practices, footwear testing, and manufacturing procedures. Liaises between external manufacturing facilities and internal design and development teams to ensure product quality and to establish standardized product testing and construction techniques. Analyzes and implements manufacturing processes, defines engineering protocols, and establishes best practices. Identifies opportunities for cost savings through creation of material or manufacturing efficiencies and reduction of waste. Maintains a positive collaborative working environment within the product creation and LO teams. Partners with the costing function to provide suggestions and alternatives to best meet Target FOB. Partners and helps drive semi-annual Engineering Summit initiatives. Supports and provides assistance with the seasonal new product commercialization process.

Requirements

• Experience with product engineering, footwear testing, biomechanical testing highly preferred.
• Creating outdoor performance and lifestyle footwear processes for engineering, manufacturing, and testing
• Developing and analyzing technical performance standards
• Establishing requirements for manufacturing, testing technologies and techniques
• Working with U.S. based teams and foreign manufacturing facilities to drive engineering and testing recommendations for seasonal projects
• Working with Costing, Development, Innovation, Engineering and Manufacturing teams to identify and leverage potential manufacturing efficiencies to reduce costs
• Implementing new manufacturing technologies from creation to mass production and overseeing execution and documentation of trial runs
• Reading, interpreting and implementing technical documentation, including 2-D and 3-D CAD drawings, and manufacturing best practices
• Mentoring and training employees on product engineering and testing processes
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with management, staff
• Experience managing and prioritizing multiple projects
• Proven influencing skills
• Bachelor’s degree, applicable certification or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of footwear engineering experience.
• Understanding of footwear manufacturing processes and materials.
• Knowledge of chemical engineering, tooling engineering, and pattern making.
• Expertise in foams and injection molding components.
• In-depth knowledge of footwear product constructions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• College degree with course work in manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering , Biomechanics or related fields, preferred

Responsibilities

• Provides footwear technical design solutions, material choices, and product construction input.
• Ensures products meet consumer fit, function, and performance expectations from technical and engineering perspectives.
• Partners with other engineers, developers, and project managers to perform technical footwear engineering duties, including patterning, tooling, 3D-prototyping, and manufacturing.
• Develops new methods of testing, identifying and analyzing results to resolve engineering problems.
• Engages with and supports all factions of the Product Integrity Group.
• Acts as an intermediary between new technology/innovation, material development, and product creation.
• Reviews tech packages, dev samples, and production samples to ensure quality and consistent manufacturability.
• Works with offshore development, engineering, QA, and factory teams to proactively identify potential product-manufacturing concerns and to provide solutions.
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and improve existing development, engineering, and manufacturing processes.
• Educates employees on product engineering processes, best practices, footwear testing, and manufacturing procedures.
• Liaises between external manufacturing facilities and internal design and development teams to ensure product quality and to establish standardized product testing and construction techniques.
• Analyzes and implements manufacturing processes, defines engineering protocols, and establishes best practices.
• Identifies opportunities for cost savings through creation of material or manufacturing efficiencies and reduction of waste.
• Maintains a positive collaborative working environment within the product creation and LO teams.
• Partners with the costing function to provide suggestions and alternatives to best meet Target FOB.
• Partners and helps drive semi-annual Engineering Summit initiatives.
• Supports and provides assistance with the seasonal new product commercialization process.

Benefits

• At Columbia Sportswear Company, we’re proud to offer regular full-time employees a benefits package that includes a variety of services and products to help make your life and work more rewarding.
• Our benefit programs contribute to overall employee well-being by aligning those programs with the fundamental elements of well-being: physical, social/emotional, financial, career and community.
• Benefits that can protect your family’s financial future and help you save money through our 401k plan plus a generous company match.
• Columbia offers medical, dental, vision, life Insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, and an assortment of voluntary benefit offerings (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and legal services).
• In addition, Columbia offers EAP + which is free and confidential 24/7/365 counseling services.
• We have extensive wellness benefits, employee discounts and a generous time off program available.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees