Product Developer/Regulatory Compliance

United Sports Brands•Costa Mesa, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Product Developer is responsible for managing the end-to-end development of sports medicine products, with a strong emphasis on ensuring all products meet regulatory, quality, and compliance requirements. This role oversees product execution from concept through production, acting as the liaison between internal teams and external vendors to ensure alignment on specifications, timelines, and standards. A critical component of this role is supporting and managing compliance needs throughout the development lifecycle. The Product Developer ensures all products adhere to applicable regulatory standards and internal quality systems, including maintaining accurate and complete technical documentation (tech packs, material specifications, BOMs), supporting Quality Management System (QMS) requirements, and coordinating product testing and validation. This includes working closely with vendors and third-party labs to ensure materials and finished goods meet performance, safety, and durability standards prior to production. The role is also responsible for tracking and resolving compliance-related issues during development, including failed test results, material deviations, or construction inconsistencies. The Product Developer ensures corrective actions are implemented and documented, and that all pre-production and production samples (proto, fit, size set, PP, TOP) are reviewed and approved against both design intent and compliance standards. The Product Developer partners cross-functionally with product management, technical design, sourcing, and quality teams to ensure products are delivered on time, on cost, and fully compliant for market release. This role requires strong attention to detail, a high level of accountability, and the ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining clear, consistent communication across all.

Requirements

+5 years Product development of sports performance products with experience working with product managers and manufacturers (international)
Ability to produce tech-packs
Development experience with both hardgoods and softgoods
Proficient in Adobe Illustrator
Proficient in Adobe Photoshop
Excellent creative skills associated with innovative product design
Proficient using MS Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) is required
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to succeed within a team driven business environment
Demonstrate strong work ethic, reliability, teamwork and flexibility
Ability to manage multi-task requirements on a daily basis
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
Must be available for a flexible schedule of domestic and international travel (1-2x per year)
Must successfully pass criminal background check
Must have valid driver’s license
Candidate must be able to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with ability to: sit/; use hands to finger, handle, and feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear.
The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, or crouch.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Preferred degree in apparel and/or industrial design.

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end product development from concept through production (proto, fit, size set, PP, TOP) ensuring alignment to design intent, performance, and quality standards
Track development timelines and sample status, ensuring milestones and key deliverables are met
Partner with Product Management and Design to ensure product meets consumer needs, performance expectations, and target cost.
Serve as the primary point of contact for all development-related communication with factories and material vendors
Lead daily/weekly communication to track progress, resolve issues, and ensure alignment on expectations
Ensure vendors follow all development standards, tech pack requirements, and quality expectations
Drive accountability with vendors on sample accuracy, material execution, and on-time delivery
Ensure all products meet applicable regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements for sports medicine products
Maintain accurate and complete documentation to support Quality Management System (QMS) requirements (tech packs, testing records, approvals, change logs)
Coordinate product testing (materials and finished goods) with internal teams and third-party labs to validate performance, durability, and safety standards
Review test results and manage corrective actions for any failures, ensuring root cause is identified and resolved prior to production
Support regulatory documentation and audit readiness, ensuring traceability and proper record retention
Validate product performance, fit, and durability through sample review, wear testing, and lab testing
Ensure consistency between development samples and production (PP/TOP), identifying and resolving discrepancies
Partner with Quality and Technical Design teams to uphold product standards and address any risks prior to production
Support target costing initiatives by working with vendors on material selection, construction efficiencies, and cost breakdowns
Review costing details for accuracy and alignment to targets, ensuring transparency in materials and manufacturing costs
Collaborate with Sourcing to align on factory capabilities, materials, and production readiness
Work closely with Product Management, Design, Technical Design, and operations teams to ensure alignment throughout development
Communicate project status, risks, and solutions clearly to internal stakeholders
Support product line reviews, development meetings, and milestone checkpoints
Manage multiple product development projects simultaneously while maintaining organization, prioritization, and attention to detail
Proactively identify risks, delays, or issues and drive solutions to keep projects on track
Maintain clear documentation and tracking tools to ensure visibility and accountability across all projects