Senior Design Engineer
About The Position
At Patagonia, our purpose is clear: We’re in business to save our home planet. Product sits at the heart of that mission- and how we innovate is just as important as what we create. As performance expectations evolve and new challenges emerge, we are called to think radically, act boldly, and push beyond incremental improvement to imagine entirely new possibilities. As a Senior Design Engineer, Advanced Concepts, you will play a critical role in transforming early ideas into tangible, testable product solutions. You bring an innovation-first mindset, approaching challenges with both curiosity and technical rigor. Equally comfortable working hands-on in prototyping as you are leading complex, cross-functional initiatives, you bridge concept and execution—translating design intent into functional, performance-driven products. In close partnership with Advanced Concepts, Design, Materials Development, and Materials Innovation, you will help push the boundaries of how our products are built while ensuring they remain durable, repairable, and aligned with Patagonia’s values.
Requirements
- 8+ years of experience developing high-quality products across apparel, accessories, and/or equipment
- Advanced expertise in pattern making, including building concepts from the ground up
- Degree in Design, Pattern Making, Engineering, or equivalent experience
- Exceptional attention to detail across product construction, execution, and documentation
- Strong working knowledge of tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Optitex, Browzwear, Clo3D, or similar 3D platforms
- Hands-on experience with a range of fabrication methods, including sewing, adhesive lamination, RF welding, 3D printing, laser cutting, and seam taping
- Deep understanding of material properties and their impact on product construction and performance
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver in a fast-paced, iterative environment
- Experience mentoring and developing designers and/or developers
Nice To Haves
- Experience with 3D design/engineering tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Rhino) is a plus
Responsibilities
- Develop proprietary solutions with unique intellectual properties, partnering with Legal to formalize patents and construction methodology.
- Explore and apply emerging manufacturing technologies to inform new, more responsible ways of building products.
- Evaluate all Forge-developed products with a focus on quality, performance, durability, repairability, and end-of-life considerations.
- Build product construction specifications and document step by step constructions to help communicate with the Development, Inline Design, Quality, and Production teams for commercialization.
- Partner with Pattern and Fit team ensuring our concepts adhere to our fit and pattern standards.
- Conceptualize and create new product opportunities—both within existing categories and in entirely new spaces.
- Collaborate with Design, Fit, and Advanced Concepts teams to innovate around movement and performance, incorporating biomechanics into design solutions
- Build and test working prototypes using a wide range of construction techniques, including sewing, lamination, RF welding, seam taping, laser cutting, and emerging methods
- Partner with world-class athletes to co-create activity-specific concepts and validate performance in real-world conditions
Benefits
- medical
- dental
- vision
- retirement
- leave of absence plans
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Associate degree
