Design Engineer - New Product Development

TentBox; Romsey; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading outdoor gear company is seeking a Design Engineer to develop innovative products. The role requires 5+ years of experience, a relevant engineering degree, and proficiency in CAD software. Responsibilities include leading design projects, collaborating on product quality, and ensuring production readiness. This position is office-based with some flexibility for remote work.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in mechanical or product design engineering.
• Professional portfolio of production-ready mechanical design work.
• Knowledge of DFM principles and ability to optimize designs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of hard goods for the TentBox range.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure high product quality.
• Prepare clear, accurate documentation including 2D drawings and BOMs.

Skills

3D CAD proficiency

Mechanical design

Prototyping

Problem-solving

Education

Degree in Product Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Industrial Design Engineering

Tools

Fusion 360

FEA tools

Job description

About Us

TentBox was established in 2015, and is the UK’s leading roof tent brand and the facilitator of unforgettable outdoor experiences. We’re revolutionising adventure and making outdoor exploration simpler and more convenient with a range of high-performance roof tents. So whether you’re a novice camping family, an experienced solo-explorer – or anything in between – you can embrace the freedom to get out and see the world.

Our Values

We’re focused on building products that perform in the real world, guided by values that prioritise quality, service, and community.

Exceptional Products

Product quality is at the core of everything we do. All our products are designed by our world-class product team in the UK.

Unrivalled Service

We care deeply about our customers, and work tirelessly to ensure everyone has a positive experience with TentBox at all touchpoints.

Inclusive Community

The TentBox Community is everything to us. We understand that a TentBox is so much more than a product – it's a lifestyle.

About the Role

We’re looking for a Design Engineer with a mechanical mindset and a problem-solving instinct to help bring the next generation of TentBoxes and adventure gear to life.

This is a hands-on, full-lifecycle role for someone who knows how to make things work, combining technical understanding with creativity to solve complex engineering problems and design smart solutions ready for manufacture.

You’ll lead the development of hard goods from frameworks and injection-moulded parts to linkages and forward-thinking use of innovative materials and collaborate closely with our in-house design team and overseas manufacturers to turn ideas into production-ready products.

You’ll be responsible for developing structurally sound, user-focused solutions that are built for the outdoors, while helping shape the TentBox product roadmap through technical ownership, prototyping, and problem-solving.

If you're a mechanically minded designer who loves the outdoors and thrives on solving real-world challenges through thoughtful and creative engineering - we’d love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

Design & Development

• Lead the design and development of hard goods across the TentBox range — including frameworks, mechanisms, plastic components, and integrated assemblies.
• Own mechanical solutions from concept through to production — delivering CAD, detailed part and assembly models, and manufacturing-ready documentation.
• Translate industrial design intent into robust, manufacturable solutions that balance function, aesthetics, cost, and real-world constraints.
• Collaborate with the wider product, design, and brand teams to ensure a consistent design language and high level of product quality.
• Contribute to continuous innovation across the product range — identifying new opportunities, materials, and mechanisms that improve the user experience.

Engineering & Validation

• Use analysis tools and physical prototyping to validate material performance, part integrity, and structural strength.
• Optimise designs for high-volume production using DFM principles — with a focus on injection moulding, aluminium/steel fabrication, and efficient assemblies.
• Support field testing and performance validation using feedback to inform improvements and iterate on designs.
  
  

Production & Documentation

• Work closely with overseas suppliers on sampling, tooling, and production refinement.
• Prepare and maintain clear, accurate documentation — including 2D drawings, BOMs, and specification packs.
• Ensure all outputs are version-controlled, production-ready, and aligned with design and engineering intent.
  

Ideal Candidate

• Holds a degree in Product Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Industrial Design Engineering.
• Has 5+ years of experience in mechanical or product design engineering ideally in consumer goods, outdoor gear, or the automotive sector.
• Brings a professional portfolio of production-ready mechanical design work.
• Proficient in 3D CAD, preferably Fusion 360 (or similar) with strong skills in 3D modelling, assemblies, tolerancing, and detailed part design.
• Experienced in developing products for high-volume manufacture including injection moulding, extrusions, and aluminium/steel fabrication.
• Skilled in mechanical design and analysis, including structural frameworks, moving parts, and FEA-based validation of material strength and behaviour.
• Able to select appropriate materials and manufacturing methods to balance performance, cost, and quality.
• Strong understanding of DFM principles and the ability to optimise parts and assemblies for tooling, fabrication, and assembly, with knowledge of risk analysis and tolerance stack-ups.
• Confident with prototyping and iterative testing, including hands-on development and troubleshooting.
• Produces clear, accurate documentation including 2D drawings, BOMs, and spec sheets.
• Organised and self-driven, with the ability to work at pace while maintaining quality and design intent.
• A collaborative, communicative team player with a passion for practical problem-solving, well-built products, and the outdoor lifestyle.

Location: This is an office-based role with flexibility to work from home, depending on the needs of the teamTeam: Product Development