Design Engineer - Product Development

Pineapple Contracts Inc.; Aylesford; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Discretionary bonus

Pension scheme

Healthcare

Birthday off

Pizza Friday

Job summary

Pineapple Contracts Inc. is seeking a Design Engineer to own the ongoing design, development and engineering of our acoustic pod and workspace product portfolio.

You will manage projects from concept through prototyping to production implementation, driving improvements in quality, cost and manufacturability. You will work with internal teams and external suppliers, turning ideas into practical, production‑ready solutions while maintaining records and supporting cross‑functional product

Qualifications

• Proven experience/qualifications in Industrial/Product/furniture design or equivalent Design engineering roles.
• Ability to produce detailed product drawings and designs that are manufacture ready.
• Excellent technical and engineering experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop acoustic pods, furniture and associated components from concept through to production‑ready solutions.
• Take ownership of individual design and product development projects, managing activities through agreed timescales, budgets and quality requirements.
• Support and manage the existing in‑production product portfolio, investigating issues and developing practical engineering solutions where required.
• Identify and implement product improvements relating to functionality, durability, assembly, manufacturability, quality, cost and user experience.
• Manage design changes to existing products, ensuring drawings, CAD models, specifications and associated product information are kept accurate and up to date and shared with relevant parties.
• Transform concepts, sketches and stakeholder requirements into detailed engineering designs and production‑ready models.
• Produce accurate 3D CAD models, assemblies and detailed manufacturing drawings using SolidWorks and supporting tools.
• Develop prototypes and samples alongside our factory partners and to help the Directors evaluate and validate design concepts prior to production.
• Work closely with suppliers and manufacturing partners to resolve technical and manufacturing issues and ensure designs can be produced efficiently and consistently.
• Apply a good understanding of materials and manufacturing processes when developing new products and improving existing designs.
• Review component and manufacturing costs and work with suppliers and internal stakeholders to identify opportunities for cost improvement and value engineering.
• Support product testing and validation, including the investigation and resolution of issues identified during development or once products are in production.
• Maintain accurate product development records, CAD data, drawings and product information within internal systems.
• Work cross‑functionally with colleagues across Operations, Purchasing, Sales and other relevant teams to support successful product development and ongoing product management.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities, proactively following up actions and keeping work progressing towards agreed deadlines (Monday.com).
• Contribute ideas and engineering knowledge to the continuous improvement of our products and Product Development processes.
• Support new product launches and the successful transition of designs into manufacture and through to our Marketing team.
• Carry out other reasonable duties relating to product design and development as required by the business.

Skills

Industrial design

Product development

Project management

Communication skills

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

Pineapple is recruiting for a great new opportunity with our associated company Workagile.

Design Engineer - Product Development

HOURS: 8am - 4.30pm

LOCATION: Aylesford, Kent. London. Burgess Hill - Hybrid. Based in one of these locations

CONTRACT: Full-time, Permanent

What We’re Looking for

As the sole Design Engineer, you will take ownership of the ongoing design, development and engineering of our acoustic pod and workspace product portfolio, managing projects from initial concept through to prototyping, manufacture and production implementation.

You will play a hands‑on role in maintaining and improving our existing products, resolving design and manufacturing issues, managing engineering changes and identifying opportunities to improve quality, performance, cost and manufacturability. Working closely with colleagues across the business and external suppliers, you will turn ideas and requirements into practical, commercially viable and production‑ready solutions, taking responsibility for the engineering process and ensuring our products continue to evolve and meet business needs.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Design and develop acoustic pods, furniture and associated components from concept through to production‑ready solutions.
• Take ownership of individual design and product development projects, managing activities through agreed timescales, budgets and quality requirements.
• Support and manage the existing in‑production product portfolio, investigating issues and developing practical engineering solutions where required.
• Identify and implement product improvements relating to functionality, durability, assembly, manufacturability, quality, cost and user experience.
• Manage design changes to existing products, ensuring drawings, CAD models, specifications and associated product information are kept accurate and up to date and shared with relevant parties.
• Transform concepts, sketches and stakeholder requirements into detailed engineering designs and production‑ready models.
• Produce accurate 3D CAD models, assemblies and detailed manufacturing drawings using SolidWorks and supporting tools.
• Develop prototypes and samples alongside our factory partners and to help the Directors evaluate and validate design concepts prior to production.
• Work closely with suppliers and manufacturing partners to resolve technical and manufacturing issues and ensure designs can be produced efficiently and consistently.
• Apply a good understanding of materials and manufacturing processes when developing new products and improving existing designs.
• Review component and manufacturing costs and work with suppliers and internal stakeholders (Sourcing teams etc) to identify opportunities for cost improvement and value engineering.
• Support product testing and validation, including the investigation and resolution of issues identified during development or once products are in production.
• Maintain accurate product development records, CAD data, drawings and product information within internal systems.
• Work cross‑functionally with colleagues across Operations, Purchasing, Sales and other relevant teams to support successful product development and ongoing product management.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities, proactively following up actions and keeping work progressing towards agreed deadlines (Monday.com)
• Contribute ideas and engineering knowledge to the continuous improvement of our products and Product Development processes.
• Support new product launches and the successful transition of designs into manufacture and through to our Marketing team.
• Carry out other reasonable duties relating to product design and development as required by the business.

Ideally, you’ll have:

• Proven experience and/or qualifications in Industrial/Product/furniture design or equivalent Design engineering roles.
• Ability to produce detailed product drawings and designs that are manufacture ready
• Understanding of the workspace furniture industry, ideally (but not essential) in acoustic pods/systems.
• You are qualified in Industrial/Product/furniture design to degree level or equivalent Design engineering qualifications.
• Ideally with experience working in a similar Design Engineer role.
• Experienced in producing detailed drawings and designs for manufacture.
• Good manufacturing knowledge in furniture, or an equivalent industry.
• Excellent technical and engineering experience.
• Have excellent experience with CAD packages – SolidWorks (essential) Fusion 360 & Autodesk Inventor (advantageous).
• An excellent understanding of material properties and manufacturing processes.
• Comfortable managing multiple projects and working to tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Based within sensible commuter distance of our central showroom in London, and also willing/able to travel UK wide & Globally as required.

• Highly self‑motivated, with the ability to manage and prioritise a varied workload
• Comfortable working autonomously, effectively, for long periods of time.

Why work for us

Workagile was established in 2017 with the idea of making the workplace more agile through innovative and unique furniture designs, and in 2019 we were acquired by Pineapple Contracts.

The need for hybrid workspaces has surged due to the increase in virtual meetings, alongside the need for more efficient, flexible spaces to work and meet, largely within smaller office footprints as companies either downsize or re‑design due to flexible working teams.

Our focus at Workagile has evolved to follow this demand and saw us launch our first acoustic pod solution in 2022. Since then, we have expanded to three ranges, and alongside our Huddlebox Collection we have a unique position in the market. Workagile are now becoming a recognised brand, engaging with global companies including Pfizer, GSK, WSP and HSBC, through a network of dealers & Design+Build clients, while architects, designers and end users themselves remain key stakeholders on larger projects through the project specification route.

What we offer you

• Competitive salary and a discretionary annual bonus
• Pension scheme
• Healthcare Cash Plan – claim back medical, dental and optical costs
• Perks & rewards platform – access hundreds of deals and discounts
• Gym discounts through our perks platform
• Employee Assistance Programme – confidential support when you need it
• 23 days’ holiday plus UK bank holidays, increasing to 26 with length of service
• An extra day off for your birthday
• Tree planted in your honour when you join – with trees already planted in the UK, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Madagascar
• Monthly pizza Friday
• Fruit and snacks are provided daily
• Refer a friend scheme – £250 reward

Diversity & Inclusion -

Pineapple is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.