JUNIOR CONSUMER PRODUCT INNOVATION SPECIALIST

Design Observer Group; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Design Observer Group in the Greater St. Louis area is seeking a modern product builder who translates culture, retail, materials, aesthetics, and consumer behavior into fresh products.

You will craft concepts rapidly using AI tools and collaborate across teams to create actionable physical product ideas. You will explore consumer needs, define benefits and features, and present clear visual concepts and potential market appeal.

Qualifications

• Original thinking and consumer instincts are valued over formal design titles.
• Ability to explain why a product idea would appeal to consumers and develop several concepts at once.
• Willingness to work on-site in the Greater St. Louis area; occasional travel may be requested.

Responsibilities

• Generate original ideas for everyday consumer products in existing categories and create concise concept presentations showing consumer problem, solution, key features, and market appeal.
• Use AI tools to brainstorm, visualize, compare, and refine new consumer product concepts quickly.
• Collaborate with product, sourcing, marketing, and outside partners to turn promising concepts into samples or prototypes.

Job description

THE MANDATE

Find the next meaningful physical consumer-product opportunities within our existing categories, turn them into compelling concepts quickly, and prove that they can win with consumers and make money.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a modern product builder—not a traditional product manager who primarily manages calendars, documentation, and stage gates. This person will bring an outside-in view of culture, retail, materials, aesthetics, and consumer behavior; translate those signals into fresh products for our existing categories; and use AI-enabled tools to move from insight to tangible concept at exceptional speed.

You will have room to explore, challenge assumptions, and create. You will also be accountable for the economics. A visually exciting idea is only valuable when it solves a real consumer problem, can be sourced and manufactured responsibly, earns the required margin, and has a credible path to meaningful sales.

What You Will Create

• Generate original ideas for everyday consumer products in our existing categories, identifying unmet needs, common frustrations, and fresh ways to make products more useful or appealing.
• Use ChatGPT, AI image-generation tools, and other creative resources to brainstorm, visualize, compare, and refine new consumer product concepts quickly.
• Take ideas beyond brainstorming: define the consumer need, intended customer, product benefits, key features, appearance, and reasons someone would buy the product.
• Create clear visual concepts through AI-generated images, concept boards, sketches, presentations, or simple mockups; advanced CAD or technical drawing skills are not required.
• Explore new uses, clever features, appealing styles, packaging ideas, and improvements to existing products that could stand out in stores or online.
• Work with experienced colleagues to consider price points, manufacturing practicality, sourcing, and product feasibility as concepts develop.
• Discover opportunities by studying consumer reviews, shopping behavior, retail shelves, Amazon, TikTok Shop, and emerging trends across everyday consumer goods.
• Build concise concept presentations that show the idea, consumer problem, proposed solution, key features, visual direction, and potential market appeal.
• Collaborate with product, sourcing, marketing, and outside development partners to turn promising concepts into samples or prototypes; technical engineering is handled with appropriate partners.
• Generate multiple concepts, test different directions, incorporate feedback, and keep improving the strongest ideas.
• Present product ideas enthusiastically and clearly, explaining what makes each concept different and why consumers might want it.

How You Will Work

• Inventive and curious: You constantly notice everyday problems and imagine consumer products that could solve them.
• Consumer-minded: You pay attention to what shoppers want, what products sell, and what makes an item exciting, convenient, or giftable.
• Idea-to-concept oriented: You enjoy developing an original thought into a specific product proposal rather than stopping at trend research.
• Visually communicative: You can show what you mean with AI visuals, inspiration references, simple mockups, or presentations; formal industrial design training is not necessary.
• Commercially curious: You are eager to learn how product appeal, target retail price, and practical feasibility shape a strong idea.
• Collaborative and experimental: You welcome feedback, try alternatives, and work with others to bring product concepts closer to reality.Resourceful with creative tools: You are comfortable exploring ChatGPT and visual AI tools to accelerate ideation and concept development.

The Profile We Value

We value original thinking, consumer instincts, and evidence that you can turn an idea into a compelling product concept more than a particular degree or formal design title. Recent graduates and early-career applicants are welcome.

• Examples of original consumer product ideas you have developed through work, school, a side project, or personal experimentation; a short concept presentation is as welcome as a formal portfolio.
• Interest in using ChatGPT, AI image-generation tools, visual presentations, and simple mockups to develop and communicate product concepts.
• Strong interest in everyday consumer goods such as housewares, home products, pet accessories, beauty products, automotive accessories, and impulse items.
• Ability to spot consumer frustrations, new uses, market gaps, and opportunities to make existing products more compelling.
• Creative backgrounds may include consumer product development, merchandising, retail product innovation, entrepreneurship, marketing, or other idea-driven work; industrial design or engineering experience is not required.
• Ability to explain why a product idea would appeal to consumers, accept feedback, and develop several concepts at once.
• Willingness to work on-site in the Greater St. Louis area; occasional travel may be requested as the role develops.

What This Role Is Not

• A traditional industrial design or engineering role centered on CAD, detailed technical drawings, or mechanical specifications.
• A software product management, UX/UI, or digital application design position.
• A product coordinator role focused mainly on calendars, tracking, purchasing, or maintaining existing products.
• A role that stops at trend boards or attractive images: the goal is to develop original, consumer-relevant ideas into clear, actionable physical product concepts.

Experience in one or more of the following is especially relevant:

Housewares, home organization, cleaning, household products, beauty/personal care, pet products, automotive aftermarket, tools, hardware, general merchandise, impulse products, appliances or other mass-market consumer goods.