Product Developer - Fixed-Term

Patagonia; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Retirement plan

Leave of absence

Job summary

Patagonia is seeking a Product Developer – Fixed-Term Contract in Ventura, CA (Hybrid; preferred) or Remote. You will lead end-to-end development, turning concepts into safe, durable, and commercially viable styles that meet Patagonia’s quality and sustainability standards.

You will partner with Design, Production, Quality, Testing, and other teams to ensure construction, safety, fit, and performance while guiding factories on construction with clear specifications and BOMs.

Qualifications

• Degree in a related field (Product Development, Apparel/Textile Design, Technology, Merchandising, Engineering, or equivalent).
• Experience developing apparel with understanding of construction and safety standards.
• Strong skills creating technical specifications and construction illustrations in Adobe Illustrator.
• Knowledge of knit and/or woven construction, materials, pattern making, costing, embroidery, and surface applications.
• Understanding garment fit and guiding manufacturers on pattern and construction adjustments.
• Proficiency with Adobe Illustrator, Excel, and Microsoft Office tools.
• Ability to write clear, accurate, and actionable product specifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development from concept to safe, durable, and functional designs.
• Serve as a technical expert for construction, quality standards, and safety requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to keep projects on schedule.
• Coordinate factory communication for prototyping, costing, and timelines.
• Produce and own clear product specifications and BOMs.
• Manage prototype development, approvals, and delivery timing.
• Support accurate costing by understanding methods, materials, and labor.
• Collaborate with Quality and Field-Testing to meet durability and safety standards.

Skills

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

Product specification writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

Role: Product Developer – Fixed-Term Team: Product Development Scope: Individual Contributor, P3 Years of Experience: 7+ Location Options: Ventura, CA (Hybrid; preferred) or Remote Duration: Fixed-Term Contract Until June 2027 The Product Developer is responsible for leading the end-to-end development of Patagonia products, transforming design concepts into safe, functional, and commercially viable styles that meet Patagonia’s quality and sustainability standards. This role partners closely with Design, Line Management, Production, Commercialization, Size & Fit, Quality, and Testing teams to ensure construction, safety requirements, fit, and performance are achieved. The Product Developer also supports workload balancing across categories when needed to enable broader business initiatives.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the development of a variety of products from concept through ensuring design intent translates into safe, durable, and functional product.
• Serve as a technical expert in construction, quality standards, and safety requirements, ensuring compliance throughout development.
• Partner cross-functionally to keep projects on calendar, proactively course-correcting when timelines shift.
• Coordinate and manage factory communication related to prototyping, construction, costing, and timelines.
• Produce, maintain, and own clear and accurate product specifications and Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Manage prototype development, approvals, and delivery timing, including off-calendar exploration for new products or materials when required.
• Support accurate costing by understanding construction methods, materials, and labor considerations.
• Collaborate with Quality and Field-Testing teams to manage lab and field testing, ensuring durability, safety, and performance standards are met.
• Ensure Patagonia standards for quality, function, safety, and reduced environmental impact are upheld.
• Maintain complete and timely product data entry in Patagonia’s PLM system to ensure data accuracy and visibility.
• Foster respectful, collaborative relationships with cross-functional partners and factory teams.

Who You Are

• Mission-Driven: Deeply committed to Patagonia’s environmental and social values.
• Product-Focused: Strong understanding of different product type needs, including safety, durability, comfort, and fit.
• Adaptable: Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-Directed: Proactive, resourceful, and confident managing multiple priorities independently.
• Detail-Oriented: Strong attention to detail with clear verbal and written communication skills.
• Resilient: Able to manage deadlines and complexity across multiple styles and seasons.
• Help support daily activities where needed or while teammates are out of the office.
• Collaborative: Excited to work across diverse teams and perspectives.

Experience You Bring

Degree in a related field (Product Development, Apparel/Textile Design, Technology, Merchandising, Engineering, or equivalent experience). Experience developing apparel or products, with an understanding of construction and safety standards. Strong skills creating technical specifications and construction illustrations using Adobe Illustrator. Knowledge of knit and/or woven construction, materials and properties, pattern making, costing, embroidery, and surface applications. Understanding garment fit and the ability to guide manufacturers on pattern and construction adjustments. Proficiency with Adobe Illustrator, Excel, and Microsoft Office tools. Ability to write clear, accurate, and actionable product specifications.

Target Hiring Ranges by Location

• Ventura Hiring Range - $100,000 - $115,000
• Remote Hiring Range - $95,000 - $110,000

At Patagonia, pay ranges are assigned to a job based on the location specific market median of similar jobs according to 3rd party salary benchmark surveys. Individual pay within that range can vary for several reasons including skills/capabilities, experience, and available budget.

Benefits

• Patagonia offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement and leave of absence plans.
• Benefit plans may vary slightly depending on the nature of your employment.

Workplace Location Overview

This position can be Hybrid, with a standard schedule of Tuesday - Thursday on-site and remote work on other days. Occasional additional office visits may be required for team events or critical meetings.

This position can be Remote, allowing employees to work from a designated home office in an approved location within the United States. Occasional travel to our Ventura office may be required for team events, training, or critical meetings.

Employee Conduct

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive, inclusive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.

We’re in business to save our home planet, and we’re hiring. We are a company as much as we are a community and a movement, bringing people together with an unwavering sense of purpose. We hope you’ll explore the open positions listed here to find opportunities that align with your professional passions and expertise. If you don’t see any current opportunities that match what you’re looking for, please check back regularly and follow us on LinkedIn. For more immediate ways to support our mission and efforts to save our home planet, we encourage you to visit Patagonia Action Works where you can learn about opportunities to get involved with environmental organizations.