Product Engineer

Thirty-5 Capital; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 103,500 - 126,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary of $115,000

5% bonus

Paid time off

Retirement plan with company match

Professional development opportunities

Smart casual dress

Job summary

A leading sports equipment company in Chicago is seeking a Product Engineer to design and develop innovative products across racquet sports and baseball. Responsibilities include collaboration with various departments, leading material testing, and overseeing manufacturing processes. Ideal candidates should have a Bachelor's in Mechanical or Materials Engineering and at least 5 years of product development experience in sports equipment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience inventing and developing products.
• Experience in sports equipment (racquet sports and/or baseball) strongly preferred.
• Documented success in launching new products.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Operations to develop innovative products.
• Lead the development and testing of new materials.
• Oversee the start of the manufacturing process.

Skills

Creative and innovative skillset

2D design skills (hand sketching, rendering)

Knowledge of product development software

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Materials Engineering

Tools

Key Shot or similar rendering software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a Product Engineer to design and develop innovative products across both our racquet sports (pickleball, padel, and related) and baseball divisions. This role will work closely with Sales, Marketing, and Operations to deliver best-in-class equipment—from high-performance pickleball paddles and padel racquets to wood and composite baseball bats—helping set industry standards for quality and innovation. The position is located in our headquarters in Chicago, IL, and will report to the Senior Product Line Manager.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Operations to develop innovative pickleball paddles, padel racquets, baseball bats and ancillary products.
• Build a deep understanding of both racquet sports and baseball equipment, customer needs, and athlete feedback.
• Analyze market and industry product trends to come up with unique product ideas.
• Partner with Project Managers on product ideas and to establish project priorities.
• Lead the development and testing of new materials suitable for racquet and baseball products.
• Create rough product designs using sketches and computer software.
• Select product materials and design the product manufacturing process.
• Determine product feasibility costs and return on investment.
• Test product prototypes to adjust design flaws.
• Consult with operations team to determine cost-effective manufacturing procedures.
• Oversee the start of the manufacturing process to ensure productivity and safety.
• Work with team to bring new concepts to market.
• Actively implement continuous process improvement.
• Help drive innovation and participate in evolving design language for products that inspire passion.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Materials Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience inventing and developing products.
• Experience in sports equipment (racquet sports and/or baseball) strongly preferred.
• Keen creative and innovative skillset and eye for detail.
• Documented success in launching new products and maintaining products.
• Strong 2D skills: hand sketching (digital) and rendering skills with ability to create designs quickly, working in and out of software tools.
• Experience in producing design spec packs and technical drawings.
• Expertise in Key Shot or similar rendering software.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and other necessary product development software.
• Ability to travel domestically.

What We’ll Provide

• Competitive compensation of $115,000 with a 5% bonus
• Benefits
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan with company match
• Professional development opportunities
• Smart casual dress