Rapid-Prototype Product Innovator (Junior)

Schroeder & Tremayne, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(K) with employer match

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

LTD

FSA

Paid time off

Job summary

Schroeder & Tremayne, Inc. is seeking a creative product builder to translate consumer insights into real, physical products. You will use AI tools to brainstorm, visualize, and rapidly iterate concepts within home, lifestyle, and everyday-need categories.

You will sketch, render, and specify features, materials, and costs, then build quick prototypes and test with feedback. This on-site role in St. Louis emphasizes hands-on creation and practical manufacturing awareness.

Qualifications

• Portfolio, class project, personal project, sketches, prototypes, or examples of physical products you have imagined, designed, modified, or made.
• Comfort with—or enthusiasm to learn—ChatGPT, image-generation tools, digital design software, and rapid concept visualization.
• An interest in real-world consumer products and how materials, functionality, packaging, and price affect a design. Advanced financial modeling is not required.
• Curiosity about what consumers buy, what frustrates them, and how competing products could be improved.
• Ability to work with colleagues across creative, product, marketing, and sourcing functions; previous manufacturer or overseas-supplier experience is not necessary.
• Clear communication, willingness to present ideas, openness to feedback, and ability to juggle several creative concepts.
• Ability to work on-site in the Greater St. Louis area. Occasional travel may be requested as the role develops.

Responsibilities

• Generate fresh, practical ideas for physical consumer products in our existing categories, inspired by everyday problems, shopping trends, customer reviews, and unmet needs.
• Use AI-assisted ideation and visualization tools to brainstorm ideas, explore variations, create product visuals, and communicate concepts quickly.
• Turn rough ideas into clear product concepts through sketches, mockups, renderings, simple specifications, feature ideas, materials, colors, and potential uses.
• Build or help coordinate quick, hands-on prototypes and samples; test how products look, feel, and work, then improve them based on feedback.
• Collaborate with design, sourcing, marketing, and supplier partners to refine concepts and review samples; prior supplier-management experience is not required.
• Prepare concise visual concept boards and product briefs that help teammates understand the idea, intended customer, key features, and possible next steps.
• Bring multiple ideas to the table, welcome constructive criticism, revise quickly, and move promising concepts toward a prototype.
• Share concepts with the team in clear, engaging presentations that show what the product is, what problem it solves, and why someone would buy it.

Skills

Portfolio samples

AI tools familiarity

Creative ideation

Communication skills

Team collaboration

On-site in St. Louis

Tools

ChatGPT

Image-generation tools

Digital design software

Job description

Schroeder & Tremayne, Inc. is seeking a creative product builder to translate consumer insights into real, physical products. You will use AI tools to brainstorm, visualize, and rapidly iterate concepts within home, lifestyle, and everyday-need categories.

You will sketch, render, and specify features, materials, and costs, then build quick prototypes and test with feedback. This on-site role in St. Louis emphasizes hands-on creation and practical manufacturing awareness.