The posting
Role: Senior Design Engineer
Team: Advanced Concept Design Scope: Individual Contributor (P4) Experience: 8+ years Location: Ventura, CA (Hybrid)
At Patagonia, our purpose is clear: We’re in business to save our home planet. Product sits at the heart of that mission- and how we innovate is just as important as what we create. As performance expectations evolve and new challenges emerge, we are called to think radically, act boldly, and push beyond incremental improvement to imagine entirely new possibilities.
As a Senior Design Engineer, Advanced Concepts, you will play a critical role in transforming early ideas into tangible, testable product solutions. You bring an innovation-first mindset, approaching challenges with both curiosity and technical rigor. Equally comfortable working hands-on in prototyping as you are leading complex, cross-functional initiatives, you bridge concept and execution—translating design intent into functional, performance-driven products. In close partnership with Advanced Concepts, Design, Materials Development, and Materials Innovation, you will help push the boundaries of how our products are built while ensuring they remain durable, repairable, and aligned with Patagonia’s values.
What You’ll Do
- Develop proprietary solutions with unique intellectual properties, partnering with Legal to formalize patents and construction methodology.
- Explore and apply emerging manufacturing technologies to inform new, more responsible ways of building products.
- Evaluate all Forge-developed products with a focus on quality, performance, durability, repairability, and end-of-life considerations.
- Build product construction specifications and document step by step constructions to help communicate with the Development, Inline Design, Quality, and Production teams for commercialization.
- Partner with Pattern and Fit team ensuring our concepts adhere to our fit and pattern standards.
- Conceptualize and create new product opportunities—both within existing categories and in entirely new spaces.
- Collaborate with Design, Fit, and Advanced Concepts teams to innovate around movement and performance, incorporating biomechanics into design solutions
- Build and test working prototypes using a wide range of construction techniques, including sewing, lamination, RF welding, seam taping, laser cutting, and emerging methods
- Partner with world-class athletes to co-create activity-specific concepts and validate performance in real-world conditions
Who You Are
- Purpose-driven – motivated to build best-in-class products in service of the planet
- Curious & innovative – constantly exploring new ideas, tools, and techniques
- Collaborative – able to interpret design intent and bring forward thoughtful, alternative solutions
- Technical problem solver – skilled at navigating complexity and driving innovation through construction and engineering
- Experimenter – comfortable testing, failing, iterating, and learning quickly to push concepts forward
Experience You Bring
- 8+ years of experience developing high-quality products across apparel, accessories, and/or equipment
- Advanced expertise in pattern making, including building concepts from the ground up
- Degree in Design, Pattern Making, Engineering, or equivalent experience
- Exceptional attention to detail across product construction, execution, and documentation
- Strong working knowledge of tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Optitex, Browzwear, Clo3D, or similar 3D platforms
- Experience with 3D design/engineering tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Rhino) is a plus
- Hands-on experience with a range of fabrication methods, including sewing, adhesive lamination, RF welding, 3D printing, laser cutting, and seam taping
- Deep understanding of material properties and their impact on product construction and performance
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver in a fast-paced, iterative environment
- Experience mentoring and developing designers and/or developers
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to stand for extended periods of time.
- Ability to look at a computer screen for extended periods of time.
- Ability to maintain a composed and professional demeanor within a flexible and (at times noisy) work environment.
Hiring Range: $118,800 - $135,000 USD Annual
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 is 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.
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.
