Job Title: Soft Goods Developer / Development Engineer
Location: 100% Onsite in Sunnyvale, CA
Duration: Contract
We are seeking a Soft Goods Developer / Development Engineer to join a leading-edge Soft Goods Engineering team. This team works at the intersection of design, materials science, and product development-crafting innovative soft goods solutions for next-generation consumer wearable products such as VR headsets, AR devices, and smart accessories.
The ideal candidate is highly skilled in textiles (including knits, wovens, non-wovens), foams, and adhesives, and understands their application in scaled manufacturing. This role will support the development of construction methods and prototypes that meet both aesthetic and functional performance requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
Collaborate with Industrial Design, Product Design, and Systems teams to generate, prototype, and validate Soft Goods construction concepts.
Build functional prototypes using in-house advanced Soft Goods equipment to validate form, fit, finish, and reliability.
Design tools and fixtures that mimic scaled production processes to inform Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and design expectations.
Develop and maintain a material library with technical specifications and testing data.
Coordinate with suppliers and manufacturing partners for sourcing, timelines, technical feasibility, and testing.
Plan and conduct material performance tests; summarize and present findings to engineering and leadership teams.
Support rapid prototyping programs with low-volume fabrication of test samples or concepts.
Keep detailed records of technical decisions, vendor communications, and development iterations.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Textile Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related field.
3-5 years of hands-on experience with technical textiles and integration into consumer or wearable products.
At least 2 years of experience in a prototyping environment using advanced soft goods machinery.
Strong experience with fabric and textile constructions: knits, wovens, non-wovens.
2D and 3D CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, NX preferred); able to create POC prototypes, fixtures, and tooling.
Excellent problem-solving and collaboration skills.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work across technical and design teams.
Knowledge of product development lifecycle and scale manufacturing processes.
Previous experience in cross-functional environments with ID, Mechanical, and Systems Engineering.
Preferred Qualifications:
5+ years of experience developing soft goods for consumer electronics or related fields.
Expertise with sports equipment, wearable accessories, or products that integrate soft and hard goods (e.g., shoes, headsets, backpacks, automotive interiors).
Prior experience at top-tier tech or design-driven companies.