Performance Eyewear Designer - Farmingdale, NY

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR · We are seeking a multidisciplinary Industrial Designer to join our Hardgoods team, bringing experience across performance-driven product categories such as eyewear, bags, footwear, and technical accessories. This role focuses on designing innovative, athl ...

Job description

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a multidisciplinary Industrial Designer to join our Hardgoods team, bringing experience across performance-driven product categories such as eyewear, bags, footwear, and technical accessories. This role focuses on designing innovative, athlete-centered products that merge function, performance, and elevated design, requiring a strong balance of creative vision, technical understanding, and executional excellence.

The ideal candidate is a versatile designer who can move fluidly across categories, translating complex concepts into thoughtful, manufacturable product solutions. You will combine strong industrial design fundamentals with an understanding of materials, ergonomics, and performance requirements, leveraging research, prototyping, and iterative development to solve technical challenges and enhance user experience.

Grounded in sport culture and performance innovation, you will anticipate evolving consumer needs through market insights, wear testing, and hands-on product development. You will contribute to both big-picture product direction — including category positioning, collections, and innovation pipelines — and detailed execution throughout the design and development process.

We are looking for a collaborative, curious, and adaptable designer who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about creating meaningful, performance-led products that strengthen brand identity across multiple categories.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of relevant industry experience in performance product design, with required experience in performance eyewear; background in mechanical and/or mold design within med-tech, electronics, or related industries preferred.
• Proven track record of commercialized performance products, with innovations successfully transitioned to downstream partners.
• Experience leading or managing R&D and/or product design engineering teams.

TECHNICAL & MANUFACTURING EXPERTISE

• Advanced knowledge of performance eyewear manufacturing, including shape, fit, materials, finishes, graphic application, and production technologies.
• Strong understanding of injection molding, DFM, DFA, statistical tolerance analysis, functional dimensioning, geometric tolerancing, and 2D/3D CAD.
• Working knowledge of material properties, including plastics, metals, adhesives, and glass.
• Experience with simulation tools, prototyping methods, manufacturing technologies, and rapid prototyping, including additive manufacturing.

DESIGN, INNOVATION & PROBLEM-SOLVING

• Proven critical thinker with a structured, scientific approach to solving complex problems and designing through ambiguity.
• Ability to identify and pursue opportunities to elevate design quality, efficiency, and innovation through emerging tools, technologies, and processes.
• Experience maintaining end-to-end design and strategic direction to ensure a consistent product vision.

COLLABORATION, LEADERSHIP & EXECUTION

• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize across short- and long-term initiatives of varying complexity.
• Ability to operate autonomously while partnering effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Experience facilitating meetings, managing key milestones, and delivering against timelines.
• Willingness to travel to support engineering builds, wear testing, vendor visits, and industry events.

CULTURE, COMMUNICATION & PERSPECTIVE

• Expert communication and presentation skills across multiple formats, including senior leadership presentations.
• Demonstrated passion for trend, visual culture, and global style awareness, paired with customer-centric thinking.
• Passion for and/or experience in running, weightlifting, cross-training, or related sports.

TOOLS & PORTFOLIO

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and comfort working in emerging digital spaces, including 3D and generative AI tools.
• Portfolio or work samples required, demonstrating research, creative thinking, process, aesthetics, and outcomes.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

• Identify gaps and opportunities within the current product line and develop solutions aligned with consumer insights, emerging trends, and business objectives.
• Collaborate closely with design leadership and cross-functional partners to ensure aesthetic excellence, functional feasibility, and alignment with price points, merchandising needs, and timelines.
• Translate ideas into design concepts and silhouettes with deep consideration for fit, functionality, construction, and material systems.
• Drive the creation of athlete-tested, consumer-ready performance product through prototyping, wear testing, and iteration.
• Present work internally and externally, contributing to product roadmaps, seasonal narratives, and short- and long-term strategic vision.
• Help evolve product creation processes, design toolkits, and shared brand language through deep research into sport, the athlete, culture, art, fashion, and personal creative perspective.
• Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and creatively driven environment while pushing the status quo to deliver elevated athletic performance.