The Associate Gear Designer is responsible to support the design process and team to deliver products and collections that are inspired, meaningful and brand right. This includes research of trend at macro, industry and competitive levels, and participation with gathering consumer insights to inform design process. The Associate Gear Designer will actively ideate and refine ideas to form a design point of view and reach creative solutions for seasonal product design efforts. Through the process they may share and/ or own product responsibility, and work closely with design partners, materials and development to define all aspects of product design direction. They will be a key support and partner within the overall design team, with expectation to advance personal growth and overall team achievements. They will collaborate with partners across REI and overall supply chain to ensure design vision and intent is delivered to REI’s members.

• Discover, share and apply insights from trend, market, field use, and consumer behavior.
• Possess understanding of activities and consumers. Seeks to gain understanding of future consumers
• Support, and design of seasonal and long range product lines targeting goals and criteria defined in planning process
• Support Design and Materials Team to identify specific fabric direction for each product including performance, sustainability, and aesthetic characteristics
• Ideate to explore and create direction for form, function, materials and color for assigned styles
• Support design partnership with Insights and Testing teams to understand consumer and product end use performance
• Drive documentation of design intent in form of specifications to define product attributes and inform prototype process
• Work closely with Design and Development partners through an iterative specification and prototyping process to reach proof of concept and design hand-off
• Assist with creative, operations and merchant teams to support the goals of the brand
• Champion product design excellence in working meetings and formal presentations

Qualifications 

• 1-2 years prior experience in product design/development, BFA in Industrial Design, related degree and relevant industry experience may be considered 
• Proven ability to create, express, and apply design point of view to guide product intent to solve for user needs 
• Demonstrated behavior to be curious, grow to meet new challenges, and create continuous design advancement 
• Ability to gather, express, and apply market/user trends to guide design direction 
• Skills to express and develop design thinking with prolific and proficient ideation sketching process 
• Skills to inform prototype process with ability to consistently document design requirements to align with REI standards 
• Computer proficiency: Adobe Design Standard required, 3D CAD (Rhino, or Solid works) and rendering desired, All office tools 
• Confident and clear presentation skills across visual, written, and verbal forms to express design thought 
• Affinity to working within a team environment to inspire and critique each other to deliver better results 
• Working knowledge of broad materials and manufacturing process-with ability to research and apply new learnings as required
• Ability to reference and meet deadlines within a product development process and seasonal calendar
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external partners to achieve positive results

At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.  

Pay Transparency

We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors.   

REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off.  Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.