DESIGN THE COMFORT. BUILD THE EXPERIENCE.
At POLYWOOD, we design products that help families and communities connect in the great outdoors. As a Product Engineer | Soft Goods, you will bring our cushioned and upholstered products to life by engineering soft goods that are beautiful, durable, sustainable, and manufacturable at scale.
You will collaborate with design, production, and sewing teams to turn concepts into expertly engineered prototypes and production-ready solutions. This role is hands-on, creative, detail oriented, and deeply connected to craftsmanship.
What You’ll Do:
• Design and develop prototypes for cushions, seat pads, and upholstered components using CAD and hands-on fabrication methods.
• Engineer soft goods solutions that balance aesthetics, comfort, manufacturability, and durability.
• Create and modify sewing patterns, sewing guides, and assembly instructions.
• Partner directly with sewing and upholstery teams to refine functional, production-ready designs.
• Select fabrics, foams, fasteners, and other materials that align with performance and manufacturability requirements.
• Produce clear engineering documentation including material callouts, assembly drawings, and technical specifications.
• Collaborate with Product Managers, Design, and Production teams to launch soft goods from concept through full release.
• Test prototypes and pre production samples for fit, function, and durability, iterating as needed.
• Recommend improvements that increase manufacturability, efficiency, cost effectiveness, and product quality.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges throughout development and launch.
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What You Bring:
• 3 to 5 years of experience in product development or engineering with a focus on soft goods, upholstery, or sewn products.
• Strong understanding of sewing techniques, pattern creation, and soft goods construction.
• Experience with CAD software such as Solidworks, Rhino, or Pathworks.
• Ability to create and interpret sewing patterns and technical drawings.
• Hands-on familiarity with textiles, foams, and upholstery materials.
• Excellent problem solving skills with a practical, prototype first approach.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects.
• Experience collaborating closely with production teams.
• Clear and concise communication skills.
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Bonus Skills:
• Experience in furniture, outdoor goods, automotive interiors, or other upholstered product categories.
• Hands-on sewing or upholstery experience.
• Knowledge of durability and wear testing for soft goods.
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Why You’ll Love Working With Us:
• Valued Contribution: Your engineering work directly shapes the comfort, quality, and performance of our outdoor furniture.
• Growth Opportunities: Work on a growing portfolio of soft goods in a vertically integrated environment.
• Team Environment: Join a collaborative and skilled team that values craftsmanship, innovation, and support.
• Innovation Mindset: Contribute to a culture that embraces creativity, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
• Craftsmanship Meets Purpose: See your ideas move from prototype to production and out into the world.
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POLYWOOD is the leader in sustainable outdoor furniture, engineering and building products that are beautiful, functional, and made to last. We proudly operate from our headquarters in Syracuse, Indiana, with additional operations in Roxboro, North Carolina, and a growing remote workforce.
Our soft goods team plays a critical role in elevating comfort and experience across our furniture collections. In this role, you help strengthen our commitment to quality, sustainability, and design by engineering cushions and upholstered components that bring our products to life. We embrace a culture built on energy, trust, innovation, and opportunity, and we take pride in creating products that enhance outdoor living for generations to come.
Check out this video - Genuine Polywood
If this role sounds like a great fit, we’d love to meet you! Apply today!
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POLYWOOD is an equal opportunity employer. POLYWOOD evaluates qualified applicants without regard to characteristics protected by federal, state, or local laws.
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