Summary:
This role is responsible for the delivery of new and innovative concepts to support needs for LION PPE across the organization. Owns the technical development and design integrity of new PPE concepts through commercialization, ensuring alignment with customer needs, regulatory requirements, manufacturing capabilities, and business objectives. The Senior Technical Designer will support the company vision of innovation by executing the technical development of PPE including Structural Fire Fighting, Technical Rescue and CBRN garments. This role partners closely with Design, Product Management, Compliance Engineering and Manufacturing.
Essential Functions:
- Technical design and development of PPE garments, including ensuring compliance with NFPA and other applicable standards.
- Translate design concepts into production ready solutions, focusing on fit, construction, materials, tolerances and durability.
- Develop, revise and maintain patterns to support new products, product revisions, sizing updates and component changes. Generate 2D and 3D technical representations through pattern and visualization software.
- Create and maintain technical documentation using Gerber PDS and related systems.
- Identify and develop product opportunities from customers, supplier partners, outside innovators, academia, and evolving industry standards and technologies.
- Meet with internal stakeholders, customers or suppliers as needed to address customer needs, including fit, durability or certification discrepancies.
- Provide technical leadership and influence across cross-functional teams, guiding decisions related to fit, materials, construction, certification, and manufacturability.
- Supports prototype development, incorporating feedback from wear testing, certification testing and production.
- Champion transition of new or revised products through manufacturing for production readiness, including certification success, and commercial launch.
- Provides technical expertise including troubleshooting to cross functional teams in the development of samples and commercialization of new products.
- Contribute to process improvements that enhance consistency, manufacturability and certification success.
- Documents, discloses, protects, and seeks patent protection on qualified new products.
- Monitor and interpret changes to NFPA and other applicable standards and participate in relevant industry committees and technical groups as appropriate.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS:
- The ideal candidate will be a seasoned Technical Designer with a minimum of 5 years of experience from relevant product manufacturing companies.
- Bachelor's degree product design/development, technical design, engineering, or other technical degree.
- Strong knowledge of the manufacturing process in a global matrixed environment.
- Deep knowledge of NFPA and other applicable performance standards, certification processes, and standards-driven product development.
- Proficiency with Adobe Illustrator and Gerber Pattern Design Software or equivalent pattern development and technical design systems.
- Exhibit good documentation, communication, project management, interpersonal skills, and ability to manage his/her workload within a team environment.
- Must be willing to travel to manufacturing locations to provide support when needed.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks/projects.
- Strong organizational skills.
Relationships & Contacts:
- Internal - Marketing, Product Management, Manufacturing, Engineering, Purchasing, Management, Compliance
- External – Vendors, Suppliers, Academia
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Minimum 5 years of experience in technical design and product manufacturing
- Bachelor's degree in product design, technical design, engineering, or a related field
- Strong knowledge of NFPA and related performance standards
- Proficiency in Gerber PDS and Adobe Illustrator or equivalent software
- Strong communication and project management skills
What We Do
LION is always ready to make sure you're ready for what's next. We have a legacy and ongoing vision of introducing new products and services — designed to ensure the health, safety and performance of the first responders and military personnel who serve our communities and our country. LION PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) Our game-changing PPE innovations are designed to best prepare firefighters, EMS teams and law enforcement officers for the dangers and hazards they encounter on the emergency calls. Our first responder garments also include high-performance CBRN ensembles, rescue wear and LION StationWear™. Additionally our LION TotalCare® maintenance programs help to extend PPE wear life and safety performance, LION FIRE TRAINING Our state-of-the-art fire training tools and custom training facilities provide the global workforce and first responders with realistic, repeatable training scenarios, keeping them prepared for the potential live-fire dangers they face on the job. LION MILITARY LOGISTICS Paradigm-shifting supply chain and logistics programs from our LVI division help keep equip our warfighters for the rigors of training and the challenges of battle. Always keeping first responders ready for action....before, during and after.
