Sr. Concept Design Engineer

Job description

Job Description: Come join the team at Techtronic Industries, the world leader in cordless technology spanning Power Tools, Outdoor Power Equipment, Floor Care Appliances and Accessories. We currently have an open position for a Sr. Concept Design Engineer in the Outdoor Products Advanced Concepts group at our Innovation Center in Anderson, SC. The Sr. Concept Design Engineer is a key contributor within the Advanced Concepts group, responsible for front-end innovation and creation of breakthrough product concepts in the outdoor power equipment market. This role operates upstream of traditional product development, focusing on identifying unmet user needs, exploring new technologies, and developing novel product categories and disruptive solutions that redefine our current product offerings. This position blends industrial design thinking, mechanical engineering fundamentals, rapid prototyping, and system-level concept development. The ideal candidate thrives in a creative environment and is equally comfortable sketching ideas, building rough prototypes, and shaping early concepts into solutions. Working closely with the Advanced Concepts team and cross-functional partners, you will create functional prototypes, evaluate feasibility, and develop forward-looking concepts that help define future product roadmaps. Daily work includes hands-on brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and concept iteration. The Advanced Concepts team is highly collaborative, deeply hands-on, and driven by curiosity and learning as we develop new and innovative outdoor products. Primary Responsibilities: Lead front-end concept development for new outdoor product categories and disruptive solutions for existing verticals Translate user insights, market trends, and emerging technologies into functional product concepts Generate and evaluate multiple design directions through sketching, CAD, mockups, and functional prototypes Develop early designs, mechanisms, layouts, and strategies to prove feasibility and value Build and test prototypes to explore function, ergonomics, performance, and user experience Collaborate closely with cross-functional groups from industrial design, product management, user research, manufacturing, and engineering Partner with marketing and strategy teams to frame opportunities and articulate value propositions Assess technical risk and feasibility and guide concepts into product development Communicate concepts clearly through visuals, models, presentations, and storytelling to both technical and non-technical stakeholders and leadership Build and manage budget, schedule, and quality expectations to meet key milestones Qualifications: B.S. in Mechanical or related Engineering disciplines; advanced degree a plus 7+ years of experience in product concept development, advanced engineering, or innovation in consumer products, automotive, or adjacent industries Experience with 3D CAD (Solidworks, NX, etc.), sketching, and rapid prototyping Strong mechanical design fundamentals with experience in mechanisms, structures, and systems integration Proven ability to work in early, unrefined phases of development and drive ideas from concept to prototype Experience with hands-on fabrication methodologies (3D printing, woodworking, metal working) Experience with electronics including Arduino and Raspberry PI is a plus Ability to couple first-principles analysis with advanced tools such as FEA, CFD, and AI/ML to guide mechanical design Experience with measurement equipment for vibration & sound is a plus Willingness to travel ~15% (domestic/international) Software MS Office, NX, SolidWorks, Ansys We Value: Self-starters who can work well autonomously and in collaboration with teams Individuals with the “Maker” mindset – excited to jump into a new project and not afraid to get their hands dirty Collaborative contributors – bring outside experience and interests to brainstorming sessions Cross-functional communicators – able to translate information between technical and non-technical co-workers Experience with Rapid Prototyping (varying materials and processes) Familiarity with electrical and mechanical systems (ex. motors, microcontrollers, batteries)