Super short version:Inventing remarkable consumer products - taking concepts from \"this should exist\" to \"holy shit, why didn't this exist before\" - in the kitchen and household space.Bulleted Responsibilities:Take product concepts and figure out how to make them work elegantlyDesign products in CAD (we use SolidWorks, but we're flexible on software)Prototype heavily in-house (3D printing, testing, breaking, improving, repeat)Iterate relentlessly until the product hits our \"remarkable\" quality thresholdCollaborate with our supply chain team on Design for Manufacturing and sourcing decisionsDeliver production-ready CAD files and specifications for manufacturingSolve hard problems that don't have obvious solutions (this is like 80% of the job)To give you an idea of what we make: Beverage Barricades (the magnetic drink guard), CrocoDicer, and various kitchen gadgets that make people's lives meaningfully better. We're not making generic private label crap - we're inventing things that are genuinely novel and patentable.We are doing our best to grow rapidly every year, and it’s our intention to continue that for as long as possible, which means we need good people to help us keep up with the growth.Fair warning: this is slow, deliberate work. A single product might take 6-36 months from concept to launch. We are quality-obsessed and refuse to ship mediocre products. If you need the dopamine hit of shipping something every week, you will be miserable here.Like everyone else in the company, you will also need to innovate regularly - which means figuring out ways to improve quality and production speed.Do I need a college degree?You just need to be awesome.Are there any geographic restrictions?As long as you are in a country that doesn’t have active sanctions from the US government, we are interested. Our founder isn’t known for respecting the government much, but they have all the guns, so…Do I need an engineering degree?Nope. Our current product engineer is largely self-taught and didn't go to engineering school. We don't care about credentials - we care about whether you can actually invent great products. If you can demonstrate strong CAD skills and a track record of making things, that matters way more than a diploma.What CAD software do you use?We currently use SolidWorks, but we're not religious about it. What matters is that you can produce production-ready 3D models. If you're proficient in Fusion 360, AutoCAD, or similar - that's fine. Just know that you'll need to come in with strong 3D modeling skills; we're not training from zero.How many products will I work on at once?Typically 1-2 at a time. This is deep focus work, not juggling a dozen things. You'll spend months on a single product, iterating until it's genuinely great.What if I've never worked in consumer products before?That's fine, as long as you have demonstrated ability to design and prototype physical products. Whether that came from industrial design, mechanical engineering, or just being a maker who builds stuff in your garage - we care about the skill, not the pedigree.Do I need to deal with manufacturers directly?You'll collaborate with our supply chain team on Design for Manufacturing and be involved in sourcing decisions, but you won't own the vendor relationships. Supply chain handles the day-to-day communication with factories. Your job is to design products that can actually be manufactured.What does a typical day look like?Variable as hell. Some days you're deep in CAD. Some days you're running prototype tests. Some days you're researching materials or competitor products. Very few meetings. Basically no bureaucracy. What's consistent is working independently, solving hard problems, and pushing toward \"remarkable.\"6-36 months per product? Really?Really. We iterate until it's genuinely great. We'd rather take 2 years to launch something remarkable than rush out something mediocre in 3 months. If that timeline makes you anxious, this probably isn't the role for you.What types of products will I be working on?Primarily kitchen and household products. Things that solve real problems people have. We're especially interested in products that can be patented and are hard for competitors to copy. Generally, we want to either radically improve a product in its category (like 200% better) or invent a new category.This sounds pretty good, though I’m still skeptical that this isn’t a pyramid scheme.You sound just like the tax authorities!That doesn’t resolve any of my fears, but what do I need to do to apply?Please submit your information on the following page to apply:
https://jlstradingco.applytojob.com/apply/KkxbGrLBL5/Product-Engineer-Inventor-Fun-Ecom-Co-Great-People-Flexible-HoursWe promise to respond within 5-10 business days even if our answer is No.There will be multiple steps in this process, FYI, including a long written application, interviews with potentially a few different people, and paid work test(s). Hiring the right people is really hard and very expensive if we do it poorly, so we have to front-load the process. I'm sorry about that and thank you for sticking with us.Once you’re in our pipeline though, I would anticipate giving you a final answer within a few weeks, depending on how it goes. We definitely don’t want to string you along, and as long as you do what we ask, we promise to tell you \"yes\" or \"no\", and to not just ghost you (like everybody I match with on Tinder).Thank you for your time and interest, and I hope we can work together soon!----JLS Trading Co. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, JLS Trading Co. complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. JLS Trading Co. expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of JLS Trading Co.’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.
