Lead Technical Designer, Private Brands (Hard Goods)

Job Description:

At Chewy, we believe great work starts with great people!

At Chewy, our mission is to be the most trusted and convenient destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. We are passionate about creating innovative products and experiences that strengthen our connection with customers and improve the lives of pets and pet parents. As part of our Private Brands team, you'll have the opportunity to shape distinctive products and experiences that drive differentiation, growth, and long-term brand equity.

Your Opportunity

As a Lead Technical Designer, you will help shape the technical direction of Private Brands by influencing product development strategies, technical standards, and commercialization practices across categories. You will serve as a technical authority throughout the product lifecycle, guiding complex decisions related to construction, materials, functionality, performance, manufacturability, and customer experience.

Working across a broad portfolio of products and initiatives, you will influence how technical requirements, validation methodologies, and development processes are applied to support long-term business objectives. Through technical leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional influence, you will help define the future capabilities of the Technical Design function while driving differentiated product outcomes.

About The Team

The Technical Design team serves as the technical authority throughout product development, translating product concepts and innovation strategies into scalable, manufacturable solutions. The team owns product specifications, performance requirements, development validation, and commercialization readiness while ensuring products deliver on design intent, customer expectations, and business goals.

Working closely with Product Design, Quality Assurance, Compliance, Sourcing, Category Management, and supplier partners, Technical Design plays a critical role in bringing innovative products to life. The team influences product performance, construction, materials, manufacturability, and customer experience while helping establish technical standards and best practices across a rapidly growing portfolio.

Success in this role requires strong technical judgment, customer advocacy, and the ability to balance design intent, product performance, manufacturability, and commercialization readiness. You will influence product outcomes through technical expertise, data-driven decision making, and collaborative problem solving.

What You'll Do

Technical Development

• Lead the translation of product concepts into detailed technical specifications, construction requirements, material standards, performance criteria, and development plans.
• Establish and approve final product specifications, construction requirements, material standards, performance criteria, and acceptance limits through sample evaluation and development validation activities.
• Influence product concepts early in development by providing expertise on construction, materials, functionality, durability, and customer use cases.
• Partner closely with Product Design to ensure design intent, functionality, and customer expectations are successfully executed throughout development.
• Validate manufacturability and commercialization readiness through sample evaluations, development iterations, technical reviews, and supplier collaboration.
• Provide technical leadership and problem-solving throughout development to ensure products are scalable, manufacturable, and commercially viable.

Technical Standards & Product Performance

• Establish technical standards, product specifications, performance requirements, and testing approaches across product categories.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking and market analysis to evaluate product quality, functionality, durability, and value.
• Coordinate development testing activities and incorporate findings into product specifications and development decisions.
• Identify technical, manufacturing, performance, and quality risks and implement solutions before production.
• Approve products for commercialization based on performance, manufacturability, and customer experience expectations.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to transition approved specifications and critical-to-quality requirements into production quality processes.

Regulatory & Product Safety Integration

• Partner with Compliance to understand applicable regulatory requirements, product safety standards, labeling requirements, and market obligations.
• Incorporate regulatory and product safety requirements into product specifications, validation plans, and development processes.
• Coordinate technical evaluations and product safety reviews throughout development.
• Ensure regulatory requirements are appropriately reflected within specifications and commercialization activities.

Supplier & Manufacturing Partnership

• Partner with suppliers to optimize product construction, materials, manufacturing processes, and technical execution.
• Leverage supplier expertise and manufacturing capabilities to improve product performance and accelerate innovation.
• Support resolution of complex product performance, manufacturability, and commercialization challenges.
• Build strong supplier relationships that drive technical excellence and consistent execution of product standards.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Expertise

• Serve as the technical subject matter expert across product categories, development initiatives, and commercialization activities.
• Influence cross-functional decision-making through technical expertise, customer advocacy, product performance knowledge, and development leadership.
• Collaborate across Product Design, Brand Strategy, Quality Assurance, Compliance, Sourcing, Operations, and Category Management.
• Present technical recommendations and development insights to stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Mentor team members and contribute to the evolution of technical development standards, tools, and best practices.

What You'll Need

• 10+ years of experience in Technical Design, Product Development, Engineering, Product Design, Industrial Design, or a related field.
• Bachelor's degree in Technical Design, Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Design, or equivalent professional experience.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, XD, or similar design software.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel.
• Experience translating product concepts into technical specifications, performance requirements, and manufacturable solutions.
• Strong understanding of materials, construction methods, manufacturing processes, product testing, and commercialization.
• Experience leading complex product development initiatives and influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong technical judgment, problem-solving skills, and ability to balance customer needs, product performance, and business objectives.

Bonus

• Experience in hard goods, consumer products, retail, private brands, or pet industry product development.
• Experience developing technical standards, product requirements, and validation processes across multiple categories.
• Experience working with domestic and international suppliers.
• Experience mentoring technical team members and leading process improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of product safety, regulatory requirements, and quality systems.

What You'll Get

Chewy is committed to equal opportunity. We value and embrace diversity and inclusion of all Team Members.

Our salary range for this position is competitive and based on experience and qualifications. In addition to a competitive compensation package, Team Members may be eligible for a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) with company matching, paid parental leave, employee assistance programs, paid time off, and Team Member discounts.

Chewy is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process.

• The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, education, and work location. In addition, this position is eligible for 401k and a new hire and annual equity grant. C08+ positions may also be eligible for annual bonus.

We offer different types of insurance and benefits, such as medical/Rx, vision, dental, life, disability, hospital indemnity, critical illness, and accident. We offer parental leave, family services benefits, backup dependent care, flexible spending accounts, telemedicine, pet adoption reimbursement, employee assistance program, and many discounts including 10% off pet insurance and 20% off at Chewy.com. 

Exempt salary team members have unlimited PTO, subject to manager approval. Team members will receive six paid holidays per year. Team members may be eligible for paid sick and family leave in compliance with applicable state and local regulations. 

Chewy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, citizenship, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. If you have a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law, and you need an accommodation during the application process or to perform these job requirements, or if you need a religious accommodation, please contact

CAAR@chewy.com

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