Senior Soft Goods Designer

Dephy is looking for a candidate who has an urge to understand how things work and who gets excited when there is no known solution to the problem at hand. We are a curious, creative, and passionate team looking for a team member to help us tackle challenges at the forefront of wearable robotics. Help us transition mobility exoskeletons from labs and treadmills to the real world: cities, trails, and mountains.

Description of Role

As a Senior Soft Goods Designer, you will create a variety of soft goods prototypes used on wearable robotic devices. This role combines creative problem-solving, technical expertise, and cross-functional collaboration to fabricate high-quality prototypes from sketches, descriptions, and/or models. In addition to hands-on design work, you will cultivate strong relationships with vendors, develop and present detailed tech packs, and function as a quasi-project manager—coordinating timelines, deliverables, and communication across teams and partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with industrial design and engineering to build and test solutions and integrate soft goods seamlessly into complete products. As a senior designer, you may lead small teams and/or supervise the work of technicians for more complex soft goods projects.
• Design Leadership: Lead the concepting, design, and development of innovative soft goods components across multiple product lines, from initial sketches to production-ready specifications. Maintain a workspace, including managing inventory of supplies, cleanliness of the area, and maintenance of tools, safety equipment, and machinery.
• Vendor Management: Build and manage relationships with global suppliers and manufacturing partners, ensuring quality, cost, and lead-time objectives are met.
• Project Management: Plan, prioritize, and drive multiple soft goods development projects simultaneously, delivering on time and within budget.
• Technical Documentation: Create comprehensive tech packs, BOMs, and construction details to communicate design intent to internal teams and external partners clearly.
• Prototyping & Materials: Prototype using a wide variety of textiles, foams, plastics, with a restraint system to validate fit, performance, and manufacturability.
• Small lot manufacturing:  Support the Manufacturing team when needed, by building a limited number of soft goods products for early production. 
• Testing & Compliance: Ensure that goals are met through performance testing, user trials, and regulatory compliance activities for soft goods components.
• Process Improvement: Identify and implement best practices for soft goods development, materials selection, and manufacturing methods.
• Willingness to support other prototype efforts when needed

Required Qualifications

• Be a good human - get along with the team, build strong working relationships, and execute on Dephy’s Values.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Textile Engineering, Product Design, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of hands-on experience designing and developing soft goods for wearable, medical, outdoor, or consumer products.
• Thrives in fast-paced settings, communicating clearly, staying composed, and setting the standard for professionalism while driving teams to complete projects on time.
• Strong skills in prototyping using cut-and-sew, heat-seal, and other soft goods fabrication techniques.
• Able to manage prototyping projects and tasks autonomously with process documentation and accountability.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to collaborate and remain calm and professional in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience using computer-controlled manufacturing equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters
• Basic 2D and 3d CAD design tools: Adobe Illustrator or Solidworks.
• Knowledgeable and aware of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Manage Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).

Desired Qualifications

• Footwear experience is a plus, but willingness to learn footwear prototyping techniques is a requirement
• Basic shop competency. Skills such as safety, cleanliness, organization, and familiarity with cutting and grinding tools and machinery.

Other Information

• At Dephy, our mission is to empower people to move through life with confidence. Our goal is to do this by attracting, hiring, and building a team of good humans. Humans who are diverse builders with unique collections of tools, cultures, and experiences. We celebrate our differences and foster an environment for our team to learn and ask questions. We trust and respect each other, and value the cultural contribution that we each bring to Dephy. We believe that when people feel respected and included, they can be more creative, innovative, and successful. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet every qualification or skill.
• Candidates need to be authorized to work in the U.S.
• This position is not eligible for sponsorship of an immigration case in order to employ you (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration case).
• Salary and equity will be determined based on qualifications

• This listing is not for reproduction. No recruiters, please, only interested candidates.

• Apply at http://dephy.com/

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (Simple IRA)
• Life Insurance
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Long Term Disability
• Free Food & Snacks
• Cafeteria and Fitness Center on Site
• Dog Friendly Office