Gemline · Lawrence, MA, United States
Join Gemline’s in-house Design team as an Associate Industrial Designer to shape the future of soft goods, bags, and accessories through innovation, sustainability, and consumer-focused design. You’ll work in a collaborative, mission-driven environment guided by Circular Design Principles to create products people use every day — with real impact and lasting value.
About the Role
You’ll design bags, accessories, and lifestyle products such as backpacks, coolers, totes, and duffels as part of Gemline’s collaborative in-house Design team. You’ll work closely with Gemline’s Design team and cross-functional partners to help shape future product assortments through research, CMF exploration, product innovation, and storytelling. As a B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation, Gemline’s Circular Design Principles guide how we think about durability, material impact, resource efficiency, and responsible product decisions.
What You Will Do
Design new soft-sided bags and accessories that contribute to cross-category collections.
Innovate through in-depth cultural, product, and consumer trend research, synthesizing insights into relevant product opportunities.
Explore CMF direction, including color, materials, finishes, fabrics, trims, and hardware that support product storytelling, function, and collection cohesion.
Apply Gemline’s Circular Design Principles as a decision-making filter throughout the design process.
Champion hands-on exploration to create innovative design concepts and collections through concept sketches, virtual renderings, 3D prototyping, and sampling.
Build accurate technical drawings and three-quarter views to communicate visually with our technical center team in China.
Manage the design and development of multiple projects simultaneously, partnering with the Product Development team from concept through final prototype in accordance with the launch calendar.
Obsess over the details to deliver functional items with features that the consumer will value.
Refine product concepts to meet business objectives and production requirements.
Build strong cross-functional relationships by sharing information, valuing different perspectives, solving problems, and working toward consensus.
Confidently present trend forecasts, product direction, and supporting narrative stories to internal and external audiences.
Embrace a lean work environment and look for ways to continuously evolve standard processes and implement improvements.
What We Are Looking For
Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design.
Recent graduate or early-career Industrial Designer with 0–2 years of relevant product design experience, including internships, co-ops, freelance work, or strong academic studio projects.
Portfolio demonstrating soft goods, cut-and-sew construction, CMF sensibility, sketching, technical drawing, product development, and/or consumer-focused design thinking.
Strong ability to design and develop products that function well, have marketable features, and meet production requirements.
Passion for research and synthesis of cultural, product, and consumer trends.
Strong visual, verbal, and presentation communication skills for varied audiences.
Entrepreneurial spirit and continuous innovation to achieve great results.
Establishes and maintains trusting relationships through collaboration, clear, honest communication, and humility.
Exceptional organization skills and ability to prioritize workflow based on deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Proactively identifies potential challenges, asks thoughtful questions, and takes action to solve problems before they impact project timelines.
Integrates curiosity and imagination into creative process to inspire fresh solutions and new ideas.
If you’re passionate about sustainable design, product innovation, and making a real impact — apply today and become part of Gemline’s mission to design better, more responsible products for the world.