Product Engineer - R&D

Role details

About Pure Fishing

Pure Fishing is a global leader in the fishing tackle industry, with a portfolio of iconic brands that includes Abu Garcia®, Berkley®, Fenwick®, Frabill®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Plano®, Savage Gear®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Ugly Stik®, and many more. The brands that came together to form Pure Fishing were founded by inventors and innovators responsible for many of the advancements in the fishing tackle industry that anglers worldwide benefit from today.

Our team of industry-leading experts and our global network of operations and innovation hubs strive to find those next innovations and produce world-class products designed to delight our consumers, strengthen business for our customers, and build love for our brands globally.

But to us fishing is not just about business, it is about time shared with family and friends, for some the peace derived from time on the water or for others the thrill of the battle and satisfaction of the earned triumph, and for all that feeling you get with every catch. We are a passionate team hungry to win while dedicated to creating memorable experiences with our brands and products and helping anglers everywhere have more fun catching more fish. We want your next day on the water to be your best day on the water. At Pure Fishing we have high expectations for Execution, we strive to Empower our people every day, expect and encourage Authenticity.

Product Engineer – Fishing Line

Ready to combine engineering, innovation, and a passion for creating great products? Join Pure Fishing as a Product Engineer – Fishing Line and help develop the products that anglers around the world rely on.

In this role, you will work alongside R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Sourcing, and other teams to take new ideas from concept to production. If you enjoy solving problems, experimenting with new technologies, and seeing your ideas come to life, this could be a great catch!

What Will You Do?

We are seeking a hands-on Product Development Engineer to join our team on-site in Spirit Lake, Iowa and support the development, optimization, and commercialization of innovative fishing line products. This role will be responsible for taking products from concept and development through testing, process optimization, scale-up, and successful transition into manufacturing.

The ideal candidate combines strong engineering fundamentals with practical problem-solving skills and an interest in polymers, materials, manufacturing processes, and product performance. This position will work closely with Research & Development, Manufacturing, Quality, Sourcing, and external suppliers to develop products that meet performance, quality, reliability, manufacturability, and consumer requirements.

A key responsibility of this role is using Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, and engineering principles to optimize product and process parameters and establish robust manufacturing conditions.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop innovative product concepts and engineering solutions that address consumer needs, product requirements, and business objectives.
• Plan, execute, and coordinate engineering activities associated with the development and commercialization of fishing line products.
• Support the development of Nylon, Fluorocarbon, and Superline products from early-stage concepts through commercialization and production.
• Evaluate product designs, prototypes, samples, and production trials for performance, reliability, quality, and manufacturability.
• Design and execute Design of Experiments (DOE) to identify critical product and process variables and optimize performance.
• Apply statistical analysis and engineering methods to establish product specifications, process parameters, measurement systems, and performance metrics.
• Support process development, scale-up, and manufacturing trials to ensure products can be produced consistently and efficiently.
• Serve as a key technical liaison between R&D and Manufacturing, helping move developing products through the MTOP process and into production.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Sourcing, and other cross-functional teams to identify and resolve technical issues during development and commercialization.
• Research and evaluate new technologies, materials, coatings, processes, and manufacturing methods that could improve product performance or create new product opportunities.
• Work with domestic and international suppliers to communicate technical requirements, evaluate materials and processes, and support the transfer of product specifications.
• Analyze project results, communicate findings, make technical recommendations, and drive projects toward completion.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and industry developments relevant to polymers, fibers, coatings, and fishing line performance.
• Travel domestically and internationally as needed to support development projects, suppliers, testing, and manufacturing activities.

What Makes You a Great Catch?

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Technical Science, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemistry, or a related technical field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 2+ years of experience in engineering, product development, process development, manufacturing, materials, or a related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated experience with Design of Experiments (DOE), statistics, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into practical engineering decisions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
• Willingness and ability to work on-site in Spirit Lake, Iowa.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Why You’ll Love It Here

Great people, exciting products, fantastic benefits, and competitive pay – what’s not to love?

You’ll have the opportunity to work where engineering meets the outdoors, helping develop fishing products used by anglers around the world.

Your Work Environment

A collaborative, hands-on R&D and manufacturing environment where you’ll have the opportunity to take ideas from concept and experimentation all the way through production.

No two projects are exactly alike, giving you plenty of opportunities to learn, innovate, solve problems, and make an impact.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

In this role, success means taking ownership of technical problems and development projects from concept through production. You will use engineering judgment, experimentation, and data to develop products that perform exceptionally well while also being reliable, manufacturable, and commercially viable.

The successful candidate will be someone who is curious, hands-on, analytical, and driven to solve problems. You should enjoy working with both data and physical products, be comfortable collaborating across departments, and have the creativity to explore new materials, technologies, and processes.

Core Competencies

• Technical Problem Solving: Uses engineering principles, data, and sound judgment to solve moderately complex technical problems.
• Innovation: Generates new ideas and explores technologies, materials, and processes that can improve products and manufacturing.
• Analytical Thinking: Effectively applies statistics, DOE, experimentation, and data analysis to make engineering decisions.
• Project Management: Organizes and prioritizes multiple projects while maintaining accountability for deadlines and deliverables.
• Collaboration: Builds effective working relationships with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Sourcing, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Communication: Clearly communicates technical information, project status, findings, and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Sense of Urgency: Takes initiative, follows through on commitments, and works with a strong focus on timely and accurate execution.
• Continuous Improvement: Looks for opportunities to improve products, processes, specifications, and manufacturing performance.

Ready to engineer your next big catch? Join Pure Fishing and help us continue creating innovative products that make time on the water even better!