Job Description
Position Title: Product Engineer
Location: Indianapolis
Starting Pay for position: 90K-115K
JOIN OUR TEAM!
About Herff Jones:
Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones’ products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 1,400 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience throughout the lifelong journey of education for more than 100 years. For more information about Herff Jones, please visit www.herffjones.com.
Your Opportunity:
As a key member of the Product Development and Supply Chain ecosystem, this role serves as the central technical expert responsible for developing, managing, and communicating comprehensive product specifications across apparel and hard goods categories.
You will translate product concepts, from garments and decorated apparel to awards, jewelry, and promotional hard goods, into clear, detailed, and supplier-ready technical documentation.
This role partners closely with Product Management, Procurement, and global suppliers to ensure all product specifications are manufacturable, cost-effective, and consistent with quality and brand standards. You will play a critical role in reducing ambiguity, improving supplier execution, and accelerating speed to market across diverse product types.
What You’ll Be Doing On A Daily Basis:
• Create and maintain detailed tech packs for apparel (including measurements, grading rules, stitch construction, fabric specs, trims, artwork placement, and care labeling).
• Develop technical specifications for hard goods (materials, coatings, finishes, tolerances, assembly instructions, and packaging requirements).
• Build and manage Bills of Materials (BOMs) for multi-component products.
• Partner with Product Management to convert concepts, sketches, and samples into production-ready documentation.
• Work closely with Procurement during supplier selection and sourcing events to clarify technical requirements.
• Review supplier samples (proto, fit, pre-production) to ensure adherence to specifications and provide technical feedback.
• Collaborate with suppliers to validate materials, construction methods, and production feasibility.
• Ensure all specifications meet regulatory, safety, and compliance standards (e.g., labeling, material restrictions, durability).
• Manage engineering change orders (ECOs) and maintain accurate revision history.
• Identify and resolve specification gaps that could lead to quality issues, delays, or cost overruns.
• Maintain structured documentation systems to ensure traceability, version control, and accessibility.
What You’ll Bring to the Table:
• Serve as the technical owner of product specifications across apparel and hard goods categories.
• Translate product briefs into detailed technical packages, including construction details, materials, finishes, and performance requirements.
• Develop complete, supplier-ready tech packs for apparel (fabrics, trims, measurements, grading, labeling) and hard goods (materials, dimensions, finishes, assembly, packaging).
• Partner with Product Management to ensure design intent is fully captured and technically executable.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Supply Chain to ensure specifications align with supplier capabilities, cost targets, and sourcing strategies.
• Support RFQs/RFPs by providing clear, detailed technical documentation and responding to supplier questions.
• Standardize specification templates, tech packs, and documentation processes across product categories.
• Ensure product consistency across production runs and suppliers through rigorous spec definition and control.
• Drive alignment between product design, manufacturability, compliance requirements, and quality expectations.
• Manage specification updates, revisions, and engineering change processes.
Success Indicators:
• Specification Accuracy: Tech packs and product documentation are complete, detailed, and minimize supplier questions or errors.
• Supplier Execution: Suppliers consistently deliver products that meet specifications on first pass.
• Cross-Category Expertise: Effectively supports both apparel (soft goods) and hard goods product development.
• Cost & Manufacturability Focus: Designs and specs balance quality, cost, and production feasibility.
• Quality Improvement: Reduction in defects, rework, and sample iterations due to improved specs.
• Process Discipline: Strong control of documentation, revisions, and change management.
• Collaboration: Seamless partnership across Product, Procurement, Quality, and supplier teams.
• Speed to Market: Efficient conversion of product concepts into production-ready specifications.
Education / Certifications Required:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Apparel Design/Engineering, Industrial Design, or related field preferred
• 3–7+ years of experience in product engineering, technical design, or product development within apparel and/or hard goods industries
• Strong experience developing apparel tech packs (fit, construction, grading, fabrics, trims)
• Experience with hard goods specifications (materials, finishes, tooling, assembly, packaging)
• Understanding of global manufacturing processes (cut & sew, screen print, embroidery, metal/plastic fabrication, etc.)
• Experience working with overseas suppliers and sourcing teams preferred
• Proficiency in PLM systems, CAD/design tools, and technical documentation platforms
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Strong in MS Office applications, particularly Excel
• Use of advanced MS applications such as PowerPivot, Power Query and Power BI a plus
• General experience within a manufacturing environment.
Physical Requirements:
• Daily activity includes but is not limited to lifting, carrying, sitting, grasping, reaching, standing, kneeling, walking, bending, twisting.
• Reading, communication, math.
• Working at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to regularly lift/move up to 50lbs.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to above
Herff Jones, Inc. and its affiliates are equal opportunity employers and maintain affirmative action plans to recruit, retain, develop, and promote qualified individuals without unlawful consideration of race, gender, gender identity, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Herff Jones strives to maintain a work environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, where associates are treated with respect and dignity.
Any employment agency, person or entity that submits a résumé into this career site or to a hiring manager does so with the understanding that the applicant's résumé will become the property of Herff Jones. Herff Jones will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.
