Never Let Go
Product Design Engineer
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Product Design Engineer
Full-time · Permanent · Poole, Dorset · Immediate start welcome
We're building an in-house design studio that serves our growing portfolio of brands specialising in hardware and technical soft goods. Including - Never Let Go, the market leader in tool tethering; and Rakk, our emerging brand for the rope and mountain rescue community. More to come.
We're looking for a Product Design Engineer to work alongside the Head of Product Development in the studio. This is a rare opportunity: you're not joining a fixed function, you're helping build one.
About the studio
The studio is new, being commissioned this year, and purpose-built for the design of hardware and technical soft goods. Full workshop, prototyping equipment, 3D printing, in-house mechanical testing, physical and digital design tools. We operate as a lean, agile team, focused on hands-on delivery and the continuous refinement of our internal processes.
About the role
You'll take design work from brief through concept, development, prototyping, testing, and hand-off to manufacture. You'll work across the portfolio: some projects will be tool-tethering hardware for NLG, some will be modular gear and rope bags for Rakk, some will be brand-new categories we haven't launched yet.
The work is technical and practical. Our products exist in demanding real-world environments - at height, in rescue scenarios, in industrial settings. Design decisions have to survive the reality of the job - which is why we validate them in the lab as well as on paper.
What you’ll do
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- Own design projects across the portfolio - brief through concept, prototyping, testing, and production hand-off
- Move between fast-turnaround product iterations and longer-horizon innovation work
- Plan and run mechanical and physical tests in-house to validate design decisions
- Work directly with manufacturing partners on feasibility, tooling, and hand-off
- Contribute to design reviews and product development process
- Participate in customer visits and field research where relevant
What we're looking for in you
More important than any individual skill on the list below - we're looking for someone who is:
- A problem solver first - technically curious, willing to sit with a hard question until it becomes solvable
- Practical and hands-on - capable in the workshop and lab: at a bench, at a 3D printer, running mechanical tests, or making a physical mockup to prove an idea rather than just model it
- A great communicator - comfortable presenting and discussing design decisions to a director, a manufacturing partner, or a customer
- Self-sufficient - happy with a brief and the space to progress it, without needing constant steer
- Motivated - the kind of energy that starts things, not just responds to things
Skills and experience
- 1–5 years' industry experience in product design engineering, mechanical engineering, or industrial design
- CAD proficiency - SolidWorks essential
- Hands-on prototyping - workshop tools, 3D printing, foam/paper mockups
- Mechanical and physical product testing - able to plan a test, run it in-house, and interpret the results
- Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) for design communication
- Physical sketching ability (digital sketching a bonus)
- Manufacturing and materials knowledge - what things cost, how they get made, when to compromise
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Nice to have
- Exposure to soft goods design and manufacture (sewing, webbing, technical fabrics)
- KeyShot or similar visualisation
- Experience with PPE, safety equipment, or industrial products
- Familiarity with regulatory testing and compliance
- A keen interest and understanding in emerging technologies including AI
- Degree in product design engineering, industrial design, mechanical engineering, or a related discipline - equivalent experience considered
What we offer
- Salary: £32,000 to £42,000 depending on experience
- Permanent role
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays
- Company pension
- Access to a newly commissioned in-house design studio, purpose-built for the work
- Focused, friendly team culture - occasional Friday drinks to close out the week
How to apply
Send us your CV and portfolio, as a PDF, to team@neverletgo.com. Include a short intro in the email - no formal cover letter needed. Please include details of your notice period.
This role is based at our studio in Poole, Dorset. Remote applications will not be considered.
You need to be eligible to work in the UK.
We'll begin reviewing applications on 24.08.26, but the role will remain open until filled.
Recruiters: thank you for your interest, but we prefer to hire directly.
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