Senior Principal Engineer

Job Title: Sr. Principal Engineer

Location: Higganum, CT

Reports To: Sr. Director, Product Development

Brand/Segment: Gathr Outdoors (

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Gathr Outdoors, a portfolio company of Centre Partners, is a diversified global leader in designing and manufacturing outdoor products and sporting goods. Our core business segments are OUTDOOR (GCI Outdoor, Klymit, Rightline Gear, Cascadia Vehicle Tents & WaterPORT) and RECREATION (PrideSports, Pride Manufacturing, Golf Scorecards & MacNeill Engineering). Each segment provides industry-leading product development, design, and customer support.

At Gathr Outdoors , we believe experiences are always more powerful when spent together outside. We are Better Together, Passionate by Nature, Blazing New Trails & Rugged for a Reason! Come join us...Everyone is welcome at our camp!

We are one of the fastest-growing outdoor manufacturers in the U.S. We live by the belief that experiences are always more powerful when spent together outside. Welcome to our camp! We wish you every success in your new role.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Senior Principal Engineer serves as the company's highest-level technical authority and innovation leader. This role is responsible for identifying, evaluating, de-risking, and advancing new product concepts, technologies, and engineering solutions while mentoring engineering teams and establishing engineering standards across the organization.

Essential job functions

• Lead development of early-stage product concepts, technologies, and future product platforms.
• Transform back-of-the-napkin ideas into tangible prototypes, proof-of-concept models, and technical demonstrations.
• Rapidly evaluate technical feasibility, identify risks, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Identify and develop patentable innovations and proprietary technologies.
• Support executive and board-level reviews through prototypes and technical storytelling.
• Serve as the senior technical authority across product categories and engineering disciplines.
• Mentor engineering teams and foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
• Establish engineering standards, drawing standards, and technical governance processes.
• Lead implementation of PLM, PDM, ECO, and engineering documentation systems.
• Establish testing methodologies and validation standards.
• Lead root-cause investigations and failure-analysis activities.
• Support supplier development, manufacturing readiness reviews, and production problem-solving.

Qualifications / Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 15+ years of experience designing and engineering consumer durable products from concept through production.
• Demonstrated success developing innovative consumer products and translating concepts into commercially successful products.
• Experience with product validation, manufacturing processes, and supplier development.
• Experience implementing or managing PLM, PDM, ECO, or similar engineering systems.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers and influence technical direction without direct authority.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to communicate effectively with team members, candidates and external partners through multiple forms of technology with telephone and computer. Must be able to receive and convey information.
• he person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, meeting rooms, copier/printer etc. as well as could remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Must be able to safely navigate the production facility, OSHA compliant. Normally this person is standing or walking around the facility interacting with team members. Appropriate shoes for standing on concrete flooring is recommended.

Gathr Outdoors is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized because of such a request.