Furniture Product Development Engineer

About Oberon
Oberon Design and Manufacturing is a San Francisco-based supplier of premium furniture and home furnishings, with established production facilities in Vietnam and China. We design, engineer, and manufacture wood and metal furniture, mirrors, medicine cabinets, and decorative accessories for leading U.S. specialty retailers. Our work is defined by rigorous quality standards, disciplined execution, and long-term partnerships with our clients and factories.
Position Summary:
We are seeking a Product Drafter/Product Development Coordinator (Furniture & Home Décor) to support the design, development, sourcing, and production of furniture and home décor products from initial concept through final production.
This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys working in CAD daily while also being closely involved in bringing physical products to life. You will work across design, sales, sourcing, and manufacturing teams, with frequent communication with vendors and factories.
The ideal candidate will be able to translate design concepts into production-ready products while also helping identify capable suppliers, evaluate manufacturing options, obtain quotations, coordinate samples, and identify opportunities to improve product cost, quality, and manufacturability.
Responsibilities:
Product Development & Drafting
• Create detailed 3D models and technical drawings in SolidWorks for new and existing products.
• Translate design concepts into manufacturable specifications, including materials, dimensions, construction methods, hardware, and finishes.
• Coordinate product development from initial concept through prototyping, testing, revisions, and final production approval.
• Review and evaluate prototypes and samples, making adjustments to improve design, function, quality, manufacturability, and cost.
• Ensure all drawings, specifications, revisions, and product documentation are accurate and production-ready.
• Work closely with vendors and factories to communicate drawings, specifications, revisions, and technical requirements.
• Support packaging development and improvements for shipping, protection, and durability.
• Supervise and coordinate all product and packaging testing required during development.
• Identify potential design or manufacturing issues early and work with vendors to develop practical solutions.
Sourcing & Vendor Development
• Source and evaluate new suppliers and manufacturers for furniture, home décor products, materials, components, hardware, and packaging.
• Work with existing and potential vendors to obtain quotations, samples, production capabilities, lead times, minimum order quantities, and pricing.
• Compare supplier quotations and manufacturing options based on cost, quality, materials, construction, lead time, and production capabilities.
• Assist in negotiating product costs, materials, specifications, and production requirements with vendors.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with overseas suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Identify new factories and suppliers capable of producing specific products or components according to company requirements.
• Coordinate samples and prototypes with vendors from initial request through review, revisions, and approval.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings, alternative materials, construction methods, and manufacturing processes while maintaining the intended design, quality, and functionality.
• Monitor sourcing and product development progress and communicate status, issues, costs, and timelines to the US and China offices.
• Help ensure that selected vendors can consistently meet product specifications, quality requirements, pricing targets, and production timelines.
Cross-Functional Coordination
• Work closely with the US headquarters, China office, vendors, factories, and internal teams throughout the product development process.
• Participate in regular Zoom meetings with the US and China offices.
• Communicate clearly regarding product specifications, sourcing options, costs, prototypes, production issues, and required changes.
• Help coordinate the transition of products from development and sampling into production.