Product Development Engineer

On-Site  |  Full-Time  |  7–12 Years of Experience

Reports to: Director of Operations

Pay Range: $90,000–$120,000 per year, depending on experience

About the Role

Impact Recovery Systems is looking for an experienced Product Development Engineer to join our engineering team in San Antonio. This is a hands-on role for someone who is comfortable working independently, from concept through commercialization, on traffic safety and commercial products built from advanced polymers and metals. You'll own projects end-to-end: researching and specifying raw materials, building and testing prototypes, and working closely with manufacturing to bring designs into production.

What You'll Do

•      Design, develop, and test new products and product improvements for our traffic safety and commercial product lines, from concept through production launch.

•      Evaluate, select, and specify advanced polymer and metal raw materials based on mechanical, environmental, and cost requirements.

•      Build and test prototypes and functional samples; run and analyze physical testing to validate designs against performance and durability requirements.

•      Work hands-on in the lab and on the shop floor — building fixtures, running trials, and troubleshooting issues directly rather than delegating them.

•      Create and maintain drawings, specifications, and bills of material using CAD and PDM/PLM tools.

•      Partner with manufacturing, quality, and sourcing teams to resolve material and process issues and to support successful scale-up to production.

•      Manage multiple development projects simultaneously with minimal oversight, setting priorities and driving them to completion.

•      Investigate field and quality issues related to material performance and recommend corrective actions.

•      Stay current on new polymer materials, additives, and processing methods relevant to injection molding, rotational molding, and/or extrusion.

What You Bring

•      Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, or a related field.

•      7–12 years of hands-on product development experience, ideally with products combining plastic/polymer and metal components.

•      Strong working knowledge of advanced polymer materials (e.g., HDPE, LDPE, PP, TPU, rubber compounds) and metals (e.g., steel, aluminum) and how material selection affects part performance, moldability, and cost.

•      Demonstrated ability to specify raw materials and work directly with suppliers on material selection and qualification.

•      Practical, hands-on approach — comfortable in a lab or plant environment, building and testing prototypes yourself.

•      Proven ability to work independently and drive projects forward without close supervision.

•      Proficiency with CAD software (SolidWorks preferred) and familiarity with FEA or other simulation tools.

•      Experience with injection molding, rotational molding, extrusion, or related manufacturing processes.

•      Strong problem-solving skills and solid understanding of DFM/DFA principles.

•      Experience in traffic safety, outdoor/UV-exposed products, or commercial products is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

•      Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

•      401(k) with company match.

•      Paid holidays and vacation.

Why Impact Recovery Systems

Impact Recovery Systems has been designing and manufacturing traffic safety and protective guarding products since 1991. We offer a collaborative, hands-on engineering environment, competitive compensation, and the chance to see your work protect people and property in the real world.

Impact Recovery was founded in 1991 i