Product Design / Mechanical Engineer Needed – Portable Pet Product
Budget / Salary£750–1,500
TypeFreelance project
LocationRemote
Posted1 hour ago
Product Design / Mechanical Engineer Needed – Portable Pet Product
We are a UK start-up developing an innovative portable outdoor product for dog owners and are looking for an experienced Product Design / Mechanical Engineer to help refine our existing concept and prepare it for prototyping and manufacture.
The product concept, branding and initial CAD/design work have already been developed. We have also carried out initial market research with UK dog owners, which has identified several areas we would now like to improve from an engineering and usability perspective.
The Project:
The product is a compact, portable shade and comfort station for dogs, designed for use at beaches, parks, camping trips, outdoor events, holidays, gardens and other outdoor environments.
The current concept incorporates:
Portable shade canopy
Telescopic/adjustable support structure
Ground mat/base
Optional cooling functionality
Detachable water bowl
Compact carry/storage solution
We have existing CAD/STEP files and product visuals that can be shared with the successful freelancer under NDA.
Key challenges we'd like help solving
We are particularly looking for engineering/design input around:
Portability
The complete product needs to pack down as small and lightweight as practically possible while remaining durable.
Wind stability
The product must remain stable outdoors without requiring an excessively heavy base. We would like to explore suitable anchoring, weighting or structural solutions for different surfaces such as grass, sand and hard ground.
Shade positioning
We would like to explore whether the canopy can tilt, rotate or otherwise be adjusted so that useful shade can be maintained as the position of the sun changes.
Fast, intuitive setup
Ideally the product should deploy quickly and intuitively, with minimal assembly. An umbrella/parasol-style mechanism or similarly simple solution would be preferred.
Dog usability
The shaded base should naturally encourage a dog to sit or lie underneath it. We would like to consider how the mat, cooling functionality, canopy dimensions and overall geometry can support this.
Cooling mat/base
We would like to investigate practical cooling materials/technologies that could be incorporated into, or offered as an insert for, the base without making the product unnecessarily heavy or complicated.
Water bowl integration
Our research suggests a detachable/modular water bowl may be preferable to a permanently integrated bowl. We would like to develop a simple attachment/storage solution.
Design for manufacture
Ultimately, the product needs to be commercially viable for mass manufacture, so material choice, component count, assembly, durability and manufacturing cost should all be considered.
What we're looking for
Ideally, you will have experience in one or more of the following:
Mechanical/product engineering
Consumer product development
Outdoor/camping products
Umbrellas, parasols or collapsible structures
Telescopic mechanisms
Lightweight aluminium/plastic structures
Injection moulded components
Textile/soft-goods integration
Design for Manufacture (DFM)
Prototype development
Working with manufacturers in China/Asia
Experience taking a consumer product from CAD/concept through prototype and into mass production would be particularly valuable.
Deliverables
We are open to recommendations on the best development process, but expect the project to include:
Review of our existing concept and CAD files
Engineering/design recommendations
Development of solutions to the issues outlined above
Revised 3D CAD
Material and component recommendations
Design for Manufacture review
Prototype-ready engineering files/drawings
BOM/component specification where appropriate
Support reviewing and improving the first physical prototype
There may also be an opportunity for continued involvement through prototyping, manufacturer sourcing and production.
When applying
Please include:
Examples of relevant physical consumer products you have personally developed.
Your specific role in taking those products from concept through prototyping/manufacture.
Any experience with collapsible, telescopic, umbrella/parasol, outdoor or camping products.
The CAD software you use.
Your suggested development process for a project at this stage.
Whether you have experience liaising directly with factories/manufacturers.
Your estimated timescale and proposed fee/milestones.
Further product details and existing design files will be shared with shortlisted candidates under NDA.
We are a UK start-up developing an innovative portable outdoor product for dog owners and are looking for an experienced Product Design / Mechanical Engineer to help refine our existing concept and prepare it for prototyping and manufacture.
The product concept, branding and initial CAD/design work have already been developed. We have also carried out initial market research with UK dog owners, which has identified several areas we would now like to improve from an engineering and usability perspective.
The Project:
The product is a compact, portable shade and comfort station for dogs, designed for use at beaches, parks, camping trips, outdoor events, holidays, gardens and other outdoor environments.
The current concept incorporates:
Portable shade canopy
Telescopic/adjustable support structure
Ground mat/base
Optional cooling functionality
Detachable water bowl
Compact carry/storage solution
We have existing CAD/STEP files and product visuals that can be shared with the successful freelancer under NDA.
Key challenges we'd like help solving
We are particularly looking for engineering/design input around:
Portability
The complete product needs to pack down as small and lightweight as practically possible while remaining durable.
Wind stability
The product must remain stable outdoors without requiring an excessively heavy base. We would like to explore suitable anchoring, weighting or structural solutions for different surfaces such as grass, sand and hard ground.
Shade positioning
We would like to explore whether the canopy can tilt, rotate or otherwise be adjusted so that useful shade can be maintained as the position of the sun changes.
Fast, intuitive setup
Ideally the product should deploy quickly and intuitively, with minimal assembly. An umbrella/parasol-style mechanism or similarly simple solution would be preferred.
Dog usability
The shaded base should naturally encourage a dog to sit or lie underneath it. We would like to consider how the mat, cooling functionality, canopy dimensions and overall geometry can support this.
Cooling mat/base
We would like to investigate practical cooling materials/technologies that could be incorporated into, or offered as an insert for, the base without making the product unnecessarily heavy or complicated.
Water bowl integration
Our research suggests a detachable/modular water bowl may be preferable to a permanently integrated bowl. We would like to develop a simple attachment/storage solution.
Design for manufacture
Ultimately, the product needs to be commercially viable for mass manufacture, so material choice, component count, assembly, durability and manufacturing cost should all be considered.
What we're looking for
Ideally, you will have experience in one or more of the following:
Mechanical/product engineering
Consumer product development
Outdoor/camping products
Umbrellas, parasols or collapsible structures
Telescopic mechanisms
Lightweight aluminium/plastic structures
Injection moulded components
Textile/soft-goods integration
Design for Manufacture (DFM)
Prototype development
Working with manufacturers in China/Asia
Experience taking a consumer product from CAD/concept through prototype and into mass production would be particularly valuable.
Deliverables
We are open to recommendations on the best development process, but expect the project to include:
Review of our existing concept and CAD files
Engineering/design recommendations
Development of solutions to the issues outlined above
Revised 3D CAD
Material and component recommendations
Design for Manufacture review
Prototype-ready engineering files/drawings
BOM/component specification where appropriate
Support reviewing and improving the first physical prototype
There may also be an opportunity for continued involvement through prototyping, manufacturer sourcing and production.
When applying
Please include:
Examples of relevant physical consumer products you have personally developed.
Your specific role in taking those products from concept through prototyping/manufacture.
Any experience with collapsible, telescopic, umbrella/parasol, outdoor or camping products.
The CAD software you use.
Your suggested development process for a project at this stage.
Whether you have experience liaising directly with factories/manufacturers.
Your estimated timescale and proposed fee/milestones.
Further product details and existing design files will be shared with shortlisted candidates under NDA.
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