R&D Composites Engineer

About the role

Selkirk is seeking a highly motivated R&D Composites Engineer to support the development, optimization, and production scaling of advanced composite sporting goods products across our Asian supplier network. This role will serve as a key technical liaison between Selkirk engineering teams and manufacturing partners in Vietnam and China.

The ideal candidate has strong experience in composite materials, molding processes, tooling, and supplier manufacturing environments, with the ability to drive process improvements, solve technical challenges, and support new product development from concept through production. This position requires strong communication skills in both Mandarin and English, along with the ability to work effectively across cultures and manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as Selkirk’s onsite engineering representative with manufacturing partners in Vietnam and China.• Lead composite process development and manufacturing optimization for high- performance sporting goods products. Work directly with suppliers to improve quality, consistency, yield, and production efficiency. Support new product introduction (NPI) activities including prototype builds, pilot runs, process validation, and production ramp-up.

Evaluate and optimize molding parameters including temperature, pressure, cycle time, cure profiles, and material flow. Support tooling development, mold validation, and manufacturing readiness activities. Troubleshoot composite manufacturing issues including delamination, voids, warpage, dimensional variation, cosmetic defects, and bonding issues.

Collaborate closely with Selkirk R&D, Quality, Product Management, and Operations teams. Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to process capability, manufacturing repeatability, and product performance. Support supplier audits, technical reviews, and engineering documentation. Assist in material evaluations, testing, and validation of new composite technologies and manufacturing methods Travel regularly to supplier facilities and Selkirk team locations throughout Asia as required.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Composite Engineering, or related technical field. Minimum 5 years of experience in composite engineering, composite manufacturing, or advanced materials product development. Strong knowledge of composite molding processes, tooling systems, and manufacturing optimization.

Hands-on experience with carbon fiber and fiberglass composites, resin systems, curing processes, compression molding, thermoforming, adhesive bonding systems, and process optimization. Understanding of manufacturing variables including pressure, temperature, cycle time, cure profiles, and material flow. Experience troubleshooting composite manufacturing defects and process-related quality issues.

Experience working directly with manufacturing suppliers and factory engineering teams. Fluent in both Mandarin Chinese and English (spoken and written).

• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within Asia. Preferred: Experience in sporting goods industries such as pickleball, tennis, golf, cycling, hockey, or other composite-intensive consumer products. Experience supporting manufacturing operations in both Vietnam and China. Familiarity with APAC supplier management and cross-cultural engineering collaboration. Experience with product validation, testing, and Design for Manufacturability (DFM). Knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies. About Selkirk Sport, LLC At Selkirk Sport, we’re passionate about pushing the boundaries of pickleball innovation. Our mission is to Fuel the Pickleball Obsession by creating the sport’s premier products and ecosystem. As a leading global brand in premium pickleball equipment, we’re expanding our international presence and seeking top-tier talent to support our growth in the U.S. and abroad. We pride ourselves on a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Selkirk applies first-principles thinking to design scalable, process-driven systems that create lasting operational advantage. Selkirk Sport, a leader in pickleball innovation and performance equipment, is seeking