We thought we'd round up some of the more awesome-looking job opportunities in the bike industry that we've seen lately. The ones where you're most likely to be able to jump out for a ride at lunch or get to geek over bike-related things all day.
Don't see anything that you're interested in? Many of these companies have multiple jobs posted on their websites, so we'd recommend doing a deep dive into the career section on each company's website. Still nothing? Lots of companies will have a jobs@ email address for you to send your resume to and they'll reach out if something comes up that is suited to your skillset. Happy hunting!
Anthill
Producer
Anthill’s Studio Producer will be "responsible for pitching, planning, managing, and releasing all commercial productions created under our new Studio Division. The producer is the glue that ensures the smooth execution of the entire production process, acting as the connection between Anthill’s clients and crews."
MRP is looking for "a driven sales professional with proven experience growing sales, closing new accounts, and developing OE and key aftermarket relationships within the bicycle industry."
Vail Resorts is looking for people to fill full and part time Bike Patrol positions in the Whistler Bike Park for the 2023 season. There's a hiring clinic this October 6th and 8th and successful candidates will be offered a job for the 2023 bike park season.
The Communications and Media Relations Coordinator will be "responsible for ensuring that the UCI maintains a positive image in the media and for conveying key messages that reflect the UCI’s general positions, in particular by making persuasive arguments in response to issues in the public arena."
Specialized has a ton of positions available, including this one for an Industrial Designer. They're looking for someone who will "unify and progress product design language across the bike line while respecting the unique needs to each individual product positioning and rider experience."
Santa Cruz Bicycles is looking for someone to "answer all incoming phone calls and reply to voicemails for Rider Support and handle the requests in accordance with our No Missed Rides policy."
YT Industries is looking for someone to join their team to assemble and maintain YT bikes for the marketing department (e.g. photo and video productions, press).
CamelBak is looking for someone to design backpacks, hip-packs, and vests for the outdoor consumer. A perk? The "ability to occasionally field-test products."
The Stans Digital Content & Social Media Specialist "will be responsible for creating, organizing and distributing all digital content produced in-house and by agencies and partners, as well as producing and monitoring brand voice across all company social media channels."
Whyte Bikes was recently acquired from family ownership by Cairngorm Capital and the company has substantial growth plans and is currently recruiting several roles to "support the transformation into a much larger, market leading brand." Reporting to the Commercial Director the main purpose of the International Business Manager is "international account development or management, research, analytics and building a target list to enable the business to expand."
Smith Optics is looking for "an experienced marketeer who is passionate, consumer-centric and loves all things bike for the role of Bike Marketing Manager."
Industry Nine is looking for a COO to "help facilitate Industry Nine's growth from our current position of approximately $30 million in annual sales to a target of $100+ million over the next 5-8 years."
Squamish-based OneUp Components is "seeking an experienced, detail-oriented engineering manager to join our growing team. The successful candidate will play a key role in the overall success of our organization by planning, managing, and monitoring engineering functions."
The Head of UX will lead the design of Wahoo’s device and software product ecosystem. "In this role you will lead Wahoo’s UX function by driving user experience design direction and strategy with senior leadership, providing leadership to a team of developers / designers, and working cross functionally to make Wahoo’s user experience strategy come to life for our athletes."
About the uci job: "responsible for ensuring that the UCI maintains a positive image" I always thought that the existence of a positive image is necessary to maintain it...
Follow-up question: Does the UCI “Communications and Media Relations Coordinator” need to engage in professional, ethical brand-management behavior, or is a no-holds-barred / Donald-Trump-on-Twitter / declaration-of-war type of approach permissible?
@WRCDH: Isn't "...in particular by making persuasive arguments in response to issues in the public arena." just a fancy way of saying we will fight all comers and certainly don't fight fair?
$21CAD an hour for bike patrol? And I’m assuming you need to bring your own $6,000+ bike. For christs sake Vail, did you learn nothing from your winter staffing shitshow last year?
@Clownshoe: Needing to bring your own bike makes this an even worse value proposition. You're going to go through brake pads, tires, and suspension service intervals like crazy riding your personal bike on the mountain every day.
I read the posting. You need to be able to ride every trail at Whistler at an expert level, you need to have your own bike and I'm guessing you're responsible for your own maintenance on that too, you need to have 80 hours of experience at level III occupational first aid AND outdoor emergency care III PLUS basic life support training, you have to have a British Columbia driver's license, and be able to pass a criminal background check
Glassdoor says shift leaders at McDonald's in BC make around $25-38 CAD an hour and you don't need $10,000 worth of equipment and life-saving training to do that
@Super7: just watched Remy Metailler's video on that trail. $21 an hour to ride that in the wet and save dumbasses like me who think they can handle it?
@schu2470: you do get decent deals once you’re established. As a returning patroller you get a pro deal on a bike, and you can flip it every season for a new one and come out even or ahead on that front. It’s been years since I worked there but we did get hooked up with maintenance, tires and brake pads back in the day. As with most ski resorts, the balance between the first aid and rescue skills required, and the pay is pretty ludicrous. The WB patrol are an extremely talented bunch of rescue professionals who are shockingly underpaid if you consider the skill sets required.
@sjma: I read it and it looks like you need occupational first aid level 3 OR outdoor emergency care as well as basic life support (CPR). It doesn't mention needing any experience, the 80hrs is just how long the course is.
You are right though, starting at $21 is way to low for this job
@sjma: The requirements are getting awfully close to someone who'd make a ton more as a paramedic and would then have lots of time off to enjoy riding for fun. But just like ski patrollers, nobody has ever gone into that career because it made a ton of financial sense - there's usually a passion and a sense of mission at work. Which makes it extra shitty to see Vail basically completely low ball these folks.
@g-42: if you're going to put in that much time working in the medical field, get an associates on your way to getting a bachelor's/masters in nursing and get paaaaaiiid
@sjma: It's such a joke, I know a handful of qualified people that are interested in doing bike park patrol at Whistler but the pay for the amount of training + gear holds them back. I hope Vail struggles to fill these roles, maybe then they'll learn what people are actually worth.
@Clownshoe: Not worth it for a "pro" deal. Once you have the education needed to apply, you can make more money elsewhere and just buy a season pass to the park.
@thatguyzack: Exactly why I don’t work there anymore in the summer. But in all fairness It was super fun. A million paid bike park laps, tons of training, lots of rescue action. The experience I got there is why I have the job I do now. The team is amazing, and the top end of the pay scale, around 35/hour, is more than most patrollers can make at any resort. It’s a great stepping stone to a lot of great rescue/medical/rope access gigs. I did it for almost 15 years, and I still do it in the winter. If you like the rescue game, you’d be hard pressed to find a job with more action. The summer gig can be a gateway to winter patrol. Winter patrol at WB is a amazing gig once you get into the avalanche control and rescue part of it. Is it vastly underpaid considering the danger and skill set? Definitely. Is it super fun? Absolutely. I’m in the lucky minority owning a house in the valley. I have no idea how the younger generation can get by, hence the insane turnover in the crew these days. In the 90’s we’d maybe hire one or two rookies a year. Now we’re hiring 10+ as people bail for more realistic living situations.
@schu2470: you don't get to ride anything fun either, so all that wear and tear is from laps of blue velvet and heart of darkness. At least on $21/hr you get to go home to a really nice place /s>
@Clownshoe: I also ski patrolled for years. Best job ever! And, as you said, 100% the reason I have the job I have now. No it's not for the money. No it isn't right that resorts everywhere pay shit wages even to their lifer employees. But hey, wouldn't trade it for anything!
@sjma: So true. Those guys/gals are like extreme paramedics worthy of their own reality TV show. Such lovely people as well. I too would opt for "Would you like to supersize that?"
POST YOUR SALARIES IN YOUR LISTINGS YOU SPINELESS COWARDS
I get that no hiring manager wants to show the relatively low pay that many of these positions get, versus similar tasks in other fields, especially designers and engineers. However, at least own up to the fact that you're looking for people driven more by passion than a desire to better their financial standing. Wasting peoples time by making them get to an interview stage before you reveal the mystical secret of what the gig actually pays is disrespectful to your applicants.
Where is the post for a 50 year old graphic designer with 30 years of mountain bike experience? I do not thrive in fast-paced environments and I can juggle two, maybe three things, tops on multiple (competing) deadlines. But, I do possess a healthy disdain for your lack of industry knowledge, unrealistic production schedules and budgets.
I am also looking for someone to help me acquire 300 million in the next 3-5 yrs. This is an excellent opportunity for us/you whatever and you’ll most likely be compensated some sometime in the next 3-5 yrs. The ability to operate a complex bottle of Peatys chain lube efficiently is helpful in the application but not required. Applications accepted for the nxt 3-5 years or until this stupid ridiculously enormous f%#KN hurricane wipes south Fl. off the planet and takes me w/it Thanks
Not as of now. I’m pretty far inland 15-20 miles anyway so hopefully storm surge won’t affect us but 120 mph winds doesn’t sound fun. Hopefully it continues to move east and I can board up and ride it out but it’s currently centered on Sarasota where I live so evacuation might be the only option. Just getting prepared as much as I can. Looks like it’s gonna be a rough one. Thanks bud @WestwardHo:
They want to triple it in the next 3-5 years? Seems ambitious. If that’s one of the performance indicators for the new COO I would not take that job seeing the cooling of the bike market and upcoming economic shitstorm.
@pisgahgnar: That was my first thought. That is a huge increase in revenue in a short time. Other than branching out to other areas/countries, like, a LOT of other areas, not sure how that is possible. Unless you increase the price a ton.
They have a well setup machine-shop and surface finish in-house, no reason they couldn't massively increase product range over 5-8 years time from the current pretty small offering (In terms of product type)
I wonder if they already turnover more than a company like Hope with a much larger range though - $30million is super impressive to me for essentially boutique wheelsets and stems.
@pisgahgnar: Exactly. "Hey we made 30 million this year, lets see if we can make over 100 million in 5 years during one of the worst global economic downturns of our lifetime"
@pisgahgnar: Right? That's some big dreaming but they have priced their hubs pretty aggressively for OEM customers.
If they can get their fading under control stems naturally lead to bars (carbon sourced in Vietnam like ENVE?) and grips, then coordinating headset spacers and seatpost clamps.
Pedals would be a good fit and round out the contact points.
Cranks seem like an obvious choice given the number of small CNC'd options popping up, which leads to chainrings (stepping to Wolf Tooth) and pedals. Some time on the phone with Enduro and you could add BBs and headsets to the mix without much effort.
They'd be insane to do a dropper post at this point- those are more or less commodities. Maybe buy BikeYoke or 9.8 to have something proven, at least?
After that maybe a Pole-style machined frame (own brand or as an OEM) or even US-made welded Al frame? Carbon doesn't really seem like a good fit, but at least they could cut their own molds (see Hope). The cost/reward on bikes and frames doesn't seem worth it though, more of a halo thing. You're tying up a lot of capital and physical space for a high-dollar, low-margin product that's going to be hard to build (completes) in the current environment and expensive to ship.
That's just off the cuff: a half-day brainstorming session and SWOT Analysis could get you closer.
It's ambitious but depending on what's in the pipeline I think they could bring quite a few low risk / high reward items to market in 3-5 years.
@pisgahgnar: Industry nine does not currently offer an entry level product. Probably would not get the job by saying lets create lower end product and offer it as an OEM to big brands. But that might be the ticket to reaching the goal. Imagine if you get your hubs on Giant, Trek and Specialized. You can still offer great product, but maybe a little below your norm. Increase production due to contracts with the big two or three.
@carters75: Worst economic downturn?! Haha, economy is pretty good. Lowest unemployment in 50 years. Inflation is high from 40 years of tax cuts for the rich and “trickle down economics” in combination with supply chain issues.
@dualsuspensiondave: Inflation is most definitely not from 40 years of tax cuts and trickle down economics. More like a huge increase in the money supply.
eh the world is going electric thy nd to put E in front of every predect and meke themselves stendout , they will go the way of the vee brake otherwise.......
@drapeau: I don't think stealing pennies from other budget suppliers of pedals, clamps, spacers, BBs, etc. is going to get them there.
They need high dollar differentiation.
If they're smart, they'll focus on supportive parts for e-bikes. Maybe they can copy some of Cane Creek's homework on some recent unique, high dollar/margin products.
They seem like the type of outfit that would be good at doing some blingy bike-adjacent products too. Maybe a 1-up racks competitor. Tools that hobbyists don't need, but drool over. Buy Abbey, even? Essentially, the types of products that are easy to sell for more than component margins because the buyers aren't as competitively focused.
The most valuable thing they have is their brand. Use it. (but be very careful not to abuse or dilute it)
@hotpotato: Needless to say I disagree. Generally high-dollar items are lower margin than lower-dollar items and come with exponentially higher R&D effort, reputation/financial risk (see Cane Creek), customer service demands, and warranty expenses.
As someone who designs and builds things for a living I can all but guarantee that your books will be better off after designing, manufacturing, marketing, storing, selling, shipping, and supporting twelve $100 headsets, eight $150 handlebars, six $200 pairs of flat pedals, or four $300 cranksets than one $1,200 suspension fork (to choose an example).
OEM is a brutal business with terrifyingly small margins but there might be a case for I9 positioning themselves as 1-stop shop for US-sourced finishing kit for small- and mid-sized brands looking to reduce supply chain uncertainty and add perceived value on their builds. And the best way to be competitive with Asian suppliers is to focus on parts that require as little first-world touch time as possible. But, again, the margins are awful and I'd focus on the aftermarket first.
@drapeau: Sure, but if you scale that math up, you're not talking twelve, $100 headsets. You're talking 12 thousand.
So if you can snatch that kind of volume from low dollar parts and keep it, great. But competition in that space is CRAZY and the uncertainty of future growth at a broad scale plays a massive factor.
I help design, build, and sell things for a living too. We've carved a neat little $200m business out of selling high dollar, low (for industry) volume, good margin stuff. When I think about doing business like some of our competitors who focus on high volume stuff.... it makes my skin crawl!
Cool discussion topic.... I can appreciate that there are literally an infinite number of different ways to be successful in business. It's nice to hear of people approaching it differently.
@hotpotato: Some cycle parts are not massively complicated to manufacture though, a good automated cell could whack stems out to almost completion 24/7 if you had the market so a little easier to go with the lower value higher volume there.
I am with you on complicated items though high volume / low margin, total nightmare and an easy model to fail with, many in manufacturing have suffered at the hands of mass production low margin contracts turned bad.
Can I retrospectively claim on SC's no missed rides policy? Even after I sent mine back to the distributor with a cracked back triangle, it was returned, with a cracked back triangle. This job cannot pay enough.
What is it about the bike industry that they pay so low? Are they just taking advantage of people's passion? I've seen software, analytical, accounting/finance jobs posted that literally pay 1/2 (one I saw was 1/3!) of what they pay in my industry. I don't get it.
Since they're mostly still averse to posting the (likely pathetic) salaries with the job listing, they really need to just tear off the band-aid and come out and say it bluntly:
"This position requires that you live at home with your family within short driving distance of the facility to work here."
So many "ambassadors/marketeers" roles that usually dwindle into social media influencers, but zero lobbyist or govt affairs roles... I'd bet a large chunk of profits those ambassadors are trying to replace were stripped in regulatory fees or taxes.
Think how simple the bike industry was 30 years ago. And they had fun back then too. Capitalism has taken hold of the bike industry like never imagined.
You should see the price of a fishing rod mate or even one of those new dangled apple computers wot every one pics to affirm coding is their lifestyle choice
Was trying to find the job for Chief Constable of the Anti Fad Police dept. The primary task will be getting rid of the Mullet fad. Sure it will pop up on Indeed soon!
Other way around. Head = clothing/soft goods, Tail =suspension. I believe that they were affiliated somehow, the founders were related, and Fox Head was just sold to someone this summer. Definitely odd to have a photo of an employee from a completely different company here.
"responsible for ensuring that the UCI maintains a positive image"
I always thought that the existence of a positive image is necessary to maintain it...
Does the UCI “Communications and Media Relations Coordinator” need to engage in professional, ethical brand-management behavior, or is a no-holds-barred / Donald-Trump-on-Twitter / declaration-of-war type of approach permissible?
Glassdoor says shift leaders at McDonald's in BC make around $25-38 CAD an hour and you don't need $10,000 worth of equipment and life-saving training to do that
I'll go mop the bathroom up again, thanks
This isn’t just Vail and WB. It’s industry wide.
You are right though, starting at $21 is way to low for this job
I'm sure that would save a few bucks
POST YOUR SALARIES IN YOUR LISTINGS YOU SPINELESS COWARDS
I get that no hiring manager wants to show the relatively low pay that many of these positions get, versus similar tasks in other fields, especially designers and engineers. However, at least own up to the fact that you're looking for people driven more by passion than a desire to better their financial standing. Wasting peoples time by making them get to an interview stage before you reveal the mystical secret of what the gig actually pays is disrespectful to your applicants.
Applications accepted for the nxt 3-5 years or until this stupid ridiculously enormous f%#KN hurricane wipes south Fl. off the planet and takes me w/it
Thanks
I wonder if they already turnover more than a company like Hope with a much larger range though - $30million is super impressive to me for essentially boutique wheelsets and stems.
$100million does sound ambitious though.
That's a bold move cotton.
If they can get their fading under control stems naturally lead to bars (carbon sourced in Vietnam like ENVE?) and grips, then coordinating headset spacers and seatpost clamps.
Pedals would be a good fit and round out the contact points.
Cranks seem like an obvious choice given the number of small CNC'd options popping up, which leads to chainrings (stepping to Wolf Tooth) and pedals. Some time on the phone with Enduro and you could add BBs and headsets to the mix without much effort.
They'd be insane to do a dropper post at this point- those are more or less commodities. Maybe buy BikeYoke or 9.8 to have something proven, at least?
After that maybe a Pole-style machined frame (own brand or as an OEM) or even US-made welded Al frame? Carbon doesn't really seem like a good fit, but at least they could cut their own molds (see Hope). The cost/reward on bikes and frames doesn't seem worth it though, more of a halo thing. You're tying up a lot of capital and physical space for a high-dollar, low-margin product that's going to be hard to build (completes) in the current environment and expensive to ship.
That's just off the cuff: a half-day brainstorming session and SWOT Analysis could get you closer.
It's ambitious but depending on what's in the pipeline I think they could bring quite a few low risk / high reward items to market in 3-5 years.
They need high dollar differentiation.
If they're smart, they'll focus on supportive parts for e-bikes. Maybe they can copy some of Cane Creek's homework on some recent unique, high dollar/margin products.
They seem like the type of outfit that would be good at doing some blingy bike-adjacent products too. Maybe a 1-up racks competitor. Tools that hobbyists don't need, but drool over. Buy Abbey, even? Essentially, the types of products that are easy to sell for more than component margins because the buyers aren't as competitively focused.
The most valuable thing they have is their brand. Use it. (but be very careful not to abuse or dilute it)
As someone who designs and builds things for a living I can all but guarantee that your books will be better off after designing, manufacturing, marketing, storing, selling, shipping, and supporting twelve $100 headsets, eight $150 handlebars, six $200 pairs of flat pedals, or four $300 cranksets than one $1,200 suspension fork (to choose an example).
OEM is a brutal business with terrifyingly small margins but there might be a case for I9 positioning themselves as 1-stop shop for US-sourced finishing kit for small- and mid-sized brands looking to reduce supply chain uncertainty and add perceived value on their builds. And the best way to be competitive with Asian suppliers is to focus on parts that require as little first-world touch time as possible. But, again, the margins are awful and I'd focus on the aftermarket first.
I guess we'll see.
So if you can snatch that kind of volume from low dollar parts and keep it, great. But competition in that space is CRAZY and the uncertainty of future growth at a broad scale plays a massive factor.
I help design, build, and sell things for a living too. We've carved a neat little $200m business out of selling high dollar, low (for industry) volume, good margin stuff. When I think about doing business like some of our competitors who focus on high volume stuff.... it makes my skin crawl!
Cool discussion topic.... I can appreciate that there are literally an infinite number of different ways to be successful in business. It's nice to hear of people approaching it differently.
I am with you on complicated items though high volume / low margin, total nightmare and an easy model to fail with, many in manufacturing have suffered at the hands of mass production low margin contracts turned bad.
Talk about an impossible job.
Specialized - From the linked page: Are you a highly conceptual graphic designer with a strong understanding and passion for footwear and helmets?
After the Butt Ugly Helmets they put out this past year they needs some serious help in the design dept.
"This position requires that you live at home with your family within short driving distance of the facility to work here."
Head = clothing/soft goods,
Tail =suspension.
I believe that they were affiliated somehow, the founders were related, and Fox Head was just sold to someone this summer.
Definitely odd to have a photo of an employee from a completely different company here.
Why a suspension company needs to make and sell soft goods, who knows?