Product Development Lead — Tactical Vests & Carriers — Pragati Defence Systems Pvt. Ltd.

? Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh | Full-time, On-site Company Description

Pragati Defence is a pioneering defense manufacturer in India, driven by a core philosophy of progress and growth in the defence sector. The company specializes in advanced body armor, ballistic protection systems, and armored solutions designed for demanding operational environments. With strong in-house research and development capabilities, Pragati Defence produces cutting-edge ballistic ceramics and UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene). This integrated approach enables the company to deliver world-class, high-performance protection solutions that are difficult to replicate. Team members join a mission-focused organization committed to innovation, quality, and the empowerment of defence forces.

Role Description The Product Development Lead — Tactical Vests & Carriers is a full-time, on-site role based in Bilaspur, responsible for designing and developing next-generation tactical carriers, plate carriers, soft armour vests, and load-carriage systems from first principles. This role involves setting up and running the sample/prototyping room, leading seam engineering and construction design, selecting and sourcing hardware to premium quality standards,



and running structured fit and wear trials with real users. The Lead will benchmark against leading international tactical gear manufacturers, iterate designs until they earn a freeze, and hand off production-ready specs to the manufacturing team. Qualifications

8+ years developing technical soft goods — safety harnesses, technical packs, technical outerwear, PPE, or tactical gear

Hands-on experience personally patterning and prototyping load-bearing products

Experience setting up or rebuilding a sample room or prototype cell

Robust seam engineering knowledge — stitch classes, thread selection, bartack strategy

Hardware literacy — ability to evaluate and source premium-grade hardware and components

Experience running fit and wear trials and iterating designs based on results

CAD patterning software experience preferred

Ballistic, military, or law-enforcement product exposure is a strong plus

Familiarity with NIJ 0101.06/0101.07 or BIS IS 17051 standards is beneficial

Willing to be based in Bilaspur; relocation support provided Other Details

Compensation: Commensurate with experience; discussed during the selection process #Hiring #ProductDevelopment #TacticalGear #BodyArmor #DefenceManufacturing #PatternMaking #Bilaspur #PragatiDefence #MakeInIndia

📌 Product Development Lead — Tactical Vests & Carriers (Bilaspur)
🏢 Pragati Defence
📍 Bilaspur