Pickleball Paddle Production Technician - Full Time

At Shaggy’s Skis, we build high-performance sporting good products by hand in Boyne City, Michigan. In addition to custom skis, we also manufacture Thompson Pickleball paddles in-house using many of the same hands-on production principles: precision, consistency, and pride in the finished product.

We’re looking for someone to join our production team and help build pickleball paddles from raw materials, with a focus on layup, urethane sidewall casting, material prep, finishing, and inventory management.

This position currently will work in paddle construction 3-4 days per week and the remaining time will be spent assisting in ski production, finishing, packing, and shipping.

What This Job Is

This is a hands-on role working with:

• Carbon fiber paddle faces
• Polypropylene paddle cores
• Urethane sidewall materials
• Adhesives and composite materials
• 3D printed production parts
• Finishing tools and shop equipment

You’ll be helping build premium pickleball paddles from start to finish, learning how the materials come together and why each step matters.

This isn’t an assembly line job. The process requires attention to detail, consistency, and the ability to notice when something isn’t quite right.

How You’ll Start

You’ll work with our Production Manager and experienced team members to:

• Understand the paddle building process
• Learn material prep and process flow
• Build consistency and speed
• Develop hands-on production skills
• Understand quality standards and repeatability

As you gain experience, the goal is for you to take ownership of most of the pickleball production process outside of certain specialized operations.

Who This Is a Good Fit For

You’ll likely enjoy this role if you:

• Like working with your hands
• Are detail-oriented
• Enjoy building, fixing, or making things
• Are comfortable working in a real shop environment
• Don’t mind sanding, trimming, adhesives, urethane, and hands-on production work
• Can follow a process and notice when something seems off
• Are dependable and willing to learn
• Want a role where your work directly affects the finished product

You don’t need pickleball paddle manufacturing experience. But you do need a good attitude, a steady work ethic, and a willingness to learn.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Preparing raw materials for paddle builds
• Performing paddle layups
• Casting urethane sidewalls
• Operating a 3D printer for production-related parts
• Managing pickleball production inventory
• Trimming, sanding, cleaning, and finishing paddles
• Tracking work-in-process and completed paddle inventory
• Keeping the pickleball production area clean and organized
• Helping improve the process as production grows

Some parts of the paddle process, including CNC router work and Zünd CNC knife cutting, will initially be handled by other trained team members. As you gain experience, there may be opportunities to train on those processes as well.

About the Team

We’re a small group that works hard, helps each other out, and takes pride in what we build.

Our shop is cross-trained, meaning people learn multiple parts of the process over time. This role will start with training and support, but over time the right person will become an important part of the paddle production process and help us grow Thompson Pickleball.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Primary focus on pickleball paddle production
• Approximately one to two days per week supporting ski production and shipping
• Work takes place in our Boyne City manufacturing shop
• Spring/Summer: Currently operating on a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off, based on production needs
• Fall/Winter: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
• Standing for much of the workday
• Frequent movement, including bending, lifting, trimming, sanding, and handling materials
• No sensitivities to urethane, epoxy, adhesives, or shop materials
• Comfortable working in a hands-on production environment

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly pay based on experience and growth
• Opportunities for pay increases as you develop in the role
• Healthcare Insurance (75% employer paid)
• 401k with up to 3% employer contribution
• Paid time off and holidays
• Free custom skis
• Ski industry discounts
• Free ski passes

Benefits:

• 401(k) 3% Match
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Retirement plan

Application Question(s):

• Are you a skier or pickleball player? Please explain your experience.
• What hands-on building, assembly, repair, shop, or manufacturing experience do you have?
• This job involves repetitive, detail-focused production work where quality matters more than speed at first. Does that type of work sound like a good fit for you? Why?
• Are you comfortable following a written process/checklist exactly and asking questions when something doesn’t look right?
• Are you comfortable with light sanding, trimming, cleanup, packaging, and wearing PPE such as safety glasses, gloves, and a dust mask/respirator when needed?
• Why do you want to build pickleball paddles?
• Are you able to reliably work a full-time, in-person schedule in Boyne City (including standing for most of the day and physical work)?

Experience:

• workshop: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Boyne City, MI 49712 (Required)

Work Location: In person