About Us
Viala Technologies is a custom machine design and fabrication company in Victoria, BC. We design and build custom machines, automation systems, control panels, prototypes, test equipment, and specialized industrial tools.
As we continue to grow, we are looking to develop new product lines and sales channels that build on our existing design, fabrication, and prototyping capabilities.
We are looking for a Junior Business Development & Marketing Specialist to help research new product opportunities, identify potential markets, create marketing material, and support early sales efforts.
This is a creative, practical, and entrepreneurial role. You will help turn ideas into clear product concepts, test whether those ideas have a real market, and support the process of bringing selected opportunities to customers.
This could be a good fit for a business student, recent graduate, early-career marketing/business person, or someone returning to work who wants a flexible part-time or full-time role.
The Opportunity
Viala has a broad range of in-house capabilities, including CNC machining, laser cutting, vacuum forming, 3D printing, design, fabrication, controls, and automation.
We want to use those capabilities to develop repeatable products that can be sold alongside our custom project work.
These products do not need to be limited to industrial or manufacturing customers. They could include business-to-business products, consumer products, accessories, parts, kits, fixtures, displays, prototypes, or other physical products that fit our equipment, skills, and market opportunities.
This role is about helping us answer questions like:
- What product opportunities fit our capabilities?
- Who would buy them?
- How should we test the market?
- How should we describe, price, photograph, package, and promote them?
- What sales channels could work?
- Which ideas are worth pursuing, and which ones should we drop?
Responsibilities
- Research possible product ideas that Viala could design, manufacture, and sell.
- Identify potential markets, customer groups, competitors, and sales channels.
- Help evaluate whether product ideas are realistic, profitable, and worth testing.
- Build organized lists of leads, prospects, suppliers, competitors, and potential customers.
- Help create simple marketing material such as product descriptions, landing page copy, flyers, email campaigns, case studies, photos, and social media posts.
- Assist with outreach to potential customers, distributors, partners, or early adopters.
- Help test product ideas through customer conversations, online research, and small marketing experiments.
- Work with the technical team to understand our equipment, capabilities, and constraints.
- Track opportunities, follow-ups, and results in a simple organized system.
- Support the development of repeatable products that can grow alongside our custom project work.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who is:
- Creative and able to spot opportunities.
- Organized and able to keep track of details.
- Resourceful and willing to figure things out.
- Hard-working and self-motivated.
- Curious about products, business, design, manufacturing, and marketing.
- Comfortable doing research and turning vague ideas into clear next steps.
- Able to write clearly and professionally.
- Comfortable reaching out to people by email, phone, LinkedIn, or other channels.
- Practical and realistic, not just idea-focused.
- Interested in small business and entrepreneurship.
- Willing to learn by spending time around a real design and fabrication shop.
You do not need to be an experienced salesperson. We are more interested in someone who is curious, organized, persistent, and willing to learn.
Helpful Experience
The following would be helpful, but not required:
- Business, marketing, entrepreneurship, communications, or design education.
- Experience with market research, customer research, or product research.
- Experience using spreadsheets, CRM tools, LinkedIn, Canva, website tools, or email marketing tools.
- Photography, video, social media, or content creation experience.
- Customer service, retail, sales, or administrative experience.
- An interest in physical products, fabrication, design, or small-scale manufacturing.
Why This Role Is Different
This is not a standard sales job where you are handed a fixed product and told to sell it.
Part of the job is helping us discover what the product should be.
You will be working with a small technical team that can design and build real things. Your role will be to help connect that capability to real customers, useful products, and practical business opportunities.
A good fit for this role is someone who likes the idea of building something from the ground up, testing ideas, learning quickly, and helping a small company grow.
This role could grow over time for the right person as we develop new product lines and sales channels.
Schedule and Compensation
This position can be part-time or full-time depending on the candidate.
The expected pay range is $23–$27 per hour, depending on experience, schedule, and fit.
This role is expected to involve regular in-person work at our shop in Victoria, BC. Some hybrid flexibility may be possible once the person understands our capabilities, team, and priorities.
How to Apply
Please send your resume and a short note explaining why this role interests you.
In your note, please include one example of a product, market, or customer group that you think a company like Viala Technologies could potentially explore.
Pay: $23.00-$27.00 per hour
Location:
- Victoria, BC V8T 4K2 (required)
Work Location: In person
