Office products retailer Staples will open a development center in Seattle. The company’s first West Coast office will focus on ecommerce and engineering projects including the development of digital platforms, personalization solutions and Big Data tools. The center “will allow us to tap into the wide range of talented engineering and ecommerce professionals on the West Coast,” said Faisal Masud, Staples’ Executive Vice President of Global Ecommerce. He described the area as “an innovation hub rivaling Silicon Valley.” In opening the center, Staples will hire for software development, product management, usability, analytics and online merchandising positions. Its aim is to provide channels for customers to shop across platforms, meaning through PCs, mobile devices and brick and mortar stores. The company recently announced a new “omnichannel” store format and is working on several new ecommerce and mobile commerce initiatives. “Staples is investing in areas with high concentrations of the ecommerce and engineering talent,” said Vice President of Ecommerce and Engineering Prakash Muppirala. “We will build integrated, collaborative teams.” In 2012, Staples unveiled its new Velocity Lab, located in Cambridge, Mass. The lab was the company’s first satellite office, opened exclusively to foster innovation among ecommerce and engineering teams. Velocity Lab will continue to house ecommerce, mobile product and engineering teams. The Seattle center is scheduled to open during the coming months, the company says. Hiring and recruiting teams will meet with experienced engineering and ecommerce professionals on Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27 at the Seattle City Center, 1420 5th Avenue, Suite 2200, from 8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Interested candidates can also visit the company’s website.