Founding Designer, Head of Creative

About Deft Robotics

Our mission is to build the world’s first labor agency that deploys dexterous robots as its primary workforce.

• We start by deploying wheeled humanoid robots in industrial manufacturing and assembly lines.
• You’ll be joining a team of extremely hardcore and self-motivated engineers, scientists, and operators who focus on winning 24/7.
• You will develop and own entire systems from design to deployment, playing a foundational role in deploying 5000 robots by 2031.

What You'll Do

• Own the robot's industrial design — form, materials, surface treatment, and color — and shepherd your design intent through DFM, supplier reviews, and into production parts
• Build Deft's brand from scratch — visual identity, design system, pitch decks, website, trade show presence, and demo videos
• Design operator-facing UX for robot monitoring and control, optimized for noisy factory environments
• Collaborate daily with engineers on mechanical, electrical, and software teams — you're a creative partner, not a downstream executor
• Lay the design foundation — tools, workflows, and eventually a team — as Deft scales

Required Qualifications

• 5 years spanning both industrial/product design and brand/visual design
• Shipped real electromechanical hardware into production — consumer electronics, industrial devices, or robotics; worked directly with an engineering team through DFM and manufacturing (university projects don't count)
• Fluent in manufacturing tradeoffs — tooling, parting lines, surface specs, BOM cost — you've had these conversations with CMs and lived with the outcomes
• Experience in robotics, industrial automation, power tools, medical devices, or adjacent electromechanical categories
• Visual communication chops — your decks and brand work are as strong as your renderings
• Proficient in Onshape/SolidWorks, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and KeyShot (or equivalents)
• Startup or early-stage hardware experience — you make fast, high-quality calls with limited information

Preferred Qualifications

• Human factors/ergonomics background
• Cobot or mobile robot experience
• Familiarity with Asian manufacturing supply chains

Hiring Process

• Phone screen 2 virtual technical interviews onsite

Expected Compensation

• $100,000 - $200,000 annual salary cash and stock awards benefits
• The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.