What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Industrial Designer position at Design Observer?
What you’ll do
- Collaborate with Product Management, Engineering, User Research, User
- Experience to guide Industrial Design directions.
- Develop and oversee designs from concept through engineering and mass
- production, ensuring preservation of design intent.
- Communicate design concepts and rationale to multidisciplinary teams and
- external vendors.
- Create sketches, CAD models, and renderings to effectively convey design
- ideas.
- Produce design documentation and CMF (Color, Material, and Finish)
- specifications to support manufacturing readiness.
- Utilize 3D printed prototypes to validate and communicate design intent.
- Deliver innovative design solutions aligned with the SimpliSafe brand.
- Project Ownership & Development
- Take ownership of projects after the initial concept phase has been completed, driving
- designs through detailed development, engineering collaboration, prototyping, and
- Design for Manufacture (DFM).
- Work closely with mechanical and electrical engineering teams to understand
- technical constraints and ensure successful implementation for mass production.
- Maintain and protect design intent throughout development, balancing aesthetic,
- functional, and manufacturing requirements.
- Operate within and contribute to SimpliSafe’s evolving Design Language System,
- ensuring consistency across the product ecosystem.
- Collaborate with CAD engineers and external manufacturing partners to resolve
- design, manufacturing, and cosmetic challenges.
- Evaluate product feasibility by considering aesthetics, usability, materials, cost,
- and production methods.
- Participate in highly collaborative onsite sessions with cross-functional teams to solve technical challenges and efficiently progress designs.
- Strong visualization skills, from quick concept sketching to presentation-quality
- sketches, 3D CAD modeling (SolidWorks, Rhino, or similar), and high-quality
- renderings using tools such as KeyShot or V-Ray.
- Deep knowledge of manufacturing processes, including close collaboration with
- engineering teams, creation of manufacturing-ready design documentation, and
- specification of CMF.
- Excellent storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate
- design rationale and influence diverse cross-functional stakeholders.
- Experience using 3D printing to support design validation and effectively
- communicate design intent throughout development.
- Ability to manage day-to-day CAD updates and design revisions, incorporating
- input from the mechanical engineering team to generate manufacturing-ready
- files and effectively guide OEM partners.
- An execution-focused mindset, with a passion for transforming design concepts
- into manufacturable, high-quality products while maintaining design intent.
- Experience working within and contributing to an evolving Design Language
- System, ensuring consistency across the product ecosystem.
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage
- multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
- High attention to detail and a commitment to delivering best-in-class consumer
- experiences.
- Self-direction and comfort operating in an environment where your ideas may be
- the missing piece, coupled with openness, flexibility, and a positive, collaborative
- mindset.
- A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in executing hardware design,
- outside of academic training.
- Completion of a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design (or equivalent).
- Proven track record of designing products that integrate both physical and digital
- components.
- Experience working in highly collaborative design teams and multidisciplinary
- environments.
- Experience with high-quality consumer products is a plus.
- Familiarity with or experience contributing to an established Design Language
- System is desirable.