Freelance Industrial Designer

Industrial Designer: Rendering & Visual Design Support

HOLOS Lighting | Contract / Part-Time (As-Needed)

HOLOS fabricates architecturally integrated custom lighting fixtures. Our work sits at the intersection of design intent, manufacturing reality, and lighting performance.

We are looking for an industrial designer to support our team on a contract basis, with a focus on fast, high-quality visualizations used in client-facing proposal packages and internal design-for-manufacturing processes.

This role is not limited to product rendering. A significant portion of the work involves illustrating how light interacts with materials, surfaces, and architectural environments. The ideal candidate is comfortable working between 3D rendering and 2D image manipulation to clearly communicate design intent, including illustrating evolving concepts through hand sketching and rapid iteration.

This is a collaborative role. You will participate in design conversations, contribute ideas, and help shape how our concepts are presented visually.

About the Role

This role exists to help HOLOS and our clients understand what we are proposing before it exists.

• Hourly contractor position (approx. 5–10 hours/week on average)
• Workload will fluctuate: Some weeks may require 15–20 hours, other weeks may have little to no work
• This is best suited for someone comfortable operating in an on-call, flexible capacity

You will create renderings and visual studies that show:

• What a custom fixture will look like
• How light will interact with space, materials, and architecture
• How proposed conditions differ from existing or revised conditions

Your work will support:

• Proposal development
• Design alignment
• Change approvals
• Internal decision-making

You will not be asked to “make things pretty” without context. You will be asked to think visually about light, space, and intent.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Producing fast, compelling renderings/sketches for use in proposals and presentations
• Creating visualizations that communicate both product design intent and lighting behavior within a space
• Manipulating photography to illustrate lighting effects and design concepts
• Iterating quickly based on internal feedback and evolving project scope
• Applying materials, lighting, and context to existing CAD models (primarily SolidWorks exports such as STEP or IGS files)
• Occasionally creating quick models independently when speed is required
• Participating in design meetings and contributing to creative direction
• Collaborating with our CAD designer (manufacturing-focused) to translate technical drawings into compelling visuals

Key Responsibilities

Visualization & Rendering

• Produce and collaborate design concepts including sketches and renders
• Produce high-quality renderings of custom lighting fixtures as standalone objects
• Render fixtures in architectural context, showing interaction with: Walls, ceilings, floors, Architectural details and finishes, Surrounding materials and surfaces
• Accurately convey light behavior, not just fixture form

Design Translation

Translate CAD geometry and technical drawings into:

• Design-legible visuals
• Proposal-ready imagery
• Concept and revision studies

Help distinguish between:

• Existing conditions
• Proposed conditions
• Revised or alternate options

Proposal & Sales Support

• Support sales efforts indirectly by elevating the clarity and professionalism of proposal visuals
• Convert manufacturing-oriented drawings into design-oriented presentation materials
• Create visuals that enhance verbal/written explanation

Revisions & Change Support

• Update visuals based on: Design changes, Change orders, Scope revisions
• Provide clear visual references that support approvals and reduce misinterpretation

How This Role Fits Into Our Team

• You will work closely with our Design Team, Engineer, and CAD designer, who owns manufacturing geometry and fabrication logic
• You may work from CAD exports (e.g., STEP, IGES) and use your own preferred visualization tools to create renderings from
• We prioritize speed and clarity over hyper-polished realism
• Our renderings are tools for communication and sales—not portfolio pieces
• Iteration is constant, and scope can shift quickly
• We value designers who can: Make strong visual decisions quickly, Communicate ideas efficiently, Avoid overworking details that don’t materially improve understanding

What We’re Looking For

• Industrial design background (or similar)
• Strong rendering capability using software of your choice
• High proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (required)
• Ability to work from SolidWorks models or exported STEP/IGS files
• Strong sense of materiality, lighting, and visual composition
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, iterative environment
• Willingness to contribute ideas—not just execute instructions

Nice to Have:

• Experience or interest in lighting design
• Experience with architectural or environmental rendering
• Understanding of how lighting is often “represented” (and sometimes misrepresented) in visualizations—and the ability to strike a more intentional balance

Engagement Model

• Contract, as-needed engagement
• No guarantee of consistent or ongoing hours
• Estimated early workload: Approximately 10–15 hours per week, variable
• Initial annual budget target: Approximately $12-15,000, subject to scope and fit
• Reliability, responsiveness, and continuity are critical
• This role may evolve over time, but growth is based on demonstrated value, not assumptions.

How to Apply

Applicants would be asked to share:

• A portfolio of relevant visualization or design work
• Examples that show light interacting with space or surfaces
• A brief explanation of how they approach translating technical inputs into visuals