Industrial Design Manager

Industrial Design Manager

Location: Elkhart, Indiana

Currently seeking an innovative Industrial Design Manager for a respected, long-standing manufacturer of premium durable consumer products in the Elkhart, Indiana area.

This is an exciting opportunity for a design professional who combines creative vision, technical expertise, and a passion for bringing exceptional products to life. Working alongside a talented engineering and product development team, you will help shape the next generation of established, award-winning product brands through innovative interior and exterior design.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on design leader who understands how to transform ideas into compelling, functional, manufacturable products. You will influence product concepts from early ideation through prototyping and production, balancing aesthetics, usability, brand identity, material selection, cost, and manufacturing requirements.

If you enjoy solving complex design challenges, experimenting with new ideas and technologies, and seeing your concepts become real-world products, this opportunity offers the chance to make a meaningful impact.

Key Responsibilities

Industrial Design & Product Innovation

• Lead the development of innovative interior and exterior product designs, from initial concepts and sketches through detailed 3D models, renderings, prototypes, and production-ready solutions.
• Apply a strong understanding of form, proportion, ergonomics, color, materials, and visual design to create products that stand out in the marketplace.
• Translate customer needs, brand identity, competitive insights, and emerging design trends into compelling product concepts.
• Develop 2D concepts and 3D visualizations that effectively communicate design intent, functionality, and product direction.
• Explore alternative design approaches, materials, finishes, and construction methods to improve product appeal, usability, and manufacturability.

Design Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with engineering, product management, supply chain, and other stakeholders to move concepts efficiently through product development and commercialization.
• Present design concepts, recommendations, and project updates to executive leadership, clearly communicating the design vision, business rationale, and proposed direction.
• Lead brainstorming sessions, creative workshops, and collaborative design reviews that encourage innovation and practical problem-solving.
• Balance creative ambition with technical feasibility, product requirements, project timelines, and cost targets.
• Support alignment between design intent and final production execution, helping resolve challenges that arise during development.

Prototyping & Design Execution

• Develop physical mock-ups, prototypes, and visual models to evaluate concepts, communicate ideas, and validate design decisions.
• Work hands-on with materials, tools, and prototype-building techniques to explore and refine design solutions.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to assess design feasibility and address production-related challenges.
• Research and implement new tools, technologies, and AI-enabled design methods to improve creative exploration, visualization, and workflow efficiency.
• Manage assigned design activities independently while maintaining progress against project milestones and deadlines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Transportation Design, or a related discipline.
• Professional experience in industrial design, consumer product design, product development, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated ability to develop creative concepts and translate them into practical, production-ready products.
• Strong portfolio showcasing 2D concept development, 3D modeling, rendering, design visualization, and product design execution.
• Proficiency with 3D modeling and visualization software such as SolidWorks, Rhino, and comparable CAD or rendering platforms.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite or similar tools for concept development, presentation design, and visual communication.
• Strong understanding of design principles, including form, proportion, color, materials, ergonomics, and functionality.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to articulate design concepts to technical teams and executive stakeholders.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, organization, and project coordination skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively across disciplines.

Preferred Experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable:

• Recreational products, marine products, boating, powersports, RVs, or outdoor lifestyle products.
• Durable consumer goods or premium consumer product development.
• Interior and exterior product design involving multiple materials and complex assemblies.
• Manufacturing processes involving metal, aluminum, composites, plastics, and related materials.
• Upholstery, sewing, foam, vinyl, textiles, and substrate materials.
• Prototype development, model making, mock-up fabrication, and hands-on design validation.
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM), cost-conscious product development, and collaboration with engineering teams.
• AI-assisted design, digital visualization, and emerging product development technologies.

What Makes This Opportunity Different?

• Creative ownership: Help shape the look, feel, and functionality of established consumer product brands.
• Visible impact: See your concepts progress from early sketches to prototypes and finished products.
• Cross-functional influence: Work directly with engineering, product management, supply chain, and executive leadership.
• Hands-on innovation: Combine digital design tools with physical prototyping, experimentation, and material exploration.
• Opportunity to innovate: Explore emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to advance the design process.
• Established products and brands: Contribute to a manufacturer with a strong market presence and a history of recognized products.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidate is a creative, technically capable industrial designer who enjoys both the conceptual and practical sides of product development. You understand that outstanding design must do more than look good: it must function well, reflect the brand, meet customer expectations, satisfy manufacturing requirements, and deliver value.

You are comfortable presenting ideas, collaborating with engineers, experimenting with materials, building prototypes, and working through design challenges until the product is ready for production. A passion for recreational products, consumer innovation, and hands-on design will help you thrive in this role.