Industrial Designer / Product Engineer

About Wendover Art Group:

Wendover Art Group is a privately-owned, domestic manufacturer of artwork serving the commercial, residential, and corporate markets. Founded on the Core Values of Honor, Excellence, Team and Smart with the aggressive goal to build the best art company in the world, Wendover Art Group’s mission, to deliver superior value to its customers, drives the Company’s strategy on all fronts. The Company has transformed from a highly concentrated wholesaler of reproduction art with only 3 customers to an industry leading, vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of artwork serving thousands of customers. Since 2005 the Company has grown revenue over 12x by establishing industry leading positions in the Residential Retail, Interior Design, Hospitality, Senior Living, Healthcare and Multi-family markets. Wendover’s success in pioneering these industries can be attributed to a steadfast dedication to excellence in all things and attracting the best talent in the industry.

Ready to take the next step on your career journey?

Position Overview

The Industrial Designer / Product Engineer at Wendover Art Group plays a pivotal role in shaping the aesthetic, functional, and technical development of our diverse product portfolio including signage, lighting, sculptures, mirrors, dimensional wall décor, and bespoke art pieces. This role bridges the gap between creative design and practical engineering, transforming artistic vision into high-quality, manufacturable products.

The ideal candidate combines strong creative sensibilities with technical acumen and a deep understanding of how products are engineered and fabricated. This includes developing complex dimensional signage and custom products that require advanced problem-solving, mathematical precision, CNC programming integration, pocket cuts, inserts, hidden mounting solutions, layered construction methods, and innovative fabrication techniques. Success in this role requires both artistic creativity and engineering ingenuity, the ability to design aesthetically compelling products while determining how they can be efficiently and accurately produced at scale.

This is a unique opportunity to be part of a vertically integrated manufacturing environment where creativity, engineering, and craftsmanship come together from concept to final production.

Key Responsibilities

Product Design Development:

• Develop compelling, customer-facing visual representations of products to communicate design concepts to internal teams and clients.
• Create innovative, aesthetically appealing, and technically feasible product designs using advanced 3D modeling and rendering tools such as Rhino and SolidWorks.
• Design dimensional products and signage that balance artistic intent with structural integrity, manufacturability, and installation requirements.
• Collaborate with creative and production teams to refine concepts into manufacturable solutions while maintaining design intent.
• Support development of both standardized and custom product designs consistent with Wendover’s creative identity.

Engineering & Product Construction

• Engineer complex three-dimensional products, signage systems, and custom art pieces for manufacturability and scalability.
• Develop construction methods for layered assemblies, hidden fastening systems, pocket cuts, inserts, channeling, structural supports, and specialty fabrication details.
• Apply mathematical and spatial problem-solving skills to determine dimensions, tolerances, material behavior, weight distribution, and assembly sequencing.
• Translate artistic concepts into production-ready engineering solutions that optimize efficiency, quality, and repeatability.
• Collaborate with production teams to troubleshoot engineering challenges and improve production methods.

Production Drawings & Technical Specifications:

• Create detailed production drawings including dimensions, tolerances, materials, finishes, and assembly instructions.
• Produce precise CAD documentation for fabrication, CNC programming, laser cutting, and assembly processes.
• Ensure drawings meet both artistic and engineering standards for seamless manufacturing integration.
• Develop technical documentation that clearly communicates fabrication intent to production teams.

Material & Manufacturing Research:

• Research and select materials based on functionality, durability, aesthetics, and production feasibility.
• Investigate manufacturing processes and fabrication techniques to improve quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Evaluate innovative material applications and construction techniques for dimensional products and signage.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams to identify new capabilities and production solutions.

CNC Machinery & Digital Fabrication Support:

• Understand and support CNC milling, routing, turning, and laser cutting operations.
• Create and optimize CAD/CAM files and tool paths for precision fabrication.
• Engineer CNC-ready solutions for complex products including layered components, inlays, engravings, and specialty cuts.
• Partner with production teams to improve machine efficiencies, workflows, and fabrication accuracy.
• Assist in developing process documentation and training materials for CNC operators and technicians.

Prototyping & Testing:

• Create physical prototypes and mock-ups to validate design concepts, engineering methods, and fabrication feasibility.
• Conduct performance, usability, durability, and assembly testing.
• Iterate designs based on testing outcomes, production feedback, and customer needs.
• Ensure prototypes meet creative vision, engineering standards, and manufacturing requirements.

Digital Asset Creation:

• Capture and digitize the unique aspects of models and molds from Wendover’s acquired brands, creating comprehensive digital assets that preserve the details and qualities of these properties.
• Work with specialized tools like 3D scanners and modeling software to create high-fidelity digital models of these acquired pieces, ensuring that all intricate details are preserved.
• Develop an organized system to store and manage the digital assets, making them easily accessible for future production, restoration, or marketing use.

Collaboration & Customer Engagement:

• Coordinate with internal departments including creative, business development, production, quality control, and marketing.
• Engage with customers to interpret design needs and integrate feedback into final deliverables.
• Ensure design work aligns with brand identity and enhances customer satisfaction.

Innovation & Trend Forecasting:

• Monitor design, art, and materials trends to inform creative development.
• Propose and execute new concepts for unique, one-of-a-kind art products that elevate Wendover’s design reputation.

Project Management:

• Lead product development from concept through engineering, prototyping and to production, ensuring alignment with design intent, technical requirements, and operational goals.
• Partner with teams across design, business development, production, and quality to drive execution and resolve roadblocks.
• Manage timelines, resources, and budgets, identifying risks early and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Take part in the final evaluation of prototypes and products, ensuring they meet both artistic vision and practical manufacturing requirements.
• Conduct post-project evaluations (mini 20/20s) to capture insights and continuously improve future development cycles.

Documentation & Reporting:

• Maintain organized, up-to-date documentation of design processes, including sketches, CAD files, technical drawings, and revisions.
• Ensure all design-related information is documented and organized for internal use, future reference, and customer presentations.
• Keep records of testing, quality control processes, and improvements for product tracking and future audits.

Sustainability Considerations:

• Incorporate sustainable design practices and eco-friendly materials into product concepts whenever possible.
• Evaluate the environmental impact of designs and recommend improvements to reduce waste, energy consumption, and environmental footprint.

Why Wendover?

At Wendover Art Group, we value creativity, craftsmanship, engineering, and innovation. As an Industrial Designer / Product Engineer, you will play an integral role in designing and engineering products that merge artistic vision with practical fabrication solutions. From dimensional signage and sculptural installations to custom lighting and bespoke art, your work will directly influence the development of unique, high-quality products that define the Wendover brand.

This role offers the opportunity to work within a collaborative, vertically integrated manufacturing environment where you can see your ideas evolve from concept sketches into fully realized products that inspire customers and elevate spaces.ls

What Else Do We Look For?

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Technical Design, Engineering, or similarly related field
• 2 years of experience in an industrial / manufacturing design focused role
• Proficiency in CAD, Solid Works and CNC programming
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, notably Adobe Illustrator and similar programs like CorelDRAW
• Comfort with technical troubleshooting on industrial equipment and requisite software
• Ability to solve problems with imperfect information and ambiguity
• Ability to employ creative and innovative thought processes while maintaining practicality
• A commitment to excellence and a passion for doing things right all the time
• Strong time management skills and ability to work under multiple competing deadlines
• Ability to prioritize and manage a consistently heavy workload with precision
• Ability and willingness to learn the production process and understand the Industrial Designer’s impact on Company profitability
• Expert in email management
• Bilingual (Spanish) is a plus but not required