CMF Designer

Slate Auto•Troy, MI

1d•$96,333 - $144,499•Remote

About The Position

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them. SLATE is looking for a creative, experienced CMF Automotive Designer who is upbeat, self-motivated and organized to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience, a keen eye for color, grain, gloss, texture, palettes, material trends and sustainability, as well as excellent communication and project management skills. Create attractive, functional, feasible and cost-conscious CMF strategies for interiors and exteriors of our products, ensuring they align with our brand DNA and target markets. You will be responsible for both conceptual and production programs, while working with amazingly talented, like-minded people on an impactful project.

Requirements

The pace doesn’t scare you, it excites you.
Flexible with coast-to-coast schedules, requiring excellent communication skills that may fall outside of traditional hours.
Comfortable in a start-up environment.
Low ego and strong willingness to support.
Being agile and understanding how quickly directions may change in an automotive design setting.
Outstanding CMF Design skills.
BA or BS Degree in Color and Material Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Product Design, Textile Design or the equivalent in professional experience with evidence of exceptional ability documented in a portfolio.
Minimum of 5 years similar or related experience.
Create compelling inspiration boards and focused program palettes to inspire and align the organization on the CMF direction.
Proficiency with design tools and software.
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, Keyshot (or equivalent 3D or 2D rendering programs Alias, VRED, Maya, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS).
Excellent oral and written communication skills required for effective presentations.
Consistently deliver high-quality work in an expedient manner.
Ability to manage multiple activities with possible pivots and show examples from previous production programs.
Capability to work cross functionally (internally) with Design, Brand, Engineering, Commercial and Purchasing but also experience in successful relationships (externally) with suppliers, vendors and partners for mutual success.
Ability to meet deliverables, based on milestones and deadlines.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Responsibilities

CMF design activities for both Interior and Exterior projects for all our vehicles.
Create mood boards, color palettes, material samples and pitch decks for in person and virtual presentations.
Define and implement materials, finishes, textures and colors for both production and conceptual programs.
Research and analyze color and materials trends both in automotive and consumer markets to develop trend forecasting, while identifying opportunities for differentiation and innovation.
Constantly source new materials to maintain innovation within the CMF library.
Research and connect with suppliers to bring your design vision to life.
Create innovative patterns and graphics that can help define the identity of the brand.
Material Mastering Required. Managing appearance development and approval process with various suppliers and/or Tiers, while maintaining design intent.
Follow system for maintaining, storing and distributing master samples.
Clear understanding of automotive specifications and performance requirements of finishes.
Creative finish solutions that maintain appearance but keep cost at a minimum.
Provide charts that layout a clear Color and Materials production development letter for production builds.
Design quality/quality control of finishes in all phases of production to ensure the design intent is maintained.