Industrial Design Director

We are seeking an Industrial Design Director to co-lead our Industrial Design practice in our NY Studio. The ideal candidate should have prior consulting experience and be skilled in business development, project leadership, and team management. Our Industrial Design practice is hands-on, focusing on creating prototypes, testing concepts, and improving the way people live and work. The Industrial Design Director will have a strong sense of form, proportion, color, and materials to lead client work, but should also be comfortable leading front-end innovation projects that may not result in a physical product.

Contribute to business development activities in collaboration with Smart’s leadership team (planning and scoping projects, presenting and storytelling in pitches, outreach, etc.)

Lead product development projects driven by user insights with expert understanding of core ID skills (sketching, digital visualization, CAD, materials and manufacturing knowledge) and also front end of innovation programs that may influence a product roadmap, with no tangible deliverable.

Advocate for design vision and process to clients and teams.

Manage staff, defining responsibilities and providing project leadership.

• Prior consulting experience
• Experience in business development
• Ability to provide hands-on project leadership
• Ability to manage a team of designers
• Well-developed sense of form, proportion, color, and materials
• Comfortable leading client work on the front-end of innovation
• Ability to contribute to business development activities
• Expert understanding of core ID skills (sketching, digital visualization, CAD, materials and manufacturing knowledge)
• Ability to advocate for design vision and process to clients and teams
• Experience managing staff and defining responsibilities and expectations
• Active involvement in the design community (competitions, teaching, thought leadership)
• 15+ years of experience as an industrial designer
• Specific experience in a consulting environment leading human-centered design projects
• Experience managing a team of designers

• Salary range between $125-155k at Associate Director level or $155-195k base salary at the Director level plus bonus and benefits eligible
• Hybrid work model of 2-3 days per week onsite
• Opportunity for professional growth and development
• Involvement in the design community through competitions, teaching, or thought leadership
• Opportunity to work on human-centered design projects
• Experience managing a team of designers
• Experience in business development and project scoping
• Passion for conceptualizing and designing meaningful product solutions
• Strong 2D skills in hand sketching, Illustrator, and Photoshop rendering
• Strong 3D CAD skills in Rhino and SolidWorks
• Ability to confidently present designs to clients and answer questions
• Inclusive culture and equal opportunity employer