Senior Color, Material and Finish (CMF) Designer

SharkNinja•Needham, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trusted, global brands, Shark and Ninja, the company has a proven track record of bringing disruptive innovation to market and developing one consumer product after another has allowed SharkNinja to enter multiple product categories, driving significant growth and market share gains. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts with more than 4,100 associates, the company’s products are sold at key retailers, online and offline, and through distributors around the world. AI at SharkNinja At SharkNinja, we’re building an AI-native culture. We’re not waiting for the future; we’re creating it. Our people are expected to experiment boldly, adopt new tools, and continuously raise what’s possible to create meaningful impact for our consumers. If you believe the best way to do your job hasn’t been invented yet, you’ll fit right in. Senior CMF Designer Ninja Design Team | SharkNinja About the Role SharkNinja designs products that make everyday life better — and color, material, and finish (CMF) is where that promise becomes tangible. We're looking for a Senior CMF Designer to lead CMF strategy across multiple product categories, shaping how our products look, feel, and communicate quality in every home they enter. You'll own CMF workstreams end-to-end — from trend research through supplier sourcing to final production sign-off — and act as a strategic partner to Industrial Design, Engineering, and Marketing. You'll also mentor other designers on the team, helping raise the craft bar across the group. This is a high-autonomy role for someone who thinks like both an artist and an engineer: fluent in trend forecasting and materials science, comfortable defending a point of view in a room full of stakeholders, and just as comfortable in a supplier factory evaluating tooling and finish quality firsthand.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, CMF Design, or a related field.
5–7 years of CMF design experience, with a portfolio spanning consumer electronics, lifestyle products, or similar categories.
Expert-level skills in Adobe Creative Suite, KeyShot, and SolidWorks.
Deep, independently applied knowledge of color theory, trend forecasting, materials innovation, and manufacturing processes.
A track record of working directly with suppliers and manufacturers to bring new CMF solutions to market.
Strong analytical and storytelling skills — you can synthesize trend and brand strategy into a compelling, original design direction.
A sharp eye for detail and an uncompromising standard for craftsmanship.
Confident presentation skills; you can explain and defend your design rationale to cross-functional and senior audiences.
Comfort managing multiple projects at once in a fast-paced environment.
Portfolio required, showcasing CMF leadership, material innovation, and full concept-to-production process.

Nice To Haves

Experience mentoring junior designers is a plus.

Responsibilities

Set CMF direction. Lead CMF strategy for assigned product categories, translating brand vision and consumer insight into color, material, and finish decisions that differentiate our products on shelf and in hand.
Drive concepts from idea to production. Take CMF concepts independently from early trend research through final implementation, owning the creative point of view at every stage.
Research and forecast. Track emerging color, material, and finish trends and turn them into clear seasonal narratives that inform the broader design team's direction.
Build the story. Develop mood boards, color palettes, and material libraries that make CMF intent immediately clear to design, engineering, marketing, and senior leadership.
Own supplier relationships. Lead sourcing conversations directly with suppliers and manufacturers, evaluating materials and finishes for aesthetics, feasibility, durability, and cost.
Document with precision. Produce CMF specifications and briefs detailed enough that production teams can execute your intent faithfully, with minimal back-and-forth.
Champion quality in design reviews. Bring substantive, well-reasoned CMF feedback to reviews and advocate for design integrity with confidence.
Validate through prototyping. Guide prototypes and samples through iterative rounds until they meet the bar for final approval.
Maintain the library. Keep CMF sample archives and material references organized and current as a resource for the wider team.
Mentor. Share your expertise with junior CMF designers and help build a culture of craft and continuous improvement.