Sr. Industrial Designer
About The Position
American Plastics is a privately owned injection-molded plastics company that designs and manufactures products in the United States using green processes and a focus on design and engineering. The company has production and distribution operations in Missouri, Ohio, Arizona, and North and South Carolina. The Senior Industrial Designer will join the design team at the Innovation Center and lead the design, ideation, development, and optimization of plastic products and components from initial concept through commercialization. The role requires balancing user needs, aesthetics, functionality, manufacturability, and cost to deliver products that meet customer and business requirements. Applicants must provide a portfolio demonstrating aesthetic sensibility, user-centered thinking, and proficiency with industrial design software. The position is hybrid, with remote work on Mondays and Fridays and work in the Mooresville, North Carolina office Tuesday through Thursday. It reports to the Manager - Industrial Design.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of professional experience in industrial design and/or engineering, preferably in injection molding or plastic product manufacturing.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating product design, ideation, sketching, form development, and successful commercialization; applications must include a portfolio link or attachment.
- Demonstrated ability to develop unique, functional, and commercially viable product designs.
- Advanced proficiency in 3D modeling software such as SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, or Autodesk Inventor.
- Strong understanding of materials, injection molding, tooling, manufacturing processes, and product development.
- Ability to communicate and present design concepts to technical and non-technical audiences and collaborate across functions.
- Ability to identify design and use-case challenges and develop practical, creative solutions.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced product development environment.
- At least 18 years of age.
- Eligible to work in the United States of America.
- Must pass a pre-employment drug screen and authorize a background check.
Nice To Haves
- Experience designing consumer products, automotive products, medical devices, or other injection-molded products.
- Experience taking products from initial concept through prototyping, tooling, and production.
- Familiarity with sustainable materials, manufacturing practices, and design-for-sustainability principles.
- Experience with product rendering software such as KeyShot.
- Experience working directly with customers on product development and design requirements.
Responsibilities
- Conduct user research and analyze product usage, customer needs, and market opportunities to inform design concepts and use cases.
- Support development of the company’s product roadmap and innovation funnel.
- Collaborate with engineering, sales, marketing, manufacturing, quality, and other stakeholders to bring concepts from ideation through production.
- Develop and communicate concepts using hand sketches, renderings, storyboards, prototypes, and 3D CAD models in SolidWorks.
- Explore design directions that balance aesthetics, functionality, ergonomics, manufacturability, and cost.
- Participate in prototyping, concept reviews, design evaluations, and user testing.
- Incorporate feedback from customers, internal stakeholders, testing, and engineering reviews into design iterations.
- Translate customer requirements, sketches, and conceptual ideas into practical, manufacturable products.
- Create and present concepts to internal teams and customers, communicating design intent, rationale, and opportunities.
- Partner with engineering and manufacturing to resolve design and production challenges throughout product development.
- Maintain clear documentation of design concepts, iterations, specifications, and engineering changes.
- Help establish and maintain industrial design standards, processes, and best practices across the organization.
Benefits
- Competitive salary.
- Full benefit package including medical and dental.
- 401(k).
- Paid vacation.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
