Colour and Material Designer

Ford Model E U.S.; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ford Australia in Melbourne's Broadmeadows design studio seeks a Colour and Materials Designer to shape CMF concepts into production‑ready surfaces for our global vehicles. You will translate visionary ideas into tangible finishes, collaborating with engineering and marketing to ensure consistency across exterior and interior details.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in design or equivalent and 3–5 years in automotive CMF, strong visual storytelling, and proficiency in 2D/3D tools such as

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in design or equivalent.
• 3–5 years of global Automotive or Transportation Colour & Materials Design experience.
• Strong design intuition and problem‑solving skills.
• Proficiency in 2D/3D design media (Photoshop, VRED).
• Excellent collaboration, visual, written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Drive development of Colour, Material & Finish (CMF) solutions for projects.
• Translate visionary concepts into production‑ready CMF designs.
• Directly influence the aesthetic and tactile elements of Ford products.
• Collaborate with Engineering and other partners to progress design development.

Skills

CMF design

Design intuition

Independent work

Presentation skills

Collaboration & communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in design

3–5 years automotive CMF experience

Tools

Photoshop

VRED

PowerPoint

Job description

About Us

Lead. Grow. Transform.

Ford Motor Company is constantly evolving and innovating. As part of the International Markets Group, we are committed to delivering smarter, more connected vehicles for our Global customers. Looking ahead, Ford is excited about the future. With an expanding vehicle lineup, growing digital services, and a strong dealer network, we are well-positioned to support Australian businesses in new ways.

As Australia’s largest automotive OEM employer, we proudly have around 1,500 talented engineers, designers, and specialists working across five Victorian sites. Crucially, Australia is a key global development hub for Ford, and our local design and engineering team lead the creation of vehicles including the Ranger, Ranger Raptor, and Everest – models sold in around 180 markets worldwide.

Why Ford?

For a century, we've been a driving force across Australia, building a legacy that truly speaks for itself. Leading the way, the Ranger continues its reign as Australia's No. 1 Selling Vehicle and our iconic Mustang proudly holds its position as Australia’s No. 1 Sports Car.

These remarkable achievements are a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation and a customer-focused approach that has delivered success across our entire lineup, giving us so much to be excited about! But we believe we do more than just build award-winning vehicles—we build careers.

• Discounted lease car options.
• Multiple Employee Resource Groups – Ford Pride, Women of Ford and Ford Empowering Diverse Abilities.
• Flexible Work Arrangements.
• Growth and development opportunities via internal and external training.
• Paid parental leave from day 1.
• Comprehensive Employee Assist Program.
• Wellness Programs including Free Flu Vaccinations and Health Checks.
• Paid volunteer days.

About the Role

As a Colour and Materials Designer, you will play a pivotal role in driving the development of innovative Colour, Material, and Finish (CMF) solutions for both our advanced and production projects. You will be responsible for translating visionary concepts into tangible, production-ready designs, directly shaping the aesthetic and tactile future of our products and enhancing the overall brand experience.

This position reports directly to the CMF Design Manager and is based at the Design Studio in Broadmeadows, operating on a hybrid schedule with four days in the office.

• Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant design field or equivalent experience, coupled with a minimum of 3 - 5 years of global Automotive or Transportation Colour & Materials Design experience, including expertise in final design product execution.
• Design Acumen: Exceptional design intuition, strong problem-solving skills, and a superior ability to visually communicate through compelling imagery and renderings.
• CMF Expertise: A strong perception of colour and a good understanding of colour processes, enabling the interpretation of customer needs and global trends into compelling CMF designs.
• Independence and Judgment: Proven ability to work independently while providing strong technical aesthetic judgment.
• Technical Skills: Experience in developing artistic presentations and proficiency in 2D/3D digital design media (e.g., Photoshop, VRED, PowerPoint).
• Collaboration & Communication: Outstanding teamwork, leadership, visual, written, and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Manufacturing and Mastering: A good understanding of exterior/interior manufacturing processes, materials, and the mastering process.
• Industry Passion and Trends: Passion for the automotive and mobility industry, global trends, innovation, and customer needs, alongside a keen interest in design trends across various professions and global cultures.
• Corporate and Collaborative Experience: Experience working within creative cultures and large corporate environments, managing multiple stakeholders across complex projects, and presenting to executive audiences.
• Cross-functional Partnership: A demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with Engineering and other partners to progress design development.

A design portfolio (pdf) must be provided upon application to be considered.

Equal Opportunity

Ford Australia is inclusive employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Applicants must be legally authorised to work in Australia. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

*Ford Motor Company of Australia Pty Limited ACN 004 116 223 ( Ford ) is collecting your personal information in order to consider you for a role at Ford. Ford may also collect personal information about you from third parties such as referees and recruitment agencies for this purpose. Ford may disclose your personal information to its related companies and third party service providers for purposes such as screening and background checks, aptitude testing and health and safety and human resources management activities. Ford’s privacy policy (available at www.ford.com.au) states how you can seek to access or correct any personal information Ford holds about you, how to complain about a privacy breach by Ford and how Ford will deal with a privacy complaint. You can contact Ford at 13 FORD ( 13 36 73 ) or via the contact details set out in Ford’s privacy policy .