Industrial Design Engineer | Architectural Systems

NOWN; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

NOWN is looking for an Industrial Design Engineer in Amsterdam. The role involves a mix of modeling, programming, testing, and hands-on building, with a focus on moving products from concept to reality.

The ideal candidate should have at least three years of CAD experience and a completed bachelor's degree in a relevant field. This onsite role requires a strong instinct for prototyping and familiarity with CNC machinery, allowing you to shape ideas into tangible products.

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience with CAD software.
• Hands-on familiarity with CNC machinery.
• SolidWorks or Fusion 360 proficiency required.

Responsibilities

• Take products from concept to working prototype through modeling and testing.
• Design systems using various materials.
• Build prototypes and assess for functionality.
• Program CNC machinery for optimal production.
• Create 3D models and fabrication documentation.
• Source necessary hardware and materials.

Skills

Prototyping

CAD software (Rhino, SolidWorks, Fusion 360)

CNC machinery familiarity

Knowledge of architecture or design

Experience with AI systems

Written and spoken English

Education

HBO/bachelor's degree in industrial design, product design, engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

Autodesk Inventor

OnShape

Job description

Job Description

At NOWN, our multidisciplinary team brings together architects, designers, programmers, engineers, and artists. We're growing fast, with work landing in projects for the likes of Spotify, Microsoft, Adobe, Nike, and Adidas.

We're looking for an Industrial Design Engineer who's happiest in the loop of making, testing, and refining — someone who treats a prototype as the fastest way to learn, not the last step before sign-off. This is roughly a 75% computer / 25% making split: most of your time is modelling, programming, and detailing, with a real share spent at the bench building and testing what you've designed. You'll work onsite alongside designers, engineers, and architects, moving products from idea to physical reality and back again until they're right. You'll model it, build it, break it, program the machine that cuts it, and iterate until the detail holds.

Responsibilities

• Take products from concept to working prototype — sketching, modelling, building, testing, repeating
• Design systems and products in sheet metal, recycled plastic, and novel materials, balancing how they look against how they're made
• Build prototypes and mock‑ups, then put them through their paces to see what actually works
• Program the CNC machinery and dial in fabrication methods that get the most out of every machine on the floor
• Create detailed 3D models, production files, bills of materials, and fabrication documentation
• Source the hardware, tooling, and materials your ideas need

Skills

• A real instinct for prototyping and physical testing — you'd rather build it than only talk about it
• 3+ years with CAD software such as Rhino, SolidWorks, or Fusion 360
• Hands‑on familiarity with CNC machinery and designing for a manufacturing environment
• Knowledge of the architecture or design industries (a big plus)
• An interest or experience in leveraging AI systems and programming software (a big plus)
• Exceptional written and spoken English; any other language is a plus

Requirements

• A completed HBO/bachelor's degree in industrial design, product design, engineering, or a related field
• SolidWorks or Fusion 360 proficiency; Autodesk Inventor and OnShape a plus
• This is an onsite role — you're based in Amsterdam, or ready to relocate there
• Work permit and residency already in place — no sponsorship available