Color & Material Designer

Ford Design; Dearborn (MI); Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Coverage

Dental Coverage

Vision Coverage

Paid Time Off

Tuition Assistance

Vehicle Discount

Job summary

Ford Design in Dearborn, MI seeks a Color & Material Designer to create CMF solutions for exterior and interior vehicle surfaces. You will develop CMF concepts, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and translate ideas into visual samples while aligning with future trends and design narratives.

The role requires automotive CMF experience, strong 3D visualization, and proficiency in Adobe Suite and Microsoft Office. Hybrid in-office schedule, salary grade 6-8, and strong portfolio required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Color and Material Design or related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years with a Master’s degree or 5 years with a Bachelor’s degree.
• Automotive CMF Design experience is required.
• 3D visualization skills.
• Proficient in Adobe Suite tools and Microsoft Suite.
• Experience leveraging generative AI tools to accelerate ideation.
• Portfolio of your work is required.

Responsibilities

• Creates, curates, and delivers CMF solutions for exterior and interior of vehicles.
• Ideate CMF concepts with a creative narrative, functionality, and user experience.
• Ensure CMF integration across design stages with cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams to translate designs into samples.
• Analyze future consumer trends to inform CMF narratives.
• Develop digital and physical CMF presentations conveying design intent.
• Support program timing to meet deliverables.

Skills

CMF Design

3D Visualization

Adobe Suite

Generative AI

Portfolio

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Industrial Design/related

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

VRED

Photoshop

Illustrator

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters. Join us in shaping the future of Ford Motor Company, as part of a global organization with exceptional colleagues in world-class facilities. As part ofFord Design, you’ll be at the cutting edge of Ford’s most strategically critical work, designing people and society’s needs into the heart of our next generation of products, services, and experiences. Join our Color & Material team to lead design for current and future customers of the Ford brands product line up, including Battery Electric Vehicle, Commercial vehicles, Trucks, Compact trucks, Icons, Passenger vehicle/utilities, Luxury, and Emerging Markets.

In this position

Our Color & Material Designer creates, curates, and delivers Color, Material and Finish (CMF) solutions that influence and enhance the current automotive landscape. This role is responsible in specifying all CMF applications on the exterior and interior of the vehicles that bring a distinct look and experience to the automobile.

Location

This position will be located in Dearborn, MI and will be in office 4 days/week.

What You’ll Do

• Creates, curates, and delivers Color, Material and Finish (CMF) solutions and specifies all CMF applications on the exterior and interior of the vehicles.
• Ideate and create overall CMF design using concepts that embody a creative narrative, advanced functionality, and innovative user experience.
• Ensure integration of complex CMF into the overall vehicle design and alignment with cross-functional teams across all stages of design.
• Collaborate with external vendors and internal teams to translate new designs into visual samples to validate feasibility and functionality.
• Partner with teammates in analysis of future consumer trends to identify brand relevant CMF narratives that inform cutting-edge CMF design solutions.
• Develop digital and physical CMF presentations that embody the creative narrative and accurately depict design intent.
• Supports all program timing, ensuring program and project deliverables are met within the program targets.

You’ll have

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Color and Material Design or any other related discipline.
• Minimum 2 year of related work experience with a Master’s degree or 5 years of related work experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
• Automotive CMF Design experience is required
• 3D visualization skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interact with diverse disciplines.
• Highly collaborative and proactive both internally and externally.
• Ability to effectively communicate in a wide range of formats for presenting future design strategies.
• Knowledge of the Colors and Materials design process.
• Must be self‑motivated, adaptable, flexible, and able to multi‑task.
• Demonstrated understanding of color theory (hue, value, chroma, etc.).
• Proficient in Adobe Suit tools (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator, VRED) and Microsoft Suit tools (i.e. PowerPoint, Excel)
• Experience leveraging generative AI tools to accelerate early-stage design ideation.
• Demonstrated capability in strategy creation and stewarding, with the ability to guide long‑term design visions from initial concept through to successful implementation.
• Knowledge of materials innovation and emerging technologies.
• Proven experience in color development.
• Strong capability in trend‑based research and forecasting, with the ability to synthesize insights from into actionable CMF strategies.
• Portfolio of your work is required

Even better, you may have

• Master’s Degree (preferred) in Industrial Design, Color and Material Design or any other related discipline
• Expertise and knowledge of 3D prototyping, property builds, etc.
• Working level knowledge of fabrics and trims associated with the development process.

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp‑up programs, subsidized back‑up childcare and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a salary grade 6-8 and ranges from $74,300-$166,200.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here:https://fordcareers.co/GSR

Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week.