Industrial Design Contractor

Acorn Product Development, Inc.; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Acorn Product Development, Inc. is seeking an industrial designer to join our East Coast product development team. The role emphasizes strong technical design capabilities and understanding of manufacturing techniques, collaborating with engineers to deliver manufacturable products.

The position is a contract role for 6 months with potential extension based on business needs and performance. A portfolio showing sketching, CAD, and rendering work is required.

Qualifications

• BS/BA degree (or equivalent) in industrial design.
• 1–3 years of industrial design experience (co‑op included).
• A portfolio demonstrating your design process, sketching, CAD, and rendering work (include a link or PDF with your application).
• Familiarity with CMF development and specification.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD solid and surface modeling (SolidWorks preferred).
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud apps (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom/Bridge).
• Ability to communicate concepts through hand and digital sketching, CAD, renderings (KeyShot preferred), mockups, and prototypes.
• Familiarity with human factors, ergonomics, and user‑centered design methods.
• Experience creating or contributing to prototypes and evaluating designs through hands‑on testing.
• Ability to work collaboratively with engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, and other cross‑functional team members.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to balance aesthetics, usability, manufacturability, cost, and technical requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple design tasks, incorporate feedback, and iterate quickly in a product‑development environment.

Responsibilities

• Generate and refine design concepts through hand and digital sketching, ideation, and design research.
• Develop 3D CAD models, renderings, and CMF specifications to move concepts toward production.
• Build mockups and prototypes and evaluate designs through hands‑on testing.
• Communicate and present designs to the team and clients through sketches, CAD, renderings, mockups, and prototypes.
• Work closely with engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers to deliver high‑quality, manufacturable designs.
• Support multiple concurrent projects involving other designers and engineers.

Skills

Industrial design

Sketching

3D CAD

SolidWorks

CMF

Adobe CC

Renderings

Ergonomics

Prototyping

Team collaboration

Communication

Education

BS/BA in industrial design

Tools

SolidWorks

KeyShot

Photoshop

Illustrator

Lightroom/Bridge

Job description

Acorn Product Development is seeking an industrial designer to join our East Coast product development team!

This position requires strong technical design capabilities, an understanding of manufacturing techniques and limitations, and excellent written, verbal and visual communication skills. Designers are expected to work closely with our engineering team to execute deliverables, communicate with clients, and help build exceptional products.

This is a contract position expected to run for 6 months with the possibility of extension based upon business needs and performance.

Responsibilities

• Generate and refine design concepts through hand and digital sketching, ideation, and design research
• Develop 3D CAD models, renderings, and CMF specifications to move concepts toward production
• Build mockups and prototypes and evaluate designs through hands‑on testing
• Communicate and present designs to the team and clients through sketches, CAD, renderings, mockups, and prototypes
• Work closely with engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers to deliver high‑quality, manufacturable designs
• Support multiple concurrent projects involving other designers and engineers

• BS/BA degree (or equivalent) in industrial design

• 1–3 years of industrial design experience (co‑op included)
• A portfolio demonstrating your design process, sketching, CAD, and rendering work (include a link or PDF with your application)
• Familiarity with CMF (color, material, and finish) development and specification
• Proficiency in 3D CAD solid and surface modeling (SolidWorks preferred)
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud apps (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom/Bridge)
• Ability to communicate concepts through hand and digital sketching, CAD, renderings (KeyShot preferred), mockups, and prototypes
• Familiarity with human factors, ergonomics, and user‑centered design methods
• Experience creating or contributing to prototypes and evaluating designs through hands‑on testing
• Ability to work collaboratively with engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, and other cross‑functional team members
• Strong attention to detail and ability to balance aesthetics, usability, manufacturability, cost, and technical requirements
• Ability to manage multiple design tasks, incorporate feedback, and iterate quickly in a product‑development environment

Nice to Have

• Basic understanding of design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA), with familiarity in common manufacturing processes and materials such as injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, and CNC machining.
• Experience with web design and website development.
• Experience using Figma and familiarity with general UX/UI design processes and workflows.
• Experience managing projects, schedules, staffing plans, and budgets.