Industrial Design Contractor

Acorn Product Development, Inc.; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Acorn Product Development, Inc. on the East Coast is seeking an industrial designer to join our product development team on a 6-month contract. You will contribute to design concepts, CAD models, CMF specs, and hands-on prototyping.

Collaborate with engineers, manufacturers and clients to deliver high-quality, manufacturable designs while refining concepts through testing and iteration.

Qualifications

• BS/BA in industrial design.
• 1–3 years industrial design experience.
• Portfolio showing process, CAD, renderings.
• CMF development familiarity.
• SolidWorks CAD proficiency.
• Adobe Creative Cloud skills.
• Strong sketching and rendering ability.
• Ergonomics and user-centered design.
• Prototype creation and hands-on testing.
• Cross-functional collaboration.
• Attention to detail; balance aesthetics & manufacturability.
• Multitask and iterate quickly.

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 experience

Portfolio

CMF development

SolidWorks

Adobe Creative Cloud

Sketching & rendering

Ergonomics

Prototyping

Collaboration

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Education

BS/BA in industrial design

Tools

SolidWorks

Adobe Creative Cloud

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.