Industrial Designer

American Plastics; Missouri; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits (medical/dental)

401k

Paid vacation

Competitive salary

Job summary

American Plastics in Missouri is seeking an Industrial Design Engineer for our Jefferson City Innovation Center, with a hybrid or remote option in northwestern Arkansas. The role focuses on design, ideation, and optimization of plastic products and components to meet customer needs, aesthetics, manufacturability, and cost targets.

Candidates should have a strong background in industrial design and hands-on experience with injection molding, tooling, and CAD software.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years in industrial design engineering, preferably with injection molding.
• Strong CAD proficiency in SolidWorks, Rhino, or Inventor.
• Knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Conduct user research to develop initial design concepts and use cases.
• Support product roadmap creation and innovation funnel.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to bring designs to life.
• Create sketches, renderings, and 3D CAD models to communicate design options.
• Participate in storyboarding and prototype development.
• Document design iterations, specifications, and engineering changes.

Skills

3D CAD modeling

Creativity

Communication

Problem solving

Materials knowledge

Education

Bachelors degree

Tools

SolidWorks

Rhino

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

American Plastics, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative plastic-injection molded products for the household & garage storage and commercial cleaning end-markets. We are searching for an Industrial Design Engineer for our Jefferson City, Missouri Innovation Center, hybrid or remotely located northwestern Arkansas. This position will report to the VP of Engineering.

This role will be responsible for the design, ideation, and optimization of plastic products and components, ensuring they meet customer expectations, aesthetic, manufacturability, and cost requirements. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in industrial design with a practical understanding of injection molding processes and tooling.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct user research analyzing product usage and customer needs to develop initial design concepts and use cases.
• Support the company’s product roadmap creation and innovation funnel.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including engineering, sales, marketing, manufacturing, and quality to bring designs to life.
• Develop concepts by creating sketches, renderings, and 3D models using CAD software to communicate and explore different design options.
• Participate in story boarding and prototype development.
• Conduct concept reviews and implement revisions based on feedback and testing outcomes.
• Support customer design requirements, including translating sketches or concepts into manufacturable solutions.
• Create and present design concepts internally and to customers, gathering feedback and iterating on designs based on their input and testing.
• Maintain detailed documentation of design iterations, specifications, and engineering changes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in industrial design engineering, preferably in injection molding or plastic product manufacturing.
• Creativity and Innovation: Verse in developing unique and functional product designs.
• CAD Proficiency: Expertise in 3D modeling software like SolidWorks, Rhino, or Autodesk Inventor.
• Technical Knowledge: Understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and product development.
• Communication Skills: Effectively able to present design ideas and collaborate with teams.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze design and use case challenges to find creative solutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in consumer goods, automotive, or medical device industries.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001/IATF 16949 or similar quality standards.
• Familiarity with sustainability practices in product design.

We offer a competitive salary, full benefit package including medical/dental, 401k, and paid vacation.