Junior Designer

Dolmen; Santa Monica (CA); Hybrid; USD 68,151 - 88,195; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

401(k) with Company match

Generous PTO

Employee vehicle program

Job summary

Dolmen, the design innovation studio of BMW Group, is seeking a designer to support a wide range of deliverables in Santa Monica, CA. You will conduct design efforts, bringing innovation and creative excellence to various projects.

The ideal candidate holds a relevant degree, possesses design experience, and is proficient in industry-standard software. This hybrid role emphasizes innovative problem-solving and a culture of curiosity.

Qualifications

• 1 to 2 years of design experience or equivalent.
• Portfolio demonstrating range and risk-taking.
• Deep feel for form, proportion, and materiality.
• Fluency in AI-assisted design workflows.

Responsibilities

• Supports diverse project deliverables at Designworks.
• Conducts design from research to implementation.
• Champions experimentation and innovation.
• Originates ideas for products and experiences.

Skills

2D/3D software proficiency

Experience with Figma

Strong communication skills

Innovative thinking

Self-driven learner

Education

Bachelor’s degree in industrial design or similar

Tools

Alias

Maya

Blender

Cinema 4D

Keyshot

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

Knowing the destination isn't enough: you need to know how to get there. Build up your own networks, exploit new ideas, consistently take the initiative. Inspire other people with your enthusiasm. That's the only way to give ideas the power that allows them to become true innovations.

Designworks is the design innovation studio of BMW Group. For 25 years, we have been stimulating our parent company, as well as a select group of companies with ambitious visions for the future. We inspire and challenge the companies we work with to be at the forefront of their industries - in design, technology and innovation. We are the architects of future – designing systems that impact and improve the world we live. If you share our vision and view yourself as an independent, creative thinker, we invite you to join our team in this exceptional role located in Santa Monica, CA.

What Awaits You.

• Supports a wide range of deliverables for projects/clients across diverse industries, bringing innovation and creative excellence to Designworks’ outputs.
• Conducts design efforts from research through concept creation, development, implementation, and collaboration with development partners and vendors to ensure high-quality solutions.
• Applies design knowledge to moderate to high complexity assignments and influences projects with creative problem-solving and analysis.
• Champions a culture of experimentation and curiosity, regularly introducing innovative processes, emerging technologies, and forward-thinking methodologies that elevate the quality and ambition of studio outputs.
• Navigates the intersection of tradition and innovation — balancing proven design principles with a restless drive to incorporate next-generation tools and techniques that redefine client expectations.
• Participates in the development of new internal workflows and toolchains that support scalability and efficiency as the studio's scope of work continues to broaden across geographies, industries, and disciplines.
• Originates and develops ideas for products, interfaces, or brand experiences; evaluates concepts on aesthetics, usability, sustainability, materials, production methods, and client specs.
• Integrates findings and sketches into compelling designs and presentations; collaborates with cross-functional teams and embraces a holistic, cross-industry design approach.
• Supports strategic services (contextual research, design strategy, design identity) with multi-disciplinary teams, manages hours, and maintains relevant system documents (e.g., Workfront).

What You Should Bring.

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design, Transportation Design, Automotive Design, or an equivalently ambitious creative discipline.
• 1 to 2 years of design experience or equivalent, with a portfolio that demonstrates range, risk-taking, and a profound desire to push beyond the expected.
• Advanced proficiency across 2D/3D software including Alias, Maya, Blender, Cinema 4D, Keyshot, and the Adobe Creative Suite, with the adaptability to rapidly adopt emerging tools as the landscape evolves.
• Experience with Figma and cloud-based collaboration platforms, with an intuitive grasp of how design workflows are shifting toward real-time and AI-augmented environments.
• A deep feel for form, proportion, and materiality, paired with the conceptual ambition to challenge conventions and author new aesthetic futures.
• A natural innovator who constantly seeks new ways of thinking, making, and solving, treating every project as an opportunity to push the boundaries of what design can be and do.
• Strong communicator who can articulate bold creative ideas with clarity and conviction, verbally, visually, and through the work itself.
• A self-driven learner who actively tracks developments in design technology, fabrication, and culture and finds ways to bring that knowledge back into the studio.
• Genuine love for design, someone who lives and breathes aesthetics, stays endlessly curious, and brings relentless creative energy to every project.
• A bold aesthetic vision with the ambition to define the next generation of design language, not only interpreting trends but anticipating and shaping them.
• Native fluency in AI-assisted design workflows, actively integrating generative tools into day‑to‑day creative practice and treating AI as a core creative collaborator rather than an optional add‑on.

What You Can Look Forward To.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• 401(k) with Company match and Retirement Income Account
• Employee vehicle program
• Generous PTO and Company paid holidays
• Voluntary Benefits to fit your needs

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

This is a hybrid role that requires regular attendance in the office.

The expected salary range for this position is $68,151.00 - $88,195.00.

The selected candidate’s education, skills, experience, and location will be used to determine the final salary offer. All pay ranges are based on a full‑time work schedule. This statement is in accordance with state and local pay disclosure requirements.

Even more so than the generous compensation and benefits, the culture and values of BMW of North America makes it the ultimate working environment. These values are Responsibility, Appreciation, Transparency, Trust, and Openness. We allow these values to guide the way we conduct ourselves and our business.

BMW complies with all applicable U.S. immigration laws and regulations. The Company does not provide employer support or sponsorship for any immigration related employment benefit for this role.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis without the need for employer support or sponsorship now or in the future. This includes having the legal right to work in the United States without the need for BMW support or sponsorship for any immigration related employment authorization (e.g., H 1B, O 1, E 3, H 1B1, TN, F 1 OPT, F 1 STEM OPT, F 1 CPT, etc.) now or in the future.

If you will require BMW to provide immigration support or sponsorship now or in the future, you should not apply for this position.

BMW in the United States is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of BMW Group in the United States to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all qualified persons regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.