Head of Industrial Design — Global Consumer Tech

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Performance bonuses

International travel

Professional development stipend

State-of-the-art design facilities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a visionary Lead Industrial Design Engineer in Cape Town, Western Cape. You will guide a cross-functional team of designers and engineers to create innovative, aesthetically compelling and highly functional consumer electronics products, translating market insights into market-leading designs.

This senior role demands leadership, deep UX understanding, and hands-on expertise in 3D modeling and manufacturing processes.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in industrial design, with at least 3 years in a leadership or team management role.
• Demonstrated portfolio showcasing award-winning product designs for mass-market consumer electronics.
• Exceptional proficiency in 3D modeling software (e.g., SolidWorks, Alias, Rhino) and rendering tools (e.g., Keyshot, V-Ray).
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes (injection molding, metal fabrication, etc.) and materials science.
• Excellent sketching, visualization, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a creative team and manage complex design projects.
• Deep understanding of user experience (UX) principles and human-centered design methodologies.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced product development environment.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of industrial designers and engineers, fostering a creative and collaborative work environment.
• Oversee the entire product design lifecycle, from initial concept generation and sketching to detailed 3D modeling, prototyping, and final production readiness.
• Develop innovative and user-centric design solutions for a diverse range of consumer electronic products.
• Conduct in-depth market research, competitor analysis, and user studies to identify design opportunities and trends.
• Translate technical requirements and manufacturing constraints into compelling design proposals.
• Create high-quality visual presentations, renderings, and prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts to stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, marketing, and manufacturing teams to ensure design feasibility and successful product launch.
• Ensure all designs adhere to brand guidelines, aesthetic standards, and ergonomic principles.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies, materials, and design trends in the consumer electronics industry.
• Manage design project timelines, budgets, and resources efficiently.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

3D modeling

Rendering

UX design

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Master's degree in Industrial Design

Tools

SolidWorks

Alias

Rhino

KeyShot

V-Ray

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a visionary Lead Industrial Design Engineer in Cape Town, Western Cape. You will guide a cross-functional team of designers and engineers to create innovative, aesthetically compelling and highly functional consumer electronics products, translating market insights into market-leading designs.

This senior role demands leadership, deep UX understanding, and hands-on expertise in 3D modeling and manufacturing processes.