Industrial Designer Job Description
Hire an Industrial Designer who can turn user insight into manufacturable products. This template helps you describe the role, essential skills and the responsibilities needed for product development teams working across consumer, medical, electronics or industrial product categories.
What does a Industrial Designer professional do?
Use this template to recruit a candidate with strong concepting, CAD and prototyping skills, practical knowledge of manufacturing processes and a portfolio that demonstrates real product outcomes.
Industrial Designer job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Industrial Designer
About the role
[Company Name] is looking for an experienced Industrial Designer to join our product team in [Location]. You will lead concept development, produce CAD models and prototypes, and work with engineers and suppliers to take products from brief to production. Salary: [Salary or salary range]. Benefits: [e.g. pension, flexible working, training budget].
Key responsibilities
- Lead concept development from brief to detailed design, producing sketches, renderings and physical prototypes.
- Create and maintain 3D CAD models and production-ready drawings for manufacture.
- Work with engineers to ensure designs meet functional, regulatory and assembly requirements.
- Specify materials, finishes and components with manufacturability and cost in mind.
- Plan and run user research and usability testing where relevant to inform design decisions.
- Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers to validate tooling, tolerances and production processes.
- Manage project timelines, design documentation and handovers to engineering or manufacturing teams.
- Mentor junior designers and contribute to design reviews and cross-functional meetings.
Essential skills and experience
- A strong portfolio showing end-to-end product design and realised prototypes.
- Practical experience (typically 3+ years) in industrial/product design or a closely related role.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software appropriate to the role (for example SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360 or similar).
- Good understanding of common manufacturing processes (injection moulding, sheet metal, CNC, composites) and DFM principles.
- Ability to produce clear technical drawings and specifications for suppliers.
- Strong visual communication skills—sketching, renderings and presentation.
- Excellent collaboration and stakeholder-management skills.
Desirable
- Experience with rapid prototyping techniques (3D printing, laser cutting, vacuum forming).
- Previous involvement in supplier negotiation, tooling validation or production ramp-up.
- Knowledge of electronics integration and basic PCB/mechanical co-design.
- Experience with materials selection for sustainability or regulatory compliance.
- Familiarity with cost modelling and component sourcing.
What we offer
- [Pension scheme (employer contribution details)]
- [Flexible / hybrid working arrangements]
- [Annual training and development budget]
- [Private health or wellbeing allowance]
- [Generous holiday allowance (enter entitlement)]
- [Cycle-to-work scheme or local transport support]
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is an Industrial Designer role?
An industrial designer develops the form, function and production readiness of physical products. They combine user-centred research, sketching and CAD modelling with practical knowledge of materials and manufacturing to produce designs that are desirable, functional and cost-effective. Industrial designers typically bridge concepting and engineering, producing prototypes, technical drawings and supplier specifications to bring products to market.
Concept to Manufacture
Translate briefs into concepts, validate through prototypes and prepare production-ready designs.
Technical Skills
Strong 3D CAD capability, detailing for manufacture and knowledge of common production processes.
Cross-functional Impact
Work closely with engineering, sourcing and manufacturing to deliver viable products at scale.
Typical Industrial Designer responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Lead concept development from brief
Lead concept development from brief to detailed design, producing sketches, renderings and physical prototypes.
Create
Create and maintain 3D CAD models and production-ready drawings for manufacture.
Work with engineers
Work with engineers to ensure designs meet functional, regulatory and assembly requirements.
Specify materials
Specify materials, finishes and components with manufacturability and cost in mind.
Plan and run user research
Plan and run user research and usability testing where relevant to inform design decisions.
Collaborate with suppliers
Collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers to validate tooling, tolerances and production processes.
Manage project timelines
Manage project timelines, design documentation and handovers to engineering or manufacturing teams.
Mentor junior designers
Mentor junior designers and contribute to design reviews and cross-functional meetings.
Industrial Designer skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- A strong portfolio showing end-to-end product design and realised prototypes.
- Practical experience (typically 3+ years) in industrial/product design or a closely related role.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software appropriate to the role (for example SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360 or similar).
- Good understanding of common manufacturing processes (injection moulding, sheet metal, CNC, composites) and DFM principles.
- Ability to produce clear technical drawings and specifications for suppliers.
- Strong visual communication skills—sketching, renderings and presentation.
- Excellent collaboration and stakeholder-management skills.
Useful where relevant
- Experience with rapid prototyping techniques (3D printing, laser cutting, vacuum forming).
- Previous involvement in supplier negotiation, tooling validation or production ramp-up.
- Knowledge of electronics integration and basic PCB/mechanical co-design.
- Experience with materials selection for sustainability or regulatory compliance.
- Familiarity with cost modelling and component sourcing.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Industrial Designer job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Lead with outcomes
Highlight the types of products and stages the role will own (concepting, prototyping, production ramp). Candidates look for tangible project outcomes in adverts.
Be specific about tools and processes
State which CAD or prototyping tools are regularly used and whether the role requires hands-on prototyping or supplier management.
Showcase portfolio expectations
Tell applicants what to include in their portfolio (sketches, CAD models, prototype photos, technical drawings and a brief on their role in each project).
Define collaboration context
Explain the team structure and who the designer will work with day-to-day—engineers, product managers, or external manufacturers.
Industrial Designer salary considerations
Salaries for industrial designers vary widely. Employers should set pay according to the role’s seniority, sector and local labour market. Consider the total package — base pay, benefits, training and career progression — when benchmarking offers.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Industrial Designer candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What types of products will they design?
Candidates want clarity on product categories (consumer goods, medical, industrial), complexity and lifecycle stage they will work on.
What CAD and prototyping tools are expected?
Specify the main 3D CAD packages, prototyping equipment and whether bench-level prototyping is part of the role.
Who will they collaborate with?
Outline the team structure—engineers, product managers, procurement—and any external suppliers or contract manufacturers.
What is the balance between concepting and production work?
Tell candidates whether the role focuses on early-stage concepting, detail design for manufacture, or a mix across stages.
Is hybrid or flexible working available?
State the organisation’s approach to remote work and any expectations for site- or workshop-based presence.
Where to post a Industrial Designer job
For industrial design roles combine broad UK job boards with specialist design and engineering channels to reach both general applicants and highly skilled designers. Share the vacancy in product-design communities, university alumni networks and maker/microfactory groups, and promote portfolio highlights on professional networks to attract candidates who can demonstrate practical outcomes.
Related design & product development job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Industrial Designer job description FAQs
Do I need to require a degree in industrial design?
Not necessarily. A relevant degree is common, but equivalent practical experience and a strong portfolio can be equally persuasive for hiring decisions.
Should I ask for specific CAD software in the advert?
Yes—state the primary CAD packages used day-to-day so applicants can self-assess. If you can be flexible, note that alternative but compatible experience is acceptable.
How should I assess portfolios?
Look for evidence of end-to-end work: problem definition, concept iterations, prototyping, and how the designer influenced manufacturing or commercial outcomes. Ask for a short contextual write-up for key projects.
Is it reasonable to include a paid trial or design task?
Paid short tests or prototype tasks can be useful for technical roles, provided they are appropriately scoped, remunerated and clearly linked to the role’s requirements.
What notice should I give about on-site work?
Be explicit about workshop or prototype-lab attendance requirements and provide any safety, travel or equipment details up front to help candidates assess fit.
Ready to post this role?
Use this template to create your vacancy, attach portfolio guidance and advertise through a mix of general and specialised channels to attract qualified industrial designers.
