Industrial/product designer

Industrial designer job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Responsibilities of the job include:

• consulting managers/clients about design requirements
• negotiating/agreeing contracts, budgets and time-scales
• clarifying design issues
• investigating appropriate materials and production processes
• producing sketches and sample designs
• testing product designs using models, prototypes, specialist computer software and CAD technology
• maintaining awareness of current design trends and influences
• liaising with sales, marketing, production sections etc
• correcting recall faults
• presenting designs, samples and/or final work to customers for evaluation.

Freelance work or self-employment is possible for designers with appropriate industrial experience, although it can be difficult to become established. This option requires a network of contacts, good business sense and a determined and rigorous approach to the work.

Typical employers of industrial designers

• commercial manufacturers
• industrial manufacturers
• domestic product manufacturers
• retailers
• car manufacturers
• large-scale corporations
• design consultancies
• point of sale designers.

Jobs are advertised by careers services and recruitment agencies, via the internet and in newspapers and trade publications including Design Week and Blueprint. Speculative approaches can be useful - directories such as the Creative Handbook and the Directory of Design Consultants can provide useful contact information. A sound portfolio highlighting creative abilities should be prepared for applications.

Qualifications and training required

Most product designers possess arts or design degrees. However, for engineering design, a relevant engineer degree is essential. Postgraduate qualifications can be helpful for graduates from other relevant disciplines and for job opportunities within specialist market sectors. Pre-entry experience gained via vacation work, industrial placements, design competitions and final year projects is advantageous.

Key skills

• good visual and spatial awareness
• well-developed technical and creative skills
• commercial awareness
• IT skills, including CAD
• communication and interpersonal skills.