Principal Designer - Industrial Design

Job Title: Principal Designer - Industrial Design

Location:Navi Mumbai

About the client: PSS has been mandated to hire a Principal Designer - Industrial Design for an Indian consumer electrical equipment manufacturing company based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It has diversified with interests in lighting, luminaries, appliances, fans, LPG-based generators, engineering, and projects.

Job Purpose

The Principal Industrial Designer will guide and direct the design team in creating innovative and user centric home appliances. This role requires deep expertise in design principles, hands-on design skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects from concept through production. He will shape the strategic design direction of our product portfolio in alignment with the brand design guidelines. The Principal Designer will also play a key role in mentoring senior designers and ensuring the highest quality of design output by fostering an innovative and creative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Project leadership: guide the lead designers for new home appliance products, from concept development to production ready designs.
• Design execution: oversee all phases of the design process, from concept development to final production, ensuring the highest quality and consistency in design output and alignment with brand identity from concept to production.
• Innovative design: Drive innovation by identifying opportunities for new products and improvements to existing products.
• Process Innovation: Support the Chief Designer in developing and establishing new processes and methods to elevate design quality and drive efficiency.
• Cross-functional collaboration: work closely with engineering, marketing, and manufacturing teams to ensure cohesive integration of design, technical, and commercial considerations.
• Customer Intimacy: Stay ahead of industry trends, consumer behavior, and technological advancements in the consumer product domain to inform and guide the design strategy. Develop and guide Lead Designers for customer research methodology tailored for gathering actionable ID insights
• Material and process selection: Support materials and the engineering team for appropriate material selection and manufacturing processes to achieve design intent and cost efficacy.
• NPD process: Review and assess NPD milestone deliveries
• Mentorship: mentor and inspire a high-performing team of designers, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and excellence.
• Design quality control: ensure final products meet the benchmarked industry standards of quality, usability, and aesthetic appeal.
• User-centered design: Implement user-centered design principles to ensure products meet consumer needs and deliver exceptional usability.
• Industry academia connect: Cultivate robust partnerships with leading design institutes to foster industry-academia collaboration.
  
  

Educational Qualifications And Experience

• B.Des/M.Des in Industrial/Product /Automotive Design, or an equivalent field.
• 15-20 years of professional experience in industrial design, with a significant focus on home appliances, lighting or a related field.
• A robust portfolio showcasing your design process and successful products in the home appliance or a similar sector.
• Innovation track record: experience in leading design innovation initiatives and bringing breakthrough products to market.
• Sustainability: knowledge of sustainable design practices and materials.
• Industry recognition: recognition or awards in the field of industrial design.
• Certification in Design Thinking, Industrial Design team, ED/AD/COE/Marketing
• Software proficiency: advanced proficiency in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, CAD software (Solidworks, Rhino, Blender), and rendering tools (KeyShot).
• Creative skills: excellent creative vision with a keen eye for detail and aesthetics.
• User-centred design: strong background in user-centred design principles and practices.
• Technical skills: in-depth knowledge of plastic manufacturing processes, materials, and engineering principles.
• Communication: excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Leadership: proven leadership and project management skills.
• Ability to thrive successfully in a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Exhibiting a forward-thinking and collaborative approach to design and execution.