Commercial and Industrial Designers

About the job

Develop and design manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children’s toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.

What you'll do

• Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems.
• Coordinate the look and function of product lines.
• Design graphic material for use as ornamentation, illustration, or advertising on manufactured materials and packaging or containers.
• Develop industrial standards and regulatory guidelines.
• Develop manufacturing procedures and monitor the manufacture of their designs in a factory to improve operations and product quality.
• Fabricate models or samples in paper, wood, glass, fabric, plastic, metal, or other materials, using hand or power tools.
• Participate in new product planning or market research, including studying the potential need for new products.
• Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.
• Research production specifications, costs, production materials and manufacturing methods, and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.
• Supervise assistants’ work throughout the design process.

Things you need to know

• Design – Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Engineering and Technology – Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Production and Processing – Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mechanical – Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Computers and Electronics – Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Abilities you'll need to have

• Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Operations Analysis – Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.