Industrial Designer
Work Mode: Onsite
Location: Onsite – Kohler, WI
Opportunity
Support the development of innovative Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) strategies that shape Kohler's products, experiences, and environments. Partner with Design Managers, Design Directors, and cross-functional teams to identify emerging trends, explore material and finish opportunities, and translate design concepts into successful products and experiences. Contribute to CMF storytelling, research, and implementation while gaining a deep understanding of consumer needs, manufacturing processes, and brand strategy.
Create innovative concepts, products, services, experiences, and human interfaces through the design process while working cross-functionally with the influences from manufacturing, marketing, engineering, cost and timing to bring a design to concept to final launch.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist in creating CMF concepts and visualizations that communicate design intent and support business objectives.
- Assist in the development of color palettes, finish standards, material specifications, mood boards, renderings, and presentation materials.
- Collaborate with industrial designers to ensure CMF strategy enhances product form, function, and user experience.
- Partner with engineering, manufacturing, sourcing, suppliers, and marketing teams to ensure successful implementation of CMF solutions.
- Help to define seasonal, long-term, and category-specific CMF direction to support new product development and future innovation pipelines.
- Drive CMF innovation through exploration of emerging materials, finishes, technologies, sustainability initiatives, and manufacturing processes.
- Design innovative products and take the designs from concept through implementation working collaboratively, cross-functionally to meet deadlines and deliverables, including presenting to convey design intent and concept connected to business need and partnering closely with internal and external teams, including engineering and marketing.
- Understand the consumer, especially in bathroom and kitchen settings, so that functional aspects can be considered along with aesthetic needs and cost objectives.
- Maintain awareness of existing products and products offered by competitor businesses.
- Stay informed about trends in luxury home products: color, materials, and processes, including maintaining knowledge of design software and new technologies to effectively convey design concepts.
- Create many diverse ideas in order to inspire and stimulate meaningful products.
Participate in new product development strategic activities, including generation of new product concepts. - Determine appropriate approaches and execute design research, product concept drawings, physical modeling, renderings/visualizations, and product presentations.
- Develop and maintain familiarity with materials and processes used in the industry and the manufacture of Kohler plumbing products.
- Demonstrate ability to multi-task, project manage, and communicate verbally and in writing.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Skills/Requirements
- Bachelors degree from accredited university or college with an emphasis in product design, industrial design, or related field.
- Typically has up to 4 years of experience in industrial design, interior design, furniture, architecture, consumer research, or related fields.
- Proficient in Adobe Creative Suites (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) and CAD tools such as Creo/Solidworks. Video animation is a plus.
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We will consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this opportunity.
We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you’ll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period.
The salary range for this position is $62,250 - $93,350. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate’s experience,