Lead Industrial Designer

As a Lead Industrial Designer at Gantri, you'll be responsible for refining and expanding the company's modular design system, setting product requirements, conducting market and user research, optimizing designs for digital manufacturing, and establishing rigorous design standards. Your efforts will ensure that the modular system is functional, manufacturable, and aesthetically pleasing, paving the way for diverse lighting and home decor products.

To qualify for the Lead Industrial Designer role at Gantri, candidates should possess over 7 years of experience in industrial design or product development, ideally with a background in modular design. A bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design or Product Design is required, while a master’s degree is preferred. Technical expertise in 3D modeling and a strong portfolio showcasing previous design work, particularly in furniture, are also imperative.

The Lead Industrial Designer at Gantri plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable design by integrating plant-based polymers and optimizing for digital manufacturing processes. This approach not only minimizes waste but also enhances product viability, demonstrating Gantri's commitment to innovation and sustainability in the design industry.

As a Lead Industrial Designer at Gantri, you'll work on a variety of home decor products with a focus on lighting. Your main task will be to expand and refine a modular design system that allows for a wide assortment of interchangeable components, leading to unique and customizable products that cater to different aesthetic preferences.

The expected salary range for the Lead Industrial Designer position at Gantri is between $170,000 and $200,000 annually. This competitive salary reflects the expertise and experience required for this key role in a pioneering design company.

When answering this question, highlight specific projects where you've implemented modular design principles. Discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them, emphasizing the functional benefits and user engagement outcomes of your work.

Discuss your systematic approach to conducting user and market research, including methods such as surveys or focus groups. Highlight any tools you use for data analysis and how you translate insights into design improvements or product features.

Here, specify your favorite 3D modeling software like SolidWorks or Rhino and explain why you prefer them. Discuss how you utilize these tools for creating effective, manufacturable designs and the value they add to the overall design process.

Share a particular project where you served as the design lead, detailing your leadership style, team collaboration, and how you directed the project's vision from start to finish. Highlight the successful outcomes and any lessons learned.

Explain your design philosophy around sustainability. Discuss how you choose materials, consider lifecycle impacts, and incorporate sustainable manufacturing processes into your design work, particularly in the context of Gantri’s mission.

Reflect on specific challenges such as material limitations or manufacturing constraints in your past projects. Emphasize your ability to communicate effectively with manufacturing teams, finding creative solutions to ensure product quality and functionality.

Talk about your openness to feedback and describe your process for integrating constructive criticism into your design iterations. Emphasize the importance of user input in creating well-received products.

Discuss current trends such as sustainable materials, digital manufacturing advancements, or the rise of customization in design. Explain how you stay informed about industry trends and how they influence your design processes.

Explain how you establish and communicate design standards within your team. Discuss methods like visual guidelines, documentation, or workshops that help reinforce these standards for consistency in design outputs.

In your response, show enthusiasm for Gantri's innovative approach to design and manufacturing. Discuss your alignment with their commitment to sustainability and how you envision contributing to their mission, making a clear connection to your skills and values.