ABOUT THE PROJECT

Our client is building a design-led countertop appliance brand for India. Think products that are meant to be displayed, not hidden: premium kitchen appliances with a distinct visual identity, credible engineering, and a design language rooted in modern India.

THE ROLE

You will own the entire industrial design process, from concept sketches through to DFM-ready files. You’ll work directly with the founder to translate brand vision into physical products that can be manufactured at scale. This role shapes the DNA of every product.

The immediate focus is taking existing ideas from current concept stage through to production-ready industrial design, while simultaneously establishing the design language for future products across the countertop portfolio.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead product design end-to-end: concept ideation, sketch exploration, 3D CAD modelling (SolidWorks / Rhino / Fusion 360), surfacing, rendering, and detailed technical drawings for tooling.

• Own the design language: define and evolve the visual identity across the product range: materials, finishes, colour palettes, form vocabulary, and tactile elements (knobs, dials, surfaces).

• Engineer for manufacture: design for injection moulding, sheet metal, die-casting, and assembly. Specify tolerances, draft angles, parting lines, and material selections that balance aesthetics with production feasibility.

• ODM/factory relationships: work with manufacturing partners (China and/or India) on prototyping, tooling review, DFM feedback loops, and sample evaluation.

• Prototype and iterate: develop proof-of-concept models (3D printed, CNC, soft tooling) and manage the iteration cycle from prototype through engineering validation to pilot production.

• Collaborate on thermal and electrical engineering: work alongside engineering consultants on heating element layout, airflow design, and safety compliance (BIS/ISI) while maintaining design intent.

• Build the brand’s physical expression: define packaging design, unboxing experience, and accessory design language that extends the brand into the full ownership journey.

WHO YOU ARE

• 5–10 years in industrial design, with at least 2–3 years specifically in small/countertop appliances or consumer electronics with heating/electrical components from a leading institute like NID

• Portfolio of shipped products that went from your designs through tooling to mass production. We want to see products on shelves, not just renders.

• Deep DFM knowledge: you understand injection moulding, sheet metal forming, surface finishing (PVD, powder coating, anodising), and can design parts that factories can actually produce at target cost.

• Fluent in 3D CAD: SolidWorks, Rhino, or Fusion 360 for engineering; KeyShot or similar for photorealistic rendering.

• Experience with ODM/OEM factories is a plus, ideally in China (Guangdong/Zhejiang) or Indian manufacturing hubs. You know how to read tooling quotes, review T1 samples, and negotiate design modifications with factory engineers.

• Strong material and CMF sensibility: you obsess over how things feel, not just how they look. Colour, material, and finish choices should be intentional and brand-building.

• Comfortable in ambiguity: this is an early-stage startup. You’ll be building processes from scratch, not inheriting them.

NICE TO HAVE

• Familiarity with Indian kitchen usage patterns, countertop space constraints, voltage considerations, tropical climate durability.

• Knowledge of BIS/ISI certification requirements for electrical appliances.

• Experience with UI/UX for physical interfaces — knob feel, dial detents, LED indicator design.

• Background in or passion for kitchen culture, food, or home design.

HOW TO APPLY

Send your portfolio and a brief note on why this excites you. We’re especially interested in seeing products you’ve taken from concept through to production, show us the journey, not just the final render.

We value craft over credentials. If your portfolio demonstrates exceptional design sensibility and manufacturing fluency, we’re interested regardless of where you studied or which companies you’ve worked for.