Industrial Design Jobs

Industrial Design Jobs - Career Outlook

Industrial design jobs are found in industries that involve manufacturing and mass production. Industrial designers are part of the design team. They coordinate their efforts with engineering, marketing, merchandising, graphics, research and development.

The team works as one closely-knit operation from new product development to manufacturing and product release. The job includes sketching, rendering, and manual or computer-aided drafting. Throughout the process, the team engages in constant communications. 

The Industrial Designer Job

There is a range of opportunities for industrial design jobs. Apart from being a member of a design team, the designer may work as a consultant. Industrial design services are required for the entire range of consumer products. So designers may find jobs in furniture, appliances, housewares, electronic equipment, tools, toys and packaging.

An industrial design school provides training in these specialized fields for industrial designer jobs:

• Automotive
• Exhibit design
• Toy design
• Architecture
• Computer interface
• Machine tools
• Medical equipment
• Business machines
• Sports and recreational equipment

Industrial Design Job Facts and Figures

These are data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In 2008, commercial and industrial designers had 44,300 jobs. Thirty percent of designers worked in manufacturing firms and  nine percent in architecture, engineering and related services. Another eight percent were employed by specialized design firms.

Employment is expected to grow. Keen competition for jobs is expected. Those with an education in engineering, architecture, computer-aided design and business services within an industrial design program have the best employment prospects.

There will a nine percent increase of employment opportunities for commercial and industrial designers between 2008 and 2018. Consumer and business demand for new and better products will stimulate job growth. 

Companies continue to raise quality and safety product standards. New high-technology products in consumer electronics, medicine, transportation, and other fields will raise the demand for commercial and industrial designers.

Companies may use overseas design firms, especially for high-technology products. Since overseas design firms are found closer to their suppliers, the time between new product design, manufacturing and sales is reduced.

China, for example has factories that manufacture parts. Design firms are found in Hong Kong or Shanghai. The same situation may be found in Australia minus language differences. Outsourcing design work may slow the growth of the US commercial and industrial design job market.

Consumer demand will stimulate demand for designers. So designers who have a knowledge of trends in consumer needs and wants will be more successful. These are the designers who are in close coordination with the marketing and strategic planning staff.

Industrial Designer Salary

The 2008 average annual wage for commercial and industrial designers was $57,350. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,400. The highest 10 percent such as those in a director position, earned up to $97,770.

Employment of designers are subject to economic trends. During economic downturns, companies cut research and new product development costs. This means less industrial design jobs.

Despite the recent economic slowdown, some sectors continue to grow. High-technology and household appliances are examples. This means the outlook for industrial design jobs remains optimistic.

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