Mid Level Design Lead Jobs
Mid level design lead jobs go to designers ready to own projects end to end, guide junior teammates, and shape creative decisions with limited day-to-day oversight. Openings run across Consulting & Professional Services, Electronics & Hardware, and Energy, with a strong mix of remote and hybrid arrangements, and employers like HDR, Amazon, and Westwood Professional Services are hiring at this level now.
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Shape the future of Apple’s hardware products! The Applied Research and Characterization team combines expertise in mechanical engineering, human factors, biomechanics, data analysis, statistics, software, and prototyping. We deliver data-backed insights for design decisions across Apple's entire hardware portfolio, directly influencing products launched worldwide. You'll have access to cutting-edge equipment and collaborate with multidisciplinary experts across our global sites. Few teams offer this breadth of impact combined with world-class resources.
We are looking for a leader to manage a product characterization team in Austin. As the technical leader of this team, you will guide a group of engineers, steward a broad and evolving set of lab spaces and characterization equipment, and serve as a key connector between product design and customer experience. Your combination of technical credibility, people leadership, and relationship building will open doors for bold experimentation early in the hardware development cycle.
Description
In this role, you will support the product design teams based in Austin (such as Mac, iPad, and input devices), providing them with data and creative solutions that help drive design decisions. You will work directly with the design teams to develop and implement custom mechanical characterizations for parts and prototypes.
Beyond your direct support, you’ll also lead both lead day-to-day operations and engage in longer-horizon planning for the characterization lab. You will manage a small but diverse team of engineers, partner with a lab manager to oversee lab safety and equipment readiness, and work closely with Product Design leads to ensure the lab is meeting the evolving needs of product teams. Additionally, you’ll help your team develop their careers, foster a culture of creative problem-solving, and build collaborative relationships that allow researchers and engineers to think of the lab as a true partner.","responsibilities":"Lead, develop, and support a team of engineers in applying a mix of technical and creative problem-solving skills to quickly design and build instrumented test and measurement systems.
Apply a mix of measurement science and engineering analysis to gain an understanding of the static/dynamic inputs and system responses that drive design performance and ultimately impact the customer experience.
Serve as a primary point of contact for product design teams seeking support - build strong working relationships across disciplines.
Work closely with Lab Manager to identify and drive continuous improvement in lab processes, workflows, and capabilities.
Scope and add new measurement and test capabilities including capital equipment, training, etc.
Triage and prioritize incoming project requests, balancing urgency, complexity, and team capacity.
Provide personal development plans and feedback on performance.
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degrees are valued, but applicable hands-on experience is still required.
3+ years of experience managing an R&D, test/measurement, or product design team with direct hands-on technical credibility, delivering actionable data to drive design decisions.
Ability to build collaborative relationships with cross-functional stakeholders.
Understanding of the use of and ability to interpret computational mechanics in complex multi-physics behaviors (e.g., structural, thermal, vibrational, fatigue).
Proficiency in statistics to ensure proper interpretation of your data.
Experience evaluating and incubating emerging sensor technologies to innovate on lab capabilities.
Minimum Qualifications
BS in Mechanical Engineering or a similar technical discipline, with a minimum of 5 years of experience as an individual contributor on an R&D or test/measurement-focused team.
Experience in applying engineering first principles to evaluate the performance of designs.
Demonstrated experience in the use or design of multiple measurement systems. Examples include: mechanical test systems (Instron), thermal chambers, drop towers, shock towers, vibration tables, and optical metrology equipment.
Familiarity with sensor technologies, data acquisition systems, and fundamental analog/digital signal processing techniques.
Strong technical communication skills with experience aligning cross-functional teams and stakeholders across multiple sites.
Proficient in MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, JMP, or similar data analysis tools.
Experience using CAD and basic lab tools to enable the design and fabrication of test fixtures and measurement systems.
Ability to navigate ambiguity in early-stage product development
Shape the future of Apple’s hardware products! The Applied Research and Characterization team combines expertise in mechanical engineering, human factors, biomechanics, data analysis, statistics, software, and prototyping. We deliver data-backed insights for design decisions across Apple's entire hardware portfolio, directly influencing products launched worldwide. You'll have access to cutting-edge equipment and collaborate with multidisciplinary experts across our global sites. Few teams offer this breadth of impact combined with world-class resources.
We are looking for a leader to manage a product characterization team in Austin. As the technical leader of this team, you will guide a group of engineers, steward a broad and evolving set of lab spaces and characterization equipment, and serve as a key connector between product design and customer experience. Your combination of technical credibility, people leadership, and relationship building will open doors for bold experimentation early in the hardware development cycle.
Description
In this role, you will support the product design teams based in Austin (such as Mac, iPad, and input devices), providing them with data and creative solutions that help drive design decisions. You will work directly with the design teams to develop and implement custom mechanical characterizations for parts and prototypes.
Beyond your direct support, you’ll also lead both lead day-to-day operations and engage in longer-horizon planning for the characterization lab. You will manage a small but diverse team of engineers, partner with a lab manager to oversee lab safety and equipment readiness, and work closely with Product Design leads to ensure the lab is meeting the evolving needs of product teams. Additionally, you’ll help your team develop their careers, foster a culture of creative problem-solving, and build collaborative relationships that allow researchers and engineers to think of the lab as a true partner.","responsibilities":"Lead, develop, and support a team of engineers in applying a mix of technical and creative problem-solving skills to quickly design and build instrumented test and measurement systems.
Apply a mix of measurement science and engineering analysis to gain an understanding of the static/dynamic inputs and system responses that drive design performance and ultimately impact the customer experience.
Serve as a primary point of contact for product design teams seeking support - build strong working relationships across disciplines.
Work closely with Lab Manager to identify and drive continuous improvement in lab processes, workflows, and capabilities.
Scope and add new measurement and test capabilities including capital equipment, training, etc.
Triage and prioritize incoming project requests, balancing urgency, complexity, and team capacity.
Provide personal development plans and feedback on performance.
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced degrees are valued, but applicable hands-on experience is still required.
3+ years of experience managing an R&D, test/measurement, or product design team with direct hands-on technical credibility, delivering actionable data to drive design decisions.
Ability to build collaborative relationships with cross-functional stakeholders.
Understanding of the use of and ability to interpret computational mechanics in complex multi-physics behaviors (e.g., structural, thermal, vibrational, fatigue).
Proficiency in statistics to ensure proper interpretation of your data.
Experience evaluating and incubating emerging sensor technologies to innovate on lab capabilities.
Minimum Qualifications
BS in Mechanical Engineering or a similar technical discipline, with a minimum of 5 years of experience as an individual contributor on an R&D or test/measurement-focused team.
Experience in applying engineering first principles to evaluate the performance of designs.
Demonstrated experience in the use or design of multiple measurement systems. Examples include: mechanical test systems (Instron), thermal chambers, drop towers, shock towers, vibration tables, and optical metrology equipment.
Familiarity with sensor technologies, data acquisition systems, and fundamental analog/digital signal processing techniques.
Strong technical communication skills with experience aligning cross-functional teams and stakeholders across multiple sites.
Proficient in MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, JMP, or similar data analysis tools.
Experience using CAD and basic lab tools to enable the design and fabrication of test fixtures and measurement systems.
Ability to navigate ambiguity in early-stage product development
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- Consulting & Professional Services
- Electronics & Hardware
- Energy
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Mid Level Design Lead Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a mid level design lead job?
Position yourself around ownership: applications that show you drove a project from brief to final delivery, not just executed tasks, stand out at this level. Highlight moments where you made design decisions independently, gave direction to others, or improved a process. A portfolio that demonstrates strategic thinking alongside craft signals readiness for mid level responsibilities far more than a list of tools.
Which companies hire mid level design leads?
Companies hiring mid level design leads right now include HDR, Amazon, and Westwood Professional Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Both established organizations with structured design teams and growing companies building out their creative functions actively recruit at this experience level.
Are there remote mid level design lead jobs?
Yes, remote and hybrid options are common at this level. About 20% of mid level design lead openings are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how many organizations have normalized flexible arrangements for experienced individual contributors who can manage their own output and collaborate asynchronously.
How do I move up to a mid level design lead role?
The path from entry level to mid level is built on demonstrated ownership over time. Early-career designers grow into mid level by taking on progressively larger scopes, delivering complete projects rather than isolated deliverables, developing a point of view on design decisions, and showing measurable impact. Seeking out opportunities to mentor a peer or lead a small initiative accelerates the transition meaningfully.
Which industries hire the most mid level design leads?
Mid Level design lead roles concentrate in Consulting & Professional Services, Electronics & Hardware, and Energy, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. These sectors invest in design at this stage because product quality and user experience drive competitive differentiation, making experienced designers who can own work independently a consistent hiring priority.