Design Lead Jobs in Texas
Design Lead jobs in Texas are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in technology, consumer products, financial services, and healthcare sectors at levels from associate design lead through senior and principal roles. Austin, Dallas, and Houston anchor most of the openings, where established employers like Dell Technologies, AT&T, and H-E-B maintain large in-house design teams. The most sought-after specializations in Texas right now are product design leadership, UX strategy, and design systems management. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 63+ Design Lead jobs
Job Title: Thermal Design Lead
Duration: 12 Months
Location: Austin, TX
Work Type: Onsite/Hybrid
Job Type: Temporary Assignment
Pay Rate: $60.00-$67.00/hr
Overview:
TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients worldwide. This Client is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Austin, that develops computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer markets. Global company that specializes in manufacturing semiconductor devices used in computer processing. The company also produces flash memories, graphics processors, motherboard chip sets, and a variety of components used in consumer electronics goods.
Job Description:
About the role:
Join client’s Client Engineering organization to lead thermal strategy and execution across pre- and post-silicon for next-gen CPUs, GPUs, and mobile systems. You’ll own thermal requirements, modeling, validation, and cross-functional integration—delivering class-leading products that delight users in performance, acoustics, and comfort.
What you’ll do
- Lead end-to-end thermal program development for client products (pre-silicon through validation and post-silicon).
- Define silicon- and system-level thermal, power, and cooling requirements; author clear customer-facing documentation.
- Collaborate with CPU/GPU architecture, performance, BIOS/SMU, packaging, and customer engineering teams to align thermal strategies.
- Own thermal design, modeling (CFD), test, and debug for mobile & desktop platforms, drive design decisions and trade-offs.
- Develop and validate fan policy/curves; optimize thermal controls for APU/CPU, GPU, and hybrid systems.
- Diagnose thermal interactions (power, performance, controls) at silicon, package, and system levels; rapidly drive alternative solutions.
- Ensure delivery of best-in-class designs by influencing IP floorplans, component placement, and system integration for thermals.
- Continuously improve processes, methodologies, and automation to accelerate thermal development and validation.
- Communicate status, risks, and decisions effectively to executives and cross-functional stakeholders.
What you’ll bring (must-haves)
- Deep expertise in heat transfer and fluid dynamics, with hands-on system-level thermal design experience.
- Advanced proficiency in CFD for electronics cooling (Icepak and/or Flotherm).
- Strong background in thermal validation and debugging of new silicon and system hardware/software issues.
- Practical knowledge of thermal components and materials (fans, heatsinks, shields, spreaders, TIMs) and how they impact product performance.
- Ability to analyze and message package thermal resistance impacts (e.g., silicon performance, gen-on-gen changes) to internal and external audiences.
- Proven collaboration across architecture, power/performance, BIOS/firmware, and customer engineering teams.
- Executive-level communication skills—able to distill complex technical topics into clear decisions and updates.
- Extensive lab experience including:
- Data acquisition and automation
- System teardown/rebuild, instrumentation (thermocouples, IR cameras, power/thermal sensors), and test fixture design.
- System impedance and fan (P-Q curve) characterization using an airflow bench.
- Test planning, execution, and analysis for thermal performance, acoustics, and skin temperature.
Preferred
- Mechanical CAD experience (Creo or SolidWorks).
- Experience with Multiphysics modeling and warpage analysis is a bonus.
- Experience designing and validating fan control policies/curves for client systems.
- Familiarity with PC architecture and hands-on system setup/testing (VRAM, NVMe, VR, memory, charging circuits).
- Understanding firmware-managed power/thermal features and controls across APU/CPU, GPU, and combined systems.
- Experience influencing IP floorplans and component placement for thermal optimization.
Why this role matters:
Your work directly shapes thermal performance, acoustics, and user comfort in Client’s flagship client products. You’ll partner closely with architecture and system teams, see your decisions ship at scale, and set the bar for thermal excellence in the industry.
Qualifications
- Not an entry-level or fresh grad position
- BS/MS in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
- BS + 8 years or MS + 6 years or PhD + 3 years of relevant experience in thermal design, analysis, and validation of electronic systems
TekWissen® Group is an equal opportunity employer supporting workforce diversity.
Job Title: Thermal Design Lead
Duration: 12 Months
Location: Austin, TX
Work Type: Onsite/Hybrid
Job Type: Temporary Assignment
Pay Rate: $60.00-$67.00/hr
Overview:
TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients worldwide. This Client is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Austin, that develops computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer markets. Global company that specializes in manufacturing semiconductor devices used in computer processing. The company also produces flash memories, graphics processors, motherboard chip sets, and a variety of components used in consumer electronics goods.
Job Description:
About the role:
Join client’s Client Engineering organization to lead thermal strategy and execution across pre- and post-silicon for next-gen CPUs, GPUs, and mobile systems. You’ll own thermal requirements, modeling, validation, and cross-functional integration—delivering class-leading products that delight users in performance, acoustics, and comfort.
What you’ll do
- Lead end-to-end thermal program development for client products (pre-silicon through validation and post-silicon).
- Define silicon- and system-level thermal, power, and cooling requirements; author clear customer-facing documentation.
- Collaborate with CPU/GPU architecture, performance, BIOS/SMU, packaging, and customer engineering teams to align thermal strategies.
- Own thermal design, modeling (CFD), test, and debug for mobile & desktop platforms, drive design decisions and trade-offs.
- Develop and validate fan policy/curves; optimize thermal controls for APU/CPU, GPU, and hybrid systems.
- Diagnose thermal interactions (power, performance, controls) at silicon, package, and system levels; rapidly drive alternative solutions.
- Ensure delivery of best-in-class designs by influencing IP floorplans, component placement, and system integration for thermals.
- Continuously improve processes, methodologies, and automation to accelerate thermal development and validation.
- Communicate status, risks, and decisions effectively to executives and cross-functional stakeholders.
What you’ll bring (must-haves)
- Deep expertise in heat transfer and fluid dynamics, with hands-on system-level thermal design experience.
- Advanced proficiency in CFD for electronics cooling (Icepak and/or Flotherm).
- Strong background in thermal validation and debugging of new silicon and system hardware/software issues.
- Practical knowledge of thermal components and materials (fans, heatsinks, shields, spreaders, TIMs) and how they impact product performance.
- Ability to analyze and message package thermal resistance impacts (e.g., silicon performance, gen-on-gen changes) to internal and external audiences.
- Proven collaboration across architecture, power/performance, BIOS/firmware, and customer engineering teams.
- Executive-level communication skills—able to distill complex technical topics into clear decisions and updates.
- Extensive lab experience including:
- Data acquisition and automation
- System teardown/rebuild, instrumentation (thermocouples, IR cameras, power/thermal sensors), and test fixture design.
- System impedance and fan (P-Q curve) characterization using an airflow bench.
- Test planning, execution, and analysis for thermal performance, acoustics, and skin temperature.
Preferred
- Mechanical CAD experience (Creo or SolidWorks).
- Experience with Multiphysics modeling and warpage analysis is a bonus.
- Experience designing and validating fan control policies/curves for client systems.
- Familiarity with PC architecture and hands-on system setup/testing (VRAM, NVMe, VR, memory, charging circuits).
- Understanding firmware-managed power/thermal features and controls across APU/CPU, GPU, and combined systems.
- Experience influencing IP floorplans and component placement for thermal optimization.
Why this role matters:
Your work directly shapes thermal performance, acoustics, and user comfort in Client’s flagship client products. You’ll partner closely with architecture and system teams, see your decisions ship at scale, and set the bar for thermal excellence in the industry.
Qualifications
- Not an entry-level or fresh grad position
- BS/MS in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
- BS + 8 years or MS + 6 years or PhD + 3 years of relevant experience in thermal design, analysis, and validation of electronic systems
TekWissen® Group is an equal opportunity employer supporting workforce diversity.
See All 63 Design Lead Jobs in Texas
Find roles in Texas that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Lead JobsDesign Lead Jobs by City in Texas
Where Texas roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Design Lead Job Market in Texas
A snapshot from current Texas openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple6
- Celestica5
- Google4
- Photon4
- Cadence Design Systems3
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software20
- Electronics & Hardware17
- Consulting & Professional Services8
- Artificial Intelligence4
- Banking & Financial Services4
What Texas Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in design lead jobs across Texas.
- Bachelor's degree in graphic design, UX design, interaction design, or a related field
- Five or more years of design experience with at least two years in a lead or senior role
- Demonstrated portfolio showing end-to-end product or brand design work at scale
- Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and design systems tools
- Experience managing and mentoring designers across cross-functional product teams
- Strong communication skills for presenting design decisions to executive stakeholders
Design Lead Jobs in Texas: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a design lead in Texas?
Becoming a design lead in Texas typically starts with a bachelor's degree in design, human-computer interaction, or a closely related field, followed by several years of hands-on design work building a strong portfolio. Texas does not require a state-issued license for design leads, so advancement depends on demonstrating leadership on real projects. Many Texas employers in Austin and Dallas promote senior individual contributors who show cross-functional collaboration skills and the ability to set design direction for a team.
How much do design leads make in Texas?
Design leads in Texas earn a median of about $88,270 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $55,730 for the lowest 10% to over $172,130 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire design leads in Texas?
Employers hiring design leads in Texas right now include Apple, Celestica, and Google, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. Texas's concentration of technology headquarters, large retailers, and financial institutions means in-house design teams here tend to be well-resourced and hire consistently throughout the year.
Which Texas cities have the most design lead jobs?
Austin, Dallas, and Richardson have the most design lead openings in Texas. Austin's dense tech sector drives the highest volume, while Dallas draws demand from corporate headquarters in financial services and telecommunications, and Houston's energy and healthcare industries support a growing need for product and brand design leadership.
Are there remote design lead jobs in Texas?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 11% of design lead openings tied to Texas are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting how well strategic design and team leadership translate to distributed work. The most remote-friendly portions of the role tend to be design critique sessions, stakeholder presentations, and systems documentation, while in-person time is most common during product discovery and cross-team workshops.
How can I get hired as a design lead in Texas with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a lead role from a senior individual contributor position after demonstrating informal leadership on a product team. In Texas, companies like Dell, H-E-B, and large Austin-based technology firms regularly hire associate or staff designers and develop them into leads through internal programs. Building a portfolio that shows end-to-end ownership of a design problem, mentoring peers, and aligning design decisions to business outcomes will give candidates a clear edge over those who list only execution skills.
Where can I find and apply to design lead jobs in Texas?
You can find and apply to design lead jobs in Texas on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to Texas employers. Search the listings for roles that match your experience level and specialization, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 63 Design Lead Jobs in Texas
Find roles in Texas that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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