Industrial Designer Jobs in California
Industrial Designer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in consumer electronics, automotive, medical devices, and furniture across a hiring market that ranges from entry-level junior roles through senior and principal positions. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego are the primary hiring centers, where companies like Apple, Nike's Converse division, and Medtronic have maintained long-standing design teams. The most in-demand specialties include consumer product design, human factors, and sustainable packaging. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Industrial Designer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 28+ Industrial Designer jobs
About The Team
Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives.
About The Role
We are seeking a Lead Product & Industrial Designer to help define the visual identity, form language, and physical expression of our robotic products. You will work closely with leadership, product, and engineering teams to shape how our systems look, feel, and communicate their capabilities through industrial design. This role spans concept development, industrial design, surface development, and product definition. You will help establish a cohesive design language across robotic platforms while balancing aesthetics, usability, manufacturability, and engineering constraints. Unlike traditional industrial design roles that focus primarily on concept generation and visualization, you will be expected to create production-intent digital assets and geometry that can be directly integrated into engineering workflows. You will play a central role in shaping the physical experience of future robotic systems and ensuring that design intent remains intact from concept through implementation.
This role is based in San Francisco, CA. This role will be expected to be in office 4 days per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.
In this role, you will
- Define and evolve the visual identity, form language, and design principles of robotic products and supporting hardware systems.
- Create sketches, renderings, digital concepts, and physical prototypes to communicate design intent and explore new product directions.
- Develop production-intent surface geometry and digital assets that can be integrated directly into engineering CAD workflows.
- Partner closely with product, engineering, and leadership teams to translate product goals into compelling physical designs.
- Drive industrial design decisions across the product development lifecycle, balancing aesthetics, functionality, manufacturability, and system constraints.
- Collaborate with mechanical engineers to ensure design intent is preserved throughout development and manufacturing.
- Conduct design reviews and provide feedback on proportion, surface quality, form, fit-and-finish, and overall product experience.
- Support rapid concept exploration and iteration through physical and digital prototyping.
- Establish and maintain design standards, workflows, and best practices for industrial design and surface development.
- Help define the long-term design vision for future robotic products and hardware platforms.
You might thrive in this role if you
- Have exceptional taste and strong intuition for proportion, form, surface quality, and physical product design.
- Enjoy collaborating closely with engineers and can comfortably navigate both design and technical constraints.
- Are capable of moving from ambiguous product concepts to detailed, production-ready design assets.
- Think systematically about how design choices influence usability, manufacturability, and product perception.
- Are excited about helping define the identity of an entirely new class of products.
Preferred Qualifications
- Extensive experience designing consumer electronics, robotics products, transportation products, advanced hardware systems, or other highly refined physical products.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in industrial design, form development, visual storytelling, and physical product execution.
- Experience creating CAD geometry, Class A surfaces, or production-intent digital assets that can be directly consumed by engineering teams.
- Proficiency with industry-standard design and surface development tools such as Alias, NX, Rhino, Blender, Gravity Sketch, or equivalent.
- Experience working closely with hardware engineering teams from concept development through manufacturing.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.
OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation Range: $207K - $310K
About The Team
Our Robotics team is focused on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings. Working across the entire model stack, we integrate cutting-edge hardware and software to explore a broad range of robotic form factors. We strive to seamlessly blend high-level AI capabilities with the constraints of physical systems to improve peoples’ lives.
About The Role
We are seeking a Lead Product & Industrial Designer to help define the visual identity, form language, and physical expression of our robotic products. You will work closely with leadership, product, and engineering teams to shape how our systems look, feel, and communicate their capabilities through industrial design. This role spans concept development, industrial design, surface development, and product definition. You will help establish a cohesive design language across robotic platforms while balancing aesthetics, usability, manufacturability, and engineering constraints. Unlike traditional industrial design roles that focus primarily on concept generation and visualization, you will be expected to create production-intent digital assets and geometry that can be directly integrated into engineering workflows. You will play a central role in shaping the physical experience of future robotic systems and ensuring that design intent remains intact from concept through implementation.
This role is based in San Francisco, CA. This role will be expected to be in office 4 days per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.
In this role, you will
- Define and evolve the visual identity, form language, and design principles of robotic products and supporting hardware systems.
- Create sketches, renderings, digital concepts, and physical prototypes to communicate design intent and explore new product directions.
- Develop production-intent surface geometry and digital assets that can be integrated directly into engineering CAD workflows.
- Partner closely with product, engineering, and leadership teams to translate product goals into compelling physical designs.
- Drive industrial design decisions across the product development lifecycle, balancing aesthetics, functionality, manufacturability, and system constraints.
- Collaborate with mechanical engineers to ensure design intent is preserved throughout development and manufacturing.
- Conduct design reviews and provide feedback on proportion, surface quality, form, fit-and-finish, and overall product experience.
- Support rapid concept exploration and iteration through physical and digital prototyping.
- Establish and maintain design standards, workflows, and best practices for industrial design and surface development.
- Help define the long-term design vision for future robotic products and hardware platforms.
You might thrive in this role if you
- Have exceptional taste and strong intuition for proportion, form, surface quality, and physical product design.
- Enjoy collaborating closely with engineers and can comfortably navigate both design and technical constraints.
- Are capable of moving from ambiguous product concepts to detailed, production-ready design assets.
- Think systematically about how design choices influence usability, manufacturability, and product perception.
- Are excited about helping define the identity of an entirely new class of products.
Preferred Qualifications
- Extensive experience designing consumer electronics, robotics products, transportation products, advanced hardware systems, or other highly refined physical products.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in industrial design, form development, visual storytelling, and physical product execution.
- Experience creating CAD geometry, Class A surfaces, or production-intent digital assets that can be directly consumed by engineering teams.
- Proficiency with industry-standard design and surface development tools such as Alias, NX, Rhino, Blender, Gravity Sketch, or equivalent.
- Experience working closely with hardware engineering teams from concept development through manufacturing.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.
OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation Range: $207K - $310K
See All 28 Industrial Designer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Industrial Designer JobsIndustrial Designer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Industrial Designer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple4
- Aurora Innovation2
- HAZEN AND SAWYER2
- Joby Aviation2
- Qorvo2
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware11
- Technology & Software5
- Consulting & Professional Services4
- Manufacturing3
- Science & Research3
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in industrial designer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in industrial design, product design, or a related design discipline
- Professional portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product development from concept through production
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, Rhino, or Fusion 360
- Experience with physical prototyping, model-making, and materials testing
- Familiarity with human factors, ergonomics, and user-centered design principles
- Strong communication skills for cross-functional collaboration with engineering and marketing teams
Industrial Designer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an industrial designer in California?
California does not require a state-issued license to practice industrial design, so the path runs through education and portfolio. Most employers expect a bachelor's degree in industrial design or product design from an accredited program, with strong programs at schools like ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena and San Jose State University. Building a portfolio of real or speculative projects that shows your process from research through final form is what drives hiring decisions in California.
How much do industrial designers make in California?
Industrial designers in California earn a median of about $100,770 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $62,860 for the lowest 10% to over $168,490 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire industrial designers in California?
Employers hiring industrial designers in California right now include Apple, Aurora Innovation, and HAZEN AND SAWYER, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's concentration of consumer electronics, medical device, and automotive companies means demand is spread across both large corporate design teams and specialized product development studios.
Which California cities have the most industrial designer jobs?
San Jose, Irvine, and San Francisco have the most industrial designer openings in California. The Bay Area leads because of its dense cluster of consumer electronics and hardware companies, Los Angeles draws demand from entertainment, furniture, and lifestyle product brands, and San Diego's concentration of medical device and biotech firms supports steady openings in health-focused product design.
Are there remote industrial designer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Industrial design is fundamentally hands-on, and most roles require physical access to prototyping equipment, materials labs, and collaborative design studios. About 25% of industrial designer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, and those tend to cover early-stage concepting, rendering, and documentation work rather than full design cycles.
How can I get hired as an industrial designer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an internship or contract role at a California design consultancy or mid-size product company, where junior designers gain supervised project experience. Firms like IDEO and frog in the Bay Area run structured internship programs for recent graduates. Applying for roles titled junior designer, design associate, or model maker builds the project history employers require, and a focused portfolio showing your design process matters more than years of experience at this stage.
Where can I find and apply to industrial designer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to industrial designer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search for roles that match your experience and specialty, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 28 Industrial Designer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Industrial Designer Jobs