Product Designer / CAD Designer - Lightweight Panel Product Prototypes

American Plastics, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative plastic-injection molded products for the household & garage storage and commercial cleaning end-markets. We are searching for an Industrial Design Engineer for our Jefferson City, Missouri Innovation Center. This position will report to the VP of Engineering.

This role will be responsible for the design, ideation, and optimization of plastic products and components, ensuring they meet customer expectations, aesthetic, manufacturability, and cost requirements. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in industrial design with a practical understanding of injection molding processes and tooling.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct user research analyzing product usage and customer needs to develop initial design concepts and use cases.

• Support the company’s product roadmap creation and innovation funnel.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including engineering, sales, marketing, manufacturing, and quality to bring designs to life.

• Develop concepts by creating sketches, renderings, and 3D models using CAD software to communicate and explore different design options.

• Participate in story boarding and prototype development.

• Conduct concept reviews and implement revisions based on feedback and testing outcomes.

• Support customer design requirements, including translating sketches or concepts into manufacturable solutions.

• Create and present design concepts internally and to customers, gathering feedback and iterating on designs based on their input and testing.

• Maintain detailed documentation of design iterations, specifications, and engineering changes.

Requirements
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

• 3+ years of experience in industrial design engineering, preferably in injection molding or plastic product manufacturing.

• Creativity and Innovation: Verse in developing unique and functional product designs.

• CAD Proficiency: Expertise in 3D modeling software like SolidWorks, Rhino, or Autodesk Inventor.

• Technical Knowledge: Understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and product development.

• Communication Skills: Effectively able to present design ideas and collaborate with teams.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze design and use case challenges to find creative solutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in consumer goods, automotive, or medical device industries.

• Knowledge of ISO 9001/IATF 16949 or similar quality standards.

• Familiarity with sustainability practices in product design.

If you are interested in joining the American Plastics team and want to work in a fast-paced, progressive environment, we want to hear from you. We offer a competitive salary, full benefit package including medical/dental, 401k, and paid vacation.