AUTOMOTIVE DESIGNER JOB DESCRIPTION

An Automotive Designer translates market and cultural research into physical vehicle form. The discipline requires owning the full arc from early concept sketch through class A surface sign-off - a level of technical ownership that separates this seat from generalist product or industrial design roles. That arc runs through clay modeling reviews, cross-functional engineering gates, and supplier tooling alignment before a single line reaches production. Deadlines do not move.

As the Automotive Designer, you are accountable for generating and developing exterior or interior vehicle concepts from initial ideation through production-ready surfacing, with direct influence on program timing and design freeze milestones. You will collaborate daily with Alias modelers, clay modelers, engineers, and supply chain partners across a studio environment where design decisions carry manufacturing consequences.

Career Impact: Mastering class A surfacing and cross-functional design development builds the kind of portfolio depth, across concept, CAD, and production release, that opens paths to Senior Designer and Design Lead roles within OEM studios.

Business Impact: The designs you advance from sketch to frozen surface directly determine which vehicles reach showrooms, making your output one of the few individual contributions traceable to a production launch date.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure to exterior detailing, lighting design, and supplier tooling review expands your technical range in ways that translate to higher-value positions in transportation design and advanced concept studios.

• Design exterior and interior vehicle concepts from initial ideation sketches through detailed tape drawings and presentation renderings.
• Develop and refine 3D surface data in collaboration with Alias modelers to meet engineering and Class A surface requirements.
• Direct clay modelers during scale and full-size model development to ensure accurate translation of 2D design intent into physical form.
• Review and approve Class A surface revisions against confirmed customer and engineering requirements before design freeze.
• Conduct trend analysis and competitive benchmarking across vehicle segments to inform design proposals and color or material strategies.
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams during cross-functional design reviews to validate production feasibility.
• Organize and deliver formal design presentations covering concept rationale, surface development status, and timing milestones.
• Perform design exploration for vehicle details including lighting, wheel design, and exterior body surfacing to develop production-ready solutions.

• Bachelor's degree in Transportation Design, Industrial Design, or Automotive Design, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 or more years of experience in automotive or transportation design, with demonstrated involvement from concept through production surfacing.
• Proficiency in 2D ideation including sketching, rendering, and tape drawing at a professional studio standard.
• Working knowledge of 3D surface modeling and CAD processes sufficient to provide clear technical direction to digital modelers.
• Ability to read and respond to engineering feedback during design review cycles, reconciling aesthetic intent with manufacturing constraints.
• Strong verbal and visual presentation skills for communicating design concepts to cross-functional stakeholders and customers.
• Demonstrated understanding of automotive materials, finishes, and manufacturing processes relevant to exterior or interior components.
• Portfolio demonstrating original concept development and surface design work across multiple vehicle programs or segments.

• Master's degree or MFA in Transportation Design or a related design discipline with a focus on vehicular form development.
• Experience developing color, pattern, and texture strategies for automotive interiors in collaboration with material suppliers.
• Background in moulding technologies such as vacuum forming, injection moulding, or GRP tooling as applied to exterior or interior components.
• Exposure to advanced visualization methods, including CG rendering pipelines used in production design reviews.

• Class A surface freeze rate, measuring how often surfaces are approved without post-freeze revision cycles.
• Concept-to-model translation accuracy, assessed during clay review sign-off against the original 2D design intent.
• Design presentation approval rate across program milestones, reflecting clarity and persuasiveness of concept communication to stakeholders.
• Cross-functional review cycle count per program phase, indicating efficiency in resolving engineering and manufacturing conflicts before freeze.
• Trend research utilization rate, tracking how often submitted benchmarking informs accepted design proposals within a program.
• Typical tools: surfacing software (commonly Alias); visualization (commonly VRED or KeyShot); image editing (commonly Photoshop).

• Base Salary Range: $75,000 to $115,000 annually, depending on seniority and studio type
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus of 5% to 12% of base salary
• Equity: Rare at most OEMs; more common at startup or emerging EV studios
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually plus company holidays
• Common Perks: Vehicle lease or purchase programs, design conference attendance, professional development stipend

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Background check completion, including applicable drug screening where required by law, is a condition of employment for all positions. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process upon request. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Automotive Designer shapes high-quality interior and exterior design proposals, renderings, and Alias model direction for vehicle development programs. Working alongside Alias modelers, clay modelers, engineers, and project managers, this role ensures Class A surface quality and design integrity through to customer-confirmed freeze milestones.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze design trends and competitors based on vehicle development and product definition requirements.
• Produce high-quality interior and exterior design proposals, renderings, detailed renderings, tape drawings, and key lines for Alias models.
• Instruct and cooperate with Alias modelers to complete CAS and Class A surfaces based on design and engineering requirements.
• Cooperate with clay modelers to produce scale models and full-size models.
• Communicate with customers, engineers, Alias modelers, and project managers to direct modelers in completing class A surface changes and freeze issues after customer confirmation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in industrial design, product design, transportation design, or related art design.
• At least 5 years of experience in automobile design.
• Strong presentation skills for design proposals.
• Proficient in Photoshop, Alias, or related software.
• Strong communication skills for cross-functional collaboration with customers, engineers, and Project Managers.

Embedded within the design studio, the Automotive Designer delivers color and material concept development across full project lifecycles, from trend research through supplier collaboration and final presentation. Working closely with internal facilities and suppliers, this role enables vehicle concepts to reach target customers through cohesive, strategically grounded color and material solutions.

Core Functions

• Design all aspects of color, surface, and material for design projects and present findings in digital and physical formats.
• Stay current with automotive design trends, technology, and the cultural and sociological impact on future color directions.
• Gather and communicate trend information to relevant facilities using trend boards, image boards, and presentations.
• Benchmark and analyze similar production finishes and create informative reports.
• Create and propose unique color and material concepts for target customers.
• Develop color design strategies that express the overall vehicle concept.
• Develop and utilize all forms of automotive materials with suppliers to create color, pattern, and texture solutions.
• Manage all project aspects, including scheduling, ordering materials, and presenting concepts.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Transportation Design or Industrial Design.
• 0 to 3 years of experience in an automotive design studio.
• Strong color evaluation capabilities and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of automotive materials and production finishes.
• Proficient in Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, Microsoft Office, Excel, and V-Red.
• Creative, resourceful, and adaptable with high energy and perseverance.

Reporting to the sales manager, the Automotive Designer leads customers through vehicle selection by comparing competitive models and communicating vehicle characteristics, capabilities, and features. Partnering with dealership operations and attending product training, this role drives monthly vehicle delivery targets and supports compliant sales order processing.

Primary Duties

• Assist customers in understanding vehicle characteristics, capabilities, and features by comparing competitive models.
• Help customers select the right vehicle for their needs.
• Assist in delivering a target number of vehicles per month.
• Complete sales orders and process paperwork in compliance with dealership policies.
• Utilize dealership sales control and follow-up systems.
• Attend product and sales training as requested by the sales manager.

Skills & Qualifications

• No prior experience required as full training is provided.
• Fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and English.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated with a passion for sales and customer service.
• Sales experience in the motor trade industry is an advantage.
• Valid driving licence required.

Sitting at the intersection of creative design and manufacturing precision, the Automotive Designer leads 3D CAD modelling and surfacing of moulded components for touring caravans and motorhomes, ensuring designs are accurate, dimensionally correct, and manufacturable. Operating across project teams, suppliers, and internal business stakeholders, this role advances product quality while contributing expertise in moulding technologies and CAD surfacing to the wider organization.

Duties

• Create new designs for all group products with a focus on 3D moulded form components.
• Explore new technologies and techniques for CAD development purposes.
• Ensure all new CAD designs are accurate and dimensionally correct.
• Work within the team to confirm all designs are manufacturable and meet business requirements.
• Develop official documentation and suggest improvements to products and processes.
• Provide CAD design and surfacing expertise to the wider company and participate in project teams.

Requirements

• Degree-level qualification in creative design, automotive design, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in automotive design and 3D CAD modelling.
• Knowledge of moulding technologies, including vacuum forming, injection moulding, and compression moulding.
• Proficient in Alias or 3DS Studio Max for 3D CAD modelling and surfacing.
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop and experienced in importing and exporting CAD data.
• Detail-oriented with strong time management skills and the ability to work independently and cooperatively.

A key member of the exterior design team, the Automotive Designer builds groundbreaking vehicle exterior concepts from early research and concept sketches through 3D surfacing, clay modeling, prototyping, and production. Collaborating across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and digital modeling teams, this role enables show and production vehicles to advance from concept exploration to manufacturable exterior design solutions.

Functions

• Design and develop automotive exterior concepts from early research and concept sketch through to 3D surfacing, clay modeling, prototyping, and production.
• Work on exterior details to create innovative design solutions for headlights, taillights, wheels, and related components.
• Perform trend research and design exploration for new vehicle exteriors and stay current with design fields including electronics, fashion, and architecture.
• Support digital modelers with clear visual and verbal direction for digital models, physical models, and CG renderings.
• Work closely with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams in cross-functional groups for exterior design implementation.
• Organize professional exterior design presentations and manage project timing.

Experience & Qualifications

• BS, BFA, MS, or MFA in transportation design or equivalent.
• Knowledge of current automotive design trends, technology, and forward-thinking design approaches.
• Proficient in 2D and 3D digital design programs, including Photoshop, Alias, VRED, and KeyShot.
• Strong creative vision with the ability to translate 2D sketches into accurate 3D surfaces.
• Professional, motivated, and proactive working attitude with the ability to travel.

Portfolio demonstrating exterior design work from concept through production required.