Principal Industrial Designer

Job ID: 8622 

Alternate Locations:  

Newell Brands is a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands like Graco®, Coleman®, Oster®, Rubbermaid®, Sharpie® and Yankee Candle® - and 24,000 talented teammates around the world. Our culture is built on values in action: Integrity, Teamwork, Passion for Winning, Ownership, and Leadership. We work together to win, grow, and make a real impact—supported by a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative environment where you can be your best, every day.

Job Overview:

We are seeking a highly influential designer who can create world-class product innovation. As a Principal Industrial Designer, you will blend consumer insight, creative foresight and industry leading execution, spearheading design initiatives that harness cutting-edge technologies. You'll be at the forefront of integrating generative AI and emerging design tools, pushing boundaries while ensuring each concept delivers real-world value.

You will shape the design process for consumer products -- from home goods and baby gear to outdoor equipment and kitchen appliances. As a cross-functional thought leader, you will collaborate with graphic designers, usability experts, CMF specialists, and engineers to drive concepts from vision through to production-ready reality with excellence at every step.

Responsibilities:

• Lead design vision and execution for strategically critical and high-impact projects across brands and categories.
• Translate deep consumer insights, cultural trends, and foresight into breakthrough product experiences that shape the future of the category.
• Act as a design thought leader, setting benchmarks for design excellence in aesthetics, usability, CMF, and craftsmanship.
• Influence product strategy by partnering with Marketing, R&D, and Insights to identify new innovation platforms and opportunity spaces.
• Create compelling design narratives and visionary storytelling that inspire internal teams and influence senior leadership.
• Mentor and coach designers across all levels, elevating the overall capability and culture of the design organization.
• Drive experimentation with new methods, tools, and emerging technologies (e.g., generative AI, advanced visualization, materials innovation).
• Establish and promote design best practices, design language systems, and category-wide standards to ensure consistency and brand differentiation.
• Represent the design function in key cross-functional forums, shaping decisions that impact product pipelines and business outcomes.
• Serve as a cultural ambassador for design, advocating for design’s role as a strategic differentiator within the organization.
• Contribute to external visibility of Newell’s design capability through conferences, publications, awards, and thought leadership activities.

Qualifications:

• Minimum: Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design
• Ten years+ of relevant experience in corporate or consulting Industrial Design
• Ability to travel at least once per quarter
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in team environments
• Exudes Creative Vision pairing imagination with pragmatism for breakthrough results, balancing innovation with practicality.
• Passion for Creative Coaching and experimentation with new technologies. Early adopter who integrates new tools, upskills and mentors team.
• Advanced Aesthetic Sensibilities mastery in form, detailing, and CMF. Aligns aesthetic paradigms with consumer segments and brand identity while managing personal biases for commercial impact.
• Champions Consumer Empathy through designs informed by articulated and unarticulated insights embedded in workflows and proactive research.
• Design Context expertise through powerful storytelling that connects emotionally and logically. Expert LLM use with compelling prompts. Proficient with ChatGPT, MS CoPilot or equivalents
• Expert Design Feasibility knowledge, leading technical discussions while ensuring production-ready designs without sacrificing core ideas.
• Extensive 2D design skills with strong sketching and Gen AI exploration. Advanced composition and typography. Proficient with Adobe Creative Suite, Midjourney, Vizcom or equivalents
• Expert 3D design skills including CAD modeling, NURBS/Sub-D/Mesh, AR/VR engagement, hand modelmaking, and rapid prototyping. Proficient with SolidWORKS, Rhino, Keyshot, Kaedim, Aero, UE or equivalents
• Motion Design expertise with high-quality animations driving adoption of emerging technologies. Proficient with Adobe Creative Suite, Runway or equivalents
• Interaction Design expertise delivering intuitive experiences through meticulous sensory details and advanced usability methods, setting industry benchmarks.

Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco, Coleman, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Yankee Candle, Paper Mate, FoodSaver, Dymo, EXPO, Elmer’s, Oster, NUK, Spontex and Campingaz. We are focused on delighting consumers by lighting up everyday moments. Newell Brands and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Employers and comply with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.