Industrial Designer/Graphic Designer (1099 Contractor)

Location: Flint, MI (Hybrid – combination of on-site collaboration and some work-from-home opportunities)

Job Type: Part-Time / Contract (1099 Contractor)

Department: Product Design & Styling

Company Description

Strada Boats is focused on creating innovative and high-quality watercraft, committed to redefining the boating experience through exceptional design and engineering. With a strong emphasis on premium craftsmanship, visual elegance, and modern aesthetics, Strada Boats aims to cater to the diverse needs of its customers. The company thrives on creativity and innovation, bringing breakthrough visual concepts to life in the marine industry. Strada Boats is dedicated to excellence and passionate about setting new industry standards.

Role Description

We are seeking a highly creative and visually driven Industrial Designer / CMF Specialist to join our team on a part-time basis. In this role, you will take complete ownership of the pure aesthetic styling, shapes, colors, and material finishes for our upcoming line of panels, inserts, and trim components.

This is a pure styling and form-giving role. You will be responsible for defining the exterior and interior visual language ("A-side" surfaces), establishing how shapes catch the light, choosing compelling color harmonies, and specifying tactile textures. You will not be responsible for mechanical engineering, wall thicknesses, snap-fits, or structural architecture—our internal engineering team handles the technical implementation, mechanical CAD, and manufacturing constraints of your designs. Your primary mission is simple: make it look stunning, premium, and seamless.

Key Responsibilities

• Form & Shape Generation: Ideate, sketch, and develop beautiful 3D surface geometries, accent lines, and flowing contours for physical panels and trim inserts.
• CMF Strategy (Color, Material, Finish): Define premium color palettes, texture maps, vinyl grains, and material finishes that align with a luxury product narrative.
• 3D Concept Modeling & Rendering: Translate 2D concepts into rapid 3D aesthetic models (using Rhino, Alias, Blender, or similar software) and produce high-fidelity, photorealistic renderings for executive review.
• Visual Continuity: Ensure that all designed inserts and panels integrate flawlessly into the broader product architecture, maintaining cohesive lines and gaps.
• Design Hand-off: Partner cleanly with our engineering team, providing high-quality aesthetic models or structural sketches that serve as the blueprint for manufacturing design.

What We Are Looking For

• Background: Completed or in-progress Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Transportation/Marine Design, Product Design, or an exceptional portfolio.
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• Obsession with Form: A deep, demonstrable understanding of curvature continuity, reflections, shadows, proportions, and visual weight.
• CMF Expertise: Strong eye for contemporary trends in premium physical hardware, automotive styling, marine interiors, or high-end consumer electronics.
• Software Proficiency: Highly skilled in 3D surface modeling tools optimized for rapid styling iteration (e.g., Rhino, Blender, Alias) and elite rendering engines (e.g., KeyShot).
• Availability: Able to commit to a flexible, part-time schedule combining remote work with routine on-site collaboration at our Flint, MI facility.
• Portfolio Requirement (optional): A portfolio showcasing beautiful physical products, focusing heavily on aesthetic execution, mood boards, concept rendering, and form development (mechanical/engineering blueprints are not required).

Nice to Have (But Not Required)

• Experience designing panels or interior spaces for automotive, powersports, yachts, or premium transportation.
• Familiarity with luxury material sourcing (e.g., custom textures, marine-grade vinyls, technical textiles, composite grains).