Senior Product Design Engineer
17 days ago
Whitchurch
Senior Product Designer – 3fD About Us 3fD is a full service UK-based product design & manufacturing agency, we create compelling products that are technically engineered and delivered with manufacturing agility. Our success is built on a huge variety of projects and an impressive portfolio of clients. We are passionate about what we do and are looking for equally motivated individuals. We’re now seeking a Senior Product Designer with strong engineering capability and design maturity to help shape the next chapter of our growth. Where You’ll Be Our studio is based in Whitchurch, Hampshire, in a contemporary conversion of an old chapel—an environment built to support deep focus, collaboration, and hands-on experimentation. The space includes state-of-the-art facilities, workshop access, social spaces, and even an on-site gym. About You You are an experienced product designer with a proven ability to lead complex projects from insight to production. You think like an engineer and create like a designer—balancing feasibility, performance, and user value. You have: • Significant consultancy experience, ideally designing for a range of markets including professional, commercial, health, and consumer sectors., • Deep familiarity with manufacturing processes, materials, tolerances, and the practical realities of moving a product from prototype to production., • Confidence in building rigs, functional prototypes, and test setups to validate assumptions., • You devour difficult challenges with a habit of questioning the brief, dissecting constraints, and uncovering opportunities others miss., • The ability to communicate with clients, suppliers, and internal teams with clarity, authority, and a sense of ownership., • A collaborative spirit, a sense of humour, and the ability to contribute positively to a high-performing team. What You’ll Do As a Senior Product Designer at 3fD you will: • Design and develop technically complex products from early-stage exploration through to production-ready parts. You add the “how” to the “what-if”., • Work across the full design cycle, balancing creative ideation with practical engineering rigour., • You’re equally happy to validate concepts through CAD simulations or by rolling your sleeves up and getting into the workshop to mock up a design., • Own the engineering detail—mechanisms, assemblies, materials, tolerances—and ensure designs are robust and production-ready., • Produce clear communication materials: design intent, engineering documentation, test reports, client presentations, and technical rationale., • Collaborate closely with clients, and contribute to the team’s development. Tools & Expertise • SolidWorks: Highly proficient for complex assemblies, detailed parts, engineering drawings, and design-for-manufacture. FEA/CFD exposure is advantageous., • Visual Communication: Able to clearly articulate ideas through sketches, CAD visuals and well-structured presentations. You have a strong eye for form, proportion, and detail, ensuring that engineered solutions remain aesthetically coherent, • Electronics basics: Experience integrating electronics, sensors, and microcontroller-based prototypes (Arduino/Raspberry Pi beneficial)., • Adobe Suite & MS Office: Competent for documentation, presentations, and design communication., • Strong hands-on skills in workshop environments. Experience & Education • Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Product Design, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields., • 5+ years of industry experience, a period of this working within a design consultancy environment would be even better!, • Demonstrated track record bringing physical products into production using a variety of manufacturing processes. What We Offer The role is full time – within our stunning studio. However, we offer flexi-time around our core hours and a half day on Friday. • Competitive salary, • Competitive holiday package, • Flexible working hours, • Early finish Fridays (from 1pm), • On-site gym + shower facilities, • Cycle-to-work scheme Salary is dependent on experience—we start by asking what you’re looking for and assessing how we can meet it. Next Steps Send your CV, availability, salary expectations, and a PDF portfolio to . If we like what we see, we’ll invite you in for an informal chat over coffee. From there, you can expect a competitive package and a pathway to grow within a consultancy committed to excellence. Applicants must have permanent right to work in the UK. No agencies, please.