London, UK
Furniture designer
at Design Research Studio
Design Research Studio is seeking a furniture designer to join its team in London.
The furniture designer will be responsible for the generation of design concepts and the development of product ranges. The designer will work closely with the creative director and product manager to translate ideas and information into designs ready for prototyping.
About us
A restless innovator, Tom Dixon established Design Research Studio as an innovations and design agency to sit alongside his product brand. Located at the heart of Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross the studio now boast an extraordinary portfolio of global projects including reimagining the modern cruise experience for Virgin Voyages, reinventing the interior of The Pullman Hotel in Bercy and designing the Manzoni Hotel in Milan.
About the role
Design Research Studio is embarking on a period of transformative change as part of our expansionary strategy. This role will be pivotal in leading teams, designing, developing and delivering design projects for our global client base.
More specifically the role will include:
Concept:
- the research and development of style and trend forecasting; contributing to the annual design orientation
- to research and assist with the formulation of furniture product briefs and collection strategies
- working directly with Tom Dixon, creative director and chief product officer to translate ideas and information into finished and manufacturable product designs ready for production
Development:
- development of design briefs set by the range manager, responding to the strategic range requirements such as retail price, factory, materiality and product type
- skilled in furniture model making and prototyping to ensure efficiency and accuracy in product development process
- development of technical working drawings and specification packages for manufacture
- own the design process and the delivery of projects from start to finish; delivering furniture concepts and final drawings in line with the critical path
- source new factories and new technologies
- participate in factory visits, both national and international, to liaise with suppliers on manufacturing processes and design concepts
Management:
- booking and managing freelance resource where required
- mentoring of interns
- the organisation of designs through documenting and filing of all sketches, renders and conceptual developments for registration purposes
- managing design budgets to ensure design work is delivered to budget
- managing critical dates to ensure design work is delivered on-time
About you
We’re looking for someone who has a great understanding of the balance between creativity, technical design and management and who is enthusiastic to work in a fast-paced environment. We want to bring on someone with a good dose of common sense, who is interested in more enlightened ways of working in a truly modern design studio.
- consider the relationship between creativity and technical design as fluid and be able to confidently deliver a design vision
- take ownership for processes in our studio and in doing so help us reduce complexity and clarify ways of working
- time and content management; ensure the current level of furniture design thinking and information is produced for each project phase in an accurate and timely manner
Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary and generous holiday allowance some of the benefits we offer include:
- bonus scheme
- staff discount – 65% off Tom Dixon products and 25% discount in our restaurant
- health care scheme, wellbeing support, employee assistance programme
- an extra day off for your birthday
- Perkbox, retail and gym discounts
- social events and loads of free snacks in our kitchen
Our aim is to create a truly extraordinary workplace built on acceptance, respect, and inclusion, where everyone feels that they belong and can make a meaningful contribution. We encourage applicants regardless of religion, ethnicity, nationality, disability status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family, or parental status. If you need any assistance or accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know.