Location: San Francisco

About Us

At Card79, we design physical products in emerging technology spaces. Our work spans programs for global brands like Nike and exploratory neural-interface collaborations with teams like Science. The work is ambitious, messy, technical, and deeply human. We're hiring an Industrial Designer to help shape the next chapter of Card79's physical product practice. The role is level-flexible and offers significant ownership, with the opportunity to influence both the products we create and how industrial design continues to evolve within the studio.

The Role

You’ll help shape products from early concept through production intent, working closely with engineering and product to create thoughtful, buildable outcomes. This is a hands-on role for a designer who combines strong fundamentals with sharp instincts — someone comfortable in ambiguity, motivated by difficult problems, and serious about craft.

As an early industrial design hire in our San Francisco studio, you'll have the opportunity to influence not only the products we create, but also the evolution of Card79's industrial design practice. While you'll help establish a stronger industrial design presence in San Francisco, you'll also collaborate with and learn from experienced industrial designers across the broader Card79 team.

What You'll Do

• From Problem Framing to Surface Refinement: A full-stack design approach — from defining why a product should exist to executing the detailed decisions needed to bring it to life.

• Organized Systems Thinker: Able to break down complex problems into manageable parts, prioritize effectively, and drive clear decisions.

• Build-to-Think Mindset: Comfortable with iterative, bottom-up exploration where prototypes are used to discover and validate the right solution.

• T-Shaped Industrial Designer: Strong depth in industrial design, with curiosity for and appreciation of digital product design.

• Strong Collaborator: Works well across disciplines — partnering effectively with Card79 teammates and client stakeholders across design, product, and engineering.

• Growth Mindset: Sees each project as an opportunity to expand skills, refine judgment, and raise the quality bar.

• CAD and Surfacing Fluency:Strong command of 3D form and surfacing, especially for human-centered products. Tools used at Card79 include Rhino, SolidWorks, and Fusion; rendering typically in KeyShot and Blender.

• Interested not only in creating great work, but also in helping strengthen Card79's industrial design capability over time — contributing to processes, standards, mentorship, and the evolution of the practice.

• This role is intended for someone who thrives with ownership. You'll be expected to lead portions of projects independently, navigate ambiguity, and help define design direction alongside Card79 leadership. A strong portfolio should demonstrate strategic thinking, exceptional craft, and a track record of bringing products from idea to reality.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent

• 5+ years experience in Industrial Design or related field

• Experience/track record developing and shipping physical products

• Strong creative, design and communication skills

• Portfolio of work that reflects all of that.

  
  

Our Values

• Sculpt the future. Don’t wait for the future—design it.

• Foster the garage spirit. Get scrappy. Stay curious. Build fast.

• Great minds don’t always think alike. Diversity of thought is our strength.

• Kindness counts. We take care of each other and our partners.

• Create tools, not gimmicks. Make things that are truly useful, not just flashy.

• Embrace complexity. Tackle the hard stuff with creativity and calm.

• Aggressively iterate with a playful spirit. Build, break, repeat—smiling the whole way.

• Move fast and create momentum. Progress > perfection.

  
  

How to Apply

$100,000–$150,000 base salary, depending on experience, portfolio, and role scope. This role is level-flexible (mid-to-senior), and final leveling/title will be calibrated to the selected candidate.

Please reach out to careers@card79.com with your portfolio and resume. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Please note: This role is open only to U.S. citizens or individuals legally authorized to work in the United States. It is working in person in our SF office.