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Commercial and Industrial Designers - 27-1021.00

O*NET-SOC Description

Design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.

Sample of Reported Job Titles

  • Design Engineer
  • Designer
  • Industrial Designer
  • Mechanical Designer
  • Mold Designer
  • Product Design Engineer
  • Product Designer
  • Product Development Engineer
  • Sign Designer

SOC Occupation Groups

27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
27-1000 Art and Design Workers
27-1020 Designers
27-1021.00 Commercial and Industrial Designers

Related Occupations

Tasks

  • Advise corporations on issues involving corporate image projects or problems.
  • Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.
  • Coordinate the look and function of product lines.
  • Design graphic material for use as ornamentation, illustration, or advertising on manufactured materials and packaging or containers.
  • Develop industrial standards and regulatory guidelines.
  • Develop manufacturing procedures and monitor the manufacture of their designs in a factory to improve operations and product quality.
  • Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches.
  • Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
  • Fabricate models or samples in paper, wood, glass, fabric, plastic, metal, or other materials, using hand or power tools.
  • Investigate product characteristics such as the product's safety and handling qualities, its market appeal, how efficiently it can be produced, and ways of distributing, using, and maintaining it.
  • Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.
  • Participate in new product planning or market research, including studying the potential need for new products.
  • Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
  • Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification.
  • Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.
  • Research production specifications, costs, production materials, and manufacturing methods and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.
  • Supervise assistants' work throughout the design process.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Build models, patterns, or templates.
  • Collaborate with others to develop or refine designs.
  • Conduct market research.
  • Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work.
  • Coordinate construction or installation activities.
  • Coordinate design activities.
  • Develop artistic or design concepts for decoration, exhibition, or commercial purposes.
  • Develop promotional strategies or plans.
  • Draw detailed or technical illustrations.
  • Estimate costs for projects or productions.
  • Monitor current trends.
  • Present work to clients for approval.

Military Crosswalk Titles

  • Additive Manufacturing Officer (Marine Corps - Commissioned Officer only)
  • Additive Manufacturing Specialist (Marine Corps - Enlisted)
  • Advanced Visual Information-Graphics Marine (Marine Corps - Enlisted)
  • Combat Artist (Officer) (Marine Corps - Commissioned Officer only)
  • Combat Graphics Specialist (Marine Corps - Enlisted)
  • Graphic Illustrator Apprentice (Navy - Enlisted)

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

  • Bank-Note Designer
  • Cloth Designer
  • Commercial Designer
  • Furniture Designer
  • Industrial Designer
  • Stained Glass Artist

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Bank-Note Designer
  • Cloth Designer
  • Commercial Designer
  • Furniture Designer
  • Industrial Designer
  • Memorial Designer
  • Ornamental-Metalwork Designer
  • Package Designer
  • Safety-Clothing-and-Equipment Developer