Senior Structural Designer Lead

The Senior Structural Designer (Lead) is a working lead who develops retail-focused temporary display solutions that drive shopper engagement and support client brand objectives, and who leads a pod of structural designers within the Chicago structural design team. The role is roughly 60% hands-on structural design and 40% leading, reviewing, and developing the work of the pod.

This individual leads the structural development of complex corrugated, paperboard, hybrid and multi-material display programs from concept through production, assigns and balances work across the pod, checks drawings before release, and coaches designers to grow. We are looking for someone who enjoys leading and developing others as much as solving design problems, and who can run the pod day to day so the Structural Design Manager can focus on the department.

The following positions report directly to the Senior Structural Designer (Lead):

• Structural Designers (3 to
  5): develop structural concepts, dielines, samples and production specifications for temporary displays and specialty packaging under the Lead's direction and review.
• Contract Structural Designers (as assigned): supplement pod capacity during peak program periods.

• The Lead is accountable for the quality, on-time delivery and capacity of the pod's structural design work, and for the development of each designer in it.
• Lead a pod of 3 to 5 structural designers day to day, while carrying a personal design workload.
• Manage multiple design programs simultaneously from concept development through production release.
• Act as the primary structural design lead on key client accounts and strategic initiatives.
• Own the pod's work queue: every request has a named owner, an agreed turnaround date, and a status.
• Approve pod drawings, dielines and samples before release to estimating, prepress or production.
• Proactively identify risks, manufacturing challenges, and cost-saving opportunities throughout development.
• Cover for the Structural Design Manager when they are out, and elevate resourcing, quality or deadline risks early.

• Assign projects, balance workload across the pod, and keep the pod's work queue current.
• Review pod drawings, dielines and samples for fit, structure, manufacturability, and cost before release.
• Coach and mentor designers through regular one-on-ones, design reviews and on-the-job training; agree a development goal with each designer and review progress quarterly.
• Onboard new designers and contractors and train them on Outform standards, tools and processes.
• Take part in hiring for the pod and provide structured input to performance reviews.

• Lead the structural design and engineering of temporary retail displays, including floor displays, pallets, power wings, sidekicks, endcaps, PDQs and club store solutions, plus specialty packaging.
• Translate creative concepts and customer objectives into manufacturable structures that balance functionality, shopper experience, sustainability and cost.
• Create structural concepts, engineering drawings, production specifications and assembly instructions in ArtiosCAD and related design software.
• Build and test samples on the sample table; conduct load analysis, pack-out studies, assembly evaluations and transit, load and retail compliance testing.
• Evaluate and recommend materials, board grades, construction methods and manufacturing processes (die-cut, litho-lam, flexo) to optimize performance and value, and ensure designs meet retailer specifications.
• Present structural concepts and recommendations to internal teams and clients, and support prototype reviews and production launches.
• Lead cost-reduction and…