Furniture Designer

JOB OVERVIEW:

The FURNITURE DESIGNER is responsible for overseeing and validating all technical design documents for feasibility, material requirements, costing, and production compatibility. This role bridges design, engineering, procurement, and production, ensuring that custom and contract furniture projects are executed accurately, efficiently, and profitably.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Drawing & Design Review

• Lead the technical evaluation of all incoming production drawings and technical design documents (CADs, renders) for contract and made-to-order and bespoke) furniture, ensuring completeness, manufacturability, and adherence to client specifications.
• Scrutinize designs not only for functional feasibility but also for long-term durability, load capacity, ergonomics, and compliance with internal and industry standards
• Proactively identify discrepancies between design intent and practical execution—advising on structural reinforcements, alternative techniques, or simplified construction without compromising design integrity.
• Serve as the final technical gatekeeper before releasing a design to the costing or prototyping stage—ensuring alignment between design, budget, and production limitations.
• Maintain an effective feedback loop to design team / Creative Director to continuously improve the technical quality and efficiency of initial concepts and drafts.
• Facilitate production walkthroughs and resolve on-the-floor technical issues arising from drawing misinterpretations or production conditions

Costing & Feasibility Analysis

• Conduct in-depth feasibility assessments of custom projects, accounting for material constraints, production capacities, tooling availability, and potential bottlenecks.
• Lead the validation of cost estimates for labor, materials, machine time, hardware, and finishes—benchmarking against historical data, market prices, and internal cost standards.
• Develop cost-optimization strategies without compromising on quality—e.g., material substitutions, finish alternates, or redesigns.

Wood Waste Management

• Reduce material wastage and champion sustainability through the cross-functional operational oversight of the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), contributing to the company's circular economy goals and target
• Oversee the effective use of raw materials, especially solid wood, veneers, and engineered panels, ensuring optimal utilization aligned with design intent and structural integrity.
• Validate that technical drawings support efficient milling, nesting, and yield from available lumber stock (e.g., correct assumptions on wood thickness, joint allowances, and board widths).
• Ensure pre- and rough-milling operations (cutting, planning, joining) are informed by approved technical specs and plans to reduce overcutting, warpage, and unnecessary offcuts.
• Lead initiatives to analyze and reduce wood waste, set acceptable yield benchmarks per product type, and monitor actual usage vs theoretical consumption.

Supplies and Process Improvement

• Standardize and refine the drawing review workflow, from intake to final approval—shortening lead times and reducing rework.
• Champion technical upskilling programs, training junior staff on manufacturing techniques, costing logic, and value engineering.
• Establish KPIs for technical throughput, accuracy, and error rates, using them to continuously refine team performance.
• Streamline drawing management, version control, and production alignment.
• Evaluates suppliers' product quality consistency, cost and sustainability and new innovation and recommends accordingly.
• Point of contact for all supplier correspondence for Technical related queries
• Define the quality procedure for each and every production line/section
• Devise and establish furniture quality procedures, standards and specifications and enforce these policies and procedures to include the following: (1) develop instruction manual for standard format and approval process; (2) standard guidelines and approval process for packaging specifications; (3) standard guidelines and implementation process for product withdrawals and recalls; (4) product storage and handling
• Manage the process of any injury / claims caused to colleagues or customers through faulty product
• Collate and maintain a library of all required test reports
• Collate and maintain a library of product technical specification including materials / chemicals

Other tasks and responsibilities

• Performs tasks that may be assigned by management
• Manage special projects
• Support Spaces projects when required or if needed

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in related Engineering, Industrial Management, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in a technical management role, preferably in a furniture manufacturing or engineering environment
• At least 5 years experience in product development or product engineering including successful experience in a client-facing role.
• Minimum of 10 years of furniture manufacturing experience.
• Very good knowledge and experience with furniture and product design interpretation and communication to the supplier
• Understand engineering drawings with skills in Auto Cad an advantage
• Experienced in developing furniture color and finishing systems with recognized furniture finishing suppliers.
• Strong management and leadership skill
• High level of initiative and integrity
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong passion for the industry
• Ability to interact with all levels, both internal and external
• Self-driven and motivated.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Company events
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• Health insurance
• Opportunities for promotion
• Paid training
• Pay raise
• Promotion to permanent employee

Work Location: In person