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Color Material Finish Designer Jobs in California

As a Junior Designer you will perform design visualization from initial mock-up renderings to final ... Passion for color, material and finish, and CMF portfolio content. * Software Expertise: High ...

Create prototypes and support CMF (Color, Material & Finish) exploration and iterative refinement ... Experience designing physical products, ideally with exposure to hardware, robotics, or consumer ...

Focus on color, material, and finish (CMF) to create cohesive, premium‑feeling product ... Experience designing data center products such as servers, routers, switches, and security ...

Senior CMF Designer

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$120K - $128K/yr

We are seeking a highly passionate Senior CMF Designer to lead material innovation and aesthetic ... In this critical role, you will define the authoritative color, material, and finish (CMF ...

Manager, Product Design

Los Angeles, CA · Hybrid

$203K/yr

Oversee development responsibilities across the full product lifecycle, including line planning support, concept direction, color/material/finish direction, fabric/print development, trims ...

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Color Material Finish Designer information

What does a Color Material Finish Designer do?

A Color Material Finish (CMF) Designer is responsible for selecting and developing the colors, materials, and surface finishes used in products such as cars, electronics, and furniture. Their work ensures that products not only look appealing but also feel appropriate, are functional, and reflect the brand's identity. CMF Designers collaborate closely with engineers, industrial designers, and marketing teams to create a cohesive visual and tactile experience for consumers. They consider trends, durability, environmental impact, and manufacturability when making their choices.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Color Material Finish Designer?

To thrive as a Color Material Finish Designer, you need a strong background in design, color theory, materials science, and typically a degree in industrial, textile, or graphic design. Proficiency with CAD software, Adobe Creative Suite, and material specification tools is essential, along with knowledge of manufacturing processes. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills set standout professionals apart in this role. These skills ensure innovative, feasible, and market-appropriate design solutions that enhance a product's visual and tactile appeal.

How does a Color Material Finish Designer typically collaborate with engineers and marketing teams during a product development cycle?

A CMF Designer works closely with engineers to ensure that color, material, and finish selections are feasible for manufacturing and meet technical requirements. At the same time, they partner with marketing teams to align the product’s visual and tactile qualities with brand identity and consumer trends. Effective communication and frequent cross-functional meetings are common, as CMF Designers must balance creative vision with practical constraints and market expectations. This collaborative approach ensures that the final product is both visually compelling and manufacturable.

What is the difference between Color Material Finish Designer vs Product Designer?

AspectColor Material Finish DesignerProduct Designer
CredentialsDesign degree, knowledge of materials, color theoryDesign degree, user experience, interface skills
Work EnvironmentManufacturing, industrial design studios, material labsDigital platforms, startups, tech companies
Industry UsageAutomotive, consumer goods, furnitureApps, websites, consumer electronics

The Color Material Finish Designer focuses on selecting and applying colors, materials, and finishes to enhance product aesthetics and functionality, often working closely with manufacturing teams. In contrast, the Product Designer emphasizes overall user experience, interface, and functionality of a product. While both roles require a strong design background, their focus areas and work environments differ significantly.

What are popular job titles related to Color Material Finish Designer jobs in California?

For Color Material Finish Designer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Color Material Finish Designer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Color Material Finish Designer jobs in California are:

Infographic showing various Color Material Finish Designer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Sr. Footwear Designer - Color, Material & Finish

Skechers

Manhattan Beach, CA • On-site

$120K - $135K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago


Skechers rating

6.5

Company rating: 6.5 out of 10

Based on 175 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

40th of 62 rated fashion and textile manufacturers


Job description

Skechers was built on better questions. About comfort. About value. About what people actually needed from their shoes. Then we engineered the answers. Slip-ins reimagined how people put on shoes. Arch Fit brought podiatrist-certified support to everyday footwear. GO WALK made comfort accessible to millions.
The result is one of the great growth stories in consumer brand history. A company that started in a small Manhattan Beach office in 1992 is now the world's third-largest footwear brand. More than $9 billion in annual sales, products in over 180 countries, and double-digit growth, all while the rest of the industry fights for single digits.
None of it happened by waiting for permission. It happened because the right people treated the business as their own, moved fast, and worked together toward outcomes that showed up in the market. That's the standard we hire to. We're not managing a legacy. We're building one.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Color, material, and finish are where footwear either earns its place on the shelf or disappears into the noise. This role sits at the intersection of trend intelligence and execution. You'll be working directly with the Sr. Director of Color & Materials, alongside merchandising and development teams, shaping how Skechers product looks and feels every season. If you've spent years developing that instinct and skill, keep reading.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

You'll lead the color, material, and graphic concepting for Women's Sport footwear each season — from early concepting through tech pack delivery. The work spans new product development and refreshing existing franchise styles to keep them relevant and commercially sharp. On any given week, you're likely to be:

  • Digging into trend research across runway, retail and, materials. Then translating findings into product decisions that are brand-right and buildable.
  • Partnering with development teams in the U.S. and Asia to review prototypes and ensure samples reflect design intent before they move forward.
  • Traveling to Asia twice a year for hands-on factory and development collaboration.
  • Moving multiple projects in parallel, hitting calendar deadlines, and keeping cross-timezone development work on track.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING:

The person who succeeds here brings a sharp eye, a deep process, and the experience to back both up. Specifically:

  • At least two years of footwear design experience with genuine fluency in CMF — not just aesthetics, but materials sourcing, construction implications, and what decisions look like at the factory level.
  • Sketching ability precise enough that your design intent doesn't get lost in translation when it crosses an ocean.
  • Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, used as working tools, not finishing tools.
  • The ability to read where color and material trends are heading before they peak — and the judgment to know which ones are worth chasing.
  • A degree in Footwear Design, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, or a related field is preferred, but the quality of your work and the depth of your process matter more.

The pay range for this position is $120,000-$135,000/yr USD.

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About Skechers

Skechers, a global Fortune 500® company, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel, and accessories. Serving over 180 countries and territories, Skechers connects customers to products through department and specialty stores, e-commerce and digital stores, and through our more than 5,300 Skechers retail locations.


Equal Employment Opportunity
Skechers is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment. Skechers provides equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment without regard race, color, religion, gender, gender identification and expression, national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic established by local, state or federal law.


Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants for employment who require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job should request appropriate accommodation by emailing benefits@skechers.com.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job responsibility satisfactorily.  The skills, abilities and physical demands described are representative of those duties that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities, who are otherwise qualified for the job position, to perform the essential functions.
 


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