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Color Materials Designer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Aquent

Color Designer

Culver City, CA · On-site

$40 - $50/hr

We are seeking a talented Senior Color Designer to join a dynamic, innovation-driven creative team ... Collaborate cross-functionally with design, product marketing, development, and materials teams to ...

Adidas

Footwear Designer (Golf)

Carlsbad, CA · Hybrid

As a Footwear Designer for adidas Golf, you will lead the creation of globally relevant and ... Color, Materials, and Finishes: Collaborate on material selection, color application, finishes, and ...

Joby Aviation

Senior Industrial Designer

Santa Cruz, CA · On-site

$136K - $187K/yr

Overview We are seeking a Senior Industrial Designer to design the aesthetic and functional ... Develop and implement Color, Materials, and Finishes (CMF) strategies that prioritize ...

adidas

Footwear Designer (Golf)

Carlsbad, CA · Hybrid

As a Footwear Designer for adidas Golf, you will lead the creation of globally relevant and ... Color, Materials, and Finishes: Collaborate on material selection, color application, finishes, and ...

Adidas

Footwear Designer (Golf)

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

As a Footwear Designer for adidas Golf, you will lead the creation of globally relevant and ... Color, Materials, and Finishes: Collaborate on material selection, color application, finishes, and ...

Intuitive Surgical

Senior Industrial Designer

Sunnyvale, CA

$119K - $127K/yr

... color, materials, and manufacturing processes that transform complex technical designs into elegant ... forms that are highly usable, beautiful, and manufacturable. With an ability to explore, prototype ...

Intuitive

Senior Industrial Designer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$119K - $127K/yr

... color, materials, and manufacturing processes that transform complex technical designs into elegant ... forms that are highly usable, beautiful, and manufacturable. With an ability to explore, prototype ...

Intuitive

Senior Industrial Designer

Sunnyvale, CA

$119K - $127K/yr

... color, materials, and manufacturing processes that transform complex technical designs into elegant ... forms that are highly usable, beautiful, and manufacturable. With an ability to explore, prototype ...

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Color Materials Designer information

What is the difference between Color Materials Designer vs Product Designer?

AspectColor Materials DesignerProduct Designer
Primary FocusDeveloping color palettes and material finishes for productsDesigning the overall user experience and functionality of products
Skills & CredentialsColor theory, material science, CAD skillsUser experience, prototyping, visual design
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, manufacturing settingsDesign agencies, tech companies, startups
Industry UsageFashion, consumer electronics, automotiveTech, consumer goods, digital products

While both roles involve creative design, the Color Materials Designer specializes in color and material development, whereas the Product Designer focuses on the overall user experience and product functionality. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a color materials designer?

To thrive as a Color Materials Designer, you need expertise in color theory, material science, trend analysis, and often a degree in industrial, textile, or fashion design. Familiarity with design software like Adobe Creative Suite and 3D rendering tools, as well as knowledge of material sourcing and finishing processes, is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong collaboration and communication skills help you stand out in this role. These abilities are crucial for developing innovative, market-relevant designs that meet aesthetic, functional, and manufacturing requirements.

What is a color materials designer?

Color Materials Designers are professionals who specialize in selecting and developing the colors, materials, and finishes used in products such as apparel, footwear, automobiles, or consumer electronics. They combine knowledge of design, material science, and trends to create visually appealing and functional products. Their work often involves collaborating with engineers, product designers, and marketing teams to ensure the finished product aligns with brand identity and consumer preferences.

How does a color materials designer typically collaborate with other departments during the product development process?

As a Color Materials Designer, you will frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams such as product design, engineering, marketing, and manufacturing. Your role involves presenting material and color concepts, aligning your choices with brand guidelines, and ensuring feasibility with manufacturing constraints. Regular meetings and hands-on workshops are common, as you work closely with engineers to solve technical challenges and with marketing to ensure the final product embodies the intended brand identity. This collaborative environment ensures your creative input is integrated seamlessly into the final product.
What are popular job titles related to Color Materials Designer jobs in California? For Color Materials Designer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Color Materials Designer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Color Materials Designer jobs in California are:
Color Materials Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Color Materials Designer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution.

Sr. Footwear Designer - Color, Material & Finish

Skechers

Manhattan Beach, CA

$120K - $135K/yr

Full-time

Posted 3 days ago

New

Skechers rating

6.4

Company rating: 6.4 out of 10

Based on 174 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

41st of 61 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.

#LI-TB1

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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