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Director Prototype Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Observable Space

Prototype Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$95K - $130K/yr

We're building a state of the art prototyping facility to machine some of the world's most ... Participate in design for manufacturability (DFM) reviews and provide direct feedback to engineers.

Ford Motor Company

Prototype Development Engineer

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$39 - $43.50/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • PTO

Ford's Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company ... Experience directing or working closely with technicians during fabrication, assembly, wiring ...

Protingent

Prototype Build Technician

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$45 - $60/hr

Prototype Build Technician Position Description : Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire ... design edits Job Details: * Job Type: Direct Hire * Pay Rate Range: $45-$60 an hour * Location: San ...

Ford Motor Company

Prototype Development Engineer

Long Beach, CA · On-site

$39 - $43.50/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • PTO

Ford's Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company ... Direct technicians during fabrication, wiring, assembly, installation, and commissioning; inspect ...

Droyd Robotics

Prototype Team Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100K - $160K/yr

... prototype lab while directing the workflow, capacity, and priorities of the technician team. In ... Design and fabricate custom workholding - including soft jaws and vacuum fixtures - and guide ...

Herbalife

Director, Product Design & Experience

Torrance, CA · On-site

$162K - $199K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a Director, Product Design & Experience, to lead UX and UI across Herbalife's core ... They know how to use AI to accelerate ideation and prototyping, apply strong judgment in evaluating ...

Herbalife

Director, Product Design & Experience

Torrance, CA · On-site

$162K - $199K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a Director, Product Design & Experience, to lead UX and UI across Herbalife's core ... They know how to use AI to accelerate ideation and prototyping, apply strong judgment in evaluating ...

Herbalife

Director, Product Design & Experience

Torrance, CA · On-site

$162K - $199K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We are seeking a Director, Product Design & Experience, to lead UX and UI across Herbalife's core ... They know how to use AI to accelerate ideation and prototyping, apply strong judgment in evaluating ...

Orbital Industries

Prototype Researcher

San Francisco, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • PTO

Digital Fabrication - create and review CAD models. Produce parts, jigs and test fixtures to ... Lead the mechanical build of our upcoming Direct-to-Chip testing and validation rigs * Support ...

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Director Prototype Design information

What are some common challenges faced by a director prototype design when balancing innovation with practical constraints?

A Director of Prototype Design often navigates the challenge of fostering creativity and innovation while ensuring prototypes are feasible within budgetary, technical, and time constraints. Balancing the desire for cutting-edge solutions with the realities of manufacturability and client requirements requires strong communication and prioritization skills. Additionally, this role must align cross-functional teams, including engineering, marketing, and production, to ensure prototypes meet both visionary goals and practical needs. Effective Directors excel at managing stakeholder expectations and iterating quickly based on feedback from both internal teams and clients.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director prototype design?

To thrive as a Director of Prototype Design, you need extensive experience in product design, engineering principles, and project management, often backed by a degree in industrial design, engineering, or a related field. Mastery of CAD software, rapid prototyping tools, and familiarity with design validation processes are typically required. Exceptional leadership, creative problem-solving, and strong communication skills set outstanding candidates apart in this role. These skills ensure innovative prototypes are developed efficiently and collaboratively, aligning with business goals and market needs.

What does a director prototype design do?

A Director of Prototype Design oversees the creation and development of prototypes for new products or systems within an organization. They lead design teams, collaborate with engineers and product managers, and ensure prototypes meet both functional and aesthetic requirements. Their responsibilities include project management, resource allocation, and maintaining quality standards throughout the design process. By guiding the prototyping phase, they help transform concepts into tangible models that can be tested, refined, and eventually brought to market.

What is the difference between Director Prototype Design vs Product Designer?

AspectDirector Prototype DesignProduct Designer
CredentialsTypically requires extensive experience in design and prototyping, often with leadership skillsRequires design education, portfolio, and proficiency in design tools
Work EnvironmentLeads teams, oversees prototype development, collaborates with cross-functional teamsFocuses on designing user interfaces, user experience, and prototypes
Industry UsageUsed in tech, manufacturing, and product development companies for leadership rolesCommon in tech, digital agencies, and startups for hands-on design work

While both roles involve prototyping, the Director Prototype Design typically leads teams and oversees the entire prototype process, whereas the Product Designer focuses on creating and refining user-centered designs and prototypes. The director role emphasizes leadership and strategic oversight, while the product designer is more hands-on with design execution.

What are the most commonly searched types of Prototype Design jobs in California?

The most popular types of Prototype Design jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Director Prototype Design jobs in California?

For Director Prototype Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Director Prototype Design jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Prototype Design jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Director Prototype Design jobs?

Cities in California with the most Director Prototype Design job openings:

Director Prototype Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Prototype Design job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 76% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution.

Prototype Engineer

Observable Space

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$95K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

Employment Type: Full-Time, Hourly
Clearance: Not required, but must be a U.S. Person
About Us
At Observable Space, we're redefining how humanity observes and connects with the universe. We're a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building industry-leading precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. Our systems are trusted by NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, Raytheon, and the US DoD, among others, and power the work of leading research institutions.
We combine precision opto-mechanical hardware, embedded computing, cloud orchestration, and developer-friendly APIs into world class products. From advanced ground stations, on orbit sensor suites, free space optical lasercom, to distributed compute platforms, we deliver the foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space.
Observable Space is backed by top-tier institutional investors including Lux, Upfront Ventures, RTX Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners and Embedded Ventures.
About the Role
We are seeking a Prototype Engineer to join our Los Angeles-based state-of-the-art prototyping facility. We're building a state of the art prototyping facility to machine some of the world's most challenging materials from glass, titanium, to exotic wire EDM'd parts; this is not a standard machine shop position.
This role is ideal for a highly adaptable, technically-minded individual who thrives in fast-paced environments. We're looking for someone to sit with the team day in and day out to help push back on the team's wild unmanufacturable designs. While this is a full time position, the job has an on-call component - when a part is urgently needed, day or night, you may be the one called to make it. On the flip side, your day-to-day schedule is extremely flexible, and you'll often have lighter periods or ad-hoc time off when the schedule allows.
What You'll Do
  • Operate a wide range of fabrication tools including:
    • 3D printers
    • 5-axis CNC mills and lathes
    • Tube and flat-bed lasers
    • Waterjets, wire EDM, and high-precision manual tools
  • Participate in engineering design reviews to evaluate manufacturability
  • Collaborate closely with engineering teams to iterate on part designs in real time.
  • Help design novel machining processes and methodologies that will be used in our Michigan production facility
  • Work from SolidWorks models and technical drawings to produce high-tolerance parts.
  • Prepare CAM programs in Mastercam, Fusion 360, or similar tools.
  • Help develop custom fixturing, jigs, and one-off assemblies for rapid prototyping.
  • Assist in maintaining, upgrading, and tuning machines and shop infrastructure.
  • Participate in design for manufacturability (DFM) reviews and provide direct feedback to engineers.
  • Occasionally assist with integration or test setups when needed.

Qualifications
  • 5+ years of hands-on experience in an engineering prototyping shop or machine shop environment.
  • Working knowledge of SolidWorks (or similar CAD tools).
  • Significant experience with CAM software such as Mastercam or Fusion CAM.
  • Proficient with modern CNC machine operations and part inspection.
  • Ability to interpret and execute mechanical drawings and GD&T.
  • Familiarity with common materials (aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, plastics, etc.) and their machining characteristics.
  • Comfortable with occasional non-standard hours, including occasional late-night or weekend requests.

Bonus Qualifications
  • Experience with light duty fabrication - TIG welding, laser cell operation, slip rolling, fixturing and fit-up. "A grinder and paint make me the welder I aint" is our moto in a prototype environment
  • Experience designing test fixturing and metrology
  • Willing to shoot paint - grab the hvlp and step into the booth. Doesn't have to be pretty, just can't be boogers.
  • Deep knowledge of multi-axis milling, fixturing, and workholding strategies.
  • Experience building parts for aerospace, robotics, or optics applications.
  • Familiarity with vacuum-compatible fabrication.

What We Offer
  • Build out a team of R&D specialists.
  • High-trust, flexible scheduling.
  • Direct impact on rapid iteration of hardware bound for space, field ops, or high-performance systems.
  • A culture that respects craftsmanship, iteration speed, and creative autonomy.

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