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Director Prototype Design Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

blueStone

Experience Design Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

We are seeking an engaging, design-tested leader to become our Experience Design Director. You'll ... Ability to comfortably dive into designing visual screens and/or prototyping with various tools ...

blueStone

Experience Design Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

We are seeking an engaging, design-tested leader to become our Experience Design Director. You'll ... Ability to comfortably dive into designing visual screens and/or prototyping with various tools ...

Cccis

Vice President, Product Design

Chicago, IL

$159K - $196K/yr

Integrate AI into design workflows, prototyping, and experimentation; apply experience designing and shipping AI-enabled products; help define how AI accelerates experience development. * Product ...

Sterling Engineering Inc.

Design Engineer

Wood Dale, IL

$75K - $90K/yr

Direct Hire Salary : $75,000 - $90,000 annually Our client, a growing manufacturer of custom retail ... Support prototype development, testing, and product improvements. * Identify opportunities for cost ...

STSI (Staffing Technical Services Inc.)

Be Seen First

Design Engineer, Metals (35549)

Wood Dale, IL · On-site

DESIGN ENGINEER, Metals Itasca, IL (onsite) Direct Hire, Pay: $70-$95K Plus annual bonus Benefits ... Support prototype development and testing * Identify opportunities for cost reduction and process ...

WeatherTech

UI/UX Designer

Bolingbrook, IL · On-site

$105K - $125K/yr

UI/UX Designer WeatherTech Direct, LLC is seeking a well-qualified UI/UX Designer to create ... Present design concepts, user flows, and prototypes to stakeholders while clearly communicating ...

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All JobsPrototype Design JobsDirector Prototype Design JobsDirector Prototype Design Jobs in Chicago, IL

Director Prototype Design information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$38.1K

$139.9K

$250.3K

How much do director prototype design jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for director prototype design in Chicago, IL is $139,856.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $112,800.00 and $167,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 Chicago, IL? The most popular types of Prototype Design jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What are popular job titles related to Director Prototype Design jobs in Chicago, IL? For Director Prototype Design jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Director Prototype Design jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Director Prototype Design jobs in Chicago, IL are:
Director Prototype Design jobs near you

Experience Design Director

blueStone

Chicago, IL • On-site

Contractor

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Company Description

Join a new high tech fitness and wearable device venture devoted to delivering elegant fitness experiences. Our user-centered offerings incorporate a healthy balance of sophistication and approachability coupled with actionable insights that help real people make the most out of their fitness routines. Our mission is to inspire people to achieve the health and fitness goals that matter most to them. 

Job Description

We are seeking an engaging, design-tested leader to become our Experience Design Director. You'll test, iterate, and refine our core offerings and feature set, starting first with the launch of our first product in Fall 2014. As the chief user advocate, you'll be responsible for cross-functional research, analysis, concept development, and execution. Over time you'll grow a team around you to add additional firepower for our efforts. You'll work with our Product Director to continue to continue to build and evolve, but eventually creative control over the entire experience will rest with you and your team.

As with our other senior roles, this opportunity offers you a seat at the table of an exciting, rapidly growing company. You'll help not only set direction for the experience, but for our company as a whole. The role involves significant hands-on collaboration with other Mira team leads to continue to evolve the go-to-market strategy and execution, as well as team recruiting, management, training and mentoring.

Your Responsibilities

  • Guide the team to design and develop a best-in-class physical/digital experience
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with product management, user research, content design, visual design, and engineering to ensure a smooth experience development process
  • Manage the recruiting process for your multi-disciplinary team
  • Formulate and execute user research & synthesis, exploration, storytelling, detailed design, user testing and prototyping
  • Develop an work plan founded in agile principles to update and continuously improve the application and user experience
  • Build a user-centered application and experience for mobile platforms that interacts seamlessly 
  • Develop and maintain effective specifications and design patterns
  • Scope design initiatives and manage/prioritize work items
Qualifications
  • Degree in interaction or graphic design. While a masters degree is preferred, depth of work experience will also be considered
  • A depth of experience in Interface Design, Interaction Design, or Information Architecture for consumer products. We're looking for someone that has at least five years of experience with significant depth in at least one of these areas.
  • Experience managing cross-disciplinary design teams
  • A portfolio demonstrating past work experience and relevant, user-centered experiences
  • Experience designing interfaces for hardware devices and familiarity with firmware development
  • In-depth knowledge of designing both mobile and web-based applications
  • A passion for (and hopefully some experience in!) improving health and wellness for real people
  • Ability to comfortably dive into designing visual screens and/or prototyping with various tools/software of your choice
  • As a team player with a can-do attitude, you know how to do a lot with a little in our dynamic, fast-paced and entrepreneurial culture

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