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Surface Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Create hand sketches and Illustrator CADs to communicate design concepts. Prepare seasonal presentation boards featuring silhouettes, color, fabric, print, pattern, embroidery, and other surface ...

Design Systems Lead

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$129K - $169K/yr

... web and mobile surfaces - and that it stays useful, adoptable, and ahead of the curve as our ... Design and ship production-ready components with a high bar for craft: well-defined states ...

Showing results 21-40

Surface Design information

See California salary details

$20

$56

$85

How much do surface design jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average hourly pay for surface design in California is $56.97, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $41.54 and $72.36 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is surface design?

Surface design refers to the creation and application of artwork, patterns, or textures onto surfaces such as textiles, ceramics, paper, and other materials. Surface designers develop original motifs and repeat patterns, often using techniques like painting, drawing, digital illustration, or printmaking. Their work is widely used in industries like fashion, home decor, stationery, and product packaging. A career in surface design blends creativity with technical skills and often requires knowledge of digital design tools.

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

To thrive as a Surface Designer, you need expertise in pattern creation, color theory, and an understanding of textile or product materials, often supported by a degree in surface design, textile design, or a related field. Proficiency with design software such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, as well as familiarity with digital printing techniques, is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills help distinguish outstanding surface designers. These skills and qualities are crucial for creating visually appealing, market-ready designs that meet client or industry specifications.

What are the typical challenges surface designers face when collaborating with product development teams?

Surface designers often work closely with product development teams to ensure their patterns and textures are both visually appealing and technically feasible for manufacturing. A common challenge is balancing creative vision with production constraints, such as material limitations, color fastness, and print methods. Effective communication and flexibility are key, as designers may need to adjust their designs to meet technical requirements or feedback from other departments. Regular collaboration helps ensure the final product maintains design integrity while being practical to produce.

What is the difference between Surface Design vs Textile Design?

AspectSurface DesignTextile Design
CredentialsPortfolio, possibly a degree in design or related fieldDegree in textile design, fashion, or related field
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, print shops, digital platformsFabric mills, fashion houses, print studios
Industry UsageApplied to various surfaces like packaging, ceramics, wallpapersFocused on fabric and textile patterns for clothing, home decor

Surface Design involves creating patterns and visuals for a variety of surfaces, including packaging, ceramics, and wallpapers. Textile Design specifically focuses on designing patterns for fabrics used in fashion and home textiles. While both roles require strong artistic skills and knowledge of pattern creation, Surface Designers often work across multiple materials, whereas Textile Designers specialize in textiles and fabrics.

How much do surface designers make?

Surface designers typically earn between $40,000 and $80,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and industry. Senior or specialized designers with strong portfolios and skills in design software like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop can earn higher salaries, especially in competitive markets.

What does a surface designer do?

A surface designer creates patterns and artwork for surfaces such as textiles, wallpapers, packaging, and home decor. They use design software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and often collaborate with manufacturers or brands to develop visually appealing designs that align with product specifications.

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

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

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

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

What cities in California are hiring for Surface Design jobs?

Cities in California with the most Surface Design job openings:

Infographic showing various Surface Design job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $118,490 per year, or $57 per hour.

Senior Actuation and Control Engineer

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA

$112K - $154K/yr

Full-time

Posted 20 days ago


Anduril rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Anduril

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7.4

Company rating compared to similar companies: 7.4 out of 10

Manufacturers average

Based on 75,873 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

ABOUT THE TEAM

Anduril's Maritime Division is responsible for planning and executing Anduril's product and revenue roadmap for maritime missions. Working across product, engineering, business development, logistics, and operations, the Maritime team develops, tests, deploys, and sustains the Anduril maritime capabilities in a challenging operational environment worldwide. As a leader in the Maritime Division, you must be a technical leader with the expertise to evaluate, qualify, manage, and advocate for an increasing number of sophisticated parallel pursuits. This role is crucial in ensuring that each initiative aligns with the company's strategic direction and receives the appropriate resourcing, balancing innovation with practical execution to drive the business line's success.

ABOUT THE JOB

You will own actuation and control hardware design for a maritime autonomous vehicle. Reporting to the Body Mechanical Lead, you will design actuators, control surfaces, and mechanisms that enable the vehicle to maneuver across the full ocean depth envelope.
Your spectrum of support will be diverse in nature and require you to leverage your technical expertise as well as leadership skills to set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and rapidly drive to completion. The ability to leverage your intuition and prior experience will be key in making sure the right design, analysis, and test steps are completed to ensure success. The ideal candidate will leverage their experience executing and successfully completing prior highly optimized multi-disciplinary projects.

WHAT YOU'LL DO
  • Own actuation and control surface mechanical design
  • Select, size, and qualify actuators for subsea operation
  • Design control surface mechanisms and linkages
  • Define actuator interfaces with GN&C control software
  • Perform mechanism kinematics and load analysis
  • Design sealing and pressure compensation for subsea actuators
  • Support prototype builds, bench testing, and at-sea validation
  • Contribute to DFM reviews and production handoff
  • Travel up to 25% to test sites and vendor facilities
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or equivalent
  • 5+ years of experience in actuator design, mechanism design, or marine equipment
  • Experience with actuator selection and sizing (electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic)
  • Familiarity with sealing and pressure-rated component design
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Experience with subsea actuators or AUV/UUV control mechanisms
  • Working knowledge of control surface design for underwater vehicles
  • Experience with actuator testing and qualification
  • Experience in defense or maritime robotics

Working at Anduril

About Anduril, in their own words

From Anduril

As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril delivers cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the warfighter in months, not years.


What Anduril employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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