ABOUT THE ROLE
Most industrial designers join companies where the big design decisions have already been made. At HIGHCAT, you’ll have the opportunity to shape what comes next.
Working alongside the Head of Design, you’ll help evolve the physical identity of HIGHCAT and bring it to life across a growing product portfolio from early concepts through production.
This is a role with real ownership. We care less about your process than your ability to create exceptional products efficiently. Whether you sketch, prototype, model in CAD, or use AI is up to you. What matters is great judgement, strong execution, and shipping outstanding products.
If you want to help shape the next generation of products at a new European hardware company and see your work deployed where it matters most, we’d love to hear from you.
CORE TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Evolve the industrial design language and physical identity of HIGHCAT.
- Drive industrial design projects from concept through production.
- Collaborate closely with design, engineering, software, and product teams to create integrated hardware experiences.
- Develop concepts through sketching, CAD, rapid prototyping, and AI-assisted workflows where appropriate.
- Build and test prototypes using 3D printing and other rapid manufacturing methods.
- Create compelling renderings and design presentations.
- Design products that balance aesthetics, usability, ergonomics, and manufacturability.
- Ensure seamless integration between physical products and digital user interfaces.
- Help build a pragmatic, fast-moving design culture focused on exceptional outcomes.
- Support brand and marketing initiatives with graphic and visual design when needed.
ABOUT YOU
- 5+ years of professional experience in industrial design, preferably developing complex consumer, mobility, robotics, or hardware products.
- You are an independent, self-driven designer who takes ownership and proactively moves projects forward.
- You know how to navigate ambiguity, make informed design decisions, and deliver high-quality outcomes efficiently.
- You have an exceptional eye for proportion, form, detail, and product design, with a strong understanding of brand and design DNA. You can interpret and consistently apply an established design language across different products, while evolving it thoughtfully where appropriate.
- Advanced proficiency in Rhino, including freeform surfacing. Experience with Class-A surfacing is a strong advantage.
- Experience creating prototypes using 3D printing and other rapid prototyping methods for iterative development and user testing.
- Excellent graphic design skills with Adobe CC and Figma. Canva and AI-assisted workflows are a plus.
- Strong rendering and visual communication skills using KeyShot. Experience with animation, motion design, or post-production in After Effects is a plus.
- Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, including injection moulding, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and additive manufacturing.
- Knowledge of textiles, soft goods, or sewn products is a plus.
- Strong understanding of ergonomics, usability, and human-centred design principles.
- Experience designing products where physical form and digital user interfaces are closely connected.
- You are comfortable working in a fast-moving environment where ownership is high, processes evolve, and collaboration across disciplines is essential.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Compensation and Ownership:
Competitive compensation with meaningful equity, giving you a real stake in the company you’re helping to build.
Mission and Impact:The opportunity to see your work become real products used in demanding, high-stakes environments where good design genuinely matters.
Access and Influence:
A small, ambitious team with direct access to the Head of Design, founders, engineers, and decision-makers—without layers of hierarchy between ideas and execution.
Culture and Environment:
A high-trust, low-bureaucracy environment where decisions move quickly, good ideas can come from anywhere, and strong work earns increasing responsibility.
Resources and Craft:
The freedom and tools to explore, prototype, test, and refine ideas quickly, with a strong emphasis on quality and getting physical products right.
Professional Growth:
The chance to grow alongside an early-stage hardware company, take on increasingly ambitious challenges, and have a lasting influence on the products and design culture we build.
YOUR APPLICATION
We require all candidates for this role to submit a portfolio showcasing their industrial design work. We’re particularly interested in projects that demonstrate strong form development, design thinking, prototyping, CAD, and an understanding of how products are brought into production.
Please keep uploaded portfolios under 15 MB. If your portfolio exceeds this limit, please provide a link to your website, online portfolio, or a shared file instead.
This is an on-site role based in Konstanz, Germany. Please only apply if you are based in the area or are willing to relocate to Konstanz. This is not a remote position.
ABOUT HIGHCAT
Europe’s airspace is evolving. We are building the systems that help secure it.
HIGHCAT is a team of builders, engineers, and problem-solvers. We develop modular unmanned systems designed for real-world deployment. Built and manufactured in Germany, our platforms support the people and organisations that protect critical infrastructure, public services, and operational capabilities.
We like solving difficult problems. From first concept to deployment, we build technology that performs when it matters most. Our focus is simple: reliable systems, intuitive operation, and real-world impact.
Our work enables safer and more effective operations across security, industry, and defence-related applications. Guided by strong ethical principles and a commitment to European technological sovereignty, we are helping build the next generation of operational capabilities for Europe.
