CMF Designer (Creative / Senior / Lead)

About the role

GM China Design Studio, a production and advanced design studio, is hiring CMF designers for its Shanghai office. The role is on-site and full-time at the GM China Advanced Technical Center. It covers color, material, finish, graphics, trim, components and other experiential design, from research and concept through supplier collaboration, validation and production. The position is an evergreen requisition built as a talent pipeline.

Key responsibilities

• Take part in CMF design for vehicles, advanced products and mobility concepts, across interiors and exteriors.
• Research cultural influences, consumer behavior, trends in automotive, fashion, architecture, technology, art, materials and manufacturing.
• Analyze trends and turn them into CMF strategies, and develop concept stories, color and material directions, finish proposals, trim strategies and graphic applications.
• Explore materials, finishes and technologies while balancing creativity, sustainability, durability, manufacturability and program requirements.
• Communicate ideas through physical samples, material boards, color chips, sketches, 2D/3D visualization, animation, renderings, VR and presentations.
• Collaborate with interior, exterior, UX/HMI, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, purchasing and suppliers, and present concepts to design leadership and stakeholders.
• Manage the CMF process from concept and material research through supplier engagement, validation and production implementation, and build an internal library of materials, finishes, colors and samples.
• Balance design ambition with cost, timing, quality, manufacturing, sustainability and regulatory constraints.
• Depending on the assignment, support customer-facing customization at dealerships and travel for design reviews, supplier development and material research.

Required profile

• Degree in Color and Materials Design, CMF, textile, fashion, industrial, transportation, automotive or product design, or a related discipline; equivalent experience and a strong portfolio may also be considered.
• Experience in automotive CMF, industrial design, product design, materials, fashion, textiles, architecture, interiors, graphics or a closely related field.
• Ability to balance design ambition with cost, timing, quality, manufacturing, sustainability and regulatory constraints.

Required skills

• Visualization and communication tools such as VRED, Blender, Photoshop, Illustrator, KeyShot, Unreal Engine, Premiere, After Effects and AI-enabled design tools.
• Strong portfolio showing CMF design thinking, research, concept development, visual communication and material exploration.

To apply, submit an updated resume and a portfolio demonstrating CMF design work, avoiding confidential or proprietary material from current or former employers or clients. Applications are reviewed by recruiting and design teams, and a recruiter will follow up if there is a match.