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Senior Industrial Designer

RIVR
Full-time
On-site
Zürich, ZH

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

RIVR is seeking a Senior Industrial Designer to shape the physical identity of its last mile delivery robots. This onsite Zurich role spans the full design lifecycle from concept to production, translating bold ideas into manufacturing ready solutions that balance aesthetics, usability, and engineering reality. You’ll collaborate with engineering, product, and operations in a fast paced startup and help build a cohesive design culture. Key requirements include 5+ years of hands on industrial design, a strong portfolio, expert SolidWorks and Rhino, KeyShot renderings, and Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma. Knowledge of manufacturing, CMF, and production handoff is essential. Bonus points for master CAD co development, hardware UX, supplier collaboration, and FEM. In person presence is required.

RIVR is a Swiss robotics company pioneering Physical AI and robotic solutions to revolutionize last-mile delivery, giving 1 human the power of 1000. Through the combination of artificial neural networks and innovative robot designs with wheels and legs, RIVR aims to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and scalability in last-mile delivery. Founded as Swiss-Mile, the company rebranded to RIVR in 2025 to better reflect its mission of driving the future of intelligent robotics. Join our innovative team, renowned for pioneering robotic design and neural network applications in robotics that improve environmental understanding and decision-making. With a robust research foundation and notable contributions from ETH Zurich, we are leaders in translating artificial intelligence and robotics into practical, real-world applications.
RIVR is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that values every perspective. If you’re passionate about driving innovation in robotics and creating meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply and bring your unique self to our team.
Job Description
As a Senior Industrial Designer at RIVR, you will play a key role in shaping the physical identity of our last-mile delivery robots. You bridge the gap between bold design concepts and rigorous technical execution, translating vision into manufacturing-ready solutions that balance aesthetics, usability, and engineering reality.
You are a highly dependable individual contributor who takes ownership of the full design lifecycle, from early exploration to production sign-off. Working closely with engineering, product, and operations teams, you help ensure that our robots are not only visually compelling but also functional, scalable, and buildable in real-world conditions.
In this fast-paced startup environment, you will move quickly, iterate confidently, and contribute to building a strong and cohesive design culture as our team grows.

What you’ll be doing

  • Lead industrial design projects from initial concept through detailed design and production release.
  • Own the look and feel of RIVR robots, ensuring design intent remains intact through engineering and manufacturing constraints.
  • Develop high-fidelity 3D models, including complex surfacing, for visualization, prototyping, and production.
  • Partner closely with engineering teams to balance aesthetic quality with mechanical rigor and manufacturability.
  • Drive CMF development throughout the design process.
  • Identify gaps or risks within design briefs and proactively propose solutions.
  • Prototype, test, and iterate rapidly using both digital and physical tools (CAD, models, rigs, renderings, etc.).
  • Contribute to defining a consistent visual language and evolving design vision alongside the broader design team.

What you must have

  • 5+ years of industrial design experience with a strong hands-on portfolio.
  • Proven ability to build credibility and trust with engineering and product partners.
  • Expert in 3D parametric modeling (SolidWorks) and surface modeling (Rhino).
  • Skilled in rendering software (KeyShot).
  • Comfortable with 2D design tools (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma).
  • Ability to deliver high-detail CAD files that enable seamless hand-off to mechanical engineering.
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and downstream product delivery.

Get some bonus points

  • Experience with master modeling for CAD co-development with Mechanical Engineering.
  • Understanding of how hardware design influences user interaction, including physical-digital touchpoints.
  • Experience working directly with suppliers to refine parts for production.
  • Familiarity with FEM analysis.
RIVR is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that values every perspective. If you’re passionate about driving innovation in robotics and creating meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply and bring your unique self to our team.
We believe the best work is done when collaborating and therefore require in-person presence in our office locations.