Industrial Designer – In-House Brands (Merch Team)
We have an exciting opportunity for an Industrial Designer to help shape the future of our In-House Brand (IHB) ranges at Australia's number one destination for those who love to cook and entertain.
As with any role in a rapidly growing retail business, we work hard. But we are also empowered, trusted, and given ownership to create meaningful outcomes, for our customers, our products, and the commercial performance of the business.
Together, as a team, we understand how our actions impact both customers and results. That's why we work with energy, we commit, we act, and we deliver, supporting each other along the way.
About us
Kitchen Warehouse started from humble beginnings in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1986. Even with our national expansion and strong online presence, we remain very much a family business, born from a genuine passion for home cooking and great food.
Today, Kitchen Warehouse operates a national store network and a dominant ecommerce channel, offering 10,000+ kitchenware products, with a significant and growing portion of our range developed under our own In-House Brands.
Customers visit us because we offer:
* The best selection of brands
* A world-class retail and online experience
* Exceptional service, advice, and product knowledge
No matter how quickly we grow, we stay connected and guided by our core values:
* Authenticity – Genuine experience and service
* Quality – Standards that can be trusted
* Family – Putting our people first
* Customer – At the heart of everything we do
And we bring these behaviours to life every day:
* Take Ownership – Commit, act, and deliver
* Challenge Respectfully – Ask questions, share ideas, align as a team
* Fact-Based Conversations – Use data to drive clarity and improvement
* Frugality – Deliver more with less, valuing time and resources
If you want to be part of a thriving, passionate, and commercially minded team, Kitchen Warehouse could be the place to take your career to the next level.
About the role
The Industrial Designer plays a key role in the development of our In-House Brand product ranges, working closely with the Merchandising team to design products that are desirable, functional, manufacturable, and commercially viable.
This role is hands-on and end-to-end, from early concept development through to supplier engagement, sampling, refinement, and range readiness. You'll balance customer needs, brand intent, cost, quality, and scale to deliver products that perform in a high-volume retail and ecommerce environment.
Working within the Merch Team, this role partners closely with internal stakeholders and offshore suppliers to ensure designs translate seamlessly from idea to production and into our stores and customers' homes.
Works closely with
* Internal: Merchandising, Buying, Quality Assurance, Sourcing, Marketing, Supply Chain, Retail Operations
* External: Offshore manufacturers, suppliers, material specialists, and technical partners
Key responsibilities
1. Product Design & Development
* Design kitchenware and home products aligned to customer needs, brand positioning, and commercial targets
* Develop concepts, sketches, CAD models, and specifications suitable for production
* Own product development from brief through to final production approval
* Ensure designs meet usability, durability, safety, and quality standards
2. Commercial & Manufacturing Alignment
* Collaborate with Merch and Sourcing to design within cost, margin, and MOQ requirements
* Work directly with suppliers to refine designs for manufacturability and scale
* Support value engineering initiatives to improve cost efficiency without compromising quality or customer experience
* Review samples and prototypes, managing iterations through to final sign-off
3. Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Partner with Merchandising to ensure product ranges align with category strategy and customer insights
* Work with Quality and Compliance teams to meet testing, safety, and regulatory requirements
* Contribute design input to range reviews, product performance discussions, and continuous improvement initiatives
4. Continuous Improvement
* Analyse customer feedback, returns, and sales performance to inform future design improvements
* Identify opportunities to improve processes, materials, or construction across IHB ranges
* Maintain accurate documentation and product specifications throughout development cycles
Skills & experience
Design & Technical Capability
* Strong industrial design fundamentals with experience designing physical consumer products
* Proficiency in relevant design tools (e.g. SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, Adobe Suite or similar)
* Understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and mass production constraints
Commercial & Customer Focus
* Ability to balance form, function, cost, and quality in a retail environment
* Comfortable working within commercial constraints and using data to inform decisions
Collaboration & Communication
* Confident working with non-design stakeholders and offshore suppliers
* Able to challenge ideas respectfully and contribute constructively to team discussions
Planning & Ownership
* Highly organised, able to manage multiple products at different stages of development
* Takes ownership and follows through from concept to production
About you
* Passionate about kitchenware, cooking, or lifestyle design categories.
* 3–5+ years' experience in industrial design, product design, or a related field
* Experience designing consumer products for retail or private-label environments (kitchenware, homewares, appliances, or similar highly regarded)
* Strong attention to detail and a pragmatic, hands-on approach
* Tertiary qualification in Industrial Design or a related discipline preferred
Salary: Competitive package aligned to experience