Exterior Designer

We are seeking a technically strong and detail-oriented Furniture Exterior Designer to lead the development of exterior components for upholstered furniture. This role goes beyond styling - you will drive material selection, engineering of soft goods, and performance of all visible surfaces to ensure durability, manufacturability, and quality. You’ll play a key role in bridging design intent with real-world production and long-term product performance.

What You’ll Do:

Design and engineer exterior components for upholstered furniture, including covers, cushions, seams, trims, and finishes

Select and specify materials such as fabrics, leathers, foams, batting, and stitching methods based on durability, cost, and performance requirements

Develop detailed specifications for upholstery construction, including seam types, stitch patterns, tolerances, and fit standards

Collaborate closely with frame design, engineering, and manufacturing teams to ensure proper fit, function, and assembly

Evaluate materials for wear resistance, colorfastness, comfort, and cleanability

Support prototyping, sample reviews, and product validation to ensure designs meet quality and performance standards

Troubleshoot production and field issues related to upholstery, materials, or fit and provide corrective solutions

Optimize designs for efficient cutting, sewing, and assembly processes

Ensure compliance with company quality standards and relevant industry performance requirements

Requirements

What We’re Looking For:

2+ years of experience in furniture design, upholstery engineering, or soft goods product development

Strong knowledge of upholstery construction techniques, including sewing, patterning, and material behavior

Understanding of materials such as textiles, leather, foam, adhesives, and support components

Experience creating detailed product specifications and technical documentation

Ability to work with CAD or patterning software (e.g., Gerber, Lectra, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or similar)

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on product performance and durability

High attention to detail and quality standards Nice to Have

Experience in upholstered furniture manufacturing or mass production environments

Knowledge of fabric testing standards (abrasion, pilling, tensile strength, etc.)

Familiarity with cut-and-sew optimization and material yield improvement

Exposure to supplier/material sourcing and qualification processes

Experience with cost engineering and product lifecycle improvements