Founding Designer, Head of Creative
Deft Robotics
Design
San Francisco, CA, USA
USD 100k-200k / year + Equity
Posted on Mar 28, 2026
About Deft Robotics
Our mission is to build the world’s first labor agency that deploys dexterous robots as its primary workforce.
- We start by deploying wheeled humanoid robots in industrial manufacturing and assembly lines.
- You’ll be joining a team of extremely hardcore and self-motivated engineers, scientists, and operators who focus on winning 24/7.
- You will develop and own entire systems from design to deployment, playing a foundational role in deploying 5000+ robots by 2031.
What You'll Do
- Own the robot's industrial design — form, materials, surface treatment, and color — and shepherd your design intent through DFM, supplier reviews, and into production parts
- Build Deft's brand from scratch — visual identity, design system, pitch decks, website, trade show presence, and demo videos
- Design operator-facing UX for robot monitoring and control, optimized for noisy factory environments
- Collaborate daily with engineers on mechanical, electrical, and software teams — you're a creative partner, not a downstream executor
- Lay the design foundation — tools, workflows, and eventually a team — as Deft scales
Required Qualifications
- 5+ years spanning both industrial/product design and brand/visual design
- Shipped real electromechanical hardware into production — consumer electronics, industrial devices, or robotics; worked directly with an engineering team through DFM and manufacturing (university projects don't count)
- Fluent in manufacturing tradeoffs — tooling, parting lines, surface specs, BOM cost — you've had these conversations with CMs and lived with the outcomes
- Experience in robotics, industrial automation, power tools, medical devices, or adjacent electromechanical categories
- Visual communication chops — your decks and brand work are as strong as your renderings
- Proficient in Onshape/SolidWorks, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and KeyShot (or equivalents)
- Startup or early-stage hardware experience — you make fast, high-quality calls with limited information
Preferred Qualifications
- Human factors/ergonomics background
- Cobot or mobile robot experience
- Familiarity with Asian manufacturing supply chains
Hiring Process
- Phone screen + 2 virtual technical interviews + onsite
Expected Compensation
- $100,000 - $200,000 annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits
- The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.