Senior Product Design Engineer in Newport

Senior Product Design Engineer – 3fD

About Us

3fD is a full service UK-based product design & manufacturing agency, we create compelling products that are technically engineered and delivered with manufacturing agility. Our success is built on a huge variety of projects and an impressive portfolio of clients. We are passionate about what we do and are looking for equally motivated individuals. We're now seeking a Senior Product Designer with strong engineering capability and design maturity to help shape the next chapter of our growth.

Where You'll Be

Our studio is based in Whitchurch, Hampshire, in a contemporary conversion of an old chapel—an environment built to support deep focus, collaboration, and hands-on experimentation. The space includes state-of-the-art facilities, workshop access, social spaces, and even an on-site gym.

About You

You are an experienced product designer with a proven ability to lead complex projects from insight to production. You think like an engineer and create like a designer—balancing feasibility, performance, and user value.

You have:

• Significant consultancy experience, ideally designing for a range of markets including professional, commercial, health, and consumer sectors.
• Deep familiarity with manufacturing processes, materials, tolerances, and the practical realities of moving a product from prototype to production.
• Confidence in building rigs, functional prototypes, and test setups to validate assumptions.
• You devour difficult challenges with a habit of questioning the brief, dissecting constraints, and uncovering opportunities others miss.
• The ability to communicate with clients, suppliers, and internal teams with clarity, authority, and a sense of ownership.
• A collaborative spirit, a sense of humour, and the ability to contribute positively to a high-performing team.

What You'll Do

As a Senior Product Designer at 3fD you will:

• Design and develop technically complex products from early-stage exploration through to production-ready parts. You add the "how" to the "what-if".
• Work across the full design cycle, balancing creative ideation with practical engineering rigour.
• You're equally happy to validate concepts through CAD simulations or by rolling your sleeves up and getting into the workshop to mock up a design.
• Own the engineering detail—mechanisms, assemblies, materials, tolerances—and ensure designs are robust and production-ready.
• Produce clear communication materials: design intent, engineering documentation, test reports, client presentations, and technical rationale.
• Collaborate closely with clients, and contribute to the team's development.

Tools & Expertise

• SolidWorks: Highly proficient for complex assemblies, detailed parts, engineering drawings, and design-for-manufacture. FEA/CFD exposure is advantageous.
• Visual Communication: Able to clearly articulate ideas through sketches, CAD visuals and well-structured presentations. You have a strong eye for form, proportion, and detail, ensuring that engineered solutions remain aesthetically coherent
• Electronics basics: Experience integrating electronics, sensors, and microcontroller-based prototypes (Arduino/Raspberry Pi beneficial).
• Adobe Suite & MS Office: Competent for documentation, presentations, and design communication.
• Strong hands-on skills in workshop environments.

Experience & Education

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Product Design, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields.
• 4+ years of industry experience, a period of this working within a design consultancy environment would be even better!
• Demonstrated track record bringing physical products into production using a variety of manufacturing processes.

What We Offer

The role is full time – within our stunning studio. However, we offer flexi-time around our core hours and a half day on Friday.

• Competitive salary
• Competitive holiday package
• Flexible working hours
• Early finish Fridays (from 1pm)
• On-site gym + shower facilities
• Cycle-to-work scheme

Salary is dependent on experience—we start by asking what you're looking for and assessing how we can meet it.

Next Steps

Send your CV, availability, salary expectations, and a PDF portfolio to join-us@3formdesign.com.

If we like what we see, we'll invite you in for an informal chat over coffee. From there, you can expect a competitive package and a pathway to grow within a consultancy committed to excellence.

Applicants must have permanent right to work in the UK.

No agencies, please.