Job Description

About Waterworks

When you see the world’s most inspiring homes and hotels, you invariably find Waterworks in the mix. For over 40 years, our designs have elevated the bath and kitchen experience, with exquisite fittings, fixtures, hardware and more. We strive to be participants in exceptional design moments not just through our products, but through how our company name shows up in the world at large.

What We Provide

What gives us an edge over our competitors is our people. We work in a highly collaborative, creative environment that values each team member’s contributions to our mission. We empower our associates with extensive training, career growth opportunities, competitive salaries, bonus potential and a comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision, and 401k retirement savings plan. We offer a generous PTO program (vacation, personal and sick time) with additional perks like some summer half days and a volunteer day. The company observes at least 8 federal holidays throughout the calendar year plus a floating holiday that associates can use at their discretion.

The Role

The Associate Designer plays a key role in supporting the Waterworks Product Design team in the creation of new, category-spanning luxury products. This role requires a designer with exceptional visual sensibility, strong foundational design skills, and the ability to translate conceptual thinking into refined, manufacturable outcomes.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, communicates clearly and confidently, and brings a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, materials, and the heritage of luxury interior design. A passion for creating world-class products is essential.

This is a hybrid requiring a minimum of 2 days per week (Tuesday and Wednesday) at Waterworks Corporate HQ, Danbury CT for team collaboration.

Primary Responsibilities

• Concept Development & Visual Exploration
• Lead and contribute to early-stage ideation by gathering high-quality visual references, analyzing design trends, and constructing compelling mood boards that articulate design direction and Waterworks aesthetic standards.
• Produce clear, expressive product sketches—both analog and digital—to explore new concepts and quickly convey visual intent.
• Conduct design studies and comparative analysis within the context of Waterworks’ existing product portfolio, ensuring new concepts feel both fresh and brand-coherent.
• 3D Modeling & Product Visualization
• Build, refine, and maintain detailed SolidWorks models for new and existing products; apply best practices for surfacing, assemblies, and file management.
• Expand product concepts across a collection, ensuring continuity of form, proportion, and manufacturing feasibility.
• Generate high-fidelity renderings using KeyShot, with mastery of environment setup, lighting, materials, and scene composition to communicate design intent at a premium visual standard.
• Collaborate with internal partners using photorealistic renderings to support review meetings, line development, and executive presentations.

Project & Communication Management

• Partner closely with project managers and cross-functional teams, ensuring information flows clearly and accurately throughout each product’s lifecycle.
• Maintain project documentation and updates in Smartsheet, ensuring all timelines, milestones, and dependencies are tracked with precision.
• Record and summarize detailed design meeting notes, capturing key decisions and action items in a clear, organized format.
• Communicate effectively across teams—including merchandising, engineering, and production—tailoring visual and verbal communication to the audience.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design or related design field
• 3+ years design experience, preferably with an in-house design team
• Expert proficiency in Solidworks, Keyshot
• Advanced competency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for concepting, presentation development, and visual communication
• Strong knowledge of luxury interior design principles, materials, finishes, and market expectations; ability to design with sensitivity to architectural context and luxury lifestyle environments.
• Experience with the design of a technical, complex product beneficial
• Luxury product or brand experience beneficial
• Excellent collaboration skills with an ability to receive constructive feedback and contribute to design discussion
• Experience working on an in-house design team is highly valued, especially within multi-category product ecosystems.
• Highly organized and ability to multi-task and adapt quickly to changing priorities
• Experience with Smartsheet beneficial
• Could require travel up to 10%
• Portfolio required

Compensation for this role is an annual base salary (range of $85,000 - $95,000 a year) plus bonus.

Waterworks is committed to promoting pay equity. Rate of pay is determined based on each individual's experience, qualifications, and the geographic location of the role. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate's experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.

Our Values

Be Authentic:Engage in real conversations. Communicate honestly with respect and professionalism.

Raise The Bar: Share ideas to uphold our standard of excellence. Never settle for less than the best.

Own It:Be responsible for your results. Empower yourself and others to step forward and lead.

Partner For Perfection:Collaborate with peers and teammates to deliver superior service to our clients.

Love What You Do & Do What You Love: Generate excitement and enthusiasm for our brand and company.

Waterworks is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal or state law or local ordinance.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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