Senior CMF Designer (Color, Material, and Finish)

You know the moment. It’s the first notes of that song you love, the intro to your favorite movie, or simply the sound of someone you love saying “hello.” It’s in these moments that sound matters most. 

At Bose, we believe sound is the most powerful force on earth. We’ve dedicated ourselves to improving it for more than 60 years. And we’re passionate down to our bones about making whatever you’re listening to a little more magical.
 

At Bose, we are constantly learning and constantly curious. We never stop imagining what better sound sounds like. The Product team leads the transformation of ideas through research, design, development, marketing, and sales, unleashing the transformative power of sound and delivering the best products on the market.

Job Description

Our CMF group is part of the global product design team. Driven by innovation, we are dedicated to bringing the best products to life for our consumers. We’re looking for a passionate Senior CMF Designer to join us.

As a Senior Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) Designer at Bose, you will play a key role in shaping the future of our products. You will be responsible for developing and executing innovative CMF strategies that align with our brand vision, market trends, and deliver impactful customer experiences. Collaborating closely with designers, engineers, manufacturers, product, and marketing teams, you will bring captivating colors, cutting-edge materials, and refined finishes to life—ensuring that every detail enhances both aesthetics and functionality.

In this role, you will lead research into emerging materials, create sustainable solutions, and explore new manufacturing techniques. You will drive the development of compelling color palettes, material libraries, and surface treatments while maintaining a deep understanding of consumer preferences and industry trends. Your expertise will help define the visual and tactile identity of our products, making them stand out in a competitive market.

If you are passionate about storytelling through colors, have a keen eye for trends, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you!

Responsibilities

Strategic CMF Development

• Lead the research, conceptualization, and execution of CMF strategies aligned with brand identity and market trends.
• Define CMF direction for multiple product categories, ensuring consistency and innovation.  

Material & Trend Research

• Conduct in-depth research on emerging trends, materials, finishes, and color forecasting.
• Work with Design and Engineering teams to continuously source, test, and bring new materials to market.
• Analyze consumer preferences, competitive products, and regional trends to inform CMF decisions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with cross-functional teams internally and externally to bring our products to life through CMF.

Supplier Engagement

• Oversee the creation of CMF samples, ensuring that color accuracy, texture, and material quality meet design intent.
• Evaluate and approve material samples, ensuring quality, performance, and sustainability standards.  
• Traveling overseas to meet with vendors

Documentation & Specification

• Create detailed CMF documentation, including color standards, material callouts, and finish guidelines.

Mentorship & Leadership

• Mentor junior CMF designers, providing guidance on best practices and industry standards.  
• Contribute to design culture by sharing insights and fostering creative exploration.  

Presentation & Storytelling

• Develop compelling visual narratives and presentations to communicate CMF concepts to stakeholders.
• Present CMF directions to internal partners with clarity and confidence.  

About You

• BS/BA/BFA degree in CMF Design, Industrial Design
• 5+ years of working experience as a CMF Designer
• Experience with trend and consumer research
• Expert in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Keyshot, and Microsoft Office
• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to clearly convey concepts
• Willingness to travel for trend research, trade shows, and to manufacturing sites.
• Experience in delivering successful designs under timing and business constraints
• Must have technical knowledge of various materials, mass production, and manufacturing techniques
• Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills 
• Ability to translate abstract concepts into tangible solutions with strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to teach / mentor others
• Strong team player who can drive effective collaboration with internal and external teams
• Always remains curious and willing to learn

Please include a link to an online portfolio or a pdf with work samples along with your application. We hope to see work that’ll show us how you think, what you’re passionate about, and why we can’t wait to meet you.

Location

This is a hybrid position. Tuesday – Thursday onsite at our Framingham, MA facility and Monday/Friday WFH. Please indicate you are open to relocation if you are not within commuting distance.

Bose is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. The EEOC’s “Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal” Poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf. Bose is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected]. Please include "Application Accommodation Request" in the subject of the email.

Our goal is to create an atmosphere where every candidate feels supported and empowered in the interviewing process. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our success, and we believe that providing reasonable accommodation is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental aspect of our commitment to being an employer of choice. We recognize that individuals may have different needs and requirements based on their abilities, and we provide reasonable accommodations to ensure ideal conditions are met during the application process.