Industrial Design, Lead

About

At WHOOP, we’re on a mission to unlock human performance and maximize healthspan. Our products empower members through deeper physiological understanding, enabling smarter decisions in training, recovery, sleep, and daily life.

The Creative Org defines how WHOOP is felt in the world. We are responsible for the physical manifestations of the brand, from hardware, bands, and accessories to collaborations, retail environments, pop‑ups, and in‑store moments. Working in close partnership across the company, we operate with high taste, deep craft, and exacting standards. This design team is built on trust, candor, and a shared obsession with quality. Our mandate is simple and uncompromising: to deliver best‑in‑class design across every physical touchpoint and to make WHOOP unmistakable through clarity, restraint, and excellence.

As an Industrial Design, Lead, you will help shape the future of the WHOOP wearables ecosystem—creating elevated, member‑centric products that integrate seamlessly into how people live, move, and perform. You will bring rigor, beauty, and innovation to objects worn 24/7 while setting a high bar for craft, performance, and design systems thinking.

Responsibilities

• Lead design across product categories: performance‑oriented wearables, charging systems, bands, accessories, packaging, and related ecosystem products.
• Drive concept through production: own projects from early research and sketching through prototyping, refinement, DFM, and final production confirmation.
• User‑centered, performance‑driven innovation: develop solutions grounded in user behavior, wearability, physiology, and ergonomic data; translate insights into designs that elevate comfort, durability, and 24/7 performance.
• Rapid prototyping & experimentation: use in‑house and external prototyping resources to validate ergonomics, fit, usability, and CMF hypotheses quickly and iteratively.
• Material, CMF, & process expertise: innovate with materials, hybrid soft/hard assemblies, and scalable manufacturing methods; define CMF strategy across product categories ensuring consistency, durability, sustainability, and premium brand expression.
• Cross‑functional collaboration: partner closely with Apparel & Accessories, Hardware, Engineering, Product Marketing, Retail Experience, and Development teams to deliver cohesive physical product experiences.
• Deep engineering & manufacturing integration: collaborate with mechanical engineering and manufacturing partners to drive DFM, assess risk, and maintain design integrity throughout development.
• AI‑integrated design workflow: leverage AI tools to accelerate concept generation, form exploration, CMF studies, and design iteration.
• Mentor & elevate: guide junior designers, raise the bar for craft and creativity, and contribute to a culture of high performance, clarity, and continuous improvement.
• Visual storytelling & communication: create compelling visuals, renderings, decks, and storytelling artifacts for alignment across stakeholders, including leadership and executive teams.
• Global production interface: collaborate with overseas manufacturing partners to ensure execution meets WHOOP’s quality, innovation, and aesthetic standards.
• Contribute to the WHOOP Design System: help develop the long‑term physical product design language and ecosystem strategy across generations of WHOOP hardware and accessories.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of industrial design experience, with a strong focus on consumer goods, softgoods, wearables, and electronics.
• Exceptional portfolio demonstrating sophisticated form development, high‑performance product design, and elevated execution in commercialized products.
• Mastery of 2D tools (Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma) and 3D tools (SolidWorks, Keyshot, 3D printing workflows).
• Proficiency with AI design tools for concepting and design acceleration.
• Proven ability to lead complex design programs with minimal oversight.
• Experience partnering with engineering teams on DFM and navigating offshore manufacturing processes.
• Deep knowledge of materials, CMF strategy, molding, lamination, bonding, and scalable production processes.
• Strong understanding of ergonomics, human factors, and products worn on the body.
• Highly organized, self‑directed, and comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, growth‑stage environment.

Location

• This role is based in the WHOOP office located in Boston, MA. The successful candidate must be prepared to relocate if necessary to work out of the Boston office.

Compensation & Benefits

• U.S. base salary range for this full‑time position: $100,000 – $150,000 (determined by role, level, and location).
• Competitive base salary, meaningful equity, and consistent pay practices aligned with WHOOP’s mission and core values.
• Additional benefits and a generous equity package are included.

Equal Opportunity Statement

WHOOP is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E‑verify to determine employment eligibility. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.