Chief Designer Exterior Concept

We are looking for a Chief Designer Exterior Concept & Vehicle Architecture for a global company in Gothenburg. Start is January 1st, 6 months contract to begin with, possibility of extension after that. This role is 100% onsite in Gothenburg.

Role Purpose

Our client is looking for a highly experienced consultant to serve as Chief Designer Exterior Concept & Vehicle Architecture. The role strengthens our early-phase and production design capability, supports the development of future vehicles, and ensures seamless alignment between creative intent, engineering feasibility, and global program requirements.

The position operates in a cross-cultural environment requiring close collaboration with teams in Sweden and China. The role carries significant creative responsibility and is central to the success of multiple strategic exterior design programs.

Role description

• Exterior Concept Development Support

- Lead exterior ideation and early-phase and production design providing proposals for

advanced and production programs.

- Develop strong proportions, form language, and conceptual directions aligned with the design identity.

- Prepare and deliver professional, structured presentations for senior management in both Sweden and China.

- Ensure clarity of communication, alignment of decisions, and efficient progress across time zones and cultures.

• Vehicle Architecture Integration

- Work closely with Studio Engineering, Vehicle Architecture, Platform, and CAS teams to align design intent with technical constraints.

- Help to define key volumes, supporting package development, ergonomic considerations, and section strategies at concept stage.

- Assess feasibility regarding BIW, powertrain layouts, battery placement, ADAS packaging, aerodynamics, cooling, lighting systems...

• Team Leadership (On-Site)

- On-site role at the Gothenburg Design Studio, including daily leadership of the Sweden exterior design team members.

- Guide designers of various seniority levels toward refined proposals and consistent design quality.

- Ensure effective collaboration with CAS, Alias, Blender, and physical model teams to secure accurate 2D→3D translation.

- Requires frequent travel to China (Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo) to support design reviews, workshops, and executive presentations.

Qualifications and skills required for the role

• Professional Experience

- 20+ years of experience in automotive design, including exterior design, advanced concept development, and vehicle architecture work.

- Strong international background with OEMs and/or advanced design studios.

- Demonstrated ability to lead early-phase design and present at executive level.

• Technical Skills

- Deep understanding of vehicle packaging, BIW structures, mechanical layouts, aerodynamics, ergonomics, and EV platform requirements.

- Ability to guide Clay and CAS/A-Class surface development and collaborate effectively with modeling teams.

- Familiarity with HMI/UI/UX integration, lighting engineering, and cross-disciplinary

workflows.

• Leadership & Cultural Skills

- Excellent communication skills in English, both written and verbal, enabling effective collaboration with cross-functional teams and clear articulation of design concepts.

(Proficiency in Mandarin could be an asset).

- Proven ability to lead and mentor designers across multiple seniority levels.

- Strong communication skills, adaptable to both Swedish collaborative culture and Chinese business expectations.

- Structured, reliable, proactive, and solution-oriented working style.

- Strong team spirit and a collaborative approach to teamwork, ensuring productive and harmonious interactions with all team members.

Reporting Structure

This role reports directly to the Head of Exterior Design and works closely with:

- Exterior, Interior & CMF Chief Designers

- Local Studio Engineering and China-based engineering teams

- CAS, Alias, Blender, and physical model teams

- PMO, and executive stakeholders

- Design Board leadership

IT/SW requirements

- Photoshop

- Alias

- Blender

- V-Red

This role requires travel and fluency in English.

This is a full-time consultant position in Gothenburg through Incluso. Start is January 1st, 6 months limited contract to begin with, with possibility of extension after that. This role is 100% onsite in Gothenburg. 

Please submit your CV as soon as possible since we will review the applications on an on-going basis.

For more information about this role, please contact Marianne Nilsson, recruiter at Incluso.