Are you a natural problem solver who is always looking for ways to make the world a better place to live in through big ideas and exceptional product design? We have the job for you, in Älmhult, Sweden! 

Älmhult is home to IKEA of Sweden (we call it “IoS” for short). This is where the IKEA range of products is developed and made available to stores and customers all over the world. Our vision from the very beginning has been to offer a range of home furnishing products—both traditional and cutting edge—at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.  

We’re also committed to making a positive impact on people and on the planet. This is where you come in! We need a designer that can help us reach our far-reaching sustainability goals, like only using recycled or renewable based plastic in IKEA products by 2030. And that’s just one of our goals/challenges. We have many more.  

As an in-house IKEA designer, you will design products applying our “Democratic Design” principles, meaning that all products should be beautiful, functional and affordable, with built-in quality/longevity and always with a focus on social and environmental sustainability. At IKEA we always put our customers first and look for solutions to their everyday challenges. As a designer, you will be supported in your efforts to problem-solve, whether you’re looking for insights and research about life at home, needing a place to experiment and build prototypes or wanting to speak to our suppliers on the factory floor. 

An ideal candidate thinks of the design process in terms of teamwork and collaboration; making the best decisions based on input from many perspectives, including design, engineering, business, innovation and management. 

Your main tasks as a designer will mainly be, but not limited to: 

• Secure and strengthen the IKEA identity within the parameters of “Democratic Design, ” mentioned above 
• Design products to enable lower cost in all product development projects, in partnership with our Home Furnishing Businesses areas 
• Design for a low-cost product offering, using flat packed shipping and standardized materials, and optimal use of existing material and production setups 
• Act as a specialist resource and a team member on the Product Development teams throughout the production development process and managing within the deadlines 
• Create prototypes, sketches, renderings and communicate concepts and product ideas to teams and other stakeholders 
• Support and empower colleagues within the Design team and other IKEA departments in order to foster creativity in all aspects of IKEA product development  

We believe that you are passionate about making a better everyday life for the many people. You are driven by exploration and creative development within home furnishing and design in general. You are curious about new challenges, about the concept of “life at home” and care about people’s changing dreams and needs, as well as different cultures. You are collaborative by nature, and curious and passionate about innovation and trying out new things. You’re also interested in the details, and following through from the initial idea to end of production. You are generous with your creativity and ready to inspire others! 

We also believe that you have: 

• Up-to-date knowledge of creative methods and processes, and digital design tools 
• Extensive knowledge and experience for home furnishing products, with a proven track record in turning initial ideas into final products  
• Deep insights into customer needs, trends for life at home and deep knowledge in colours, styles and materials 
• A passion for environmental and social responsibility  
• Extensive level of production construction and production techniques; designing with cost consciousness 
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of form-and-function aesthetics design; knowledge in ergonomics and usability 
• Solid understanding of Scandinavian design and heritage 
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Product Design, Industrial Design or Furniture Design or similar gained knowledge and experience 
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written 

For this position we have identified a preferred internal candidate for this position. The position is placed in Älmhult, Sweden. We look forward to receiving your application written in English, at the latest 28th of November.