Furniture Design Career Resources
The Career Center has built this page to provide you with valuable advice and resources relevant to your major. Explore and take advantage of what you find here to maximize your career readiness!
Common Career Paths for Furniture Design Majors
If you are still trying to explore and evaluate your career path, you can check out this selected list of common job titles that alumni often pursue. Please keep in mind, this is not meant to be exhaustive. Rather, you can consider it a starting point to explore options in the field.
Furniture Designer - Focus on creating functional and aesthetically pleasing furniture pieces. This can involve working with various materials and manufacturing processes. May be done independently or as part of a team while work at a manufacturer.
Product Designer - Conceptualize and create a variety of products. This role often involves sketching, prototyping, and collaborating with engineers and manufacturers. Often done as part of a team at a company or design consultancy.
Material Designer - Lead the development and selection of materials used in products, ensuring they meet functional, aesthetic, and sustainability requirements. Often involves a deep understanding of materials' properties and how they can be applied in design and manufacturing.
Furniture Design Consultant - Advise companies or clients on furniture products, trends, and materials. One might work independently, or as part of a furniture manufacturer or architecture firm.
Design / Creative Director - Lead the creative vision and direction for entire products or studios by managing teams of designers, and overseeing the development of creative strategies. Requires extensive experience.
CAD Designer - Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to create detailed plans and prototypes for furniture or other products, often working with design teams to refine concepts.
Furniture Retail Professional - Managing or working in stores/galleries that sell furniture, helping customers select pieces and providing insights on design trends and styles. Exact responsibilities may vary depending on the specific title and focus.
Exhibit Designer - Design exhibits and installations for museums, galleries, and other public spaces. This role combines design skills with storytelling to create engaging and educational experiences.
Set / Prop Designer - Design and style sets and objects for film, television, theater, or events. Create visually appealing environments that support storytelling objectives. May be done while working as part of a prop design house or via contract work per project.
Public / Installation Artist - Create art intended for public spaces and communities through murals, sculptures, installations, performances, or other forms of art. Public artists might work on projects commissioned by municipalities, organizations, event organizers, or community groups.
Art Fabricator - Assist in creating large-scale sculptures or installations by providing technical expertise and physical construction. One might be employed either by an individual artist or by a fabrication company / foundry.
Art Administrator - Manage and support the operations of art organizations, such as galleries, museums, art centers, or cultural institutions. Exact responsibilities can vary widely depending on the size and focus of the organization.
Museum / Gallery Curator - Organize exhibitions, manage collections, and support artists while working for institutions that exhibit artwork. This path often requires a graduate degree in a specialized field such as art history or museum studies for career advancement.
Residency Coordinator - Manage the operational functions of artist residency programs. The exact responsibilities may vary depending on the residency, but may include focuses on programming, communication, studio maintenance, fundraising, and more.
Fine Artist - Produce original artwork that express a unique vision, concept, or idea. Work may be exhibited and sold via galleries, museums, art fairs, and private collections.
Design Educator - Teach design concepts and skills at various levels, often through work in educational settings such as schools, colleges, universities, community art centers, and museums.
Places Where Students Have Recently Interned - A Selected List
This is a curated list of places where students have done internships in the last few years.
David Stark Design & Production
Internships, Jobs, & Opportunities
Find jobs, internships, and other opportunities related to your major.
International Furnishings and Design Association
International Association of Lighting Designers
Organizations, Directories, & Communities
This is a curated selection of communities and organizations that are relevant to the field.
Sculptural Objects Functional Art and Design
Organization of Black Designers
Grants, Fellowships, and Residencies
Explore this selection of internal grant and fellowship opportunities available to RISD students.
RISD Managed Grants and Awards
Student & Alumni Stories
Read these stories of students and alumni expressing their creativity in the professional world.
Two RISD Alums Make 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30
RISD Makes a Splash at Milan Design Week 2024
RISD Students Find Real-World Inspiration Via Summer Internships
RISD Furniture Designers Dazzle at NYCxDESIGN
CreativeStudy
This free online video learning platform is presented by creatives who have dedicated their lives to sharing knowledge on financial and business topics. Use your RISD Single Sign On credentials to access it!