Head of Design

RIVR is a Swiss robotics company pioneering Physical AI and robotic solutions to revolutionize last-mile delivery. Through the combination of artificial neural networks and innovative robot designs with wheels and legs, RIVR aims to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and scalability in last-mile delivery. Founded as Swiss-Mile, the company rebranded to RIVR in 2025 to better reflect its mission of driving the future of intelligent robotics.

• Lead the design of our products end-to-end: concept, industrial design, user experience, and integration with hardware/software
• Translate RIVR’s mission and values into tangible product identity, ensuring that “who we are” is reflected in “what we build.”
• Work closely with business, operations, hardware, product, and software teams to ensure design feasibility and alignment, along with accounting for manufacturing challenges and timelines.
• Prototype, test, and iterate design ideas quickly, balancing user needs, technical constraints, and market opportunities
• Build and champion a design culture within RIVR, ensuring design is a core driver of product success

• Proven experience in industrial design and UX for hardware products, including the interaction between software and hardware (ideally in robotics, consumer electronics, or IoT)
• A track record as an early designer in a startup/scale-up environment, comfortable with both high-level vision and hands-on execution
• Strong prototyping skills including sketching, CAD, physical prototyping, and UX testing
• The ability to translate vision into actionable design solutions
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively across engineering, product, business, operations, and leadership teams
• A portfolio that demonstrates both conceptual thinking and real-world shipped products
• Leadership experience, either with a self-managed team or by managing contractors and outsourcing companies

• Experience leading design in robotics or complex hardware/software products
• Familiarity with regulatory and certification requirements for hardware products
• Experience building and scaling a small design team
• Exposure to international markets (Europe & US) or multi-cultural teams
• Knowledge of sustainable design practices or design for manufacturing at scale

RIVR is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that values every perspective. If you’re passionate about driving innovation in robotics and creating meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply and bring your unique self to our team. We believe the best work is done when collaborating and therefore require in-person presence in our office locations.