What does a design team lead do?
Design team lead responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real design team lead resumes:
- Deliver high-level n-tier architecture design, managing project expectations and timetables throughout all phases of development process.
- Simulate 3-D and 2-D Matlab contours.
- Design high-quality HTML base sales and service email marketing campaigns in a fast pace/high volume atmosphere.
- Adapt key attributes of HTML screens for translation into multiple languages and support on various browsers.
- Assist in calculating, designing, drafting, and 3D modeling in SolidWorks of a roadside turbine.
- Coordinate with QA to ensure that the solution develop is of acceptable quality as per the company standards.
- Used SolidWorks to design various components used within the plane including wing mounts, motor mount, and fuselage.
- Support all teams (stdcell, io, sram, CPU, integration) from transistor to chip level.
- Provide oversight and supervision for a team of 30+ GIS technicians for a gas and electric system records update.
- Develop code and simulate results using Matlab.
- Install and programme instrumentation tester using LabView.
- Prepare general arrangement and procurement drawings using AutoCAD.
- Develop programs in AutoLisp for optimization of AutoCad.
- Key designer in developing rapid prototyping in the engineering process.
- Create common framework using singleton classes to contact database and execute store procedure.
Design team lead skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Design Team Leads are proficient in Sketch, CAD, and Product Design. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Interpersonal skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Design Team Leads that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sketch, 10%
Sketch, Atomic Led the design process to help salespeople record information in Salesforce more quickly.
- CAD, 10%
Maintained CAD assembly and designed suspension kinematics and packaging using WinGeo3 and SolidWorks.
- Product Design, 9%
Provided technical consulting and sketched product designs.
- Architecture, 8%
Worked with senior management and business units to understand business needs and translate it into infrastructure architecture.
- Design Concepts, 4%
Involved as the sole user interface designer, managed multiple priorities and evangelized functional design concepts to other team members.
- Subject Matter Experts, 4%
Managed education design projects, coordinating with subject matter experts (college/university faculty) in diverse subjects.
"sketch," "cad," and "product design" are among the most common skills that design team leads use at work. You can find even more design team lead responsibilities below, including:
Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a design team lead to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what design team leads do because "developers often work on many parts of an application or system at the same time and must therefore be able to concentrate and pay attention to detail." Additionally, a design team lead resume shows how design team leads use detail oriented: "validate and test architecture and design solutions to produce detailed engineering specifications with recommended design and technologies. "
Interpersonal skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling design team lead duties is interpersonal skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "software developers must be able to work well with others who contribute to designing, developing, and programming successful software." According to a design team lead resume, here's how design team leads can utilize interpersonal skills in their job responsibilities: "used a variety of interpersonal and technical skills to meet the medical equipment needs of many different patients each day. "
Analytical skills. design team leads are also known for analytical skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to design team lead responsibilities, because "developers must analyze users’ needs and then design software to meet those needs." A design team lead resume example shows how analytical skills is used in the workplace: "generated 3d cad models of the designs in solidworks and analyzed lrfd models using multiple finite element analysis software. "
Communication skills. design team lead responsibilities often require "communication skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "developers must be able to give clear instructions to others working on a project." This resume example shows what design team leads do with communication skills on a typical day: "established productive lines of communication between engineering and manufacturing allowing for faster problem diagnosis, creating substantial cost savings. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a design team lead to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what design team leads relies on this skill, since "because developers are in charge of software from beginning to end, they must be able to solve problems that arise throughout the design process." How this skill relates to design team lead duties can be seen in an example from a design team lead resume snippet: "provided solutions for pub-sub architecture implementation. "
Creativity. Another skill commonly found on design team lead job descriptions is "creativity." It can come up quite often in design team lead duties, since "developers are the creative minds behind new computer software." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day design team lead responsibilities: "analyzed and assessed circuit requirements and initiated design of inventory management systems. "
The three companies that hire the most design team leads are:
- Burns & McDonnell7 design team leads jobs
- MSA Professional Services6 design team leads jobs
- MassMutual5 design team leads jobs
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Compare different design team leads
Design team lead vs. Software engineering internship
A software engineer intern is responsible for assisting the technology department's operations, using their class knowledge on performing practical applications. Software engineer interns support software engineers on their processes, shadowing their daily tasks, and performing duties under mentors' supervision. They assess ideas, contribute to the development of new applications, and research current technology trends to help with product innovations. A software engineer intern must have excellent knowledge of the technology systems industry, programming languages, and learn efficiently through observations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, design team lead responsibilities require skills like "sketch," "cad," "product design," and "architecture." Meanwhile a typical software engineering internship has skills in areas such as "java," "python," "object oriented programming," and "software development." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
The education levels that software engineering interns earn slightly differ from design team leads. In particular, software engineering interns are 11.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a design team lead. Additionally, they're 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Design team lead vs. Software developer internship
A software developer intern is responsible for assisting the software engineers with the design implementation and shadowing their duties to understand the processes more efficiently. Software developer interns use their classroom knowledge on practical applications, suggesting recommendations on how to make the project successful. They also respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, attend meetings, and help with maintaining complex systems and networks. A software developer intern must have excellent communication skills, as well as having strong attention to detail and the ability to learn fast.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that design team lead responsibilities requires skills like "sketch," "cad," "product design," and "architecture." But a software developer internship might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "java," "python," "software development," and "object oriented programming."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Software developer interns tend to reach higher levels of education than design team leads. In fact, they're 10.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Design team lead vs. Applications developer
An application developer is responsible for creating program applications for devices based on clients' specifications and business needs. Application developers must have excellent knowledge of computer systems, as well as a strong command of programming languages to develop customized programs. Duties of an application developer also include running diagnostic tests to ensure the application's performance and stability, providing instruction manuals for reference, performing troubleshooting for any inconsistencies, upgrading design codes for optimization, and launching the application following the client's timetable.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, design team leads are more likely to have skills like "cad," "product design," "architecture," and "human centered design." But a applications developer is more likely to have skills like "java," "application development," "debugging," and "regression."
Most applications developers achieve a higher degree level compared to design team leads. For example, they're 7.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Design team lead vs. Sql server developer
A structured query language (SQL) server developer is a specialist who is tasked to develop and maintain systems to store, organize, and access databases. With their experience in data architect and management, SQL server developers can develop and scale SQL databases based on the needs of their organization. They conduct troubleshooting in databases which involve data validation and extensive testing to ensure that the end user's specifications are met. They are also involved in the maintenance of the organization's server.
Types of design team lead
Updated January 8, 2025
