Zach Donohue

Independent Design Consultant with 20 years' of experience developing commercially successful, user-focused products across sectors including medical, aerospace, consumer electronics, mixed reality and construction. I specialise in concept generation, CAD development, and design for manufacture—balancing creativity with engineering rigour.

As Co-founder of Conficio Product Design, I’ve led multi-disciplinary teams to deliver products from early-stage ideation through to prototyping, validation, and production handover. I’m available for flexible freelance partnerships—whether you need strategic design leadership, hands-on CAD development, or full project delivery from concept to manufacture. I adapt flexibly to in-house teams, remote collaboration, or independent project ownership depending on your needs.

Outside of work, you’ll find me flying FPV drones, driving fire engines, or losing a LEGO brawl with my kids.

Conficio Product Design Ltd.

Industrial Design Director & Co-Founder [2017 - Current]

• Co-founded and grew a design consultancy delivering user-centred, production-ready solutions across medical, aerospace, construction, consumer, and mission-critical projects.
• Drove business development and strategic planning, securing client partnerships and defining service offerings to establish a sustainable business.
• Led the industrial design function and creative direction – managed multidisciplinary project teams (mechanical, electronic, software), mentored junior designers/engineers, and upheld high design standards.
• Delivered technically complex projects from concept through to manufacturing handover, combining sketch ideation, 3D CAD (SolidWorks), iterative prototyping, and rigorous design for manufacture.
• Produced detailed design documentation including CAD assemblies, GD&T-annotated drawings, BOMs, and CMF specifications to support tooling and production.
• Collaborated closely with suppliers and engineering partners to verify feasibility, mitigate risks early, and ensure design intent was maintained through development.
• Balanced strategic leadership with hands-on execution – contributing to CAD modelling, building functional prototypes, conducting tests, and engaging directly with clients.
• Maintained long-term client relationships through consistent delivery, transparent communication, and innovative problem-solving.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Retained Firefighter [2019 - Current] 

• Lead crew operations during emergency callouts as a qualified Incident Commander, coordinating team actions and making critical decisions under extreme pressure to ensure public and crew safety.
• Mentor and train junior firefighters through drills and one-on-one coaching, building their technical skills, confidence, and operational readiness.
• Uphold rigorous safety protocols and situational awareness at all times, maintaining calm leadership in high-risk environments – a safety-first mindset directly transferable to managing high-stakes engineering projects.

Donohue Design

Freelance Design Consultant [2008-Current]

• Delivered freelance projects across product, graphic and web design—combining concept development with CAD and visual communication. Clients included start-ups and small businesses seeking brand-aligned product and marketing solutions.
• Managed every aspect of freelance projects—from client outreach and proposals to hands-on design and final delivery —building strong self-management, communication, and creative problem-solving skills.

Corintech Ltd.

Senior Industrial Design Engineer [2013 - 2017] 

• Delivered a range of complex products across medical, telecoms, plumbing, and environmental sectors – expanding technical expertise, leadership responsibilities, and client-facing confidence.
• Led multidisciplinary teams across UK, Hong Kong, and US offices (mechanical, electronics, firmware, and software engineers), coordinating efforts to meet product requirements and deadlines.
• Managed the full development lifecycle from requirements capture and concept generation through detailed design, prototyping, and final validation.
• Planned project schedules and budgets while mentoring a team of three junior engineers, ensuring high-quality output and professional growth.
• Liaised with Far East manufacturers and tooling suppliers to optimise designs for injection moulding and assembly, ensuring quality and manufacturability in volume production.
• Implemented structured design controls and change management (SolidWorks PDM), maintaining ISO 9001/AS9100 compliance through rigorous documentation and design reviews.
• Recognised for leadership potential and selected for a company-wide management development program.

Innovate Product Design

Product Designer [2012 - 2013]

• Developed early-stage client inventions into viable product concepts and prototypes – guiding projects from initial brief and research through concept sketching, SolidWorks CAD development, and hands-on prototyping.
• Created detailed design portfolios and reports using Adobe Creative Suite, clearly communicating concepts and specifications to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Managed in-house rapid prototyping resources and schedules, and coordinated with external suppliers to deliver high-quality prototype models on time.
• Took a client-facing lead in design reviews and presentations, gathering feedback and ensuring that design solutions aligned with client expectations and market requirements.

Dyson Ltd.

Product Design Engineer [2006-2007]

• Contributed to the development of the Dyson DC24 vacuum cleaner and its combination floor tool, owning the design of several mechanical assemblies from initial concept through prototyping and into production.
• Performed detailed engineering analyses (FEA and tolerance stack-ups) to ensure robust, precision-engineered components that met Dyson’s exacting performance and quality standards.
• Split time between 3D CAD design (Unigraphics NX) and hands-on fabrication/testing in Dyson’s model shop, iterating designs based on test results to rapidly resolve issues.
• Produced 2D technical drawings and comprehensive transfer-of-knowledge documentation for manufacturing partners in Malaysia, gaining first-hand experience in high-volume production, injection moulding constraints, and DFM/DFA best practices.

BSc (Hons) Product Design

Bournemouth University [2004-2008]

• Four-year programme focused on designing commercially viable products with a strong technological emphasis. Coursework included mechanics, electronics, materials, CAD, prototyping, and user-centred design. 
• Final Project: “Aqualife” – a low-cost water purification device for use in developing regions. Developed a fully functional prototype and filed a patent (GB0811460.5) for the concept.