Job Description
Furniture Designer — Etikoppaka
Contract · On-site · 3–4 months · Travel to craft cluster · Conception to completion
About Nolwa:
Nolwa works at the intersection of Indian craft traditions and contemporary design, producing limited-edition objects that carry the precision of a studio practice and the knowledge of a living craft community.
This engagement is focused on Etikoppaka craft: a centuries-old lacquerware tradition from Andhra Pradesh, worked in softwood and natural lac. We are inviting a designer to spend 3–4 months in sustained inquiry with this craft, exploring what it holds, what it can carry, and where it might go.
The scope spans - form, colour, scale, and material nuance. The work begins at conception and ends with a built object. Nothing in between is handed off.
What the engagement involves :
- Deep, hands-on immersion in the Etikoppaka craft - its materials, process, and possibilities
- Travel to the craft cluster to work directly with the artisan community
- Design development across form, colour, scale, and surface language
- Iteration from concept through prototype to finished object
- Guidance from internationally recognised award-winning designers throughout the project
Who are we looking for:
Someone with genuine curiosity about Indian craft, not as subject matter, but as a design language with its own logic and rigour. You should be comfortable working with your hands, sitting with uncertainty, and making decisions that are grounded rather than decorative.
- Background in design, with strong fundamentals in form and material thinking
- Ability to work independently and adapt within a making environment
- Graduates or postgraduates from NID or NIFT are preferred
- Prior exposure to craft context.
Terms:
- Paid, full-time engagement for the duration of the project
- On-site at Nolwa's studio in Hyderabad, with travel to the Etikoppaka cluster
- Contract basis, 3–4 months
- Experience of 2+ years is preferred.
To apply : send your CV, portfolio to .