Meet the Lightship Design Team

The Team Behind the Lightship L1 Design

Bringing Lightship’s vision of electrifying outdoor travel to life is no easy feat and requires a high dose of integrity, autonomy, and creativity. Our Lightship team, which includes former Tesla, Rivian, Proterra, Lucid, and Zoox employees, is well-equipped to catalyze the green revolution sweeping outdoor travel.

When designing the Lightship L1 travel trailer, the team took an efficient, engineered exterior form and fleshed out the product design with a nod towards the future and elements that promote serenity, ease of use, and outdoor utility – helping to innovate and reimagine the pastime that the 1 in 10 American families who own an RV love and enjoy.

While no two days are the same at Lightship, our design team helps coordinate details like color, materials, ergonomics, and more – to name a few.

Beyond creativity, our team is passionate about the same guiding principle: bonding with nature (and with people) should feel light and free, and the more you fall in love with nature, the more you’ll preserve it for future generations.

With that said, meet the members of our design team who helped bring the Lightship L1 travel trailer to life with their creative minds:

Rob Williams - Head of Creative

Why did you join the team at Lightship?

First, I know the opportunity to create a brand and a product from scratch at the same time is very rare, and that when executed at a high level a lot of value can be created for consumers. Second, the vision for the company is bigger than just a series of products. There is a real opportunity to reinvent the world of outdoor travel while inviting more people to connect with the outdoors. This is not a small undertaking and I love challenges. Third, range loss for electric pickups is real. While electric pickups may be better in every way, a gas or diesel truck is made to tow. If you own an electric truck, you will need a Lightship. Lastly, I believe if we really do our job right, even people driving gas trucks will want a Lightship, and that’s a big market.

What are you most passionate about when it comes to Lightship’s mission?

It’s thinking about connecting more people to the outdoors. I love my time in nature, whether skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing, or hiking – there is nothing better than being surrounded by natural beauty and feeling the power of the outdoors. I’m raising my children to respect it as well and to know there’s more beyond the screen. If they have a love for nature then they can share that with others.

How do you bring your creativity to work?

In my role, I get to lead talented people and use my creativity in ways other than sketching out amazing ideas. I bring my creativity to steer a brand vision that is differentiated and stands apart from the competition. From a product standpoint, it’s inspiring to see creative ideas presented and then to help those ideas come to life and shepherd them through the development process while keeping the vision intact.

Eric Fields - Principal Product Designer

What are you most passionate about when it comes to Lightship’s mission? 

We have a refreshingly optimistic vision for reigniting domestic travel in the U.S. Beyond a cool product, we’re creating a healthy and memorable way for people to explore, socialize and enjoy the outdoors.

What makes you passionate about design overall, and specifically for Lightship?

I’m passionate about the vast array of – and continuously new – product categories within Industrial Design. Given how much of the daily human experience is within a built environment and filled with built things, this is an enormous opportunity and responsibility for designers. Imagine the amount of activities you might do in a day, and the number of things you might interact with. Now imagine a few more things you didn’t think about, and all that needs to be considered to create a Lightship. It’s kind of amazing.

What is your favorite part of being on the design team? 

All the parts! Design has the rare opportunity to see the whole enchilada being made, from start to finish. Each part of the design process is interesting to me and that’s my favorite part.

Jessica Pastor - Principal Designer | CMF (Color Material Finishes)

What makes you passionate about design overall, and specifically for Lightship?

Design for me is what makes life a bit less painful. When things are well-designed, they are easy to operate and beautiful. Especially in a confined space where our perception gets shaped by all these layers (color, light, form, and scale) it's important to take all these factors under consideration.

How do you bring your creativity to work?

I see creativity as a language. We may not speak the same language, so it is important to be aware of that and it is imperative to over-communicate through visuals, sketches, prototypes, mood boards, collage samples, etc. Creativity is obviously in everything we do; it is more like a framework than a final destination.

What motivates you?

I'm passionate about creating something that lasts, something that as it ages there is an added value, something that doesn't follow a trend. There is nothing more sustainable than something that is built to last. As designers, I feel that sustainability should be our top responsibility.

Matt Braun - Senior Industrial Designer

Why did you join the team at Lightship?

I joined Lightship because I wanted to be a part of a group where design can really make an impact in people’s lives at an experiential level. The team’s positive energy aligns with mine and I was excited to be a part of this talented crew.

What is your favorite part of being on the design team?

Having the opportunity to create the Lightship L1, establish the brand's design DNA, and influence the brand story is my favorite part about being on the design team.

What is your favorite part of working at Lightship?

My team! They show up every day ready to deliver at a high level and bring the energy to make Lightship a signature brand and iconic product.

The products, services, and ideas we create at Lightship are the result of an exceptional team of individuals working together toward a common vision of making outdoor travel and camping more accessible, sustainable, and enjoyable for all Americans. We trust and rely on each other, push each other to do our best work, and love the journey we are on together!

If this experience sounds like one you’d like to be a part of, please check out our open roles: jobs.lever.co/lightship.