Curriculum vitae
James Layton
Industrial designer with a manufacturing trade behind the drawing: four years of lutherie, production experience at Maton Guitars, and studio work resolved to bills of materials and tolerances.
Experience
Design Intern — Commercial furniture manufacturer, Melbourne
2026 – present- Developing an original workstation system of my own design towards commercial production, working directly with company leadership.
- Presenting monthly on target market, bill of materials, manufacturing process, costing and end-of-life considerations.
Lutherie Apprentice — Gary Rizzolo Pty Ltd
2023 – present- Hand-building precision instruments alongside a master luthier, working to tolerances measured in tenths of a millimetre.
- Bridging traditional craft technique with CAD and CNC workflows on the same instrument.
Artisan / Luthier — Maton Guitars
2021 – 2023- Built acoustic guitars in a high-volume Australian manufacturing environment, operating CNC routers, sanders and assembly jigs.
- Held quality-control standards on premium product within an established production line.
Retail & Workshop Assistant — Carving and Turning Timber Sales
2021 – present- Advising customers on timber selection, tooling and technique; demonstrating equipment and safe operation.
Education
Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) — RMIT University
CurrentCertificate IV, Musical Instrument Making & Repair — Northern College of Art & Technology
2021Certificate II, Mechanical Engineering — Kangan TAFE
2019 – 2020Technical skills
CAD & design — SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Digital fabrication — CNC routing and machining, Shaper Origin, FDM and resin 3D printing, laser cutting
Workshop — Wood and metal lathes, bandsaw, table saw, drill press, jointer, thicknesser, sanders
Manufacturing — Prototyping, jig work, precision assembly, fine woodwork, finishing, quality control
Referees
Available on request.