Job Description

Please read the entire job description to learn more about this role and how to apply.

At JDI we love two things: science and the art of communication.

Were a boutique marketing and design firm; our mission is to make precedent-setting science and technology companies well-known and understood. We aim to become the best marketing agency for science companies and leave the world a better place.

We spend 2-3 days per week in our East Austin office and take every other Friday off. JDI is a family business, and we're a highly collaborative team that strives for excellence.

DESIGN AT JDI

We're looking for an experienced visual designer who can bring complex concepts to life. Our ideal candidate has expertise in branding and illustration, with strategic vision to align design with our clients' goals.

If you're a fit, you have natural curiosity and are driven to push the boundaries of your design craft. You lead with both design excellence and strategic thinking. You excel at being creative in a collaborative environment and finding unique solutions to design challenges.

Many of our clients are building their brand identity from the ground up. You'll lead and co-create the earliest visual design systems: the marketing/company website, the first logo and identity package, and creation of the visual language and brand itself.

Youll also create marketing decks, one-pagers and other marketing collateral, digital ad creative, influencer boxes and outreach materials, investor materials, and more.

We have a small design team with two designers (including you) and an executive-level creative director. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with the other designer, collaborating on creative direction while rolling up your sleeves to deliver high-quality work.

In your day-to-day, you will switch between various design accounts in a fast-paced environment with quick-turn deadlines and competing priorities. People who thrive at JDI are flexible, agile, and comfortable with ambiguity. You'll cultivate trusted client relationships, offering creative counsel and helping navigate design decisions.

Learn more about how we think about design and see a sample of some of our work in our portfolio ( ) and on our website ( )

BRASS TACKS

Salary & Benefits

• $60,000 - $85,000 base salary (based on experience)
• Paid vacation and sick time, including maternity & paternity leave
• JDI pays 100% of individual health care premiums, and partial premiums for spouses and children
• 401K plan with matching contribution
• Access to individualized professional development, as well as a team-wide professional development program

Work Set-Up

• Team works every other Friday, with alternating Fridays off (26 Fridays per year)
• Salaries reflect every other Friday off were not cramming five days of work into four
• On 5-day work weeks, expect to work about 4045 hours
• On 4-day work weeks, expect to work 3236 hours

We believe this approach makes demanding agency work more sustainable long-term for our team.

Schedule & Location

• In-office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and remote optional Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That said, our office is open all week, and many of us choose to come in more frequently.
• Flexibility to schedule around family and other obligations.
• All candidates should live in or around Austin (and be willing to commute) or be willing to relocate within two months of starting the position.
• In-office collaboration days are an important part of how our small team works together, and were proud of our beautiful East Austin office ( )

WHO YOU ARE

Youre a skilled designer who leads with craft. You have deep expertise in visual design, especially illustration and brand identity work. Youve actively worked to hone other skills too presenting and selling your designs persuasively, creative direction, working directly with clients, and managing your time and your projects well.

You do your best work in collaborative environments and love being in-person with other humans. Youre excited to work closely with another designer brainstorming, iterating in real time, and building on each others ideas.

Youre comfortable with a blank page, enjoy brainstorming, and appreciate a good debate on the merits of a particular design choice. You can argue your point without losing respect for the people around you, and you can give and use feedback constructively.

You excel at building trusted client relationships, understanding business needs and providing strategic guidance. You know how to listen, ask the right questions, and offer sound counsel. You can push back on client ideas when needed.

You're drawn to this work for the challenge, variety, and opportunity to continuously sharpen your skills. Youre resourceful and solution-oriented. You communicate effectively to ensure aligned vision, and adapt quickly when new insights change direction. Your attention is on quality, and you speak up if something feels below standard.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Must Haves

Experience

• At least 5 years of professional experience as a graphic designer
• Experience in client-facing role(s)
• Experience managing design projects in budget, timeline, and scope
• Experience working with clients to create brands and/or visual identity

Technical Skills

• Proficient in digital illustration
• Proficient to advanced with the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
• Proficient with Figma
• Proficient with visual design principles (color theory, composition, and typography)

Other Qualities

• Ability to multitask
• Ability to sketch and express design ideas quickly
• Ability or desire to ideate and create literal or abstract visual representations of complex scientific and technical concepts
• Ability to articulate design decisions compellingly to clients and other stakeholders
• Self-driven, self-organized, self-motivated
• Take ownership of the delivery of design projects; see a concept through
• Capable of managing own work (budget, timeline, and scope) and communicating proactively when issues arise
• Resourceful problem-solver who can adapt when constraints or priorities shift

Appreciated

• Experience designing websites
• Experience creating motion graphics and/or animation
• Experience with non-Adobe platform tools such as Procreate
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams marketing, business development, executives
• Science background or experience designing for or working with science companies
• Formal study of graphic design (associates, bachelors)
• Project management skills, i.e. managing multiple design projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities
• Interest in continuing to grow leadership skills in areas like meeting facilitation, negotiation, and consensus-building

MORE ABOUT JDI

Our typical client has made a breakthrough and is looking to turn their innovation into a product or service they can sell. They usually lack an internal marketing team, and thats where we come in. Some current clients include: Earth AI, Reflective, PrairieFood, Fathom, GEODE, Horne Technologies, and Juniper Genomics.

Working in science means it's often difficult to distill what clients do into simple, clear language. One of the joys is when a complex scientific breakthrough is made clear, relevant, and compelling. Our designers work to understand what clients are doing and why it matters, then translate those concepts visually both literally and abstractlyinto diagrams, infographics, animations, or motion graphics. Strong visuals give our clients a huge advantage when communicating with potential customers. Every project presents unique challenges and opportunities to learn about new aspects of science and expand our design capabilities.

One of the essential parts of the role is the close relationship you will have with marketers: Our designers put message and content first and foremost, and as such, work hand-in-hand with marketers.

Were a small company where people look after one another, and where we all can grow, personally and professionally. We believe in telling the truth and giving good advice. You can read our company values and mission here:

At JDI, we believe in building a diverse team; our differences inspire creative thinking and improve our ideas. We believe the life experiences of our team from farmwork to driving buses to writing music reviews to running marathons enrich our work and our points of view. Our ongoing commitment is to examine our unconscious biases, create a safe environment where everyone can perform at their best, and ensure that identity is never a barrier to advancement. We appreciate candidates who are returning to the workforce after raising children or caretaking. We know that differently-abled candidates are assets to our team. We support Fair Chanc]]> <

Job Tags

Agency work, Part time, Live in, Work at office, Remote work, Relocation, Monday to Friday, Flexible hours, Shift work, 2 days per week, 3 days per week,

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