Job description:
Apparel Graphic Artist — Souvenir T-Shirts & Sweatshirts
Location: In House Artist (Vernon, CA. 90058)— PLUS: Travel to two trade shows per year
Job Type: Part time/Full Time
Pay: Negotiable
About Us
We manufacture Made-in-USA t-shirts and sweatshirts for the souvenir and resort gift market — gift shops, resorts, attractions, zoos, aquariums, and tourist destinations. We design the artwork, present it to the buyer, and print it here in Los Angeles.
What You'll Do
In House Artist working on Design library (most of the year)
- Build and expand our library of souvenir apparel designs — destination, wildlife, mountain and outdoor, retro national-park, nautical and lake/lodge, novelty and humor
- Structure every design as a swappable template so a destination name, shop name, or color scheme can be changed in minutes without rebuilding
- Refresh the library seasonally and bring trend ideas, not just execute briefs
- Produce customer proofs and revisions with same-day turnaround
- Prepare press-ready separations for our screen print floor
Live design at trade shows (2 per year)
- This another very important part of the job. At our booth, you'll design and revise artwork in real time while the buyer watches, and get approval on the spot
- Typical turnaround is 10–20 minutes per design, back to back, for several days
- Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show — early October, Las Vegas Convention Center
- Smoky Mountain Gift Show — early November, Gatlinburg, TN
- Roughly 5–6 days on the ground each show, including setup and a weekend
What We're Looking For
- 3+ years designing apparel graphics, ideally souvenir, resort, retail, or licensed
- Fast. Not "works well under pressure" fast — genuinely quick in Illustrator, with keyboard shortcuts and reusable systems as second nature
- Comfortable designing with someone watching and giving live feedback. If that sounds stressful, this isn't the role
- Strong original illustration, vector-first, across multiple styles
- Screen print production knowledge: separations, underbase, halftones, ink limits, garment color
- Advanced Adobe Illustrator; Photoshop as needed
- Understands what sells in a gift shop
- Able to travel to both shows including weekends — firm requirement
- Reliable home workspace with a calibrated monitor
Nice to Have
- Prior live or on-site design experience at shows or in a retail environment
- Knowledge of trademark limits in souvenir design (park marks, attraction names, licensed properties)
- Familiarity with Made-in-USA blank programs
- Bilingual English/Spanish
Travel & Compensation
In House Artist compensation TBD
All travel, lodging, and meals covered. Show days paid as regular hours.
Work Location: In House Artist in Vernon, CA 90058
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Ability to Commute:
- Vernon, CA 90058 (Preferred)
Ability to Relocate:
- Vernon, CA 90058: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
