Concept Build Designer – Signage
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Full-time, In-person
Pay: $28.00-$32.00 (DOE)
Company Overview
Western Neon is a Seattle-based sign company specializing in custom signage, neon, LED, architectural signage, and unique design-build projects. We work closely with our clients to transform ideas into thoughtful, visually compelling signs and environments that can be fabricated and installed.
We are seeking an experienced Concept Build Designer with a strong background in the signage industry to join our team. This position is ideal for a creative designer who understands both the visual and technical sides of signage and enjoys developing ideas from early concept through a buildable design.
Position Summary
The Concept Build Designer is responsible for developing creative, functional, and visually compelling signage concepts for a wide variety of projects.
This role requires more than graphic design experience. The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of how signs are constructed, illuminated, mounted, and installed and can incorporate that knowledge into the design process.
Projects may include both electrical and non-electrical signage, including neon, LED illumination, channel letters, sign cabinets, dimensional letters, blade signs, architectural signage, wayfinding, and custom one-of-a-kind signage.
The designer will work closely with our client services, project management, production, and fabrication teams to develop concepts that meet the client's vision while remaining practical and achievable from a fabrication and installation standpoint.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop creative signage concepts based on client goals, branding, architectural context, site conditions, and project requirements.
- Create professional concept drawings, elevations, layouts, presentations, and realistic visualizations that clearly communicate design intent.
- Design both electrical and non-electrical signage, with particular emphasis on neon and LED illuminated signage.
- Develop concepts for channel letters, dimensional letters, sign cabinets, blade signs, wall signs, window signs, wayfinding, architectural signage, and custom design-build projects.
- Apply a practical understanding of sign construction, materials, illumination, mounting methods, and fabrication techniques during the concept design process.
- Select appropriate materials, colors, finishes, lighting methods, and construction approaches based on the intended design.
- Create accurate vector artwork and scaled sign layouts using Adobe Illustrator.
- Incorporate client branding while maintaining strong typography, proportion, hierarchy, color, and overall visual composition.
- Place proposed signage into site photographs and architectural elevations to help clients visualize the completed installation.
- Collaborate with client services and project managers to interpret client feedback and revise concepts accordingly.
- Work directly with fabricators and production staff to determine how creative concepts can best be built.
- Identify potential fabrication or installation challenges during the design phase and adjust concepts when appropriate.
- Maintain organized design files and follow company file-management and naming standards.
- Manage multiple active projects while meeting deadlines and maintaining a high level of accuracy and design quality.
- Stay current with signage materials, fabrication methods, illumination technologies, design trends, and creative applications of neon and LED.
Required Qualifications
- 4+ years of professional sign design experience.
- 4+ years of professional Adobe Illustrator experience.
- Demonstrated experience designing signage within the sign industry.
- Strong understanding of both electrical and non-electrical signage.
- Experience designing neon and/or LED illuminated signs.
- Understanding common sign construction methods, materials, and fabrication processes.
- Strong Adobe Illustrator skills, including vector artwork, typography, layers, scaled layouts, and organized production-oriented files.
- Strong understanding of typography, color theory, composition, proportion, and graphic design principles.
- Ability to design creatively while considering how a sign will be fabricated, mounted, illuminated, and installed.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with designers, project managers, client services, fabricators, installers, and clients.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with traditional neon signage, including an understanding of neon tubing, transformers/power supplies, electrical requirements, and typical fabrication constraints.
- Experience designing LED illuminated signage, including face-lit, halo-lit, push-through, cabinet, and channel-letter applications.
- Experience creating realistic sign renderings and photo simulations using Adobe Photoshop or similar software.
- Experience reading architectural drawings, elevations, site plans, and field surveys.
- Familiarity with sign mounting methods, structural considerations, and installation requirements.
- Familiarity with common sign materials, including aluminum, steel, acrylic, polycarbonate, vinyl, and various architectural finishes.
- Knowledge of routing, CNC fabrication, vinyl cutting, digital printing, and other sign-production methods.
- Familiarity with sign permitting, UL requirements, and applicable sign codes.
- Experience working in a custom fabrication, design-build, architectural, or experiential graphics environment.
- Experience developing unique, one-of-a-kind signage or environmental design concepts is highly valued.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for someone who can think like both a designer and a builder.
You should be comfortable taking an initial idea, sketch, brand package, or architectural photograph and developing it into a compelling signage concept while thinking through questions such as:
How will this be fabricated? How will it mount? How will it illuminate? What materials make sense? What will it look like during the day and at night?
The right candidate will have a strong visual design sensibility, but also an appreciation for the craftsmanship and technical problem-solving involved in building custom signs.
Experience specifically within the sign industry is important for this position but not required.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation based on experience.
- Health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- Paid sick leave.
- Paid time off and holidays.
- 401(k) with company match.
- Opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Collaborative, hands-on environment working directly with designers, fabricators, and craftspeople.
- Opportunity to work on a wide range of custom signage, neon, LED, architectural, and design-build projects throughout Seattle and the surrounding region.
Experience
Sign Design: 4+ years (Required)
Adobe Illustrator: 4+ years (Required)
Neon / LED / Electrical Sign Design: Experience strongly preferred
Portfolio Requirement
Applicants should submit a portfolio demonstrating relevant professional signage work. Portfolios ideally include a combination of concept development, sign renderings or photo simulations, illuminated signage, dimensional signage, and completed fabricated projects.
Western Neon is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace for all employees.
Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
