KD+P is seeking a mid-career Graphic Designer who can translate client goals, interpretive content, brand direction, and visitor needs into compelling visual experiences for physical exhibit environments. This role works directly with clients and KD+P’s multidisciplinary design team to develop exhibit graphics, environmental graphics, interpretive panels, signage, labels, wayfinding, visual systems, presentation materials, and production-ready design packages.
The ideal candidate is a strong visual storyteller who is comfortable designing for families, children, caregivers, and diverse audiences in highly interactive spaces. They understand that exhibit graphics must be beautiful, durable, readable, accessible, educational, and buildable.
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate with clients, project managers, exhibit designers, content developers, fabricators, and vendors to develop graphic solutions that support the overall visitor experience.
- Transform client-provided content, educational objectives, and exhibit themes into clear, engaging, age-appropriate visual communication.
- Design interpretive graphics, exhibit labels, wall graphics, murals, dimensional signage, wayfinding systems, donor recognition elements, environmental graphics, and interactive graphic components.
- Create visual concepts, mood boards, style studies, presentation boards, and client-facing design materials that clearly communicate design intent.
- Develop graphic design packages through multiple project phases, from concept and schematic design through design detail, production documentation, and installation support.
- Prepare accurate production-ready artwork files, specifications, layouts, finish callouts, and vendor coordination materials.
- Design with awareness of scale, sightlines, readability, durability, safety, accessibility, fabrication methods, installation conditions, and maintenance needs.
- Participate in client meetings, internal design reviews, brainstorming sessions, content workshops, and project coordination meetings.
- Review proofs, samples, substrates, color matches, and fabrication details to ensure final graphics meet KD+P quality standards.
- Support multiple projects at different stages while maintaining schedules, budgets, documentation standards, and clear communication.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Environmental Graphic Design, Exhibit Design, Illustration, or a related field; equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating visual storytelling, typography, layout, brand systems, environmental graphics, and design for physical spaces.
- Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, especially Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.
- Ability to organize complex information and communicate it clearly for broad public audiences, including children and families.
- Strong understanding of typography, hierarchy, color, composition, image editing, iconography, and print production.
- Experience preparing files for large-format print, vinyl, dimensional graphics, signage, panels, and other fabricated graphic applications.
- Excellent communication skills and confidence presenting design ideas to internal teams and clients.
- Ability to receive feedback, ask thoughtful questions, refine design direction, and maintain a collaborative project mindset.
- Strong attention to detail, organization, file management, and deadline management.
- Interest in museums, informal learning, family experiences, storytelling, play, science, history, nature, culture, or themed environments.
Preferred Experience
- Experience designing for museums, children’s museums, science centers, history museums, visitor centers, theme parks, branded environments, retail environments, and/or public attractions.
- Familiarity with environmental graphic design, exhibit design, interpretive planning, wayfinding, and/or experiential design.
- Experience coordinating with fabricators, printers, sign vendors, architects, interior designers, or installation teams.
- Working knowledge of ADA accessibility considerations, including legibility, contrast, mounting heights, approach, reach ranges, and inclusive visitor communication.
- Experience with SketchUp, CAD, Revit, Rhino, or other tools used to visualize graphics in three-dimensional environments.
- Illustration, icon design, motion graphics, UI/UX, interactive media, or hands-on prototyping experience.
- Ability to write, edit, or adapt exhibit copy in collaboration with content specialists and clients.
What Success Looks Like
- You create graphics that help visitors understand, explore, and remember the client’s story.
- You balance creativity with practical production requirements, budgets, schedules, and durability needs.
- You contribute ideas early, refine them thoughtfully, and help the team move from concept to installed experience.
- You communicate clearly with clients and teammates, helping build confidence in the design direction.
- You care about the details because you know they directly affect the visitor experience.
Work Environment
This role is collaborative, project-based, and highly visual. The Graphic Designer will work with a small, multidisciplinary team where client contact, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional coordination are part of the everyday workflow. Some travel may be required for client meetings, site visits, installations, or project research.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume and portfolio that demonstrates relevant graphic design work, especially projects involving environmental graphics, exhibits, signage, interpretive content, brand systems, or design for physical spaces.
Equal Opportunity Employer
KD+P is committed to building a creative and inclusive workplace. We consider applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
