"Visual Design Associate, Creative Production"

Job Summary

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks a Visual Design Associate, Creative Production to join the RISD Museum.

The Visual Design Associate supports the design and production of graphic and digital materials that enhance the museum visitor experience and communicate the institution's mission. Working under the direction of the Director of Creative Production and in collaboration with the Senior Experiential Designer and other creative production staff, this role contributes to the development and implementation of exhibition graphics, marketing materials, and digital assets, with a focus on accuracy, accessibility, and consistency across platforms.

The successful candidate will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.

Essential Functions:

• Design and produce marketing materials, including advertisements, rack cards, web banners, merchandising, social media and email graphics, and press kit materials, under the direction of senior design staff. Support the creation of promotional materials for education programs and development initiatives, ensuring consistency with the museum and college brand standards and messaging.
• Assist in the design and production of graphic materials for exhibitions, publications, permanent collection galleries, and special events. This includes object labels, text panels, vinyl titling, desk and gallery signage, flyers, posters, postcards, brochures, and digital graphics in support of experiential design systems led by senior design staff.
• Support the creation of digital assets such as web pages, social media and email templates, and motion graphics under the guidance of senior design staff. Assist in developing digital exhibition elements in collaboration with the Senior Experiential Designer and other Creative Production team members.
• Provide production support, including preparing mock-ups, proofing, and coordinating with external vendors as directed.
• Organize, archive, and manage design files, ensuring proper version control and departmental recordkeeping. Contribute to departmental workflows by logging projects, tasks, and deadlines in project management software.
• Support opportunities in the studio for student workers to engage with design practices. Assist students in developing technical skills, exploring artistic approaches, and gaining a deeper understanding of the field. Foster an environment that encourages learning, creativity, and collaboration.
• Stay informed about industry trends and advancements in visual communication and digital design. Engage in ongoing professional development to support innovation and best practices in museum-based design.
• Collaborate with colleagues across curatorial, education, registration, marketing, visitor services, and development departments to implement design solutions that align with museum standards. Use institutional systems such as the style guide, digital asset management system (DAM) and collection database to source and organize image and text content accurately and efficiently.

Additional Functions:

• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Help produce and maintain wayfinding and in-gallery signage, including updates to maps and amenity signs. Support ongoing signage updates and contribute to the refinement of interpretive systems led by the Senior Experiential Designer.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communication, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant design experience; museum, cultural, or nonprofit experience a plus.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop); familiarity with Premiere, After Effects, and web prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD) preferred.
• Strong typographic, layout, and image-editing skills across print and digital platforms.
• Basic understanding of responsive web design principles, accessibility standards, and user experience (UX) best practices.
• Experience preparing assets for the web, including optimizing, and exporting graphics.
• Familiarity with HTML/CSS and content management systems (e.g., WordPress, Drupal, or custom CMS platforms) a plus.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; receptive to feedback and direction.
• Interest in art, museums, and visual culture.

Union:

No

Work Schedule:

35 hours per week; 12 months per year

Employment Status:

Full-time; Exempt; Regular

Grade:

525EX

Work Modality

On-campus

Documents Needed to Apply:

• Resume (Required)
• Cover Letter (Required)
• Applicants should submit a portfolio containing six (6) projects that demonstrate how your work connects to the responsibilities of this role. We are especially interested in work that shows the use of a design or branding system across materials and demonstrates clear attention to audience experience. We recommend your portfolio include a live link to a digital project or site you have created and a print piece. Portfolios should be submitted as a PDF.

If you have any questions about the format of your submission, please reach out to humres@risd.edu.

Salary Grade Structure

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.