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Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC)

Senior Experiential Graphic Designer

Chicago, ILOnsiteFull TimeSenior$80,000–$96,000 /yrPosted 11 days agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • environmental graphic design
  • portfolio
  • sustainable strategies
  • LEED
  • green building rating systems
  • Adobe Suite
  • Google Workspace
  • Revit
  • AutoCAD
  • Rhino

Nice to have

  • LEED accreditation
  • green building accreditation

Role summary

SOM is seeking a Senior Experiential Graphic Designer to lead projects, innovate design processes, and ensure high-quality deliverables. This role involves creating diagrams, 3D models, renderings, and physical models, while effectively communicating with internal teams, consultants, and clients. The designer will leverage an advanced understanding of materials, specifications, and construction techniques, integrating sustainable strategies into project assignments. Responsibilities include managing personal and team workloads, mentoring junior staff, and contributing to the firm's talent strategy and development of standards. A professional degree in Graphic Design, Architecture, Interiors, or a related field, with a minimum of 6 years of experience, is required. Proficiency in Adobe Suite and Google Workspace is essential, with familiarity in Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, parametric, and rendering software preferred.

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Together we can achieve great things.


Success at SOM Means


  • Ideas: We believe in a meritocracy of ideas. We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm.
  • Knowledge: We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning. We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge.
  • Product: We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work.
  • Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work. Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm.
  • Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration. A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential.
  • Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work.

Position Responsibilities


  • Actively leads Projects with periodic supervision by Project Leadership. Exhibits initiative, process innovation, problem solving, and decision quality with a high attention to precision and accuracy at a project level.
  • Produces, coordinates and/or oversees presentation and contract deliverables such as diagrams, 3D models, drawings, renderings, physical models and animations.
  • Effectively communicates internally with project teams and externally with consultants and clients through timely and appropriate written, oral, and visual means.
  • Creates and innovates with a strong conceptual design ability and integrates interdisciplinary criteria to effectively move forward the design of projects.
  • Actively collaborates at a project, consultant team, and client team level by critically and constructively evaluating ideas. Contributes to and actively participates within the studio and office.
  • Demonstrates an advanced understanding of materials, specifications, codes, details and construction techniques. Is able to enrich design concepts through technical strategies and effectively uses appropriate tools to design and document at all project phases.
  • Manages time and workload of own work efforts and those of others to meet project task deadlines and commitments, with occasional interaction and direction from team leaders while guiding and teaching less experienced staff.
  • Proactively checks and coordinates project documents (including but not limited to drawing set organization, details, dimensions, interdisciplinary coordination items, specifications coordination for compliance with the project’s technical requirements.

Leadership Responsibilities


  • Inspires and leads others by example, participates in staff mentoring and training, clearly defines team member expectations and responsibilities, empowers others, and delegates where appropriate based on team members’ recognized abilities and potential.
  • Directly supervises staff and is committed to direct reports’ professional development.
  • Develops and engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review and interviews.
  • In collaboration with team members, develops a clear and consistent work plan to achieve the project budget, deliverables, and schedule.
  • Actively engages in internal and external professional development opportunities.
  • Contributes to the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.
  • Contributes to the development of standards, policies, and procedures.
  • Protects SOM from financial and legal risk.

Minimum Qualifications


  • Completion of a professional degree in Graphic Design, Architecture, Interiors or a related field.
  • Minimum 6 years of environmental graphic design experience with supporting portfolio
  • Strong understanding of sustainable strategies and principles including familiarity with LEED or other green building rating systems.
  • Strong interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills.
  • Demonstrates proficiency in Adobe Suite, and Google Workspace. Familiarity with Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino, parametric and rendering software.
  • LEED or other green building accreditation preferred.

Compensation for this role is based upon experience, qualifications, location, and education and typically ranges from $80,000 to $96,000

Portfolios must be submitted for all design and project management positions (Architecture, Interiors, City Design, Graphics, etc). Applications without work samples will not be reviewed. Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB. Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.

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