Designer, Washingtonian

Job Description: Washingtonian is seeking a motivated, collaborative, and detail-oriented Designer to join its creative department. For 60 years, the award-winning city magazine for the Washington area has been a home for groundbreaking feature writing, essential service journalism, and arresting visual storytelling. We're looking for someone who can contribute fresh ideas and execute compelling visuals to help elevate the magazine's design across print and digital platforms. The Designer will report directly to the Director of Creative and collaborate daily on all areas of brand development.

Job Requirements:

Core Responsibilities:

• Assisting in brainstorming and designing the FOB and BOB, service packages, and some features under the mentorship of the Design Director

• Supporting the management of workflow for design projects, including collaboration with staff and freelance contributors

• Working closely with editors and the Director of Creative to develop visually-driven story ideas and layouts

• Helping select cost-effective solutions for design elements and illustrations while staying within departmental budgets

• Helping execute designs across all brand platforms, including print, web, and Custom Media publications

• Perform additional tasks and projects as assigned by the Director of Creative

Additional Contributions:

• Thriving in an unrestrained creative environment, bringing insightful ideas to the table while supporting team initiatives

• Collaborating with a talented team of designers, photo editors, and staff photographers to maintain high visual standards

• Utilizing skills in typography, illustration, and photography to enhance page layouts and story telling

• Enjoying the collaborative energy of a fast-paced magazine team

• In addition to strong design skills, our ideal Designer would show enthusiasm for growing their network of artists and photographers to support exciting visual content.

Qualifications

• Skilled print and digital designer with strong attention to detail and a passion for typography, design, illustration, and photography

• Proven ability to juggle multiple stories and sections simultaneously while maintaining meticulous organization, strong time-management skills, and consistently meeting tight deadlines

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate lively and effectively in a fast-paced environment

• 3-5 years of experience in magazine or editorial design, with a focus on complex page layouts

• Proficiency in InDesign required; experience with K4 or web-based graphic design a plus

• Experience creating quick-turnaround informational graphics, charts, maps, or small spot illustrations in-house is a strong plus

• Comfortable and enthusiastic about using generative AI tools when appropriate to speed ideation, create reference imagery, or produce in-house elements

• A true team player with a keen eye for visual storytelling and a love of editorial collaboration

• Strong network of industry connections with illustrators, designers, and photographers is a bonus

Type of Job: Design

City: NW

State/Country: DC

Duration: Full-Time

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision insurance, 401k match, Life/AD&D and short-term disability, plus voluntary long-term disability insurance, Three weeks of vacation, Five days of sick leave

Company: Washingtonian

About Our Company: Washingtonian is the monthly magazine of the nation's capital. It ranks highly in market penetration among all city and regional magazines, with a paid circulation of 100,000+. Washingtonian is one of the nation's most respected and successful magazines, winning five National Magazine Awards, as well as SPD and CRMA awards.

Contact Name: Anna Savvidis

Contact Email: designjobs@washingtonian.com

How to Apply: Please send your cover letter, résumé, and your portfolio showcasing editorial layouts (no larger than 10MB) and/or a link to your online portfolio to designjobs@washingtonian.com with 'Designer' in the subject line. Shortlisted candidates may complete a brief design test.

Visual Designer, Temporary, ProPublica

Job Description: ProPublica is seeking a creative and organized designer to bring our evolving visual brand to life. This role is responsible for creating and maintaining compelling visual materials that connect with audiences across all our platforms and channels.

You will be responsible for designing and supporting a wide range of compelling assets that advance our mission — from marketing campaigns and event materials to donor-facing reports. This role will work closely with teams across the organization — including audience, communications and development/fundraising — to ensure we have a cohesive, inspiring and effective experience across the brand. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver who excels at managing multiple projects from concept to completion and who will champion design excellence in a mission-driven environment.

This is a two-year, time-limited role and will report to the design director. This job is full time on a temporary, two-year basis, and it includes benefits. ProPublica is based in New York, but we’re open to remote candidates. We have offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Phoenix; and Berkeley, California. Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.

The expected salary range for this position is $85,000 to $95,000. This is a good-faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position. The final salary figure will take into account a person’s experience, accomplishment and location. ProPublica is committed to paying its staff equitably, and these ranges should not be considered career salary limits or caps.

We will begin reviewing applications as we receive them, but we will continue to consider candidates as long as the posting remains live on our site.

Questions? Send an email to talent@propublica.org.  No phone calls, please.

Job Requirements:

Core Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and design a variety of assets, primarily for digital platforms, including marketing materials, reports, social media posts and more.

• Ensure ProPublica’s brand is represented cohesively across third-party surfaces, such as Instagram, Apple News, email newsletters and other social platforms.

• Create and maintain a central library of reusable brand design templates, components and documentation for various teams, including social media graphics, newsletter assets, podcast art, event materials and presentations.

• Collaborate across teams to understand project goals, provide design solutions and deliver effective, on-brand creative. Communicate effectively and navigate feedback from various stakeholders in a professional and constructive manner.

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks, seeking feedback, meeting deadlines and working independently. 

• Work with external vendors, such as printers and suppliers, to ensure high-quality production and delivery of physical materials.

Skills Required

• Minimum of five years of professional graphic design experience, preferably at a news organization, mission-driven nonprofit or at a design/branding agency.

• A portfolio demonstrating design excellence, including a strong grasp of typography, composition and color.

• Expert proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and Google Workspace (Docs and Slides).

• Proven experience designing a wide range of digital and print materials while strictly adhering to and championing brand guidelines.

• Strong communication skills (written and verbal) and the ability to articulate design concepts and incorporate feedback constructively.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with other designers and across multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience managing relationships with print vendors and preparing production-ready files.

• Excellent organizational and project management skills; ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.

• Ability to travel, as necessary, for team meetings and training.

Nice to Have

• Experience creating illustration, custom type/lettering or motion graphics (e.g., After Effects, Premiere).

• Knowledge of basic HTML and CSS and publishing systems such as WordPress or Squarespace

Type of Job: Visual Design

City: New York

State/Country: New York

Duration: Contract (Freelance)

Company: ProPublica

About Our Company: ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force. We dig deep into important issues, shining a light on abuses of power and betrayals of public trust — and we stick with those issues as long as it takes to hold power to account.

How to Apply: https://grnh.se/1q9dg7d56us

Print Magazine Designer (Freelance), Pentagram

Job Description: Pentagram is seeking an experienced, mid-level magazine designer to help our team produce a quarterly print publication for a high-profile client. This would be a freelance position requiring about 4 weeks of full-time work per issue, and a commitment to work on at least 4 issues a year. The first two assignments would take place from January through March 2026 (with a few weeks off in February). Schedules do shift occasionally, so flexibility is a must. Work can be done in our New York office, or remotely during U.S. business hours, if needed.

Key responsibilities:

• Concept, design, and lay out 10-16 feature articles over a 4-week period, using brand styles and templates.

• Collaborate with internal and external teams on photo selection and revisions.

• Participate in team meetings and planning sessions with creative and editorial staff, presenting concepts and layouts to leadership.

• Flow copy, adjust layouts as needed, and prepare pages for production.

Job Requirements: The ideal graphic designer should possess the following qualifications:

• A strong portfolio showcasing magazine or publication design experience

• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and Photoshop

• Familiarity preparing files for print publication

• The ability to meet multiple (often tight) deadlines

• Excellent collaboration skills

• Attention to detail

• Adaptability and flexibility

• Ability to work occasional evening hours as needed

• An interest in the entertainment industry, particularly film and television

Type of Job: Design, Graphic Design, Art Direction

City: New York or Remote

State/Country: NY or Remote

Duration: Freelance, ongoing for 4 weeks at a time, 4+ times per year

Company: Pentagram

About Our Company: Pentagram is a multi-disciplinary, independently owned design studio, where 23 partners work independently and collaboratively to shape the future of design. Guided by curiosity and intellect, we create work that redefines ideas, shifts perceptions, and leaves an imprint across disciplines and industries.

Every designer at Pentagram works on a team led by one of our partners. This means each gets the experience of working in a small, hands-on setting with access to the resources of a large, international firm. The design teams are augmented by project managers and administrators, all of whom support Pentagram's design-led ethos. If this way of working appeals to you, please consider joining us.

Contact Name: Virginia Shannon

Contact Email: virginia.shannon@pentagram.com

How to Apply: Please send an email and portfolio of print editorial work to virginia.shannon@pentagram.com

Senior Digital Designer, Forbes Media

Job Description:

• Ensure a consistent visual style across all platforms that aligns with Forbes’ Brand Guidelines.

• AI Prompt Engineering:

  • Craft detailed and effective prompts for AI image generation tools (e.g., Google Gemini AI, Getty AI and Adobe Firefly) to produce desired visual outputs.

  • Iterate and refine prompts based on generated results, optimizing for accuracy and creativity.

  • Explore and experiment with emerging AI design tools and techniques.

• Lead larger list packages with the ability to delegate tasks as needed.

• Collaborate with the editorial, photo, video, social, product and tech teams to determine the best approach to storytelling across all Forbes’ digital platforms.

• In our fast paced news environment, designers will be assigned 3-4 stories a week or focus on larger list packages and are expected to own all aspects of creative production. Including …

  • Lead creative brainstorms.

  • Create conceptual artwork using photography, original illustration style or art directing an outside illustrator.

  • Manage the flow of stories with writers and editors using our in house CMS.

  • Design necessary charts and infographics.

  • Create promotional assets to run on social media and Forbes.com.

Collections here
Articles: https://www.forbes.com/daily-cover-stories
Best of 2024 Illustration: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesstaff/2025/01/03/the-best-of-forbes-illustration-2024/
Best of 2023 Photography: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesstaff/2025/01/03/the-best-of-forbes-photography-2024/

This job can be fully remote.

Job Requirements:

• An image maker at heart, the ideal candidate has an aptitude for graphic creation, illustration and photo collage with the ability to create art independently for daily feature stories.

• BA/BFA in design or illustration with 4-7 years of digital design experience, preferably at a media or editorial publishing company.

• Advanced knowledge and applied experience in editorial illustration and visual storytelling.

• Process rooted in strong conceptual thinking with a sophisticated sense of digital design, composition and typography.

• Fluent in the full Adobe Creative Suite and Figma. Knowledge of Adobe After Effects is preferred.

• Comfortable using generative AI tools like Google Gemini AI, GettyAI and Adobe Firefly with the ability to expand your knowledge as new tools enter the market.

• You enjoy staying current on design trends and industry technology, sharing findings with the department to facilitate new ways of thinking, working and problem solving.

• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced, breaking news environment under tight deadlines.

• Strong communication skills.

• A portfolio that demonstrates an eye for storytelling, excellent taste, a passion for design and a keen sense of what will perform well on different digital platforms.

• Applications without an online portfolio will not be considered. Please share examples of work that demonstrate a variety of skills mentioned above. A design test will be required for final candidates.

The annual base salary range for this role is $80,000 - $85,000

Type of Job: Digital Design

City: Jersey City

State/Country: United States

Duration: Full Time

Company: Forbes Media

About Our Company: Forbes is an iconic global media brand that has symbolized success for over a century. Fueled by journalism that informs and inspires, Forbes spotlights the doers and doings shaping industries, achieving success and making an impact on the world. Forbes connects and convenes the most influential communities ranging from billionaires, business leaders and rising entrepreneurs to creators and innovators. The Forbes brand reaches more than 140 million people monthly worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature ForbesLive events and 49 licensed local editions in 81 countries.

The editorial team drives the look and feel of the brand. We creatively lead a range of work, from daily feature stories to large scale Forbes lists like 30 Under 30, Top Creators, the Forbes 400 and The World’s Billionaires List. Our designers collaborate across the newsroom, product, tech, marketing and live event teams to tell holistic stories that add value to our audience's everyday lives.

Forbes aims to offer employees the flexibility they need in order to be successful. Some positions may require candidates to be based in a specific location for consideration while some roles may be fully remote (within the U.S.) if it aligns with the needs of the position. This position is only open to candidates residing in California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, & Washington. Due to business operations and compliance requirements, we are unable to consider applicants based outside these states at this time.

Forbes is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply: https://www.forbes.com/careers-at-forbes/job?id=5615390004&cachebust=1761664567667

Chief of Design, Scientific American

Job Description: The Chief of Design at Scientific American is an extraordinary opportunity for an up-and-coming creative executive to make their mark on one of the most historic brands in media.

We’re looking for a visionary leader to reinvent the overall creative direction of Scientific American across print, online, and all our varied products. You’ll create and maintain a distinct visual identity to help a 180-year-old brand – the longest-running continually published magazine in the country – establish its identity for the next two centuries.

The Chief of Design will oversee all visual aspects of content, ensuring it aligns with the brand and effectively connects with our audience. This includes supervising art and photo for print and digital, but also working with our partners in marketing and product to make sure we maintain our identity across platforms.

This role is based in our New York office on a hybrid working model. 

Role Responsibilities: 

• Develop and maintain a new visual identity across all of our platforms

• Ensure that our design continually aligns with the overall brand and editorial vision

• Oversee the design of content for both print and digital platforms

• Work closely with editors, writers, marketing and other stakeholders to ensure your creative vision is executed effectively

• Lead and mentor a team of full-time and freelance designers, artists, photographers, and other creative professionals.

• Manage a design budget and ensuring that projects are completed on time 

Springer Nature is an Equal Opportunity Employer that complies with the laws and regulations set forth in the following https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf poster.

At Springer Nature, we value the diversity of our teams and work to build an inclusive culture where people are treated fairly and can bring their differences to work and thrive. We empower our colleagues and value their diverse perspectives as we strive to attract, nurture, and develop the very best talent. Springer Nature was awarded Diversity Team of the Year at the 2022 British Diversity Awards. Find out more about our DEI work here: https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/taking-responsibility/diversity-equity-inclusion

If you have any access needs related to disability, neurodivergence, or a chronic condition, please contact us so we can make all necessary accommodations.

For more information about career opportunities in Springer Nature please visit https://springernature.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/SpringerNatureCareers/

Job Requirements:
Experience, Skills & Qualifications: 
Essential 

• Experience in creative design and direction at major consumer media outlets

• Expertise in graphic design, typography, photography, and other visual elements

• Ability to lead and motivate a team, manage projects, and communicate effectively

• Ability to develop creative strategies, solve design challenges, and adapt to changing needs

• Understanding of journalistic principles, editorial workflows, and the media landscape

• Familiarity with design software and other relevant tools.

Desirable

• Experience in science or technology journalism

• Experience at a print magazine or newspaper.

• A graduate degree in design or fine arts

• A passion for all things science

Type of Job: Other

City: New York– Hybrid Working

State/Country: United States of America

Duration: Full time

Benefits: Springer Nature US provides a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes the benefit offerings listed below:

• Medical, Dental and Vision

• 401(k) with company match and contribution

• Hybrid office working policy, Summer Hours, and paid time off

• Flexible Spending and Commuter programs

• Multiple Life insurance options

• Disability coverage

• Tuition Assistance

• Voluntary benefits: Identity Theft Protection, Pet Insurance, and Legal Assistance Insurance

• Employee Assistance Program

• Family friendly benefits and a variety of employee discounts

• An array of Employee Social Networks

• US Annualized Base Salary: $135,000 - $150,000. The salary offer may vary based on work experience, education, skill level, and equity. The US salary range does not align with the salary ranges in other countries when converted to the currency of that country.

Company: Scientific American

About Our Company: About Springer Nature
Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and follow @SpringerNature.

About the Brand
Scientific American, the oldest continuously published magazine in the U.S., reaches millions of people each month through its print magazine, app, social media and on ScientificAmerican.com. We publish expert-written opinions and feature stories; news and feature articles by leading journalists; and award-winning graphics, art and multimedia. Visit scientificamerican.com and follow @ScientificAmerican/@Sciam

How to Apply: https://springernature.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/es/SpringerNatureCareers/job/New-York/Chief-of-Design--Scientific-American_JR104501

Lead Designer, Totei

Job Description: Totei is looking for a Lead Designer to help bring these stories to life visually, emotionally, and experientially across a range of mediums. You’ll collaborate closely with the Editor in Chief, photo and social editors, and other creative partners to develop elegant layouts, define visual storytelling systems, commission original art, and shape how we present narratives end to end.

You’ll be hands-on in execution while also setting the creative bar and building scalable systems. Over time, you'll help grow creative processes and mentor junior contributors. Forward-thinking and ambitious design is core to Totei, and this is a rare opportunity to join an early team and help shape an innovative visual identity.

Job Requirements:

Core design work

• Lead editorial design across digital and social channels (features, social accounts, newsletters, infographics, art direction, etc.)

• Define and evolve Totei’s visual systems — typography, grid, illustration style, and brand elements

• Build prototypes, templates, and tools to support scalable design workflows

• Lead interactive storytelling and custom editorial treatments

• Refine details while zooming out to guide overall creative direction

• Manage freelance contributors and mentor potential future hires

Creative leadership

• Set a high standard for design quality through refined visual and experiential execution

• Collaborate closely with editorial leadership and cross-functional partners to shape and deliver a bold, cohesive vision for the full user journey.

• Lead with a user-first mindset, elevating experience design as a key driver of value and differentiation.

• Reinforce the brand’s identity and integrity through design choices that build credibility and clearly communicate what sets us apart.

• Promote a culture of rapid prototyping and design-led problem solving that empowers teams to test, learn, and refine impactful experiences.

Basic qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in digital design, with a strong foundation in both visual and interactive work

• A refined eye for typography, layout, color, motion, and user behavior, with the ability to translate these elements into intuitive, beautiful experiences

• Proficient in Figma and skilled in fast-paced, iterative design and prototyping workflows

• Experienced in developing and maintaining cohesive digital design systems that scale across platforms and screen sizes

• Familiarity with designing for multimedia formats — including video, audio, and graphics — and integrating them seamlessly into digital experiences

• Strong grasp of designing for social media, with the ability to create compelling visual assets that are optimized for engagement across channels like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn

Preferred qualifications

• Deep interest in storytelling, editorial process, and the craft of journalism

• Able to operate in a fast-moving environment, with flexibility around evenings or weekends when needed

• Background in media, culture, or editorial product design, with insight into editorial dynamics

• Some facility with front-end technologies including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Type of Job: Design

City: New York

State/Country: New York

Duration: Full-time

Company: Totei

About Our Company: Launching soon, Totei is a digital magazine devoted to sparking inspiration by deepening understanding of artistic craftsmanship. Through vivid storytelling and high-quality multimedia journalism, Totei shines a light on the processes, philosophies, and practices of the world’s most compelling creative individuals — from visionary designers and craftspeople to iconoclastic artists and cultural thinkers.

Contact Name: Ben Williams

Contact Email: careers@totei.com

How to Apply: To apply, send the following to careers@totei.com with the subject “Lead Designer - [Your Name]:

• Your résumé

• Your portfolio or 2-5 links to work that best represents your range as a designer

• Cover letter optional