Graphic Designer 1

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer 1

Company: HDR

Location: Dallas, Texas, United States

Job Type: Full-time, Regular

Category: Creative & Design (Strategic Communications)

Date Posted: May 26, 2026

Experience Level: Entry-level (0-3 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on visual storytelling and graphic design within HDR's Strategic Communications team, specifically supporting transportation and civic infrastructure projects.

• Responsibilities include creating a wide array of visual deliverables that translate complex technical information into accessible content for public understanding.

• The position requires strong proficiency with industry-standard design software and a keen eye for detail in a fast-paced, client-oriented environment.

• This is a hands-on design role, not a corporate marketing or communications position, emphasizing client-facing design impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title "Graphic Designer 1" and the description of "0 to 3 years professional experience" clearly indicate an entry-level position. The emphasis on translating "highly technical information for easy understanding by mainstream audiences" and supporting "transportation, power delivery and water resources infrastructure projects" positions this role within a specialized segment of design, directly impacting public perception and engagement with critical infrastructure.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute compelling, professional visual designs for a diverse range of project deliverables, including exhibits, flyers, infographics, reports, wayfinding graphics, social media assets, and presentation materials.

• Interpret and distill complex technical and engineering information into easily digestible visual content for clients, stakeholders, and the general public.

• Collaborate closely with project managers, designers, and coordinators to ensure design solutions align with project objectives and client needs throughout the project lifecycle.

• Prepare design files for output, liaise with vendors for project estimates, and conduct quality control checks on proofs and final materials.

• Support the creation of style guides, stylized templates for long documents, logos, and visual assets for digital engagement and video production teams.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of design resources, software, and industry trends to enhance the quality and impact of visual communications.

• Engage in iterative design processes, adapting to on-demand requests and project feedback in a dynamic work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for versatility in design output, ranging from print to digital, and a crucial skill in simplifying technical data. The collaboration aspect is key, indicating that while this is a design role, it requires strong interpersonal and project management support skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Web Design, Fine Arts, or a closely related field is preferred.

Experience:

• 0 to 3 years of professional graphic design experience.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

• Competence in the Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).

• Strong understanding of design principles, including typography, alignment, visual hierarchy, and color theory.

• Demonstrated ability to create compelling visual narratives and translate complex information into clear, accessible graphics (e.g., infographics, data visualizations).

• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills for managing multiple projects and deadlines.

• Strong communication skills for collaborating with internal teams and potentially external vendors.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with illustration, accessible design principles, and brand development.

• Familiarity with video editing software and animation tools.

• Knowledge of photo simulation or 3D visualization techniques.

• Exposure to artificial intelligence and emerging design technologies.

• Interest in civic projects, particularly in transportation, water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure.

• Experience with developing and adhering to brand guidelines or style guides.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred skills suggest that HDR is looking for candidates with a broad creative toolkit and an interest in specialized technical fields. The emphasis on "accessible design" and "AI and emerging technologies" points towards a forward-thinking approach to design and communication.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects that demonstrate proficiency across the required software (Adobe Creative Suite).

• Projects should highlight the ability to translate complex or technical information into clear, engaging visual assets (e.g., infographics, reports, data visualizations).

• Include examples of diverse deliverables such as print materials (flyers, exhibits), digital graphics (social media, email campaigns), and presentation decks.

• Showcase an understanding of branding principles and the ability to maintain visual consistency.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design process, from initial concept and client brief interpretation to final file preparation and vendor interaction.

• Be prepared to discuss how you manage feedback, iterate on designs, and ensure quality control for project deliverables.

• Demonstrate an understanding of file management, version control, and preparation of files for various output methods (print, web).

📝 Enhancement Note: For an entry-level role, the portfolio is paramount. It serves as the primary evidence of technical skill and creative capability, especially the ability to simplify complex information, which is a core requirement for this position.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Employee Ownership: As an employee-owner, you'll benefit from HDR's commitment to sharing success and fostering a culture of engagement.

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) plan with company match.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday pay.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, certifications, and continuing education.

• Employee Assistance Program: Support services for personal and professional well-being.

• Life and Disability Insurance: Coverage to provide financial security.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are typically 40 hours per week, with potential for overtime during peak project periods.

• The role is on-site, requiring consistent presence in the Dallas office.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Regular" employment type and the emphasis on employee ownership, it's reasonable to assume a standard benefits package is offered. The salary estimation is based on typical entry-level design roles in a major metropolitan area like Dallas, considering the specific industry context of infrastructure and engineering.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Engineering, Architecture, Construction, and Consulting Services, with a significant focus on Transportation, Water, and Power sectors. HDR is a global leader in these fields, involved in large-scale infrastructure projects.

Company Size: HDR is a large, global organization with over 13,000 employees worldwide. This scale offers substantial resources, diverse project opportunities, and a broad network for employees.

Founded: HDR was founded in 1917. With over a century of experience, the company has a deep-rooted history in delivering complex projects and has evolved into a forward-thinking, employee-owned firm.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer 1 will be part of the North Texas Strategic Communications Creative Team.

• This team likely comprises other designers, communications specialists, project managers, and coordinators who collaborate on client projects.

• The role will involve supporting multiple project managers and designers, indicating a matrixed reporting structure where the designer works on various project teams simultaneously.

Methodology:

• HDR emphasizes a collaborative, client-focused approach, integrating diverse expertise (planners, engineers, architects, communications specialists) to solve complex challenges.

• The Strategic Communications team employs visual storytelling and data interpretation to enhance client understanding and public engagement with projects.

• A commitment to innovation, technical excellence, and understanding community needs drives their project execution.

• The employee-ownership model fosters a culture of shared responsibility, continuous improvement, and dedication to impactful work.

Company Website: https://www.hdrinc.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: HDR's employee-owned model is a significant cultural differentiator, suggesting a high degree of employee engagement and a focus on long-term value creation. The company's scale in engineering and infrastructure means the design work will be tied to tangible, impactful projects.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an entry-level (Graphic Designer 1) position, ideal for individuals beginning their careers in graphic design, particularly within a professional services or consulting environment. It provides foundational experience in client-facing design and project support.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer 1 will report to a manager within the North Texas Strategic Communications Creative Team. This manager will oversee day-to-day tasks, performance, and professional development. The designer will also take direction from various project managers and senior designers for specific project assignments.

Operations Impact: While not directly managing revenue operations or sales enablement, this role has a critical impact on client perception, public engagement, and the successful communication of project value. Effective visual communication can influence stakeholder buy-in, public support, and the overall success of HDR's infrastructure projects. The ability to simplify technical data visually directly supports client satisfaction and project milestones.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Develop expertise in specific design areas such as illustration, animation, data visualization, accessible design, or brand development, aligning with project needs and personal interests.

• Project Leadership: Progress to leading design efforts on smaller projects or taking on more complex design tasks within larger initiatives.

• Mentorship: Gain experience working with senior designers and project managers, providing opportunities for formal and informal mentorship.

• Industry Exposure: Deepen understanding of the transportation, water, and power infrastructure sectors, allowing for more informed and impactful design solutions.

• Advancement: Potential to move into roles like Senior Graphic Designer, Art Director, or specialized roles within the Strategic Communications or Marketing departments as experience grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a graphic designer in a firm like HDR is typically defined by increasing complexity of projects, greater autonomy, and specialization. The company's broad service offering provides diverse avenues for skill development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is on-site in Dallas, Texas, indicating a traditional office setting. HDR likely provides a professional, collaborative workspace designed to support creative and technical teams.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Dallas, Texas. HDR has multiple offices globally, but this specific role is tied to the North Texas operations.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect to work in an open or semi-open office layout designed to foster teamwork and easy communication with colleagues.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite) and hardware, likely including high-performance workstations and necessary peripherals.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and project debriefs with other designers, project managers, and technical staff.

• Client Focus: The environment is geared towards supporting client needs and project deadlines, requiring a professional and responsive approach.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is full-time, typically 40 hours per week.

• While on-site, there might be some flexibility in daily start/end times, but consistent availability during core business hours is expected.

• Occasional overtime may be required to meet project deadlines, particularly during critical phases of client deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in a large firm like HDR implies a structured work environment with ample resources but also a demand for consistent presence and adherence to office norms.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and creative output.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: This stage will likely involve a deeper dive into your portfolio. Be prepared to discuss specific projects, your design process, the challenges you faced, and how you used software and design principles. Expect questions about your understanding of typography, branding, and translating technical information.

• Skills Assessment: You may be given a short design exercise or a case study to assess your ability to respond to a brief under timed conditions. This could involve creating a quick infographic or mock-up.

• Behavioral/Situational Interview: Questions will focus on your teamwork, problem-solving skills, adaptability, client orientation, and how you handle feedback and pressure. Prepare examples from your experience.

• Team/Manager Interview: An opportunity to meet potential colleagues and the hiring manager to assess cultural fit and discuss the role in more detail.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 4-6 of your strongest projects that best align with the job description. Prioritize work that demonstrates your ability to simplify complex information, create impactful visuals for public engagement, and use Adobe Creative Suite effectively.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the client's need/brief, your role, your design process, the tools used, the challenges overcome, and the final outcome/impact. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Technical Translation: Specifically showcase projects where you transformed technical data, engineering concepts, or complex reports into easily understandable graphics.

• Showcase Versatility: Include a mix of deliverables (print, digital, presentations) if possible.

• Professional Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate (digital portfolio), and visually polished. Proofread all text carefully.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design exercise, remember HDR's focus is on strategic communications for infrastructure projects. Think about how to make information accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

• Focus on Process: Even for a quick exercise, articulate your thought process. What was your first step? What key information did you prioritize? How did you approach layout and visual hierarchy?

• Time Management: Practice creating simple designs under a time limit. Prioritize getting the core message across effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a design role in a professional services firm like HDR will heavily rely on the portfolio. Candidates should be prepared to not only show their work but also explain the "why" and "how" behind their design decisions, especially concerning client objectives and audience comprehension.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
  • Adobe InDesign: For layout design of reports, brochures, exhibits, and multi-page documents.

• Microsoft Office Suite:

  • PowerPoint: For presentations and slide decks.
  • Word: For document creation and incorporation of graphics.
  • Excel: For data visualization and potential integration into reports/infographics.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how design assets are used in marketing automation platforms or digital engagement campaigns could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite is a non-negotiable technical requirement. The emphasis on Microsoft Office indicates integration with standard business workflows and reporting tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Employee Ownership: A core value at HDR, fostering a sense of shared responsibility, commitment, and collective success. Employees are encouraged to act as owners, contributing to the company's growth and well-being.

• Collaboration: HDR promotes a highly collaborative environment, encouraging cross-disciplinary teamwork to achieve innovative solutions for complex challenges.

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on making a positive impact on communities and the world through their projects, particularly in infrastructure development.

• Inclusion and Respect: Commitment to creating a welcoming environment where diverse perspectives are valued and everyone can bring their authentic selves to work.

• Integrity and Excellence: Upholding high standards of technical expertise, ethical conduct, and client service.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with engineers, planners, project managers, and other technical experts, acting as a bridge between technical information and public understanding.

• Feedback-Oriented: The design process is iterative, requiring openness to feedback from internal teams and clients to refine deliverables.

• Knowledge Sharing: The employee-ownership culture encourages sharing best practices, design techniques, and insights across teams.

• Service-Oriented: A strong client focus guides the team's work, ensuring deliverables meet client needs and contribute to project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The employee-ownership aspect is foundational to HDR's culture, influencing how employees interact, take initiative, and contribute to the company's overall mission.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Technical Complexity: The primary challenge will be distilling intricate engineering and technical data into easily understandable and visually appealing graphics for diverse audiences.

• Managing Multiple Projects: Balancing the demands of various projects, each with unique clients, deadlines, and technical content, requires strong organizational and time management skills.

• Iterative Design and Feedback: Adapting to frequent design revisions and feedback loops while maintaining project momentum and creative integrity.

• Staying Current: Keeping up with rapidly evolving design software, technologies, and visual communication trends in a dynamic industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Training: Opportunities to attend workshops, webinars, or online courses to deepen skills in areas like advanced illustration, animation, video editing, or specific software features.

• Industry-Specific Knowledge: Gaining a deeper understanding of transportation, water, and power infrastructure projects, which can inform more effective design solutions.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to guidance from senior designers and creative leads within HDR.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Exposure to the work of engineers, planners, and communications specialists, broadening understanding of project lifecycles and client needs.

• Employee Ownership Culture: Learning how to contribute to the broader success of an employee-owned company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the core responsibilities of simplifying complex information and managing project demands. The growth opportunities are geared towards enhancing both technical design skills and understanding of HDR's core business sectors.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a project where you had to translate complex technical information into a visual format. What was your process, and what was the outcome?"

• "How do you approach designing for an audience that may not have a technical background?"

• "Tell me about a time you received critical feedback on a design. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?"

• "How do you prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects with competing deadlines?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for HDR, particularly in the transportation/infrastructure sector?"

• "How do you see your design skills contributing to HDR's mission of creating impactful infrastructure?"

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment?"

• "What does being an employee-owner mean to you?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Choose Your Best: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your ability to simplify complex information, create engaging visuals, and demonstrate proficiency in Adobe Creative

Suite.

• Narrative Structure: For each project, clearly outline:

  • The client/project context and objective.
  • Your specific role and responsibilities.
  • The design problem or challenge.
  • Your creative process and chosen solutions (software, techniques).
  • The final outcome and its impact (if measurable).

• Focus on Impact: Emphasize how your design helped communicate information effectively, engage the audience, or achieve project goals.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, software usage, and problem-solving approaches.

• Showcase Diversity: Include examples of different types of deliverables if possible (e.g., infographic, report layout, social media graphic).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills but also an understanding of HDR's business, its client base, and the unique challenge of communicating technical information. The portfolio presentation is the most critical component.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Apply through the HDR careers portal via the provided link. Ensure your resume is up-to-date and tailored to the requirements outlined.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate a strong digital portfolio that highlights your best work, specifically demonstrating your ability to translate technical information into compelling visuals. Include a variety of project types if possible.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description, such as "Adobe Creative Suite," "Photoshop," "Illustrator," "InDesign," "visual storytelling," "infographics," "typography," and "technical information translation." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your design process, portfolio projects, and how you handle collaboration and feedback. Practice articulating your responses to common interview questions related to design challenges and client communication.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with HDR's projects, values, and commitment to employee ownership. Understand their work in transportation and infrastructure to better align your application and interview responses with their mission.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.