Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Kimley-Horn

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Services

Date Posted: 2026-06-09

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for developing compelling visual assets that support client proposals, technical reports, and broader marketing initiatives, directly influencing client perception and project strategy.

• The Graphic Designer will be responsible for translating complex technical information into clear, engaging visual communications, requiring a strong understanding of design principles and their application in a corporate B2B environment.

• Collaboration with cross-functional teams, including engineers and project managers, is a key aspect, necessitating excellent communication and stakeholder management skills to effectively gather requirements and present design solutions.

• The position offers an opportunity to contribute to a renowned firm recognized for its employee culture and industry impact, providing a platform for professional growth within a structured marketing team.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Graphic Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean towards supporting B2B marketing and proposal efforts within an engineering and consulting firm. This implies a need for an operations-minded designer who can manage multiple projects, adhere to strict branding guidelines, and work efficiently under deadlines, aligning closely with Marketing Operations or GTM support functions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design visually appealing and compliant covers, templates, layouts, and supporting graphics for client proposals and technical reports, ensuring adherence to corporate and client branding guidelines.

• Develop engaging presentations and multimedia graphics that effectively communicate complex project information and company capabilities to diverse audiences.

• Create impactful before-and-after photo simulations and detailed aerial map exhibits to visually represent project scope, impact, and proposed solutions.

• Produce high-quality brochures, both print and digital, along with trade show graphics that enhance brand visibility and marketing outreach.

• Design e-blast campaigns and social media graphics to support marketing initiatives, ensuring consistency in brand messaging and visual identity across digital platforms.

• Manage large format printing and production processes, ensuring quality and timely delivery of physical marketing materials.

• Collaborate effectively within a large, specialized marketing team, contributing to a creative and efficient workflow.

• Interact closely with engineers, project managers, and technical staff to understand project details and translate technical concepts into understandable visual representations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "proposals and reports" and "client strategy" indicates that this role functions within a GTM support framework, requiring a designer who understands how visual elements directly impact business development and client acquisition efforts. The need to interact with technical staff suggests a requirement for clear communication and translation of technical jargon into accessible design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of professional graphic design experience, preferably within a corporate setting or agency environment, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud: Expert-level skills in InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator are essential for complex document layout, image manipulation, and vector graphic creation.

• Adobe Acrobat Proficiency: Necessary for managing and preparing documents for print and digital distribution.

• Microsoft Office Suite Mastery: Essential for integration with proposal documents and internal communications, particularly PowerPoint for presentations.

• Layout and Template Design: Proven ability to create and maintain consistent visual layouts for various collateral, including proposals, reports, brochures, and digital assets.

• Presentation Design: Experience creating compelling and informative presentations, often for technical or business audiences.

• Understanding of Branding Guidelines: Ability to consistently apply corporate and client branding standards across all design outputs.

• Strong Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication for effective collaboration with technical teams and project managers.

• Professionalism and Responsibility: A mature, solution-seeking attitude with a high degree of personal responsibility and a proactive approach to tasks.

Preferred Skills:

• Video Filming/Editing: Experience with video production, including filming and editing, to create dynamic multimedia content.

• Motion Graphics Design: Familiarity with creating animated graphics and visual effects for presentations or digital media.

• Experience with Adobe Premiere Pro: For video editing workflows.

• Experience with Adobe After Effects: For motion graphics and visual effects.

• 3D Modeling Software: Familiarity with 3D Max or SketchUp for creating visual simulations or architectural renderings.

• Web Design Skills: Experience in web design, with a preference for WordPress, including foundational knowledge of HTML and CSS.

• Large Format Printing Production: Understanding of the technical requirements and best practices for large-scale printing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required" section highlights core design competencies critical for proposal and report generation. The "Preferred" section indicates areas where the company is looking to expand its multimedia capabilities, suggesting potential growth areas for the candidate. The emphasis on PC-based work environment confirms the need for proficiency in Windows-based software.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Proposal and Report Design: Showcase examples of complex document layouts, including proposals, reports, or technical publications, highlighting your ability to manage intricate typography, imagery, and data visualization.

• Showcase Brand Application: Include projects that clearly demonstrate your ability to adhere to and creatively apply corporate branding guidelines, maintaining visual consistency across diverse collateral.

• Highlight Multimedia and Digital Assets: Present examples of presentations, e-blasts, social media graphics, or other digital marketing materials that show your versatility in various media formats.

• Illustrate Technical Visualization: If possible, include examples of before-and-after photo simulations, aerial exhibits, or other graphics that translate technical or spatial data into clear visual representations.

• Showcase Workflow Efficiency: Be prepared to discuss the processes you followed to manage projects, collaborate with stakeholders, and meet deadlines, emphasizing efficiency and quality.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: While not a formal documentation requirement for this role, be prepared to discuss how you approach designing and optimizing workflows for design projects to ensure timely delivery and high-quality output.

• System Integration: Understand how design assets integrate into larger project documents (e.g., proposals) and marketing campaigns, demonstrating awareness of the broader GTM or project lifecycle.

• Performance Analysis: Be ready to discuss how you measure the effectiveness of your designs, even if qualitatively, through client feedback or project success metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: A robust portfolio is critical for this role, as it's explicitly requested. The focus should be on demonstrating practical application of design skills within a corporate, B2B context, particularly for proposal and report generation. The ability to discuss process and efficiency is key for showing operational understanding.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $75,000 to $83,000 per year, depending on applicable experience.

Benefits:

• Exceptional Retirement Plan: A generous 2-to-1 company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus), plus an additional profit-sharing contribution, significantly bolstering long-term financial security.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access to low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options, ensuring well-being for employees and their families.

• Work-Life Balance: Generous personal leave, flexible scheduling options, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays contribute to a healthy work-life integration.

• Financial Wellness: Support for financial goals through student loan matching in the 401(k) program and regular performance-based bonuses.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for career advancement through tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs designed to enhance skills and knowledge.

• Family Support: Comprehensive family-friendly benefits, including new parent leave, family building benefits, and access to childcare resources.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with potential for occasional work outside normal hours and travel as required for business needs, indicating flexibility is valued.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is specific and competitive for a Graphic Designer role with 2+ years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Seattle. The benefits package is exceptionally strong, emphasizing long-term employee well-being and professional growth. The mention of occasional overtime and travel suggests a dynamic work environment common in client-facing roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Engineering, Consulting, and Design Services. Kimley-Horn operates within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, providing a wide range of services to governmental and private clients. This context means designs often support complex infrastructure, planning, and development projects.

Company Size: Kimley-Horn is a large, established firm, consistently recognized as one of Fortune Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" for many years. This size implies a structured environment with established processes, ample resources, and opportunities for career development.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated in the provided text, Kimley-Horn's long history and consistent recognition suggest a stable and experienced organization with a well-defined corporate culture built on long-term success and employee satisfaction.

Team Structure:

• Marketing Team: The Graphic Designer will be part of a "large, creative, and specialized marketing team," indicating a dedicated department with various roles and expertise.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: A significant aspect of the role involves interacting and collaborating with engineers, project managers, and technical staff across different departments.

• Reporting: The designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager or Creative Director within the marketing team, with project assignments coming from various technical and project leads.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design Support: While primarily a creative role, the design work supports data-rich proposals and reports, requiring an understanding of how to visually represent technical data and project metrics.

• Process Adherence: A key aspect is working within established corporate and client branding guidelines, indicating a structured approach to design execution.

• Client-Centric Approach: The focus on client strategy and proposal design highlights a business-development-oriented methodology where design directly contributes to winning new business and client satisfaction.

Company Website: www.kimley-horn.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Kimley-Horn's reputation as a "Best Company to Work For" suggests a positive and supportive work environment. The AEC industry context means the design work is often functional, technical, and directly tied to project outcomes and business development. The structured nature of a large firm implies clear processes and opportunities for specialization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an intermediate-level Graphic Designer, requiring 2+ years of experience. It’s a specialized role within the marketing function, focusing on visual communications that support core business operations, particularly business development (proposals) and client engagement.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will report into the marketing department, likely to a Marketing Manager or Creative Lead. They will work closely with project managers and technical staff from engineering and other departments, requiring strong collaboration and communication across different functional areas.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's work directly impacts Kimley-Horn's ability to win new projects and clients. High-quality proposals, reports, and marketing collateral enhance the company's professional image, clearly communicate its capabilities, and provide a competitive edge. Effective visual storytelling can simplify complex technical information, making it more accessible and persuasive to clients, thereby directly influencing revenue generation and project acquisition.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like technical illustration, 3D rendering, video production, or advanced proposal design.

• Leadership: Potential to move into a Senior Graphic Designer role, mentoring junior designers, or leading design aspects of major projects.

• Marketing Operations Integration: Develop a stronger understanding of marketing strategy, GTM processes, and how design integrates into broader campaign execution.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gain exposure to engineering and project management workflows, enhancing understanding of the client's core business.

• Training and Development: Leverage Kimley-Horn's extensive internal training programs and tuition reimbursement for continuous skill enhancement in design software and related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a solid foundation within a large, well-regarded company. Growth is likely to come from deepening design expertise, taking on more complex projects, and potentially moving into leadership or specialized roles within the marketing or operations support functions. The "Best Companies to Work For" status suggests a commitment to employee development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an office-based role located within a professional corporate office setting. Kimley-Horn is described as a "Fortune Magazine's '100 Best Companies to Work For'," implying a well-equipped and comfortable workspace.

Office Location(s): The specific office is located at 1201 Third Avenue, Suite 2800, Seattle, Washington (WA) 98101. This is a prime business district location in Seattle, likely offering good accessibility via public transport and proximity to amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires interaction with engineers, project managers, and other marketing team members, suggesting a collaborative workspace that supports teamwork and idea exchange.

• Technology and Tools: As a PC-based company, the designer will have access to industry-standard hardware and software, including the full Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.

• Professional Atmosphere: The environment is expected to be professional, fast-paced, and focused on delivering high-quality work within client-driven deadlines.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is likely 40 hours per week, but the role necessitates flexibility to periodically work outside normal working hours and travel as required. This adaptability is crucial for meeting project deadlines, especially in proposal development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is typical for roles requiring close collaboration and access to specific office resources. The Seattle location is a major tech and business hub. The emphasis on flexibility indicates that while core hours exist, meeting deadlines for client deliverables will take precedence.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and, critically, your online portfolio to assess your design skills and experience against the job requirements.

• Technical Interview: Likely an interview with the hiring manager or a senior member of the marketing/design team to discuss your portfolio in detail, assess your proficiency with design software, and understand your design process.

• Stakeholder Interaction: Potentially an interview or discussion involving project managers or technical staff to gauge your ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with non-design professionals.

• Situational/Behavioral Questions: Questions assessing your problem-solving skills, ability to handle deadlines, work ethic, and fit with the company culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that directly align with the responsibilities listed. Prioritize examples of proposal/report design, corporate collateral, and any technical visualization if available.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly explain the brief, your design process, the tools used, and the outcome. Highlight how you met client needs or solved a design challenge.

• Highlight Software Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio implicitly or explicitly demonstrates mastery of Adobe CC (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) and Microsoft Office Suite (especially PowerPoint).

• Professional Presentation: Your online portfolio should be well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. Ensure links are functional and the overall presentation reflects your professional standards.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): If you can, mention how your design contributed to winning a proposal, improving engagement, or achieving a specific marketing goal.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to common design challenges, such as working with difficult stakeholders, managing tight deadlines, or adapting to new branding guidelines.

• If a design exercise is given, focus on clear communication, adherence to any provided brief, and a logical design process. For this role, an exercise might involve adapting a pre-existing template or creating a graphic for a hypothetical proposal element.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. Candidates should treat its preparation and presentation as a critical part of their application strategy. Understanding how design supports business objectives is key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud:

  • Adobe InDesign: Essential for layout of complex documents like proposals, reports, and brochures. High proficiency is expected.
  • Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and creating digital graphics.
  • Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and technical illustrations.
  • Adobe Acrobat: For PDF creation, editing, and pre-press checks.

• Microsoft Office Suite:

  • PowerPoint: Crucial for creating client presentations and integrating graphics into reports.
  • Word: For document formatting and integration.
  • Outlook: For communication and calendaring.

Analytics & Reporting: While not directly managing analytics, understanding how design impacts engagement metrics for e-blasts and social media is beneficial. Awareness of how to create graphics for dashboards or reports is also relevant.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how marketing materials are deployed through CRM or marketing automation platforms (e.g., for e-blasts) could be a plus.

Preferred/Advanced Tools:

• Adobe Premiere Pro: For video editing.

• Adobe After Effects: For motion graphics.

• 3DS Max / SketchUp: For 3D modeling and simulations.

• WordPress: For web design and content management.

• HTML/CSS: For web design integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe CC and Microsoft Office Suite is non-negotiable. The "preferred" tools indicate areas where additional skills would make a candidate stand out and potentially open up more advanced project opportunities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Quality and Accuracy: Kimley-Horn's reputation is built on delivering high-quality work. This extends to design, where precision, adherence to standards, and error-free output are paramount, especially in technical documents.

• Client Focus: The company prioritizes client success. Design work must support client needs, enhance proposals, and contribute to client satisfaction and project acquisition.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: As highlighted, working effectively with engineers, project managers, and other marketing professionals is vital. A collaborative spirit is essential.

• Professionalism and Responsibility: A proactive, solution-oriented attitude and a strong sense of personal responsibility are valued, reflecting the company's commitment to excellence.

• Efficiency and Adaptability: The fast-paced environment and tight deadlines require designers to be efficient, manage their time well, and adapt to changing project requirements.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work closely with technical teams, requiring clear communication and the ability to translate engineering concepts into visual language.

• Feedback Loops: A culture of feedback is likely, where designs are reviewed by project managers, marketing leads, and potentially clients, requiring an open mind and constructive response.

• Knowledge Sharing: Within the marketing team, there will be opportunities to share best practices, learn new techniques, and collaborate on creative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values emphasize a professional, client-focused, and collaborative approach. For a designer, this means being detail-oriented, a strong communicator, and a team player who understands how their creative output contributes to broader business objectives in the AEC sector.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Strict Guidelines: The need to adhere to corporate and client branding, while still producing compelling and creative designs, can be a challenge.

• Translating Technical Concepts: Effectively visualizing complex engineering or technical data in an understandable and engaging manner requires strong analytical and design problem-solving skills.

• Managing Multiple, Varied Assignments: Juggling simultaneous projects with different requirements and deadlines requires excellent organizational and time management skills.

• Working with Diverse Stakeholders: Communicating design ideas and gathering requirements from individuals with varying technical backgrounds and communication styles.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Software Skills: Opportunities to master new features within the Adobe Creative Suite or learn preferred software like Adobe Premiere, After Effects, or 3D modeling tools.

• Industry Knowledge: Gain a deeper understanding of the engineering and consulting industry, project lifecycles, and client needs within the AEC sector.

• Proposal Best Practices: Learn the nuances of proposal design and how visual elements contribute to winning bids.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Develop skills in areas like video production or web design, broadening your professional capabilities.

• Mentorship: Potential to learn from senior designers and marketing professionals within a structured corporate environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical of a corporate design role supporting technical industries. The growth opportunities are substantial, particularly through the company's commitment to training and the diverse nature of projects within an AEC firm.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex document (like a proposal or report) under a tight deadline. How did you manage your time and ensure quality?" (Assesses project management, efficiency, and quality control.)

• "How do you approach translating highly technical information into clear, engaging visual graphics?" (Tests understanding of audience, simplification of complexity, and visual communication skills.)

• "Walk me through a project in your portfolio where you successfully applied strict branding guidelines while still delivering a creative solution." (Evaluates adherence to brand standards and creativity within constraints.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Kimley-Horn, and how do you see your design skills contributing to our success in the AEC industry?" (Assesses research, alignment with company mission, and understanding of industry context.)

• "How do you handle receiving constructive criticism or feedback on your designs, especially from non-designers?" (Probes collaboration, adaptability, and professionalism.)

• "Describe a situation where you had to work collaboratively with engineers or project managers on a design. What was your approach?" (Evaluates cross-functional communication and teamwork.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each portfolio piece, craft a brief narrative: the challenge, your approach/process, the tools used, and the successful outcome.

• Highlight Key Skills: Explicitly point out how specific projects demonstrate your proficiency in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and presentation design.

• Focus on Impact: If possible, link your design work to tangible business results, such as contributing to proposal wins or enhancing marketing campaign effectiveness.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Anticipate questions about your software techniques, file management, and print production knowledge.

• Showcase Adaptability: If you have experience with video, motion graphics, or web design, be ready to discuss those projects and your skills in those areas.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design talent, but also an understanding of the business context, strong communication skills, and the ability to work effectively within a corporate structure supporting technical professionals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Kimley-Horn careers portal, ensuring all required fields are completed accurately.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your online portfolio to prominently feature 3-5 of your strongest projects that align with proposal design, technical reports, corporate branding, and marketing collateral. Ensure it's easily navigable and demonstrates your proficiency with essential design software.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to highlight your 2+ years of experience, specific software proficiencies (Adobe CC, MS Office), and any relevant achievements in corporate or agency settings, using keywords from the job description.

• Prepare for Portfolio Discussion: Be ready to articulate your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work for each project presented in your portfolio during the interview. Practice explaining how you collaborate with technical teams.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Kimley-Horn's services, projects, and client base within the AEC industry. Understand their values and what makes them a "Best Company to Work For" to demonstrate your genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ 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.

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