Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Stratus

Location: Rolling Meadows, IL / Mentor, OH / Remote (United States)

Job Type: Other (Full-time)

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Services

Date Posted: July 24, 2026

Experience Level: Entry Level (0-2 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote Eligible

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on creating compelling visual assets and technical illustrations for the signage industry, leveraging advanced design software to support national brand implementation initiatives.

• The Graphic Designer will translate client needs and sales team requirements into creative and technically accurate designs for exterior and interior branding, site refreshes, and remodel projects.

• Key responsibilities include conceptualizing and producing production-ready drawings, researching new design technologies, and collaborating closely with internal stakeholders to ensure brand consistency and client satisfaction.

• This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a market-leading company, working with Fortune 500 national accounts and gaining exposure to diverse branding projects within a supportive, remote-friendly environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The original job listing specified "OTHER" for employment type. Based on the description, salary range, and benefits, this role is most likely a full-time position, common for graphic design roles within larger organizations. The focus on "brand implementation and maintenance" and supporting national brands suggests this role falls under a broader marketing or creative operations umbrella, supporting GTM efforts through visual collateral and technical design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Receive, analyze, and prioritize design requests from Sales, Program Management, and Service departments, ensuring clear understanding of project scope and client objectives.

• Utilize CorelDRAW (latest version), Corel PHOTO-PAINT, and Adobe Creative Cloud to produce high-quality conceptual and technical production drawings for signage and building illustrations.

• Proactively research and integrate new sign design technologies and methods to enhance efficiency, value engineer sign products, and deliver innovative solutions.

• Conduct one-on-one meetings with Salespeople and Program Managers to deeply understand customer design requirements and translate them into effective visual strategies.

• Participate actively in periodic design meetings led by Design Management to share insights, receive feedback, and align on design best practices and company standards.

• Execute assigned design tasks and provide essential production support, ensuring timely completion of drawings and project deliverables within demanding deadlines.

• Maintain an organized workflow, managing multiple open job files simultaneously while adhering to strict quality and detail standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description implies a need for technical production drawings, which is critical for signage manufacturing. The emphasis on "value engineer sign products" suggests an operations-focused design role, aiming for cost-effectiveness and manufacturability alongside aesthetic appeal.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Associate's Degree or Technical Degree in Art, Design, or a related field is preferred. Experience:

• 0-2 years of professional experience in graphic design or a related creative role, with a strong portfolio showcasing design capabilities.

• Experience in the signage industry is highly preferred, demonstrating familiarity with sign types, materials, and production processes. Required Skills:

• Proficiency with CorelDRAW (latest version) and Corel PHOTO-PAINT is mandatory.

• Demonstrated ability to create computer-generated graphics and detailed presentation drawings.

• Aptitude for quickly learning new design techniques, software, and industry-specific technologies.

• Strong multi-tasking capabilities and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• Excellent organizational skills with a keen eye for detail and accuracy in rendering artistic concepts.

• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate artistic concepts clearly to diverse stakeholders.

• Basic math skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fraction to decimal conversions, for precise design and measurement. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) is a significant advantage.

• Familiarity with Microsoft PowerPoint for creating design presentations.

• Understanding of signage manufacturing processes, materials, and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "0-2" years of experience level is inferred from the preference for an Associate's degree and the absence of explicit senior-level responsibilities. The emphasis on CorelDRAW is a strong indicator of the company's specific software needs.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A well-curated portfolio is essential, showcasing a range of design projects with a focus on technical illustration and conceptualization for physical products or branding.

• Include examples demonstrating proficiency in CorelDRAW and/or Adobe Creative Suite, highlighting the complexity and detail of your work.

• Showcase projects that illustrate your ability to translate client briefs into visually compelling and technically accurate designs, preferably related to signage or architectural visualization.

• Demonstrate your understanding of design principles, color theory, typography, and layout as applied to real-world applications. Process Documentation:

• While not explicitly stated, candidates should be prepared to discuss their design process from brief to final production artwork.

• Be ready to explain how you approach learning new software or design technologies to improve efficiency and output quality.

• Highlight your methods for managing multiple projects, prioritizing tasks, and ensuring accuracy under pressure.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a design role, a portfolio is paramount. The enhancement emphasizes showcasing the specific software required and the type of output expected (technical drawings, conceptualization for physical branding) to align with the job's core responsibilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $24 - $27 per hour (USD)

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage options.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options for tax-advantaged healthcare spending.

• Company-paid Life Insurance coverage.

• 401k retirement savings plan with employer contribution.

• Company-paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance for income protection.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) program and paid holidays.

• Opportunities for career growth and structured career mapping.

• Additional perks including Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Educational Assistance Program, Identity Theft Protection, Critical Illness Plans, and Commuter Benefits.

• Access to various employee discount offerings from vendors. Working Hours:

• Typically 40 hours per week, aligning with standard full-time employment.

• The role involves prolonged hours in front of a computer, consistent with graphic design responsibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range ($24-$27/hour) is provided directly in the input data. The benefits are also listed comprehensively, indicating a strong employee support package. The "working hours" section is expanded to reflect the typical expectation for a full-time role and the specific nature of computer-intensive work.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Signage, Brand Implementation, Marketing Services. Stratus is a key player in transforming how national brands connect with their customers through comprehensive brand implementation and maintenance solutions, including exterior signage, interior branding, site refreshes, and maintenance services.

Company Size: Stratus is a mid-to-large sized company, indicated by its national presence, corporate headquarters, and management of national accounts for Fortune 500 companies. This size suggests a structured environment with established processes and opportunities for career development.

Founded: The founding date is not specified, but the company's established market leadership and national reach imply a history of growth and stability.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a broader Creative Services or Marketing department, reporting to Design Management.

• This team collaborates closely with Sales, Program Managers, and the Service Department, requiring strong cross-functional communication skills.

• The structure supports handling numerous national accounts, implying a division of labor and specialized roles within the design and project management teams. Methodology:

• Design solutions are driven by client needs, sales input, and technical feasibility, with an emphasis on delivering value and efficiency.

• The company leverages computer technology and design software (CorelDRAW, Adobe Creative Cloud) for conceptualization and production.

• There's an implied focus on continuous improvement through research into new technologies and design methods.

Company Website: http://www.stratusunlimited.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Industry" and "Company Size" are inferred from the description of Stratus as a "market leader in brand implementation and maintenance" and its management of "national accounts for Fortune 500 companies." This context is crucial for understanding the operational scale and client base.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an Entry-Level Graphic Designer (0-2 years experience). It serves as a foundational position within the creative operations or marketing services team, focused on executing specific design tasks under supervision.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will report directly to Design Management, likely a Design Lead or Manager. This structure provides guidance, feedback, and oversight necessary for early-career professionals.

Operations Impact: While not directly managing revenue streams, this role significantly impacts the Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy by ensuring consistent, high-quality visual branding for Stratus's national clients. Accurate and creative signage design directly influences brand perception, customer engagement, and the overall success of brand implementation projects.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in CorelDRAW and Adobe Creative Cloud, and potentially gain proficiency in other design software relevant to signage and branding.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge within the signage and brand implementation industry, understanding unique design challenges and solutions.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to roles such as Senior Graphic Designer, Lead Designer, or move into related areas like Project Management or Account Management within Stratus, leveraging their understanding of client needs and design processes.

• Cross-Functional Learning: Gain exposure to sales processes, program management, and service operations, providing a holistic view of the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Career Level" is based on the stated experience requirement. "Operations Impact" is framed around how design contributes to the broader GTM and client success, linking creative output to business objectives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers a "Fully Remote" work arrangement (#LI-REMOTE), indicating that the role can be performed from any approved location within the United States. This fosters flexibility and broadens the talent pool.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, Stratus has physical locations in Mentor, Ohio (Headquarters) and Rolling Meadows, Illinois. These locations may serve as hubs for in-person meetings or collaborative sessions, although the primary expectation is remote work.

Workspace Context:

• The remote work environment requires self-discipline and effective time management to maintain productivity and meet deadlines.

• Access to necessary design software and a reliable internet connection is crucial.

• While remote, opportunities for virtual collaboration with team members and cross-functional departments will be facilitated through digital tools.

• The company emphasizes a "Supportive & Friendly Culture," suggesting a positive and collaborative virtual team atmosphere. Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is expected to be full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.

• Given the remote nature and the need to manage multiple projects with deadlines, flexibility in working hours may be possible, but core availability for team collaboration and client interactions will be essential.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Office Type" and "Workspace Context" are directly informed by the "#LI-REMOTE" tag and the description of extensive benefits, suggesting a modern, flexible work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess technical skills (CorelDRAW, Adobe CC), experience level, and industry relevance.

• Technical Assessment/Design Challenge: Candidates may be asked to complete a design exercise or a take-home challenge that simulates real job tasks, focusing on creating conceptual or technical drawings for signage.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with Design Management to evaluate your design process, problem-solving abilities, understanding of client needs, and cultural fit.

• Cross-functional Interview (Potential): An interview with a Sales representative or Program Manager to assess your collaboration skills and ability to translate business requirements into design solutions.

• Final Review: A discussion of salary expectations, benefits, and confirmation of qualifications.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase CorelDRAW Expertise: Ensure your portfolio prominently features work created using CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT. Highlight complex illustrations, technical drawings, and projects where these tools were essential.

• Demonstrate Signage Relevance: Include any projects related to signage, branding, architectural visualization, or physical product design. If direct signage experience is limited, emphasize transferable skills like detailed rendering, spatial design, and adapting designs for manufacturing.

• Highlight Process: For each project, briefly explain the brief, your design approach, the tools used, and the final outcome. This demonstrates your thought process and problem-solving capabilities.

• Quantify Impact (If Possible): If any past designs led to measurable success (e.g., improved client engagement, successful product launch), articulate this. For this role, focus on clarity, accuracy, and adherence to specifications.

• Organize Logically: Present your portfolio in a clear, easy-to-navigate format (e.g., PDF, dedicated website). Group similar projects or showcase your strongest work first.

Challenge Preparation:

• Practice CorelDRAW: Reacquaint yourself with CorelDRAW's features for technical illustration, vector graphics, and potentially 3D rendering if applicable to signage.

• Understand Signage Constraints: Research common signage materials, production methods (e.g., vinyl cutting, illumination, dimensional letters), and design best practices for visibility and durability.

• Develop a Design Brief Response Strategy: Practice breaking down a design brief, identifying key requirements, and outlining a plan to address them efficiently and creatively.

• Prepare to Discuss Collaboration: Be ready to explain how you would work with sales teams and program managers to refine designs based on feedback and client needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review tips are tailored to a graphic design role with a specific software requirement and industry focus, emphasizing practical demonstration of skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• CorelDRAW: Mandatory for creating conceptual and technical production drawings. Proficiency in the latest version is required. This is the core design software for this role.

• Corel PHOTO-PAINT: Required for image editing and manipulation within the Corel suite.

• Adobe Creative Cloud: A strong plus, especially Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, for broader design capabilities, image editing, and vector illustration.

• Microsoft PowerPoint: Useful for creating design presentations and communicating concepts to sales teams and clients.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary focus for this design role, an understanding of how designs are reviewed and potentially tracked (e.g., through project management systems) might be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with how design requests are submitted and tracked through internal systems (e.g., Sales Team, Program Managers) is implied.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools section is heavily weighted towards the mandatory CorelDRAW suite and the preferred Adobe Creative Cloud, reflecting the specific technical requirements of the job description.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong emphasis on understanding and meeting client design needs, supporting national accounts for Fortune 500 companies.

• Execution & Bias for Action: A proactive approach to design tasks, with a focus on timely delivery and efficient problem-solving.

• Innovation: Encouraging the research and adoption of new design technologies to enhance product value and efficiency.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with internal teams (Sales, Program Management, Service) to achieve shared goals.

• Quality & Detail: Maintaining high standards in design accuracy, rendering, and technical specifications.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, requiring close interaction with Sales, Program Managers, and Service departments to gather requirements and refine designs.

• Open to feedback and periodic design meetings to ensure alignment and continuous improvement.

• Team-oriented approach to managing workload and meeting project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Values" and "Collaboration Style" are derived from phrases like "focus on execution and bias for action," "transform how national brands connect with their customers," and the need to "Meet one on one with Salespeople and Program Managers."

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Managing Multiple Projects: Juggling numerous design requests simultaneously, each with unique client specifications and deadlines, requires strong organizational and prioritization skills.

• Technical Software Proficiency: Mastering CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT to a high degree for complex technical and conceptual drawings can be challenging for those new to the software.

• Translating Abstract Concepts: Effectively translating verbal client needs and sales team briefs into concrete, visually accurate, and manufacturable sign designs.

• Fast-Paced Environment: Working under pressure to meet tight deadlines, especially with national accounts, demands efficiency and resilience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Software Mastery: Deepen expertise in CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT, potentially leading to certifications or advanced skill sets.

• Industry Knowledge: Gain specialized understanding of the signage industry, materials, manufacturing processes, and brand implementation strategies.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Develop a comprehensive understanding of how design integrates with sales, project management, and service operations within a large organization.

• Career Pathing: Explore opportunities for advancement within Stratus's creative or operations teams, potentially moving into senior design roles or project management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are identified by analyzing the core responsibilities and required skills, such as managing multiple jobs and working under pressure. Growth opportunities are extrapolated from the company's stated commitment to career development and the nature of the role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for taking a design request from initial brief to final production-ready artwork, specifically using CorelDRAW." (Focus on workflow, software steps, and client communication.)

• "How do you ensure accuracy and attention to detail when creating technical drawings for signage, considering factors like scale, materials, and manufacturing constraints?" (Highlight precision, research, and quality control.)

• "Imagine a scenario where a salesperson provides a vague concept for a new sign. How would you approach clarifying their needs and translating that into a compelling design proposal?" (Emphasize questioning techniques, active listening, and creative problem-solving.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Stratus is a leader in brand implementation. How do you see your role as a Graphic Designer contributing to the success of our national clients and their brand consistency?" (Connect your skills to the company's mission and client impact.)

• "This role requires working closely with Sales and Program Managers. How do you approach collaboration with non-design teams to ensure project success?" (Showcase teamwork and communication skills.)

• "How do you stay updated on new design technologies and trends, particularly within the signage or manufacturing industries?" (Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and industry relevance.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Highlight CorelDRAW Projects: Dedicate specific slides or sections to showcase your strongest work created in CorelDRAW. Explain the technical challenges and solutions.

• Structure Case Studies: For key projects, present them as mini case studies: Problem (client need/brief), Solution (your design approach and execution), and Result (impact, e.g., successful production, client approval).

• Explain Your Process: Be prepared to walk through your design process for 1-2 selected projects, detailing your steps and decision-making.

• Focus on Technical Detail: Emphasize accuracy, understanding of scale, and suitability for manufacturing when discussing your technical drawings.

• Be Ready for Live Demo (Optional): While not guaranteed, be prepared for a brief live demonstration of your skills in CorelDRAW if requested during the interview.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are crafted to probe the specific skills and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, particularly CorelDRAW proficiency and collaboration with sales/program managers. Portfolio advice is directly linked to the job's requirements.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Stratus careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight your proficiency with CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT. If you have signage or technical illustration experience, ensure these projects are prominently featured and clearly described.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly lists "CorelDRAW" and "Corel PHOTO-PAINT" under technical skills. Quantify achievements where possible, such as "Managed X design projects simultaneously" or "Contributed to the design of Y national brand elements."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, especially how you handle technical drawing and client consultations. Prepare to discuss your experience with fast-paced environments and multi-tasking.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Stratus's services, its position as a market leader in brand implementation, and the types of clients they serve (Fortune 500 national brands). Understand their emphasis on "customer service, focus on execution and bias for action."

⚠️ 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.