Expert Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Expert Graphic Designer

Company: CACI International

Location: Fairfax, VA, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Creative & Media Operations

Date Posted: April 10, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is integral to CACI's mission-critical operations, focusing on visual communication for complex national security challenges.

• The Expert Graphic Designer will be responsible for developing high-impact, computer-generated materials that translate intricate information into clear and effective visual assets.

• This position demands advanced problem-solving skills in design, requiring a deep understanding of visualization techniques and the ability to manage multifaceted projects.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills are essential for interacting with stakeholders at all levels and ensuring project objectives are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title "Expert Graphic Designer" and the mention of "national security challenges" and "TS/SCI with Polygraph" strongly indicate a role supporting government intelligence or defense contracts, requiring highly specialized design skills and security clearances. The emphasis on problem-solving complex issues and managing projects suggests a senior-level position with significant responsibility beyond standard graphic design tasks.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and produce advanced computer-generated visual materials, including multimedia content, infographics, and data visualizations, to support complex national security missions.

• Address and resolve difficult and complex design and visualization issues, requiring a broad and deep understanding of graphic arts principles, software capabilities, and client requirements.

• Engage in clear and effective verbal and written communication with a diverse range of interlocutors, including technical experts, project managers, and senior leadership.

• Proactively manage both short-term project needs and long-term strategic design initiatives, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with overarching mission objectives.

• Apply artistic ability, creativity, and imagination to design layouts that are both aesthetically compelling and functionally informative, ensuring clarity and impact.

• Utilize advanced knowledge of graphic arts and computerized software, specifically Adobe and Illustrator products, to execute design solutions.

• Maintain personal integrity and demonstrate an action- and results-oriented bias in all project phases, from conceptualization to final delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a need for advanced technical design skills coupled with strong analytical and communication capabilities, typical of roles supporting complex government projects where clarity and accuracy are paramount. The emphasis on "problem-solve difficult and complex issues" and "manage short- and long-range projects" points to a senior contributor or lead role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Communications) is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 12 years of professional graphic design experience is required.

• Demonstrated experience with multimedia, infographics, and advanced data visualization software is essential.

Required Skills:

• Advanced Graphic Design: Expertise in creating compelling visual assets, including layouts, infographics, and multimedia content.

• Data Visualization: Significant experience transforming complex data into understandable and impactful visual representations.

• Software Proficiency: Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and other relevant design and visualization tools.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to analyze complex design challenges and develop innovative, effective solutions.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clear interaction with diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in environments requiring high-level security clearances (TS/SCI with Polygraph).

• Familiarity with government contracting or national security-related projects.

• Skills in animation or motion graphics.

• Experience with user interface (UI) or user experience (UX) design principles.

• Project management capabilities for handling multiple design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a college degree plus 12 years of experience, or 17 years without a degree, clearly positions this as a senior or expert-level role. The specific mention of "TS/SCI with Polygraph" is a critical qualification, often associated with intelligence community or defense contractor positions. The emphasis on "differences/similarities between products" suggests a role involving quality control or detailed review of visual materials.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a wide range of graphic design projects, with a strong emphasis on multimedia, infographics, and data visualization.

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex information and data into clear, concise, and impactful visual narratives.

• Examples of projects managed from concept to completion, highlighting problem-solving approaches and design rationale.

• Case studies illustrating the application of design principles in a professional or government-contracting context, if applicable.

Process Documentation:

• While not explicitly stated, candidates are expected to articulate their design process, including research, conceptualization, iteration, and final production stages.

• Ability to document design decisions and rationale, especially when addressing complex issues or client feedback.

• Understanding of workflow management for handling multiple projects with varying deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior graphic design role, especially one supporting national security, a portfolio must demonstrate not just aesthetic skill but also the ability to handle complexity, manage projects, and communicate effectively. The emphasis on "problem-solve difficult and complex issues" implies the need for portfolio pieces that showcase analytical thinking in design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The proposed salary range for this position is $98,800 - $217,500 annually.

📝 Enhancement Note: This salary range is competitive for an expert-level graphic design role, particularly in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, and reflects the specialized skills, extensive experience, and high-level security clearance required. The upper end of the range is indicative of senior expertise and potential leadership within a specialized team.

Benefits:

• Healthcare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Wellness Programs: Support for employee health and well-being.

• Financial Planning: Resources and tools for financial management.

• Retirement Benefits: Competitive 401(k) plan or similar retirement savings options.

• Family Support: Benefits designed to support employees and their families.

• Continuing Education: Opportunities and resources for professional development and advanced learning.

• Flexible Time Off: A unique flexible time off benefit, allowing autonomy in managing personal time.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time employment, typically around 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of "flexible time off" is a notable benefit, suggesting a culture that values work-life balance, even within a demanding, on-site role. The comprehensive benefits package is standard for a large government contractor like CACI.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology and Government Contracting (specifically supporting national security).

Company Size: Large enterprise organization, indicated by its status as CACI International. CACI is a Fortune 500 company with a significant global presence, employing tens of thousands of individuals. This scale suggests a structured environment with extensive resources and established processes.

Founded: CACI International was founded in 1962, indicating a long history of operation and experience in its respective industries.

Team Structure:

• The graphic design team is likely part of a larger Communications or Creative Services department.

• It operates within a context that directly supports national security challenges, implying a mission-driven and potentially high-pressure environment.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using data and analytics to inform design choices, particularly for infographics and data visualizations.

• Mission-Oriented Approach: Design work is directly tied to achieving specific national security objectives, requiring precision and understanding of mission context.

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: The team environment encourages working together to tackle complex design issues and project requirements.

• Continuous Improvement: A focus on advancing design techniques and adapting to new technologies and client needs.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: CACI's focus on national security means the company culture likely emphasizes integrity, mission success, security, and a professional, disciplined approach to work. The "culture of integrity" and "environment of trust" mentioned in the description are key cultural pillars.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Expert / Senior Contributor. This role requires a significant depth of experience (10+ years) and specialized skills, positioning it at the highest tier for graphic design within many organizations. The "Expert Graphic Designer" title and the security clearance requirement further cement this senior status.

Reporting Structure: The graphic designer will likely report to a Design Manager, Creative Director, or a Project Manager within a Communications or program-specific team. They will collaborate with various internal stakeholders and potentially external clients or government program managers.

Operations Impact: The graphic designer's work directly impacts the clarity and effectiveness of critical information dissemination for national security missions. High-quality visualizations and materials can enhance understanding, facilitate decision-making, and contribute to mission success. The role bridges technical complexity with accessible visual communication.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced visualization tools, animation, or specific design software relevant to government contracts.

• Leadership Potential: Transition into a lead designer role, mentoring junior designers, or managing design projects.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Leverage design skills and security clearance to move into related roles within program management, technical writing, or intelligence analysis support.

• Professional Development: Utilize continuing education benefits for advanced certifications or training in emerging design technologies and methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's expert level and the company's nature suggest significant opportunities for professional development and potential advancement within specialized government contracting roles, especially for individuals who maintain their security clearance.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site position in Fairfax, VA. CACI operates in a professional office environment typical of a large government contractor. This often includes secure facilities due to the nature of the work.

Office Location(s): Fairfax, VA. This location is within the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, a hub for government contracting and intelligence agencies, offering access to a specialized talent pool and numerous government clients.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires working within a team and collaborating with various stakeholders, suggesting shared workspaces or meeting areas conducive to discussion and feedback.

• Technology & Tools: Access to high-performance workstations, specialized design software (Adobe Creative Suite), and potentially secure network infrastructure.

• Mission Focus: The workspace is geared towards supporting critical national security missions, which may involve a more structured and secure operational setting.

Work Schedule: Full-time, typically 40 hours per week. While the core hours are standard, the nature of government contracting and the need for mission support might occasionally require flexibility or extended hours, though the "flexible time off" benefit aims to balance this.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Fairfax, VA, combined with the TS/SCI clearance, points to a secure work environment. This is common for roles supporting sensitive government projects, where physical security and controlled access are paramount.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio for alignment with technical requirements, experience level, and security clearance qualifications.

• Technical Interview: Discussion of design philosophy, problem-solving approaches, and hands-on assessment of skills in relevant software (e.g., live design challenge or portfolio walkthrough with detailed questions).

• Behavioral/Situational Interview: Assessment of communication skills, teamwork, adaptability, and ability to handle complex project management scenarios. Questions may focus on past experiences with difficult issues or project challenges.

• Security Clearance Verification: Formal process for verifying existing TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with hiring managers or key stakeholders to assess cultural fit and overall suitability for the role and team.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Complexity: Prioritize projects that demonstrate your ability to handle complex data, abstract concepts, and challenging design problems.

• Highlight Process: For each project, be prepared to explain your thought process, design rationale, challenges faced, and how you arrived at the final solution.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, quantify the impact of your design work (e.g., "improved clarity of data by X%," "reduced time to understand complex information").

• Tailor to CACI: Familiarize yourself with CACI's mission and typical government contract aesthetics. While creativity is key, understanding the context of national security communication is crucial.

• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and clearly showcases your best work without unnecessary clutter.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design challenge that requires you to create a visual asset (e.g., an infographic or presentation slide) based on provided information, demonstrating your ability to quickly interpret data and produce relevant visuals.

• Practice articulating your design choices and strategic thinking under time constraints.

• Prepare to discuss how you manage competing priorities and demanding deadlines, drawing from your extensive experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance is a significant gatekeeper. Candidates must have this clearance already; the company will not sponsor it for this role. The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to handle complex, sensitive information visually and to communicate effectively in a high-stakes environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Illustrator: Essential for vector graphics, infographics, and detailed illustrations.
  • Photoshop: Crucial for image manipulation, photo editing, and complex compositing.
  • InDesign: Likely used for layout of reports, presentations, and multi-page documents.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools that can generate or integrate with data visualization libraries and platforms (specific tools may vary, but conceptual understanding is key).

• Multimedia Software: Tools for creating animations, video editing, or interactive content (e.g., Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, or similar).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct analytics role, understanding how design impacts information consumption and potentially using analytics to inform design choices is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not typically a direct requirement for a graphic designer, but familiarity with project management or collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Microsoft Teams) is expected for team-based work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Adobe and Illustrator products" points to the core software suite. Given the "data visualization" requirement, familiarity with tools that can handle or integrate with data sources (like Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced Excel charting capabilities) would be a strong asset, though not explicitly listed.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Integrity: Upholding honesty, ethical conduct, and trustworthiness, especially critical given the national security context.

• Mission Focus: A strong commitment to achieving the objectives of national security missions, understanding that design work directly contributes to these goals.

• Excellence: Striving for the highest quality in all design output, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and impact.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with diverse teams, valuing input from colleagues and stakeholders to achieve collective success.

• Innovation: Applying creativity and forward-thinking to solve complex design challenges and enhance communication effectiveness.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamlessly working with technical experts, program managers, and analysts to translate complex information into understandable visuals.

• Feedback-Driven: Openness to receiving and incorporating feedback from stakeholders to refine design solutions.

• Proactive Communication: Regularly updating team members and managers on project status, potential roadblocks, and design decisions.

• Team-Oriented Problem Solving: Contributing to group efforts to overcome design challenges and meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of "integrity," "innovation," and a "higher purpose" directly inform the expected team culture. For a graphic designer, this means balancing creative expression with the strict requirements of national security communication and professional conduct.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex Data: The primary challenge will be transforming highly technical or classified information into clear, accurate, and compelling visual assets that are easily understood by various audiences.

• High-Stakes Environment: Working within national security requires meticulous attention to detail, adherence to strict guidelines, and understanding the significant impact of design decisions.

• Dynamic Project Demands: Managing multiple short- and long-range projects with potentially shifting priorities and tight deadlines.

• Security Protocols: Navigating and adhering to stringent security protocols associated with handling classified or sensitive information.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Visualization Techniques: Opportunities to learn and apply cutting-edge data visualization and multimedia techniques.

• Specialized Software Training: Deepening expertise in advanced features of Adobe Creative Suite or exploring new design and animation software.

• Industry Best Practices: Gaining insights into design standards and communication strategies specific to government and intelligence communities.

• Mentorship: Potential to learn from experienced designers and project leads within CACI's robust organizational structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the specialized nature of government contracting and national security work. Growth opportunities will likely focus on deepening technical design skills and understanding the nuances of working within this sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to visualize complex or sensitive data. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on data visualization, problem-solving, and impact).

• "How do you manage multiple design projects with competing deadlines and stakeholders? Provide an example." (Focus on project management, time management, and communication).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for CACI and supporting national security missions?" (Demonstrate understanding of CACI's role and values).

• "How do you ensure accuracy and attention to detail in your design work, especially when dealing with technical information?" (Highlight meticulousness and commitment to quality).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to highlight projects that best align with the job description's requirements: multimedia, infographics, data visualization, and complex problem-solving.

• Tell the Story: For each selected project, narrate the context, the challenge, your approach, the tools used, and the final results. Quantify impact if possible.

• Demonstrate Process: Be ready to discuss your thought process, iterations, and rationale behind design decisions, especially for complex pieces.

• Highlight Security Awareness: If you have experience with sensitive projects, be prepared to discuss your approach to handling information discreetly and professionally, without revealing classified details.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with security clearances and government contracting environments. The interview will likely assess not just design skill but also discretion, reliability, and the ability to operate effectively within a secure and mission-critical context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the CACI careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your online or PDF portfolio to prominently feature examples of multimedia, infographics, and data visualizations that demonstrate your ability to handle complex information and solve design challenges. Ensure it reflects a professional and meticulous approach.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 12+ years of graphic design experience, specific software proficiencies (Adobe Creative Suite), and any experience relevant to government contracting or national security environments. Emphasize your TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving skills, and experience with complex projects. Prepare to discuss your understanding of CACI's mission and how your skills can contribute to national security objectives.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research CACI International, its mission, values, and recent projects to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural alignment during interviews. Understand the significance of "TS/SCI with Polygraph" in this context.

⚠️ 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.