Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer Company: HANNUM WAGLE & CLINE ENGINEERING INC Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Creative & Media / Consulting / Marketing / Engineering / Government & Public Sector Date Posted: October 07, 2025 Experience Level: 5-10 Years

🚀 Role Summary

• This Graphic Designer role is pivotal in translating complex planning initiatives into visually compelling narratives for community engagement and decision-making.
• The position requires a strong focus on developing cohesive branding for planning projects, ensuring consistent visual identity across all communication channels.
• A key aspect of this role involves creating engaging graphics, charts, maps, and illustrations to enhance the clarity and impact of planning reports and presentations.
• The Graphic Designer will be instrumental in supporting the Planning team by producing high-quality visual assets that effectively communicate community visions and planning concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input job title is "Graphic Designer," the company description and responsibilities clearly indicate a specialized role within the planning and consulting sector, focusing on visual communication for community development and technical planning documents. This enhancement positions the role within a GTM context by emphasizing its role in public participation and stakeholder engagement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive branding for various planning initiatives, including logos, color palettes, and associated visual materials that align with project goals.
• Design and maintain project websites for distinct planning initiatives, ensuring user-friendly navigation and visually appealing content.
• Prepare diverse promotional materials for public events and outreach, such as flyers, brochures, and social media graphics, to maximize awareness and participation.
• Create high-impact graphic design layouts for planning reports, comprehensive plans, slide decks, and large-format presentation boards, transforming technical data into accessible visuals.
• Produce engaging graphics, charts, maps, and illustrations to replace or supplement written content, significantly improving the readability and understanding of complex planning documents.
• Support the document production workflow, leveraging expertise in Adobe Creative Suite for efficient creation and finalization of all visual assets.
• Collaborate closely with professional planners to understand technical content and translate it into clear, engaging, and visually effective graphics.
• Manage multiple design projects concurrently, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality assets that meet project deadlines and client expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been detailed to emphasize the strategic impact of graphic design within the planning and consulting context. This includes focusing on audience engagement, technical data visualization, and the end-to-end creation process for various planning deliverables.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: Minimum of 4 years of professional graphic design experience, with a preference for experience in technical documentation, report design, or visual storytelling for complex projects.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional graphic design experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency in graphic design principles and best practices.
• Proven ability to manage multiple deadlines concurrently in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Strong understanding of typography, layout, and visual hierarchy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effective collaboration.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience preparing and formatting medium-to-large-scale report documents (20 to 200 pages).
• Background in technical writing, journalism, or related storytelling disciplines.
• Familiarity with local government operations, community planning, community development, or economic development concepts.
• Experience in developing project websites or digital interactive content.
• Knowledge of branding development and application across various media.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements have been expanded to include specific software proficiencies, document formatting experience, and relevant background knowledge that would be beneficial for this specialized graphic design role within a planning firm. The experience level has been refined to align with the "5-10 Years" AI-derived range.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 diverse projects demonstrating proficiency in branding development, including logo design and application across various collateral.
• Include examples of visually complex report documents (e.g., planning reports, comprehensive plans, proposals) that highlight your ability to translate technical information into accessible graphics, charts, and maps.
• Present case studies of promotional materials for events or initiatives, illustrating your skill in creating engaging flyers, social media graphics, or website content.
• Provide examples of presentation materials (slide decks, presentation boards) that demonstrate effective visual storytelling and data visualization.
• Highlight any experience with project website design or digital interactive content creation.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate your process for developing a visual identity for a new project or initiative from concept to final execution.
• Explain your workflow for collaborating with subject matter experts (e.g., planners) to gather requirements and translate technical content into visual assets.
• Detail your approach to managing the production of large-scale documents, including version control, review cycles, and final output preparation.
• Outline your methods for ensuring brand consistency and quality across all design deliverables for a given project.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section emphasizes the practical application of design skills through portfolio requirements, focusing on the types of projects relevant to HWC's planning and consulting services. It also prompts candidates to articulate their design process, a crucial aspect for roles requiring collaboration and project management.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for experienced Graphic Designers in Indianapolis, IN, with a Bachelor's degree and 4-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is $60,000 - $85,000 annually. This estimate considers the cost of living in Indianapolis and the specialized nature of the role supporting planning initiatives.

Benefits:

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, workshops, and potential certifications to enhance design skills and industry knowledge.
• Flexible Work Environment: Options for remote, hybrid, or in-office work arrangements, promoting work-life balance tailored to individual needs and role requirements.
• Performance-Driven Bonuses: Recognition and financial rewards tied to individual performance and company success, encouraging high achievement.
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage to support employee well-being.
• Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) or similar plan with potential company matching contributions.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday policies.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with potential for flexible scheduling to accommodate project needs and work-life balance, as supported by the company's flexible work environment policy.

📝 Enhancement Note: A specific salary range has been estimated for Indianapolis, IN, based on the provided experience level and role, with a clear methodology. Benefits have been expanded to include typical offerings for a company that values employee well-being and growth, aligning with the stated cultural emphasis.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Engineering, Consulting, Planning, Government & Public Sector. HWC Engineering operates at the intersection of technical engineering, strategic planning, and public service, providing essential infrastructure and development solutions.

Company Size: HWC Engineering has multiple offices and a significant employee base, indicating a mid-to-large-sized firm. This size suggests a stable organization with established processes, opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, and potential for career advancement, while still maintaining a culture that values individual contributions.

Founded: Founded in 1989, HWC Engineering has over three decades of experience. This longevity points to a stable, reputable firm with a deep understanding of its markets and a proven track record in delivering successful projects across the Midwest.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a dedicated Planning team, working closely with professional planners and potentially other specialists such as landscape architects or engineers.
• The reporting structure will likely involve a direct report to a Planning Manager or a Creative Director if one exists within the firm.
• Cross-functional collaboration is expected, with significant interaction with project managers, engineers, and client representatives to ensure design outputs align with project objectives and client needs.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Utilizing data and technical information provided by planners to create clear, accurate, and impactful visualizations.
• Collaborative Workflow: Engaging in iterative design processes, incorporating feedback from planners and stakeholders to refine visual communication strategies.
• Brand Consistency: Adhering to established branding guidelines for HWC Engineering and developing project-specific visual identities that are cohesive and professional.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context has been enriched by detailing the industry, company size implications for operations professionals, and the founding history's relevance to stability and expertise. The team structure and methodology sections are tailored to how a graphic designer would integrate into an engineering and planning firm.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a mid-level to senior individual contributor position within the creative and planning domain. It requires a solid foundation in graphic design principles, significant practical experience with complex document creation, and the ability to work autonomously on project-specific visual communication strategies. The scope involves leading design efforts for planning initiatives, influencing public perception and decision-making through visual media.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will report to a manager within the Planning division or potentially a dedicated creative lead, collaborating closely with a team of professional planners, project managers, and engineers. This structure allows for direct input on planning projects while providing oversight for creative output.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's impact is crucial for the success of HWC Engineering's planning services. By creating clear, engaging, and persuasive visual materials, they directly contribute to:

• Enhanced public participation and stakeholder buy-in for community planning initiatives.
• Improved understanding and acceptance of technical planning documents among diverse audiences.
• Stronger client proposals and project presentations, enhancing the firm's competitive edge.
• Consistent and professional brand representation for both HWC Engineering and its planning projects.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Develop deep expertise in specialized areas such as data visualization for technical reports, interactive web design for public engagement, or branding for municipal initiatives.
• Leadership in Design: Progress to a Senior Graphic Designer or Lead Designer role, mentoring junior designers and overseeing larger, more complex design projects.
• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain a strong understanding of urban planning, community development, and engineering principles, potentially transitioning into roles that blend design with project management or client relations within the planning sector.
• Industry Recognition: Contribute to award-winning projects and gain recognition within the planning and design communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section translates the Graphic Designer role into an "operations" context by framing its impact on business objectives (client acquisition, public engagement) and outlining clear career progression paths within a specialized consulting environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: HWC Engineering offers a flexible work environment, including options for remote, hybrid, or full-time in-office arrangements depending on the position and situation. This suggests a modern approach to workplace flexibility.

Office Location(s): The role is based in Indianapolis, IN, with additional offices in Lafayette, Muncie, and New Albany, Indiana. This provides potential for networking across different company locations and access to a broader professional community within the firm.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment likely includes collaborative work areas and meeting rooms conducive to brainstorming sessions and team discussions with planners and engineers.
• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite), high-performance workstations, and potentially large-format printers or plotters for report production.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with the Planning team and other departments, fostering a supportive and knowledge-sharing atmosphere.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the company's emphasis on work-life balance and flexible arrangements suggests a degree of autonomy in managing work hours to meet project deadlines effectively, without compromising personal well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment details have been interpreted to reflect a progressive company culture that values flexibility and collaboration, directly impacting how a Graphic Designer might experience their day-to-day work and team interactions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess foundational skills, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements.
• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio, discussing your design process, problem-solving approaches, and the impact of your work on past projects. Be prepared to articulate how you translated complex information into visual solutions.
• Skills Assessment/Case Study: A practical exercise, potentially involving a small design challenge related to planning materials or a review of existing work against specific criteria. This might involve creating a graphic for a hypothetical planning scenario.
• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: Discussions with hiring managers and team members to evaluate your communication style, collaboration skills, ability to manage deadlines, and alignment with HWC's values and culture.
• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss your overall fit and vision for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your ability to handle technical information, develop branding, and create engaging visual assets for reports and presentations. Prioritize projects similar to HWC's work in planning or consulting.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the challenge, your role, your design process (ideation, execution, tools used), and the tangible outcomes or impact of your work.
• Highlight Technical Translation: Emphasize examples where you successfully converted complex data, text, or technical concepts into easily understandable graphics, charts, maps, or illustrations.
• Showcase Brand Consistency: Include examples of how you've applied branding consistently across different mediums for a single initiative.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, your collaboration process with non-designers, and how you handle feedback and revisions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Familiarize yourself with HWC's services, their clients (municipalities, public sector), and the types of documents they produce (comprehensive plans, reports, public outreach materials).
• Focus on Clarity & Impact: If given a design challenge, prioritize clear communication, effective data visualization, and creating a visually appealing final product that aligns with the planning objectives.
• Demonstrate Process: Be ready to explain your thought process, even for a short exercise, outlining your initial steps, design decisions, and rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview and portfolio review sections are tailored to a graphic design role within a specialized consulting firm, providing actionable advice on portfolio curation, presentation strategy, and preparation for company-specific challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential proficiency expected in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for creating and managing vector graphics, raster images, and page layouts for reports and promotional materials.
• Adobe Acrobat Pro: For document formatting, PDF creation, and potentially interactive PDF features.
• Microsoft Office Suite: Strong command of Word for report formatting and integration of graphics, PowerPoint for presentations, and Excel for data visualization.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary focus for this role, understanding how graphics contribute to reporting metrics (e.g., engagement on web graphics, clarity of charts in reports) is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role, but familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Monday.com) that HWC might use for workflow management would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack has been specifically defined based on the core responsibilities of a graphic designer supporting a planning and engineering firm, highlighting essential software and related tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Respect & Collaboration: HWC Engineering emphasizes treating each other with the highest level of respect and fosters a collaborative environment, essential for effective teamwork between designers and planners.
• Progressive & Friendly: The company prides itself on being progressive and friendly, suggesting an open, supportive, and innovative workplace culture.
• Employee Well-being & Growth: A core value is prioritizing employee well-being and professional development, encouraging continuous learning and career advancement.
• Teamwork & Shared Success: The culture celebrates individual achievements while emphasizing that collective efforts lead to exceptional outcomes, fostering a sense of shared purpose.
• Work-Life Balance: Actively promotes work-life balance through tailored schedules and flexible work arrangements.

Collaboration Style:

• Interdisciplinary: Expect a highly collaborative style, working closely with professionals from diverse backgrounds (engineering, planning, landscape architecture) who may have different communication preferences and technical jargons.
• Feedback-Oriented: An environment that encourages open feedback and iterative design processes to ensure the final visual products meet the needs of the planning team and their clients.
• Goal-Driven: Collaboration is focused on achieving specific project goals, whether it's enhancing public engagement, clarifying technical data, or presenting a cohesive community vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values have been translated into specific behavioral expectations and collaboration styles relevant to a Graphic Designer working within an interdisciplinary consulting firm.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Technical Complexity: The primary challenge will be to distill complex engineering and planning concepts into easily understandable and visually appealing graphics for diverse audiences, including the public and technical stakeholders.
• Balancing Brand Consistency with Project Needs: Ensuring that individual project branding aligns with the overall HWC Engineering brand while also meeting the unique requirements of each planning initiative.
• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Feedback: Effectively incorporating feedback from various stakeholders (planners, engineers, potentially clients) who may have different aesthetic preferences and technical priorities.
• Adapting to Evolving Design Trends & Technologies: Staying current with the latest graphic design software, web design trends, and visualization techniques relevant to planning and public engagement.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Training: Opportunities to attend workshops or online courses focused on advanced data visualization, interactive design, or branding for public sector projects.
• Industry Immersion: Gaining in-depth knowledge of community planning, urban development, and engineering concepts through daily work and collaboration, enriching your design perspective.
• Mentorship: Potential to be mentored by senior designers or leaders within the planning team, gaining insights into strategic visual communication for consulting projects.
• Contribution to Award-Winning Projects: Opportunity to work on high-profile projects that have the potential for industry recognition and professional acclaim.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities have been identified specifically for a Graphic Designer in this unique industry context, emphasizing skill development relevant to technical translation and industry immersion.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process: "Describe your process for taking a complex technical document and translating it into a visually engaging report or presentation. What are the key steps you take?" (Focus on your methodology for understanding requirements, ideation, execution, and iteration.)
• Collaboration with Non-Designers: "How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration with team members who are not designers, such as engineers or planners, to achieve the best visual outcome?" (Highlight your ability to explain design rationale clearly and incorporate feedback constructively.)
• Problem-Solving: "Walk me through a time you had to overcome a significant design challenge on a project. What was the challenge, and how did you approach solving it?" (Use a STAR method response, focusing on your problem-solving skills and adaptability.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Understanding HWC's Mission: "What interests you about HWC Engineering's work in planning and consulting, and how do you see your graphic design skills contributing to our mission?" (Research HWC's projects and values; connect your skills to their impact.)
• Teamwork & Flexibility: "HWC emphasizes a collaborative and flexible work environment. How have you contributed to a positive team dynamic in previous roles, and how do you manage your work within flexible arrangements?" (Provide examples of teamwork and your approach to managing tasks independently.)
• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of your design work, especially in the context of planning initiatives and public engagement?" (Think about metrics like clarity, engagement, feedback received, or successful project outcomes.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Presentation: Begin with an overview of your design philosophy, followed by 3-5 curated case studies. For each case study, clearly outline the project's objective, your role, your design process, challenges overcome, and the final results or impact.
• Focus on Relevance: Prioritize projects that demonstrate your ability to handle technical information, create branding, and design reports or promotional materials. If you have experience in planning or public sector design, highlight it prominently.
• Articulate Your 'Why': Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design decisions – why you chose specific colors, typography, layouts, or graphical elements. This demonstrates strategic thinking.
• Showcase Technical Translation: Explicitly point out examples where you converted complex data or text into clear graphics, charts, maps, or illustrations.
• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your tools, software, collaboration methods, and how you handle feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation focuses on behavioral and situational questions relevant to a design role within a technical consulting firm, emphasizing the need to showcase strategic thinking, collaboration, and the ability to translate complex information visually.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your resume and a compelling portfolio through the ADP application portal linked.
• Customize Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your experience with Adobe Creative Suite, report document formatting, and any relevant experience in technical writing, journalism, or community planning. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select projects that best demonstrate your ability to create visually engaging materials for technical documents, branding initiatives, and public outreach. Prioritize examples relevant to planning, engineering, or public sector work.
• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice articulating your design process, showcasing your problem-solving skills, and explaining the impact of your work, especially in translating complex information into accessible visuals.
• Research HWC Engineering: Understand the company's services, client base, and recent projects to tailor your application and interview responses to their specific needs and culture.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with HANNUM WAGLE & CLINE ENGINEERING INC before making application decisions.