OPS Web Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: OPS Web Designer

Company: University of South Florida

Location: Tampa, Florida, United States

Job Type: Part time, Temporary

Category: Web Design & Development, Graphic Design, Communications Operations

Date Posted: March 19, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 Years Experience)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in enhancing the digital presence and communication effectiveness for the Motorcycle Injury Prevention (MIP) team at the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR).

• The Web Designer will act as a visual storyteller, translating complex traffic safety information into engaging digital and print content.

• A strong emphasis is placed on blending technical web development skills, particularly with WordPress, with a keen aesthetic sense in graphic design.

• The position requires a proactive approach to content creation and a commitment to supporting statewide traffic safety initiatives through effective digital and print media.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "OPS Web Designer" and the description focuses heavily on design and content creation, the "OPS" designation in a university setting often implies an operational support function. This role will likely involve managing and maintaining existing web properties and creating new digital assets that support the operational goals of the MIP team and CUTR, rather than pure new product development. The "Part-time, 10-20 hours per week" nature suggests it's a support role rather than a core development position.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain engaging and informative websites and web-based content using WordPress, ensuring a high level of visual appeal and user experience for statewide traffic safety campaigns.

• Create compelling digital assets, including graphics, infographics, banners, and social media visuals, that effectively communicate key messages for the Motorcycle Injury Prevention (MIP) team.

• Develop and produce print collateral such as brochures, flyers, posters, and reports, ensuring brand consistency and adherence to design standards across all mediums.

• Collaborate with researchers and project managers within CUTR to understand campaign objectives and translate them into effective visual and content strategies.

• Optimize web content for search engines (SEO) to increase visibility and reach for traffic safety information.

• Manage and update website content, ensuring accuracy, relevance, and timely dissemination of information.

• Troubleshoot and resolve any design or content-related issues on the MIP team's web platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are inferred by combining the job title, core description, and typical duties of a web designer within an academic research environment focused on public outreach and safety campaigns. The emphasis on "visual storyteller" and "digital and print content" points towards a broad content creation role, not solely technical web development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in CMS website development and management, with a strong focus on WordPress.

Required Skills:

• WordPress Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise in building, customizing, and managing WordPress websites, including theme and plugin integration.

• Graphic Design Skills: Strong visual design capabilities with proficiency in industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Front-End Development: Solid understanding and practical application of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript for web design and content presentation.

• Responsive Design: Ability to create web designs that adapt seamlessly across various devices and screen sizes (desktops, tablets, mobile phones).

• Content Creation: Proven ability to create engaging digital and print content, including graphics, layouts, and marketing materials.

• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for collaborating with team members and stakeholders, and for clear content presentation.

Preferred Skills:

• SEO Fundamentals: Understanding of Search Engine Optimization principles and best practices for web content.

• UI/UX Principles: Familiarity with User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design best practices to enhance website usability.

• Basic PHP: Awareness or basic proficiency in PHP, as it is often integrated with WordPress.

• Familiarity with MySQL: Understanding database concepts, as they relate to web content management.

• Experience with traffic safety or public health campaigns: Prior work in similar domains is a plus.

• Version Control (e.g., Git): Experience with version control systems for managing code and design assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are derived from the core responsibilities and the "strong background in Graphic Design and Communications" mentioned in the description, along with typical requirements for a WordPress-centric web design role in an academic setting. Preferred skills are added based on common adjacent technologies and project types. The "2-5 years" experience level is inferred from the requested degree/experience combination.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Storytelling Showcase: A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating your ability to translate complex information into visually compelling narratives for both digital and print mediums. This should include examples of graphics, infographics, and layout designs for campaigns.

• WordPress Project Examples: A selection of websites or web components you have designed and developed using WordPress, highlighting your customization skills, responsive design implementation, and user interface effectiveness.

• Cross-Media Consistency: Examples that illustrate your capacity to maintain brand consistency and a cohesive message across different platforms, from web pages to print collateral.

• Impact-Oriented Case Studies: If possible, include brief case studies or descriptions for 1-2 projects that detail the objective, your role, the design process, and the outcome or impact of your work, particularly if it relates to communication campaigns or educational content.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your process for concept development, design execution, content integration, and website updates, demonstrating how you streamline these workflows for efficiency.

• Collaboration & Feedback Integration: Showcase how you incorporate feedback from stakeholders (researchers, project managers) into your design and content creation process.

• Tool Proficiency Demonstration: Be ready to briefly explain how you utilize specific design and web development tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress editors) to achieve project goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: Portfolio requirements are tailored for a design and content creation role within an operational context. The emphasis is on demonstrating visual storytelling, technical proficiency with WordPress, and the ability to manage projects from concept to execution, with a focus on communication and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $29.21 - $37.35 per hour.

Benefits:

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health coverage options.

• Dental Insurance: Dental care plans.

• Life Insurance: Basic life insurance coverage.

• Retirement Plan Options: Access to retirement savings plans.

• Employee and Dependent Tuition Programs: Opportunities for educational advancement for employees and their dependents.

• Generous Leave: Paid time off and holidays.

• Employee Perks and Discounts: Access to various discounts and benefits offered to university employees.

Working Hours:

• Part-time, 10–20 hours per week.

• Schedule is somewhat flexible within standard business hours (8 am – 5 pm), allowing for integration with other commitments while ensuring availability for team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary and benefits are directly extracted from the provided input. The working hours are also directly stated, with an emphasis on flexibility within a defined window, which is common for part-time academic support roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Higher Education, Transportation Research, Public Health & Safety

Company Size: Approximately 16,000 employees (University of South Florida).

• Working within a large university system provides stability, a rich academic environment, and access to extensive resources. The "OPS" (Operational Personnel Services) designation for this role implies it's part of the university's administrative and support staff structure.

Founded: The University of South Florida was founded in 1956.

Team Structure:

• Motorcycle Injury Prevention (MIP) Team: A specialized team within the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR).

• CUTR: A research center focused on transportation issues, likely comprising researchers, project managers, administrative staff, and support personnel like this designer.

• Reporting: The Web Designer will likely report to a project manager or lead within the MIP team or CUTR, coordinating with researchers and other campaign staff.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role necessitates close collaboration with researchers, campaign coordinators, and potentially other CUTR staff to ensure design and content align with research objectives and outreach goals.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Research Support: The team's work is grounded in transportation research, meaning design and content should be informed by data and aimed at effective knowledge dissemination.

• Public Outreach & Education: A primary methodology will involve translating research findings into accessible and engaging content for public safety campaigns.

• Agile Content Development: Given the part-time nature and potential for evolving campaign needs, a flexible and iterative approach to content creation and website updates is likely employed.

Company Website: www.usf.edu

📝 Enhancement Note: Company context is built from the provided description of USF, its size, reputation, and the specific mention of the CUTR and MIP team. The "OPS" designation is interpreted within the university context as operational support.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Support Specialist (Web Design & Communications)

Reporting Structure:

Operations Impact:

• The role directly impacts the effectiveness of statewide traffic safety campaigns by creating clear, engaging, and accessible communication materials.

• High-quality web design and content can increase campaign reach, improve public understanding of safety issues, and ultimately contribute to reducing motorcycle injuries.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in WordPress customization, graphic design for public health campaigns, and potentially UI/UX design principles.

• Portfolio Expansion: Build a strong portfolio with impactful projects in public safety and transportation research.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working with diverse teams of researchers and project managers, understanding their operational needs.

• Potential for Increased Hours/Roles: While currently part-time and temporary, strong performance could lead to opportunities for increased hours, longer-term contracts, or related roles within USF's extensive network, should they become available.

📝 Enhancement Note: Growth opportunities are framed within the context of a part-time, temporary role in a large university setting, focusing on skill enhancement and portfolio building rather than immediate career advancement into management. The impact is tied to the mission of the research center and its public safety campaigns.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: University Research Center Environment (Center for Urban Transportation Research - CUTR).

• This implies a professional, academic setting focused on research, collaboration, and outreach.

Office Location(s): Tampa, Florida.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Atmosphere: Expect to work alongside researchers, project managers, and other support staff, fostering an environment of shared goals and knowledge exchange.

• Technology & Tools: Access to university IT infrastructure, design software (likely via site licenses), and standard office equipment. The specific tools will align with web design and content creation workflows.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with the MIP team and CUTR staff for project briefings, feedback sessions, and collaborative problem-solving.

Work Schedule:

• Flexible part-time (10-20 hours/week) within standard business hours (8 am – 5 pm). This allows for a balance between professional responsibilities and other commitments, while ensuring availability during core operational times.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is described based on the context of a university research center, emphasizing collaboration, academic professionalism, and the specific flexibility offered by the part-time schedule.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess foundational skills and experience.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A dedicated session where you will present your portfolio, discussing your design process, project choices, and how you've used WordPress and graphic design tools. Expect questions about your approach to visual storytelling and content creation for campaigns.

• Skills Assessment: Potentially a small design exercise or technical question related to WordPress, HTML/CSS, or graphic design to gauge practical abilities.

• Behavioral/Situational Interview: Questions focused on your ability to collaborate with researchers, manage deadlines, handle feedback, and work independently within a part-time capacity.

• Final Interview: Likely with the hiring manager or lead of the MIP team to discuss role fit, enthusiasm for the mission, and logistical details.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your WordPress development, graphic design, and content creation skills, particularly those involving campaign materials or informational content.

• Highlight Process: For each project, be prepared to explain your design thinking, the problem you were solving, your approach to creating engaging content, and the tools you used.

• Showcase WordPress: Clearly demonstrate your WordPress proficiency, including any custom theme/plugin work, content management strategies, and responsive design implementation.

• Emphasize Visual Storytelling: For this role, focus on how your designs effectively communicate messages and engage target audiences, especially for public safety initiatives.

• Quantify Impact (If Possible): If you have metrics on website traffic, engagement, or the reach of a campaign you contributed to, be ready to share them.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: Be prepared for a potential short design task, such as creating a graphic for a specific traffic safety message or suggesting improvements to an existing web page. Focus on clarity, visual appeal, and alignment with campaign goals.

• WordPress Scenario: You might be asked about troubleshooting a common WordPress issue or how you would implement a specific feature.

• Content Strategy: Think about how you would adapt complex research findings into easily digestible content for different audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for candidates applying to a design role in an academic research setting, emphasizing portfolio presentation, technical skills relevant to WordPress and graphic design, and the ability to contribute to the mission of the research team.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• WordPress: The core Content Management System (CMS) for website development and management. Proficiency in theme customization, plugin integration, and content editing is essential.

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and creating web graphics.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and infographics.
  • InDesign: For print layout design (brochures, flyers, posters, reports).

• Web Browsers & Developer Tools: For testing responsive design and basic front-end debugging (e.g., Chrome DevTools, Firefox Developer Tools).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics (or similar): Familiarity with web analytics to understand website traffic, user behavior, and content performance, which can inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, standard university IT infrastructure and project management tools may be in use. Familiarity with cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, OneDrive) for asset sharing is beneficial.

• Email & Communication Platforms: Standard professional email clients and potentially collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is inferred from the core responsibilities of a Web Designer with graphic design skills working with WordPress, commonly used in academic and research environments.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A commitment to contributing to meaningful public safety initiatives through effective communication and design.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively with researchers and project managers to achieve shared campaign goals.

• Accuracy & Detail: Ensuring all content and designs are accurate, well-researched, and visually polished.

• Efficiency & Adaptability: Managing time effectively within a part-time role and adapting to evolving project needs and feedback.

• Commitment to Research Dissemination: Supporting the university's mission of sharing knowledge and research findings with the public.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership with Researchers: Working closely with subject matter experts to translate technical information into accessible content.

• Feedback Integration: Openness to constructive criticism and a proactive approach to incorporating feedback from project leads and stakeholders.

• Shared Goal Orientation: Focusing on the collective success of traffic safety campaigns and research dissemination efforts.

• Clear Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication regarding project progress, challenges, and design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Team culture and values are inferred based on the university setting, research focus, and the nature of public safety campaigns, emphasizing collaboration, accuracy, and mission alignment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex Data: Converting technical research findings and safety statistics into easily understandable and engaging visual content for a broad audience.

• Balancing Design & Technical Constraints: Working within the limitations of WordPress themes/plugins and university IT policies while delivering innovative designs.

• Managing Part-Time Workload: Effectively prioritizing tasks and managing time to meet project deadlines within a limited weekly hour allocation.

• Maintaining Consistency: Ensuring brand consistency and message clarity across a variety of digital and print materials for different campaigns.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen WordPress Expertise: Gain advanced skills in WordPress theme development, plugin configuration, and performance optimization.

• Enhance Graphic Design Skills: Further develop proficiency in visual storytelling, infographic design, and creating user-centric visuals.

• Learn About Transportation Safety: Gain insights into the field of traffic safety research and public health communication strategies.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Build a robust portfolio with tangible contributions to impactful public safety campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are identified based on the nature of the role (designing for research and public safety) and the constraints (part-time, university environment). Growth opportunities focus on skill development within the role's domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Portfolio Walkthrough: Be prepared to walk through 2-3 key projects from your portfolio. For each, explain:

  • The objective of the project.
  • Your design process and rationale.
  • How you used WordPress and other tools.
  • Any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
  • The outcome or impact of your work.

• WordPress Expertise: How do you approach customizing WordPress themes? What are your go-to plugins for common tasks? How do you ensure a WordPress site is responsive and SEO-friendly?

• Design for Impact: How would you visually represent complex traffic safety data to make it engaging for the general public? Describe a time you had to simplify a message through design.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Mission Alignment: Why are you interested in working with the Motorcycle Injury Prevention team and supporting traffic safety initiatives? What excites you about USF's mission?

• Collaboration Style: How do you typically collaborate with subject matter experts or researchers who may not be design-savvy? How do you handle constructive criticism on your designs?

• Time Management: How do you plan to manage your workload effectively within a 10-20 hour per week schedule?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Relevance: Prioritize projects that showcase your WordPress skills, graphic design for communication, and experience with creating digital/print content.

• Tell a Story: Frame your portfolio as a narrative of how you solve problems and create impactful visual solutions.

• Demonstrate Process: Show your sketches, wireframes, or early concepts to illustrate your design thinking.

• Highlight Technical Skills: Clearly point out your proficiency with WordPress, HTML/CSS, and design software.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, technical implementations, and ability to work independently.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is tailored to a design role in a university research environment, focusing on portfolio demonstration, technical skills, and alignment with the organization's mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the University of South Florida's careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your strongest WordPress projects, graphic design work relevant to campaigns or informational content, and any experience with public safety or educational materials.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience with WordPress, graphic design software, HTML/CSS, and any relevant content creation responsibilities. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected portfolio pieces, focusing on your design process, the impact of your work, and your technical skills. Be ready to discuss how you'd approach creating content for traffic safety campaigns.

• Research USF & CUTR: Familiarize yourself with the University of South Florida, the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), and the mission of the Motorcycle Injury Prevention (MIP) team to demonstrate 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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