Visual/ Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Visual/Graphic Designer Company: Civil Science Location: Dickinson, North Dakota, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Marketing / Creative / Design Date Posted: 2026-01-16 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Brand Stewardship: Responsible for owning and evolving the company's visual brand across all platforms, ensuring consistency and impact in every design output. This includes developing visual identity guidelines and ensuring adherence across all company materials.
• Creative Translation: Skillfully transforms complex engineering concepts and technical information into clear, compelling, and aesthetically pleasing visual narratives, making intricate data accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.
• Proposal Excellence: Designs modern, polished, and persuasive proposals that effectively communicate Civil Science's value proposition, leveraging sophisticated layout, typography, imagery, and graphics to differentiate the firm in competitive bids.
• Marketing Collateral Development: Creates a wide range of marketing and communication assets for print and digital channels, including infographics, advertisements, brochures, social media graphics, presentations, and event materials, to support business development and brand awareness initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a key creative contributor, focusing specifically on visual brand identity and marketing collateral within the A/E/C (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) sector. The emphasis on translating complex engineering concepts into digestible visuals highlights a critical need for a designer who can bridge technical content with creative communication.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Visual Brand Ownership: Lead the development and enforcement of visual brand guidelines across all company touchpoints, from proposals and digital marketing to internal communications and event branding.
• Technical Visualization: Translate complex engineering principles, project data, and technical specifications into clear, impactful, and easily understandable visual content, such as infographics, charts, and diagrams.
• Proposal Design & Execution: Design, layout, and produce high-quality, visually appealing proposals that effectively tell Civil Science's story, enhance client perception, and increase win rates.
• Marketing Material Creation: Develop a comprehensive suite of marketing collateral, including brochures, flyers, digital ads, social media graphics, email templates, and presentation decks, ensuring brand consistency and strategic alignment.
• Digital Asset Development: Create and optimize graphic assets for various digital platforms, including website content, social media campaigns, email marketing, and online advertising, potentially including simple animations or GIFs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with senior leadership, marketing, HR, project managers, and technical teams to understand project objectives, gather requirements, and deliver design solutions that meet business needs.
• Creative Strategy Input: Contribute design expertise to marketing campaigns and business development efforts, helping to shape strategy through compelling visual storytelling and innovative design solutions.
• Print & Digital Production: Manage the design and production process for both print and digital deliverables, ensuring technical accuracy, brand consistency, and timely delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to design, with a strong focus on proposal development and the ability to communicate technical information visually. The requirement to "partner in the marketing process" suggests involvement beyond pure design execution, hinting at a role that contributes to strategic marketing efforts.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is preferred. Equivalent professional experience will also be considered. Experience: Minimum of 2 years of professional graphic design experience, with a mandatory requirement for experience within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (A/E/C) industry.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: High-level expertise in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat is essential for all design and production tasks.
• Visual Brand Management: Proven ability to develop, implement, and maintain consistent visual brand identity across diverse media.
• Proposal Design Expertise: Demonstrated skill in designing compelling and professional proposals, including layout, typography, and integration of graphics and imagery.
• Technical Concept Visualization: Ability to interpret and visually represent complex technical information, engineering concepts, and data into accessible graphics and infographics.
• Print & Digital Design: Strong portfolio showcasing versatility in designing for both print (brochures, flyers, event materials) and digital (social media, web banners, email graphics) platforms.
• Typography and Layout: Excellent command of typography, color theory, and composition principles to create aesthetically pleasing and effective designs.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication abilities, essential for collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, receive and provide constructive feedback, and contribute to shared project goals.

Preferred Skills:

• Animation/Motion Graphics: Basic skills in creating simple animations or GIFs for digital campaigns.
• Web Design Principles: Familiarity with web design best practices and UI/UX considerations for digital assets.
• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with updating content on websites via a CMS.
• Photography/Videography: Basic understanding or experience in photo editing or video production.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for A/E/C industry experience is a critical filter. The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite suggests a need for production-level skills. The preference for animation and web design points towards a role that supports modern digital marketing efforts.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated A/E/C Experience: A significant portion of the portfolio must showcase design work specifically for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry, highlighting familiarity with industry aesthetics and proposal conventions.
• Versatility and Originality: Showcase a range of design styles and solutions across different project types (e.g., proposals, marketing collateral, digital assets), demonstrating creative thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Technical Visualization Examples: Include case studies or examples of how complex technical information or data was translated into clear and engaging visual formats (infographics, charts, diagrams).
• Proposal Design Showcase: Present examples of well-designed proposals, detailing the role played in their creation and highlighting design choices that contributed to their effectiveness.
• Brand Consistency: Examples demonstrating the ability to maintain and evolve a consistent brand identity across various applications.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Ability to articulate personal design workflows, from initial concept and research to final execution and delivery, including how feedback is incorporated.
• Tool Proficiency Documentation: While not a formal document, be prepared to discuss and demonstrate proficiency with the Adobe Creative Suite and other relevant design software during the interview process.
• Project Management Approach: Be ready to discuss how projects are managed, prioritized, and how deadlines are met, particularly in a collaborative or fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a design role, a robust portfolio is paramount. The specific emphasis on A/E/C experience and technical visualization within the portfolio requirements is crucial for candidates to address. The expectation of discussing design workflows implies a need for candidates who are not just creators but also process-oriented.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry standards for a Visual/Graphic Designer with 2-5 years of experience in a specialized sector like A/E/C, located in Dickinson, North Dakota, the estimated annual salary range is between $55,000 and $75,000. This range accounts for the specific industry requirement and the responsibility of owning the visual brand.

Benefits:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP): As a 100% employee-owned firm, all full-time employees are eligible to participate, offering ownership in the company's future and retirement savings.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Three weeks of PTO per year for full-time employees.
• Holidays: Eight paid holidays per year.
• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Life Insurance: Company-paid life insurance policy.
• Disability Insurance: Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Support for continued education and professional development.
• 401K Plan: Retirement savings plan available.

Working Hours: The role is structured around a standard 40-hour work week, typical for full-time positions. While on-site, there may be opportunities for flexibility in daily scheduling, though core hours will likely be required for team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on general US market data for mid-level graphic designers, adjusted for the specific location (Dickinson, ND) and the critical A/E/C industry requirement. The ESOP is a significant differentiator and a key benefit that should be highlighted.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (A/E/C). Civil Science operates within a sector known for its technical rigor, long project lifecycles, and a strong emphasis on safety, reliability, and client relationships. The design role here supports business development and brand perception within this technical context. Company Size: Civil Science is described as a growing firm with over 40 years of expertise and multiple offices, indicating a mid-sized organization. This size often allows for a balance between structured processes and agile decision-making, offering opportunities for individual impact. Founded: Founded over 40 years ago, Civil Science has a long-standing history and established reputation in the engineering field, suggesting a stable yet evolving organization.

Team Structure:

• Design & Marketing Focus: The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a marketing or business development team, working closely with marketing professionals, proposal managers, and potentially project leads.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: A key aspect of the role involves collaboration with senior leadership, HR, project managers, and technical project teams across various disciplines and potentially multiple office locations.
• Reporting: Reporting is likely to a Marketing Manager, Business Development Director, or a senior leader overseeing communications and brand.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While the role is creative, the A/E/C context implies that design decisions will be informed by project data, client needs, and business objectives, rather than purely aesthetic preferences.
• Process Optimization: The company values innovation and growth, suggesting an environment where process improvements, including design workflows, are encouraged.
• Client-Centric Approach: As an engineering firm, client satisfaction and clear communication are paramount, and the design function directly supports these goals through compelling visuals and proposals.

Company Website: [Civil Science Website URL - Placeholder, as not provided in input]

📝 Enhancement Note: The A/E/C industry context is crucial, implying a need for a designer who understands technical subject matter and can communicate it effectively. The employee-owned structure (ESOP) is a significant cultural differentiator that impacts employee motivation and long-term commitment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Individual Contributor (IC) with significant responsibility. The "Visual/Graphic Designer" title, coupled with the expectation to "own the visual brand" and "lead on everything visual," suggests a senior IC or a specialist role with potential for growth into a lead design position or a broader marketing/communications management track. Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a marketing or business development lead, working collaboratively with various departments including senior leadership, project managers, and technical teams. This provides exposure to different facets of the business. Operations Impact: The Visual/Graphic Designer plays a direct role in shaping the company's external perception through proposals and marketing materials. Strong design directly impacts the quality of bids, brand recognition, and client engagement, contributing to business development and revenue generation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of design relevant to the A/E/C industry, such as complex data visualization, proposal graphics, or digital marketing assets.
• Brand Leadership: Potential to grow into a lead designer or Art Director role, overseeing brand strategy and guiding junior designers or external agencies.
• Marketing Integration: Possibility to expand into broader marketing strategy roles, leveraging design insights to inform campaign development and content creation.
• ESOP Benefits: Long-term career growth is intrinsically linked to the company's success due to the employee ownership model, offering financial participation in company growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for specialization within the A/E/C design niche. The "ownership" aspect of the role suggests potential for leadership development, especially within a growing firm. The ESOP structure provides a unique long-term financial growth incentive.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is on-site in Dickinson, North Dakota. This suggests a traditional office environment where face-to-face collaboration is expected and valued. Office Location(s): Dickinson, North Dakota. This location may appeal to candidates seeking to work in a specific geographic region or within a community setting. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Space: The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration indicates an office environment designed to facilitate teamwork, possibly with open spaces, meeting rooms, and shared workstations.
• Technology & Tools: Access to standard office equipment and the full Adobe Creative Suite on company-provided hardware will be essential.
• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with colleagues from various departments will be a key part of the daily experience, fostering a connected workplace.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected. While on-site, the company culture may offer some flexibility in daily start/end times, but consistent presence is likely required for team collaboration and project responsiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Dickinson, North Dakota, is a key detail for geographically specific candidates. The description implies a standard professional office setting focused on collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications, A/E/C experience, and design aesthetic.
• Portfolio Presentation: A key stage will involve presenting a curated portfolio, discussing design process, rationale behind choices, and specific contributions to projects, especially A/E/C and proposal work.
• Technical Assessment: Discussion of proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and other design tools. May include a brief design challenge or critique of existing company materials.
• Behavioral & Cultural Fit: Interviews with hiring managers and potential team members to assess communication skills, collaboration style, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with Civil Science's employee-owned culture.
• Final Interview: Likely with senior leadership to discuss the role's strategic impact and career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 4-6 of your strongest projects, ensuring a significant portion specifically showcases A/E/C industry work and proposal design.
• Tell a Story: For each project, articulate the problem, your process, your role, the solutions, and the impact. Highlight how you translated complex information into visuals.
• Highlight A/E/C Relevance: For proposal examples, explain the client, the project type, and how your design contributed to the proposal's overall effectiveness and clarity.
• Showcase Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss specific techniques used within Adobe Creative Suite and other relevant software.
• Demonstrate Brand Thinking: If possible, show examples of how you've applied or evolved brand guidelines.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Critique: Be prepared to offer constructive critiques of existing Civil Science marketing materials or proposals, suggesting improvements based on design principles and brand consistency.
• Conceptualization: You might be asked to brainstorm visual concepts for a hypothetical A/E/C project or marketing campaign.
• Technical Translation: A small task might involve simplifying a piece of technical text into a visual concept.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the cornerstone of this application. Candidates must tailor it meticulously to the A/E/C industry and highlight proposal design skills. Being prepared to discuss design strategy and process, not just aesthetics, will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: High proficiency required in Adobe InDesign (layout, proposal design), Adobe Illustrator (vector graphics, logos, icons), and Adobe Photoshop (image editing, digital assets).
• Adobe Acrobat: Essential for creating, editing, and managing PDF documents, especially for proposals and marketing collateral.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary design tool, understanding how design impacts digital metrics (e.g., click-through rates on ads, engagement on social media) is beneficial. Familiarity with web analytics tools like Google Analytics may be a plus.

CRM & Automation:

• Experience with CRM platforms is generally not expected for a graphic designer, but understanding how marketing materials are deployed through CRM or marketing automation systems (e.g., HubSpot, Mailchimp) can be advantageous.
• Project Management Software: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for managing design tasks and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirement centers entirely around the Adobe Creative Suite. Any additional familiarity with digital marketing platforms or project management tools would be considered a bonus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & ESOP Culture: Encourages a sense of responsibility and investment in the company's success, as employees are owners. This fosters a proactive and results-oriented mindset.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Values strong working relationships and open communication across departments and disciplines, crucial for integrating design into technical and business processes.
• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to delivering high-quality engineering solutions and corresponding high-quality design outputs that reflect professionalism and expertise.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Encourages initiative, innovation, and a willingness to explore new ideas and approaches, which can apply to design problem-solving and process improvement.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The designer will be expected to actively collaborate with non-designers (engineers, project managers, leadership), requiring clear communication and the ability to translate creative concepts into terms understandable to technical and business stakeholders.
• Feedback Loop: An open environment for giving and receiving constructive feedback on design work to ensure alignment with project goals and brand standards.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encourages sharing of best practices, design trends, and technical insights to foster continuous learning and improvement within the team and across the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The employee ownership model (ESOP) is a significant cultural driver, implying a culture of shared responsibility and long-term commitment. The need to collaborate with technical teams means cultural fit will also involve adaptability and effective communication across different professional backgrounds.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Technical Complexity: The primary challenge will be consistently translating highly technical and complex engineering information into visually simple, clear, and compelling graphics that resonate with clients and stakeholders.
• Balancing Brand Consistency with Project Needs: Ensuring brand integrity across diverse projects and marketing efforts while adapting designs to specific project requirements and client expectations.
• Pace and Volume: Managing a potentially high volume of design requests from various departments and projects, requiring efficient workflow and prioritization skills.
• Geographic Isolation (if applicable): For on-site roles in non-major metro areas, the challenge might involve limited access to external design communities or resources, requiring proactive self-education.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• A/E/C Industry Expertise: Deepen understanding of civil engineering principles, project types, and industry-specific design conventions, becoming a subject matter expert in visual communication for this sector.
• Advanced Design Software Skills: Opportunities to master advanced features within Adobe Creative Suite or explore related software for motion graphics or 3D visualization.
• Marketing Strategy Acumen: Develop a stronger understanding of marketing principles, campaign strategy, and business development processes, enhancing the ability to create design that drives business results.
• ESOP Education: Learning about employee ownership structures and how to contribute to and benefit from the company's long-term success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core challenge revolves around bridging the gap between technical engineering content and effective visual communication. Growth opportunities are tied to deepening industry-specific design expertise and understanding the business impact of design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Brand Vision: "How would you approach developing a comprehensive visual brand strategy for an engineering firm like Civil Science, considering our existing reputation and future growth?" (Focus on your process for brand assessment, guideline development, and implementation.)
• Technical Visualization: "Describe a time you had to translate a complex technical concept into a visual format. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a case study that demonstrates your ability to simplify and communicate technical information.)
• Proposal Impact: "How do you believe strong proposal design contributes to winning new business in the A/E/C industry? What elements are crucial for effective proposal graphics?" (Discuss your understanding of proposal effectiveness and your design philosophy for proposals.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• ESOP Interest: "Our company is 100% employee-owned. What does this ownership model mean to you, and how do you see yourself contributing to our shared success?" (Show genuine interest in the ESOP and how it aligns with your work ethic.)
• Collaboration Style: "How do you typically collaborate with engineers or project managers who may not have a strong design background? How do you ensure their technical input is incorporated while maintaining design integrity?" (Prepare examples of successful cross-functional collaboration.)
• Problem Solving: "Describe a challenging design project you faced. How did you overcome the obstacles, and what did you learn from the experience?" (Focus on your problem-solving methodology and ability to adapt.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Organize your portfolio logically. Start with your strongest A/E/C and proposal examples.
• Contextualize Each Piece: For every project, clearly state the client (or type of client), the objective, your specific role and contributions, the tools used, and the final outcome or impact.
• Show Your Process: Be ready to walk through your design thinking – from initial brief to final execution. Explain why you made certain design choices.
• Quantify Impact (if possible): If you have metrics (e.g., increased proposal win rate, higher engagement on social media graphics), present them. If not, articulate the qualitative impact.
• Be Ready for Critique: Present your work confidently but be open to constructive feedback and discussion.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design skill but also an understanding of the A/E/C industry, business objectives, and the company's unique employee-owned culture. The portfolio presentation is a critical component.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Visual/Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Civil Science careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your submitted portfolio is tailored to highlight your A/E/C industry experience and your strongest proposal design work. If a digital portfolio, ensure it is easily navigable and displays projects clearly.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize keywords relevant to graphic design, visual branding, Adobe Creative Suite, proposal design, and A/E/C industry experience. Quantify achievements wherever possible.
• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, your experience with technical visualization, and your understanding of brand stewardship, especially within a professional services context. Be ready to discuss your interest in employee-owned companies.
• Research Civil Science: Familiarize yourself with the company's current projects, services, existing marketing materials, and overall brand presence to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding during interviews.

⚠️ 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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