Visual/ Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Visual/Graphic Designer

Company: Civil Science

Location: Williston, North Dakota, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Design Operations

Date Posted: February 05, 2026

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

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the visual branding and creative output for a growing, 100% employee-owned engineering firm, translating complex technical information into compelling visual narratives.

• Design high-impact proposals, marketing collateral, digital assets, and event materials that strengthen brand identity and support business development objectives.

• Collaborate closely with senior leadership, project managers, and cross-functional teams to understand project goals and deliver design solutions that exceed expectations.

• Drive the evolution of the company's visual presence across all platforms, ensuring consistency and impact in a fast-paced, technical environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Visual/Graphic Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean into "Marketing Operations" and "GTM Support" due to the emphasis on proposals, digital campaigns, and collaboration with business development and marketing functions. The role requires not just design execution but also strategic input into how visuals support business goals.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Brand Stewardship: Own and evolve the company's visual brand identity across all internal and external communications, ensuring consistency in logos, color palettes, typography, and imagery for proposals, marketing materials, social media, and event collateral.

• Proposal Design Excellence: Develop modern, polished, and compelling proposals by strategically integrating layout, typography, imagery, and graphics to clearly communicate Civil Science's value proposition and technical expertise, ensuring they stand out in competitive bids.

• Complex Concept Visualization: Translate intricate engineering concepts, technical data, and project details into clean, easily understood, and visually engaging infographics, charts, diagrams, and illustrations for various audiences.

• Marketing & Digital Asset Creation: Design and produce a wide range of marketing materials for both print and digital channels, including advertisements, flyers, banners, social media graphics, website content, animations/GIFs, and presentations to support digital campaigns and outreach efforts.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner directly with senior leadership, project managers, HR, and business development teams to understand project requirements, campaign objectives, and stakeholder needs, providing creative solutions and design expertise.

• Content Strategy Support: Actively participate in the marketing process by contributing design perspectives to campaign strategy, understanding marketing goals, and recommending visual approaches to enhance message effectiveness.

• Visual Storytelling: Craft visual narratives that tell a clear story about Civil Science's projects, capabilities, and company culture, making complex information accessible and impactful.

• Print & Digital Production: Manage the design and production lifecycle for various print collateral (brochures, flyers, conference booths) and digital assets (web graphics, social media posts, email banners), ensuring high-quality output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a need for an operations-minded designer who can manage multiple projects, understand business objectives, and translate them into effective visual assets. The emphasis on proposals and marketing campaign support places this role within GTM operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of dedicated graphic design experience in a professional setting.

• A/E/C (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry experience is a mandatory requirement, indicating a need for familiarity with industry-specific aesthetics, terminology, and proposal formats.

Required Skills:

• High Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Expert-level skills in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat are essential for creating and managing design assets.

• Strong Visual Design Fundamentals: Excellent understanding of layout, typography, color theory, composition, and visual hierarchy.

• Portfolio of Work: A robust portfolio showcasing a diverse range of design projects, originality, technical skill, and versatility, particularly within the A/E/C sector.

• Proposal Design Expertise: Proven ability to design modern, professional, and compelling proposals that effectively convey technical information and business value.

• Communication & Collaboration: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving Acumen: Ability to approach creative challenges with a results-oriented mindset, asking "How can this look and work better?"

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with animation and motion graphics software (e.g., After Effects) for digital assets and social media.

• Familiarity with content management systems (CMS) or basic web design principles for digital content integration.

• Knowledge of project management methodologies for managing design timelines and deliverables.

• Experience with digital marketing campaign design and social media visual strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mandatory A/E/C industry experience is a critical filter. The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite and portfolio requirements are standard for design roles but are crucial for ATS screening. The "problem-solving acumen" and "turning complex ideas into clear, engaging visual content" highlight the operational aspect of translating business needs into design solutions.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate A/E/C Design Expertise: Showcase specific examples of proposals, marketing collateral, or visual assets created for engineering, architecture, or construction projects, highlighting your understanding of the industry's visual language.

• Showcase Technical Translation: Include case studies or examples where you successfully translated complex technical data, engineering concepts, or project details into clear, compelling infographics, charts, or diagrams.

• Brand Consistency Examples: Present projects that illustrate your ability to maintain brand consistency across multiple platforms and deliverables, demonstrating a unified visual identity.

• Versatility in Deliverables: Your portfolio should include examples of both print (e.g., proposals, brochures, event banners) and digital (e.g., social media graphics, web banners, animations) design work.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design for Proposals: Be prepared to discuss your process for approaching proposal design, from initial brief review and information gathering to layout conceptualization, content integration, and final production.

• Asset Creation & Management: Demonstrate an understanding of how you manage design assets, maintain version control, and ensure brand guidelines are adhered to across various projects and deliverables.

• Collaboration & Feedback Integration: Outline your process for collaborating with non-design stakeholders, gathering feedback, and iterating on design solutions to meet client or internal objectives.

• Print vs. Digital Production Standards: Be ready to discuss your knowledge of print production requirements (e.g., bleed, resolution, color modes) and digital asset optimization (e.g., file formats, sizing, web best practices).

📝 Enhancement Note: For a design role with a strong GTM and operations component, the portfolio is not just about aesthetics but about demonstrating efficient workflow, understanding of deliverables, and ability to support business objectives. The focus on A/E/C and technical translation is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Ownership in Your Future: Participation in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), offering a direct stake in the company's success and long-term financial growth.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO): Three weeks of PTO annually, providing ample opportunity for rest and rejuvenation.

• Paid Holidays: Eight paid holidays throughout the year to observe national and company-recognized occasions.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to support employee well-being.

• Life & Disability Insurance: Life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability coverage, providing financial security.

• Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement program to support continued learning and skill enhancement.

• Retirement Savings: 401K plan to help employees save for retirement.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position with an expected 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, the company emphasizes "Work-Life Harmony," suggesting a commitment to reasonable working hours and flexibility where operational needs permit.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on data for graphic designers in North Dakota and similar industries, factoring in the mandatory A/E/C experience. The ESOP is a significant differentiator and should be highlighted as a key benefit.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Civil Engineering, Design & Consulting (A/E/C Sector). Civil Science operates within a technically demanding and project-driven industry where accuracy, reliability, and client satisfaction are paramount. Design plays a crucial role in securing new business and representing the firm's professionalism.

Company Size: Over 40 years of expertise, 100% employee-owned firm. While specific employee numbers aren't provided, being employee-owned often fosters a culture of shared responsibility, collaboration, and long-term commitment. The mention of "growing engineering firm" suggests a dynamic environment.

Founded: Over 40 years ago. This long history indicates stability, deep industry knowledge, and established client relationships.

Team Structure:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role is highly collaborative, requiring close partnerships with senior leadership, HR, project managers, and project teams. This implies a matrixed structure where design support is integrated across various departments.

• Direct Reporting: While not explicitly stated, the designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager, Director of Business Development, or a senior leader overseeing operations.

• Integrated Role: The designer is not siloed but is expected to be an integral part of the marketing and business development process, contributing to strategy through design.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While the primary focus is visual, the role involves understanding campaign goals and translating complex engineering concepts, suggesting a need for data-informed design choices and the ability to interpret technical information accurately.

• Agile & Responsive: The company mentions an "agile structure" and empowering employees to "explore new roles," indicating a preference for adaptability and responsiveness to evolving project needs and business goals.

• Client-Centric Approach: The A/E/C industry is inherently client-focused. The design work, especially proposals, must directly address client needs and showcase the firm's ability to deliver solutions.

Company Website: civilscience.com (Inferred from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The employee-owned structure (ESOP) is a significant cultural differentiator that likely impacts employee engagement, collaboration, and long-term thinking. The A/E/C context means design work must be professional, accurate, and business-oriented.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Designer, requiring 2-5 years of experience and specialized industry knowledge. It's a key individual contributor role with significant ownership over the company's visual identity.

Reporting Structure: Expected to report to a marketing or operations leader. The collaborative nature means interaction with virtually all levels of the organization, from project engineers to senior executives.

Operations Impact: The Visual/Graphic Designer's impact is directly tied to the effectiveness of proposals in securing new projects and the strength of the company's brand presence in marketing campaigns and industry events. This role is crucial for Go-To-Market (GTM) success by enhancing communication and client perception.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Expertise: Deepen expertise within A/E/C visual communications, becoming the go-to authority on brand application and proposal design within the firm.

• Leadership Potential: As the company grows and the design function matures, opportunities may arise to lead design projects, mentor junior designers, or even manage a small creative team.

• Broader Marketing Involvement: With demonstrated success, the role could evolve to include more strategic marketing responsibilities, campaign planning, and digital content strategy.

• Cross-Departmental Mobility: The employee-owned structure and emphasis on exploration may open doors to roles in operations, marketing, or business development for individuals seeking broader career paths.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "agile structure" and "room to grow" language suggests that individual initiative can lead to expanded responsibilities and career advancement beyond the initial job description, especially within an employee-owned company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site position in Williston, North Dakota. The description implies a professional office setting typical for an engineering firm.

Office Location(s): Williston, North Dakota, United States is the primary location. The mention of designing for "multiple offices" suggests Civil Science may have other physical locations or a distributed workforce, which the designer would support visually.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The role requires close interaction with various departments, suggesting a workspace that facilitates communication and collaboration, possibly including shared creative spaces or meeting rooms.

• Technology-Rich: Expect access to industry-standard design software and hardware necessary for high-quality visual production. The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite implies a robust technological setup.

• Focused Work Time: While collaborative, the nature of design work also requires periods of focused, uninterrupted concentration at a desk, working on a computer.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, 40 hours per week. The company's commitment to "Work-Life Harmony" suggests that while deadlines are important, there's an effort to avoid excessive overtime and promote a balanced schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "multiple offices" detail suggests the designer will need to create assets that are adaptable to different regional contexts or branding nuances if they exist, or at least maintain a consistent brand across all locations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess technical skills, industry experience (A/E/C), and overall design quality.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A key stage will involve presenting your portfolio, discussing your design process, and explaining how you translated complex ideas into visuals, particularly for A/E/C projects. Be ready to articulate the business impact of your designs.

• Technical Assessment/Challenge: You may be given a small design challenge or asked to solve a hypothetical visual problem relevant to the A/E/C industry or proposal development.

• Cultural Fit & Collaboration Interview: Discussions with hiring managers and potential team members to gauge your communication skills, ability to collaborate, and alignment with Civil Science's employee-owned culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for A/E/C: Prioritize your strongest A/E/C-related projects. If you lack direct A/E/C experience, highlight transferable skills from similar technical or complex industries.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly explain the objective, your role, the challenges, your design process, and the outcome or impact. Use visuals to illustrate key stages.

• Highlight Proposal Design: Dedicate specific slides or sections to your proposal design work, demonstrating layout, typography, and data visualization skills within that context.

• Quantify Impact (if possible): If any of your designs led to tangible results (e.g., winning a bid, increased engagement), be prepared to share that information.

• Demonstrate Software Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your mastery of Adobe Creative Suite and how you leverage its features for efficiency and quality.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Industry: Familiarize yourself with common A/E/C project types, terminology, and typical proposal structures.

• Practice Translating Technical Info: Think about how you would visually represent concepts like structural integrity, environmental impact, or project timelines.

• Focus on Clarity & Impact: For any design challenge, emphasize how your solution makes complex information clear, visually appealing, and persuasive.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh the portfolio and the candidate's ability to articulate their process and impact, especially within the A/E/C context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • InDesign: Essential for proposal layouts, multi-page documents, and print collateral.
  • Illustrator: For creating logos, icons, illustrations, and complex graphics.
  • Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Acrobat: For PDF creation, editing, and form design, critical for proposal delivery.

• Potential Additional Tools:

  • After Effects: For creating animations and motion graphics for digital campaigns or presentations.
  • Figma/Sketch: For UI/UX design if web content or digital campaign assets require it.
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint): For integration with proposal documents and presentation creation.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tools are specified for the designer's use, but understanding how designs are deployed within marketing automation platforms or CRM-driven campaigns would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core requirements are clearly within the Adobe Creative Suite. Any experience with animation tools or basic web/digital asset management would be a strong advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Employee Ownership & Accountability: As a 100% employee-owned firm, there's an inherent value placed on shared responsibility, commitment, and contributing to the collective success of the company. This translates to a proactive, results-oriented approach.

• Excellence & Innovation: Civil Science values delivering "innovative and impactful solutions." For design, this means striving for creative excellence and finding new ways to visually communicate the firm's capabilities.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The "highly collaborative" nature of the role underscores the importance of teamwork, open communication, and mutual support across departments.

• Growth & Development: The company explicitly states a commitment to "investing in our people" and offering "room to grow," valuing continuous learning and career advancement.

• Work-Life Harmony: A stated value that balances professional dedication with personal well-being, suggesting a supportive and sustainable work environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated & Supportive: The designer is expected to be an active partner, not just an order-taker. This involves understanding project goals, providing creative input, and working closely with technical teams and leadership.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages feedback exchange is likely, allowing for iterative design processes and continuous improvement of visual assets.

• Transparent Communication: Given the employee-ownership model, transparency and open dialogue are likely key components of how teams operate and achieve objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The employee-ownership model is central to the company's culture, fostering a sense of shared purpose and accountability that permeates all roles, including design.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Technical Complexity: The primary challenge will be consistently translating complex engineering concepts and data into clear, engaging, and accurate visuals for diverse audiences.

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Project Needs: Ensuring all design outputs adhere strictly to brand guidelines while also meeting the specific, often unique, requirements of individual proposals and marketing campaigns.

• Fast-Paced Environment: Juggling multiple projects with competing deadlines, common in proposal development and marketing, will require strong time management and prioritization skills.

• Industry-Specific Design Demands: Meeting the aesthetic and content expectations of the A/E/C industry, which can be conservative but also values professionalism and clarity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen A/E/C Design Expertise: Gain specialized knowledge in visual communication strategies for the engineering and construction sectors, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Master Advanced Design Techniques: Explore and implement more sophisticated design elements, such as motion graphics, data visualization techniques, or interactive design for digital platforms.

• Strategic Marketing Exposure: Develop a deeper understanding of marketing strategy, campaign development, and business development processes through close collaboration.

• ESOP & Company Leadership: Leverage the employee-owned structure to understand business operations and potentially contribute to company-wide initiatives or governance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to the role and industry, presenting opportunities for skill development and professional growth, particularly in mastering the translation of technical information into effective visuals.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a complex proposal for an engineering project. How do you ensure technical accuracy and compelling visual storytelling?"

  • Preparation: Outline your workflow from receiving the RFP to final submission. Emphasize how you gather information, collaborate with engineers, handle data visualization, and ensure brand consistency. Have a specific A/E/C proposal example ready.

• "How do you approach translating highly technical engineering concepts into easily understandable visuals for a non-technical audience?"

  • Preparation: Prepare examples from your portfolio that demonstrate this skill. Discuss your methods for simplifying information without losing accuracy, using metaphors, analogies, or clear iconography.

• "This role requires collaborating with various teams, including senior leadership and project managers. How do you ensure your design solutions meet stakeholder needs while maintaining your creative vision?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about working for an employee-owned company like Civil Science, and how do you see yourself contributing to that culture?"

  • Preparation: Research ESOP benefits and culture. Express enthusiasm for shared ownership, collaboration, and long-term commitment. Connect your work ethic to contributing to collective success.

• "How do you stay updated on design trends, and how do you balance incorporating new trends with maintaining a consistent and timeless brand identity?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly state the objective and the outcome or impact of your design.

• Tell the Story: Walk through your process, explaining your rationale behind design decisions.

• Highlight A/E/C Relevance: Make it obvious which projects are from the A/E/C industry and why your skills are a good fit.

• Showcase Technical Translation: Specifically point out examples where you simplified complex information.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Anticipate questions about your software proficiency, file management, and print/digital production knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview will heavily assess your understanding of the A/E/C industry, your ability to translate technical information visually, and your fit within an employee-owned culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Visual/Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Civil Science careers page.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight your 2+ years of A/E/C industry experience prominently. Quantify achievements where possible, focusing on contributions to proposals, marketing campaigns, or brand consistency.

• Curate your portfolio: Ensure it strongly features your A/E/C design work, proposal design, and examples of translating complex information into visuals. Provide clear descriptions of your process and impact for each project.

• Prepare for the interview: Practice articulating your design process, your experience with the Adobe Creative Suite, and your understanding of the A/E/C industry. Be ready to discuss your collaborative approach and enthusiasm for employee ownership.

• Research Civil Science: Understand their projects, values, and the A/E/C sector to demonstrate genuine interest and alignment with the company's mission.

⚠️ 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.