Staff Brand Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Brand Designer

Company: Snorkel AI

Location: New York City, NY (Hybrid) / San Francisco, CA (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Brand & Visual Design / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: 2026-10-02

Experience Level: 8+ Years (Senior/Staff Level)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic evolution and execution of Snorkel AI's visual brand identity and comprehensive design system.

• Drive the creative direction and quality assurance for all brand touchpoints, ensuring consistency and impact across diverse platforms and initiatives.

• Manage external design agencies and freelance talent, optimizing scope, budget, and timelines for high-quality creative output.

• Partner cross-functionally to translate complex technical and research concepts into compelling visual narratives that resonate with AI industry stakeholders.

• Establish and refine design operational processes, including intake, prioritization, and the integration of AI-assisted design workflows to enhance team efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant autonomy and responsibility for shaping the company's visual brand. The emphasis on managing external resources and defining operational processes indicates a need for strong leadership, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of brand system governance within a fast-paced, technology-focused environment. The "Staff" title suggests a high level of expertise and influence within the organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Brand Identity Evolution: Lead the next generation of Snorkel AI's visual identity, encompassing logo systems, typography, color palettes, illustration styles, iconography, data visualization, motion graphics, and photography direction.

• Design System Governance: Develop, maintain, and evangelize comprehensive brand guidelines, scalable Figma libraries, and reusable templates to empower marketing, sales, research, and recruiting teams to produce on-brand materials independently.

• External Resource Management: Define creative briefs, set clear strategic direction, conduct rigorous design reviews, and manage scope, budget, and timelines for external design agencies and freelance contractors.

• High-Visibility Campaign Design: Spearhead creative development for critical company milestones, including funding announcements, product and research launches, flagship events (e.g., Frontier Data Summit), and prominent conference presences (e.g., NeurIPS).

• Technical Content Visualization: Create a distinctive visual language for complex technical assets such as benchmark results, charts, diagrams, research papers, and leaderboards, collaborating closely with researchers to ensure visual clarity matches intellectual rigor.

• Cross-Surface Brand Consistency: Collaborate with web development, content strategy, and product marketing teams to ensure the brand identity is cohesively applied across the company website, digital campaigns, social media, sales collateral, and event experiences.

• Design Operations Optimization: Establish efficient design intake, prioritization, review, and approval workflows, and identify opportunities to integrate AI-assisted design tools to boost team productivity without compromising creative quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic brand leadership and tactical execution. The requirement to "make research legible and beautiful" points to a specialized need for translating complex AI/ML concepts into accessible visuals, a key differentiator for a company like Snorkel AI. Managing external agencies and contractors implies a need for strong vendor management and budget oversight skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in brand identity development and visual design, with a significant portion gained in-house at a high-growth technology company.

Required Skills:

• Brand Identity Leadership: Proven ability to lead the end-to-end development and evolution of a brand's visual identity.

• Design System Expertise: Deep proficiency in creating, implementing, and maintaining scalable design systems and comprehensive brand guidelines that are practical and widely adopted.

• Figma & Adobe Creative Suite Mastery: Expert-level command of Figma for collaborative design and system building, alongside advanced skills in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects.

• Typographic & Layout Craft: Exceptional understanding of typography, layout principles, color theory, and composition, with a strong, defensible point of view on aesthetic quality.

• Data Visualization Skills: Ability to translate complex data and technical concepts into clear, compelling, and aesthetically pleasing visualizations, charts, and diagrams.

• External Agency/Contractor Management: Demonstrated experience in briefing, directing, reviewing, and managing external design agencies and freelance talent, including scope, budget, and quality control.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven track record of influencing senior stakeholders and collaborating effectively across diverse teams (marketing, sales, research, product).

• Ambiguity Navigation: Ability to lead initiatives in ambiguous environments, make sound decisions with limited oversight, and drive projects to completion.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the AI, machine learning, or developer tools industry.

• Hands-on experience utilizing generative AI tools within a design workflow.

• Skills in motion design, 3D rendering, or creative coding.

• Experience designing for research publications and academic conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "strong opinions about craft" and the ability to "defend them to a founder, a researcher, or an agency creative director" emphasizes the need for a confident, articulate designer with strong communication and persuasion skills. The preference for AI/ML experience and generative AI tool usage directly aligns with Snorkel AI's domain and forward-thinking approach.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Rebrand/Identity Work: A substantial case study showcasing a brand identity or rebrand project you led from conception to final implementation, detailing strategic rationale and execution.

• Scalable Design System: Examples of design systems, component libraries (preferably Figma), and brand guideline documents that demonstrate a systematic approach to brand consistency and scalability.

• Diverse Application Examples: Demonstrations of how the brand identity has been applied across a wide range of touchpoints, including websites, digital campaigns, event experiences, video assets, and technical data visualizations.

• Agency/Contractor Collaboration: Evidence of managing external creative partners, perhaps with examples of briefs provided or critiques delivered.

Process Documentation:

• Brand Strategy & Execution: Showcase how you translate strategic objectives into tangible brand assets and cohesive visual campaigns.

• System Implementation & Governance: Detail your approach to building, documenting, and maintaining design systems and brand guidelines for broad organizational use.

• Cross-Functional Workflow: Illustrate how you collaborate with non-design teams (e.g., marketing, research) to ensure brand integrity and efficient creative production.

• Impact Measurement: Examples of how you've measured or demonstrated the impact of your design work, particularly in relation to brand perception or communication effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Brand Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just showcasing aesthetics; it must demonstrate strategic thinking, system-building capabilities, management of external resources, and the ability to apply design across complex technical and business contexts. The emphasis on "brand guidelines others actually use" is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $225,000 - $280,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and company holidays.

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.

• Stock options or equity grants, reflecting the high-growth nature of the company.

• Professional development budget for conferences, workshops, and training.

• Hybrid work model allowing for flexibility and in-office collaboration.

• Potential for team-building events and offsites.

• Commuter benefits or stipends for hybrid employees.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work week, approximately 40 hours per week. While specific hours may vary based on project needs and deadlines, the hybrid model offers flexibility in managing personal schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is based on the explicit information in the job description. This range is competitive for a Staff Brand Designer role in high-cost-of-living areas like NYC and San Francisco, especially within the tech industry and for a well-funded AI company. Benefits are inferred based on standard offerings for similar roles and company types in the US tech sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Frontier AI, AI Data Development, Research-Driven Technology. Snorkel AI operates at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, focusing on the foundational data and environments required for advanced AI systems. This context means the company culture is likely to be intellectually rigorous, research-oriented, and fast-paced, driven by innovation and scientific discovery.

Company Size: High-growth technology company (specific size not provided, but implied by funding and scaling). This suggests a dynamic environment where roles can evolve, and individual contributions have significant visibility and impact. The presence of a CMO and the need for a Staff Brand Designer indicate a maturing marketing function.

Founded: 2019. Founded out of the Stanford AI Lab, indicating a strong academic and research foundation, likely fostering a culture that values deep technical expertise, innovation, and problem-solving.

Team Structure:

• Marketing Team: A cross-functional group encompassing brand, content, communications, product marketing, growth, community, and events. The Staff Brand Designer will report to the CMO.

• Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with founders, the research team, marketing, sales, and recruiting. This suggests a highly integrated approach where design supports and amplifies the company's core technical and business objectives.

• External Partnerships: Significant reliance on and management of external design agencies and freelance contractors.

Methodology:

• Research-Driven: Core to Snorkel AI's identity, implying a culture that values data, evidence, and deep understanding.

• Data-Centric Design: The role specifically calls for making research and data "legible and beautiful," highlighting the importance of data-driven insights and clear visual communication.

• Agile & Iterative: Common in high-growth tech, likely involving rapid prototyping, feedback loops, and continuous improvement in both product and brand efforts.

Company Website: snorkel.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's origin from Stanford AI Lab and its focus on "frontier AI" and "agentic AI" suggest a culture that values deep technical expertise, academic rigor, and a forward-thinking, innovative mindset. The marketing team's structure implies a need for strong cross-functional alignment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Brand Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, often considered a leadership position within design. It implies significant autonomy, ownership, and the ability to influence strategic direction. This level typically requires extensive experience and a proven track record of delivering high-impact design work and managing complex projects.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). This senior reporting line indicates the strategic importance of the brand function and provides direct access to executive-level decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Staff Brand Designer's impact is crucial for shaping market perception, differentiating Snorkel AI in the competitive AI landscape, and effectively communicating the value of its complex research and data solutions. Strong branding directly supports marketing efforts, sales enablement, talent acquisition, and investor relations. The role is pivotal in translating technical innovation into market understanding and business outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a Design Director or Head of Brand role as the company scales, potentially building and leading a larger internal design team.

• Strategic Brand Influence: Deeper involvement in shaping overall company brand strategy, product positioning, and go-to-market initiatives.

• Specialization Deepening: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in brand design for AI/ML or frontier technology sectors.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Gaining broader experience in marketing strategy, product marketing, and communications through close collaboration with the CMO and other marketing leaders.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers, agency partners, and internal stakeholders on brand best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title signifies a high level of expertise and influence, suggesting that growth opportunities will likely involve increased strategic scope, leadership responsibilities, and potentially team management, rather than just incremental skill acquisition. The reporting to the CMO is a strong indicator of the role's strategic importance.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model. This indicates a blend of remote flexibility and in-office collaboration, designed to foster both individual focus and team synergy.

Office Location(s): New York City, NY and San Francisco, CA. These are major technology and business hubs, offering access to talent, industry events, and a vibrant professional ecosystem. The hybrid nature means employees are expected to be present in the office for a portion of the week.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model necessitates intentional collaboration. Expect opportunities for in-person brainstorming, design reviews, and team meetings designed to leverage the benefits of co-location.

• Tooling & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma, Adobe Creative Suite) and potentially AI-assisted design tools, reflecting a commitment to modern workflows.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Regular interaction with diverse teams—marketing, sales, research, and recruiting—requiring adaptability and effective communication across different disciplines.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the nature of a high-growth tech company and a senior design role may involve periods of intense work around major launches or deadlines. The hybrid model offers flexibility in managing personal time and work location within the established framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in two major tech hubs suggests a company that values both flexibility and the benefits of in-person collaboration. The expectation will be for the Staff Brand Designer to actively contribute to the office culture and team dynamics when present.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio for alignment with requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on strategic rationale, execution, and impact of past brand identity and system projects. This will likely involve presenting case studies and discussing design decisions with members of the marketing team and potentially founders/executives.

• Agency/Contractor Management Scenario: Discussion or hypothetical scenario regarding how the candidate would manage external design resources, including briefing, feedback, and budget control.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Exercise: Potential discussion or exercise to assess how the candidate collaborates with non-design stakeholders (e.g., researchers, marketers) to translate technical concepts into visuals.

• Final Round: May involve meeting with senior leadership (e.g., CEO, CTO) to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall alignment with Snorkel AI's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Narrative: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions. Connect your work to business objectives and brand strategy.

• Process Showcase: Detail your design process, from research and ideation to execution and iteration. Highlight how you built and governed design systems.

• Impact & Results: Quantify impact where possible. Discuss how your brand work influenced perception, engagement, or other key metrics. For data visualization, show clarity and effectiveness.

• Management Experience: Include examples demonstrating your ability to manage external agencies or freelancers, showcasing your briefing, feedback, and oversight capabilities.

• AI/Tech Relevance: If applicable, highlight projects related to technology, AI, or complex subject matter, demonstrating your comfort and skill in this domain.

Challenge Preparation:

• Brand System Case Study: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach building or evolving a design system for a company like Snorkel AI, considering its unique position in the AI research space.

• Technical Visualization Challenge: Consider how you would visually represent complex AI concepts or research findings. Think about common data visualization challenges in tech and how you'd address them.

• Agency Management Scenario: Prepare to discuss your philosophy and practical approach to managing external creative partners effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff-level role will be rigorous, focusing heavily on strategic thinking, leadership potential, and proven execution capabilities. The portfolio is paramount and should be curated to demonstrate mastery across all facets of brand identity and system design, with specific attention to the unique challenges of a research-driven AI company.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Core tool for collaborative design, prototyping, and building scalable design systems and brand assets. Expect deep proficiency and system-building expertise to be tested.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for advanced image manipulation (Photoshop), vector graphics (Illustrator), and potentially motion graphics (After Effects).

• Miro / FigJam (or similar): For collaborative brainstorming, ideation, and workflow mapping.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics / Adobe Analytics: Understanding how website performance is tracked, which can inform design decisions for web assets.

• Data Visualization Libraries/Tools: Familiarity with tools or principles used to create charts and graphs (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, D3.js concepts, or even AI-powered visualization tools).

CRM & Automation:

• Salesforce / HubSpot (or similar): Basic understanding of how marketing and sales collateral are used within CRM contexts.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Jira, or Monday.com for managing design workflows and intake processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite is non-negotiable. The emphasis on "AI-assisted design workflows" suggests a willingness to explore and integrate new technologies into the design process, making familiarity with generative AI tools a significant plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Intellectual Rigor & Curiosity: A deep appreciation for research, data, and continuous learning, reflecting the company's AI research foundation.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A commitment to high standards in both technical innovation and visual presentation. The brand must embody this quality.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and a willingness to work across disciplines to achieve shared goals.

• Impact & Ownership: A focus on driving tangible results and taking responsibility for outcomes, especially in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Embracing new technologies and approaches, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect close partnerships with marketing, research, product, and sales teams. Design is seen as a critical enabler for all these functions.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that values constructive criticism and iterative improvement, both in design work and operational processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement to share insights, best practices, and learnings, especially regarding brand application and new design techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values likely mirror those of a cutting-edge research institution combined with a dynamic tech startup. The ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and visually will be highly valued, as will a proactive, problem-solving mindset.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex AI Concepts: Visually communicating highly technical and abstract AI research and data development concepts to diverse audiences (technical experts, business leaders, potential investors).

• Brand Evolution in a Rapidly Changing Field: Ensuring the brand remains relevant and distinctive in the fast-paced, competitive, and often hyped AI industry.

• Balancing Agency Management with In-House Vision: Effectively directing and critiquing external partners while maintaining a clear, unified brand vision and high creative bar.

• Establishing Design Operational Processes: Building efficient workflows from the ground up in a growing company, requiring strong organizational and strategic planning skills.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Surfaces: Ensuring a cohesive brand experience from website design to conference booths and technical papers.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Frontier AI: Gaining unparalleled exposure to the leading edge of AI research and development.

• Strategic Brand Leadership: Developing skills in shaping company-wide brand strategy and influencing executive decisions.

• AI-Assisted Design Exploration: Opportunity to experiment with and integrate cutting-edge generative AI tools into the design workflow.

• Cross-Industry Design Insights: Learning how to apply brand principles effectively across highly technical B2B, research, and enterprise contexts.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Potential to shape the future design function at Snorkel AI and mentor emerging talent.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be navigating the complexity and rapid evolution of the AI field while establishing a strong, differentiated brand. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to shape a brand from a senior individual contributor level in a high-impact industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach evolving the visual identity of a company like Snorkel AI, given its position in frontier AI research?" (Focus on research, strategic rationale, and phased approach.)

• "Describe your process for building and governing a design system. What are the key components, and how do you ensure adoption?" (Highlight scalability, documentation, and cross-functional buy-in.)

• "How do you translate highly technical or research-based content into compelling visual narratives?" (Provide examples of data visualization or complex concept explanation.)

• "Walk us through a time you managed an external design agency. How did you set them up for success, and how did you ensure quality?" (Focus on briefing, feedback, scope management, and outcome.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Snorkel AI and the field of frontier AI?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the company's mission.)

• "How do you see brand design contributing to the success of a research-driven AI company?" (Connect design to business goals, differentiation, and communication.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with researchers and engineers." (Emphasize active listening, clear communication, and a willingness to learn.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the challenge, your strategic approach, the execution details, and the measurable impact or outcome.

• Highlight System Thinking: Emphasize how you built scalable systems and ensured brand consistency across diverse applications.

• Showcase Technical Aptitude: Select projects that demonstrate your ability to handle complex subject matter visually.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, tools, and processes.

• Articulate Your Point of View: Confidently explain your design decisions and your vision for the future of brand design in AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to speak extensively about your process, strategic thinking, and management capabilities. The interview will likely assess not just your design skills but also your ability to operate at a senior level within a demanding, innovative environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Brand Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link (job-boards.greenhouse.io/snorkelai/jobs/6215918004).

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature end-to-end brand identity projects, robust design system examples, and any work demonstrating proficiency in data visualization or technical content design. Tailor your presentation to highlight your experience managing external agencies.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 8+ years of experience, emphasizing in-house technology roles, leadership in brand evolution, and proficiency with Figma and Adobe Creative Suite. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on strategic rationale, execution, and impact. Prepare to discuss your approach to managing design operations and external creative resources.

• Company Research: Deeply research Snorkel AI's mission, technology (frontier AI, agentic AI), recent news, and market positioning. Understand how their brand currently represents their innovation and research focus.

⚠️ 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.