Experiential Designer

Description

We are seeking a creative, strategic, and driven Experiential Designer to join our team. This role is ideal for a designer who thrives at the intersection of brand, space, culture, and human experience.

As a key member of our design team, you will lead and contribute to a wide range of experiential design initiatives, transforming environments into memorable, meaningful experiences that connect people to places, brands, and organizations. You will be responsible for developing and guiding projects from visioning and discovery through concept development, design documentation, fabrication, and implementation.

We are looking for a curious design thinker who can translate complex ideas into compelling experiences through storytelling, exhibits, branded environments, placemaking, wayfinding, digital experiences, experiential graphics, and immersive installations.

The ideal candidate combines exceptional design talent with strong leadership skills, client acumen, and a passion for creating experiences that inspire engagement and leave lasting impact.

What You'll Do

• Lead the development of experiential design strategies from visioning and discovery through implementation and post-occupancy evaluation.
• Develop innovative, human-centered experiences that support client goals, organizational culture, brand identity, and user needs.
• Create compelling narratives that translate into physical, digital, and interactive experiences.
• Guide projects through concept development, schematic design, design development, documentation, fabrication, and installation.
• Ensure design excellence, quality control, and consistency across all project deliverables.

Drive Creative Excellence

• Create innovative experiential graphic, exhibit, signage, placemaking, and branded environment solutions.
• Translate research, user insights, and stakeholder feedback into meaningful experiential opportunities.
• Develop visual communication systems that enhance navigation, storytelling, interpretation, and engagement.
• Explore emerging technologies, materials, and interactive experiences that push the boundaries of experiential design.
• Champion design thinking and encourage innovation throughout the project team.

Build Strong Client Relationships

• Serve as a trusted creative partner to clients.
• Lead and/or assist with discovery sessions, visioning workshops, stakeholder interviews, and collaborative design charrettes.
• Present strategic recommendations and design concepts with confidence and clarity.
• Facilitate conversations that uncover client aspirations, organizational culture, and experiential goals.
• Build and foster long-term relationships that contribute to future project opportunities and practice growth.

Collaborate Across Disciplines

• Work closely with architects, interior designers, strategists, planners, engineers, and project managers to deliver integrated project solutions.
• Ensure experiential design goals are coordinated with architectural and interior design decisions.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary design reviews and project critiques.
• Collaborate with fabricators, production partners, vendors, and consultants to bring concepts to life.
• Mentor colleagues and support the growth of the experiential design practice.

Contribute to Practice Growth

• Help identify new opportunities within existing and emerging markets.
• Stay current on industry trends, best practices, technological advancements, and experiential design innovations.
• Serve as an advocate for experiential design throughout the organization and within the larger design community.

What Makes You Successful

You are:

• A strategic thinker who understands how experiences shape human behavior and perception.
• Passionate about storytelling, placemaking, brand expression, and environmental communication.
• Highly collaborative and skilled at building trust across diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a strong grasp of big-picture project goals.
• Self-motivated, organized, and accountable for the quality and success of your work.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Experiential Design, Environmental Design, Industrial Design, Architecture, Interior Design, or a related field.
• 7+ years of professional experience in experiential design, environmental graphic design, branded environments, exhibit design, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading projects from strategy and concept development through implementation.
• Strong portfolio showcasing environmental graphics, wayfinding, exhibits, branded environments, placemaking, storytelling, digital experiences, or other experiential installations.
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Exceptional typographic, graphic communication, and information design skills.
• Strong verbal, written, and visual presentation capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience presenting work directly to clients, stakeholders, and leadership teams.

Preferred

• Experience working within integrated architecture, interior design, or multidisciplinary design firms.
• Working knowledge of Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Enscape, Twinmotion, or other 3D visualization tools.
• Experience designing and documenting architectural signage and wayfinding systems.
• Familiarity with exhibit planning, fabrication processes, materials, and production methodologies.
• Experience developing data visualization, interpretive graphics, and information-rich environments.
• Knowledge of brand strategy and brand implementation within physical environments.
• Understanding of digital, interactive, and immersive experience platforms.
• Experience mentoring or leading junior designers and interdisciplinary teams.

Work Environment & Travel

• Work is performed in both office and project-site environments.
• Regional travel is common and may include client meetings, workshops, site visits, installations, and project reviews.
• Flexibility to support client schedules, project deadlines, and installation activities outside traditional business hours when necessary.
• The annual base compensation for this role is $65,000 to $85,000 based on skills and experience