Art Director

Skill; California; On-site; USD 83,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401k matching

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

Skill in California seeks a visionary Visual Leader to guide AI-driven imagery for high-visibility campaigns across digital, e-commerce, and retail touchpoints. Translate strategic briefs into compelling visuals, manage end-to-end production, and ensure brand fidelity at an enterprise scale.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams and AI specialists, applying photography principles, studio workflows, and advanced retouching to deliver photorealistic assets on tight 2–4 week cycles.

Qualifications

• 4-6+ years in visual leadership roles such as Photography Art Director or Brand Designer.
• Strong portfolio in photography, composition, lighting, and visual storytelling.
• Experience with Generative AI for real-world creative applications.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe CC with retouching and compositing.
• Familiarity with design systems and product imagery workflows.
• Bachelor-level education in graphic design or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Translate briefs into cohesive visual worlds for digital, e‑commerce, and social assets.
• Direct AI-generated imagery with studio-like precision and lighting control.
• Develop concepts, styling, and compositions for production-ready assets.
• Apply advanced retouching and compositing to refine outputs.
• Lead multi-week production cycles with brand-aligned results.
• Collaborate with designers, directors, and AI toolmakers to optimize workflows.

Skills

Visual leadership

Photography

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Figma

Brand design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design or related

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Figma

Weave / AI tools

Job description

Overview

Placement Type: Temporary

Salary: $60-72 Hourly

W2, Benefits and 401k matching

Start Date: Sep 28, 2026

About the Role

Join a pioneering team at a leading global enterprise that is revolutionizing the customer experience through cutting-edge visual innovation. This organization is at the forefront of integrating advanced technology to craft engaging, high-quality visual content that captivates millions of customers daily across diverse platforms. As a strategic partner dedicated to connecting top talent with influential clients, we are seeking an innovative visual leader to drive the future of visual storytelling within this dynamic environment.

Are you ready to redefine what's possible in visual content creation? We are seeking an exceptional creative professional who will be instrumental in shaping the visual identity of a major enterprise. In this groundbreaking role, you will lead the charge in harnessing the power of AI to produce stunning, brand-right imagery for digital platforms and omni-channel campaigns, directly impacting how millions of customers perceive and interact with products. This is an unparalleled opportunity to blend your artistic mastery with innovative AI tools, creating photorealistic and elevated visual worlds at an enterprise scale. You will be the visionary behind AI-assisted image creation, transforming strategic concepts into captivating visuals and establishing new benchmarks for craft and brand fidelity.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate strategic briefs into compelling, cohesive visual worlds for digital, e-commerce, site modules, social, and in-store touchpoints.
• Apply deep expertise in photography principles-including camera mechanics, lighting logic, lensing, framing, and composition-to direct and execute AI-generated imagery with the precision of a professional studio shoot.
• Act as an end-to-end studio practitioner, developing creative concepts, styling products within AI generation workflows, composing scenes, and delivering polished, production-ready assets.
• Utilize advanced retouching, compositing, and image-editing skills (Adobe Photoshop) to refine AI outputs, integrate product photography, and eliminate generic "AI aesthetics" in favor of authentic, commercially viable artwork.
• Manage creative projects through rapid production cycles (2-4 week campaign turnarounds), consistently delivering high-quality, brand-aligned work under pressure.
• Serve as the creative translator between design leads, creative directors, and technical AI toolmakers, ensuring precise execution of creative vision within generative systems.
• Safeguard brand standards and visual consistency across high-volume image batches, maintaining cohesive lighting, product accuracy, and brand identity.
• Thrive in a collaborative, agile team culture that values continuous learning, experimentation, and peer-to-peer teaching.
• Demonstrate resilience and openness to constructive feedback, navigating the iterative nature and heightened scrutiny common in commercial AI imagery.
• Apply primary node-based and studio AI tools (e.g., Weave, Figma, and related creative engines) to generate, refine, and iterate campaign imagery.
• Collaborate with technical AI specialists to test prompt strategies, reference inputs, and workflow enhancements that boost production speed and image fidelity.
• Provide hands-on feedback to technical toolmakers to refine UI, prompt controls, and generation templates for daily studio use.

Qualifications

Must-Have Qualifications

• 4-6+ years of hands-on professional experience in a visual leadership role such as a Photography Art Director, Senior Graphic Designer, or Brand Designer within an advertising agency, brand studio, or commercial production environment.
• A demonstrated background in photography, lighting, visual composition, design, or fine arts, evidenced by a strong portfolio.
• Practical experience and strong enthusiasm for Generative AI tools, with a focus on real-world creative applications.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator), with robust skills in image compositing, layout, and retouching.
• Proficiency in Figma and familiarity with design system workflows.
• Strong understanding of retail visual strategy, customer psychology, and omni-channel asset requirements (digital, site imagery, e-commerce).
• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Art Direction, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, or equivalent practical industry experience.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with node-based or generative systems (e.g., Figma Weave, Weavy, or similar UI-based AI generation platforms).
• Previous experience in an agency or post-production studio environment handling fast-turnaround campaign work.
• A personal creative practice (photography, digital art, design) demonstrating a contemporary aesthetic eye.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits!

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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