Design II

AllKinds Studio; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k match

Healthcare contribution

2 weeks PTO + 1 day/year

Job summary

AllKinds Studio in Chicago seeks a Designer to lead projects from concept to production, develop shop drawings, and guide clients through design development. You’ll work on a small team, be proactive, and manage processes from start to finish with enthusiasm.

Applicants should be able to inspire teammates, handle a big learning curve, and adapt to new materials, designs, and methods while maintaining strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in related design industry (architecture, environmental, experiential, graphic).
• BA or equivalent in design-focused major.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and 3D tools.

Responsibilities

• Concept and create designs per project.
• Design development and shop drawings.
• Develop print-ready files and production cut sheets.
• Presentation drawings and client pitches.
• Help analyze client brand and conceptualize designs.
• Collaborate with design team to execute projects to finish.
• Travel for site visits, styling work, and meetings.

Skills

Strong design aesthetic

Hand-sketching

People skills & communication

Calm under pressure

Education

BA or equivalent in design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop)

Autocad

Sketchup

Excel/Word, Google Drive, Gmail, Asana

Lumion or other 3D rendering tools

Job description

We’re looking for a creative professional to join our small team. Our ideal Designer can build a concept, take it through shop drawings, production files, design development for existing concepts, pitch it to the client, and manage the process from start to finish. You will work on a team and will lead projects. We are a small team, so being enthusiastic, a problem solver, and a self starter is a huge part of the role!

Every project through our door is unique, so you must be flexible and enjoy the challenge of a big learning curve — whether it’s new designs, materials, or methods, we are committed to figuring it out. You must be able to inspire the team to create amazing projects that seem impossible!

Core Values

Integrity

AllKinds has grown by making promises to clients + employees and going to lengths to keep them. It is an integral part of who we are and why people trust us. This core value sits hand in hand with the other core values – if a mistake is made, we communicate directly about it and proactively fix it in a resourceful manner. Keeping promises is more about building relationships of trust and respect, than being 100% perfect. We keep promises to our clients, to our employees, and each other. That is how we build rapport and solid relationships.

Proactive

We care. We want to make the future better than the past. We are mindful of improving our team’s experience, our processes, our abilities and our clients’ experiences. We show we care by taking action when we see something needs attention. We take time to think through potential hurdles and do our best to address them – which gives our team and our clients a better experience. We don’t wait until the well is dry to find water.

Humility

We work hard to create a space to learn – where we approach problem solving with curiosity and honesty. We own up to mistakes so we can quickly recover from them and get help from our team to do so. Having humility helps us operate better as a team and it builds trust. We work to become aware of our personal strengths and limitations, and communicate these with the team in an effort to grow and make better progress together.

Resourceful

We creatively use our resources to accomplish big things. Our resources are our tools, our minds, our partners, and curiosity. We are flexible and adaptable – every project comes to us with a unique set of needs, so each of us must have resourcefulness to tackle the creative challenges that come up. Resourcefulness isn’t one person’s strength, it’s everyone’s. We are a small team and we feel mighty! We know with teamwork, we can find the collective intelligence to succeed.

Be direct

We believe in clear, honest communication. We believe in transparency in our communication. We do not believe in the ‘feedback sandwich’, sugarcoating things, internalizing feedback or spinning out on something. We do believe in directly communicating our needs. We do this while recognizing that we are humans, and we approach all communication with kindness, heart and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• – Concept and create designs per project
• – Design development
• – Develop precise shop drawings, print ready files, installation templates, and production cut sheets
• – Presentation drawings
• – Maintains strong skill levels in software programs required to perform all design functions
• – Able to help analyze the client’s brand; understand the ask & needs of the project; and under the direction of your manager, help conceptualize designs that fit those parameters
• – Able to use 3D & rendering software to help visualize & render designs
• – Keeps design hours goals front of mind & actively works to stay within the target, makes sure their designs fit within the material and fabrication budget by thinking through appropriate size, material, and fabrication method to achieve it
• – Fluent in AllKinds design process
• – Helps to guide your team as needed and offer support
• – Collaborate with design team to execute all design projects get to the finish line together
• – Maintain ownership design projects assigned to you
• – Sourcing material vendors and securing quotes as needed
• – Follow digital file management and organizational methodology, following the department guidelines
• – Assist with other special projects, as needed and assigned
• – Willingness to travel out of town for site visits, styling work and meetings

Qualifications / Required Skills:

• – 2 – 4 years of experience in related design industry (architecture, environmental, experiential, graphic)
• – BA or equivalent in design focused major
• – Styling work
• – Working knowledge of constructing and making dimensional art
• – Proficiency in: Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop), Autocad, Sketchup (Lumion + other 3D rendering software a plus)
• – Strong design aesthetic including ability to visualize in 2D + 3D
• – Able to design for a wide range of projects including but not limited to wall art, hanging installations, experiential spaces, pop-up shops, set design, and murals
• – Hand-sketching a must
• – Organized, detail-focused, and excellent time management skills
• – Calm under pressure and able to juggle multiple projects
• – Strong people skills and communication
• – Able to take creative feedback & critiques and implement the changes into your work
• – Continuing knowledge (& Research) of different art techniques + methods, industry trends, and inspiring companies + artists
• – Proficient using Excel/Word or similar, Google Drive, Gmail, and Asana software (Project Management software)
• – Must have a valid driver’s license (access to a car is preferred, but not required)

About AllKinds Studio

AllKinds is a multi-disciplinary design and fabrication studio that uses all kinds of materials to create custom art installations for brands. With commissions from corporations, organizations, art consultants, branding agencies and architecture firms, we tailor-make each artwork to fit large-scale spaces for brands, interiors, events and movements. Our dedicated team of designers, artists and fabricators mix materials, technologies and techniques to create art and objects that are innovative, meaningful, beautiful and on-brand. We thrive in our collaborative approach, welcoming new ideas and getting excited about the “what ifs”. Our combined skill sets and handmade approach enables us to produce anything we can conceive, including even the most complex or technical concepts. With every project, our shared goal is to create a meaningful environment that tells a story in an elevated, authentic and impactful way. And nothing makes us happier than creating that story utilizing materials that were once meant for the landfill and giving them new life. At the completion of our projects, we make every effort to repurpose, recycle or donate leftover materials to ensure they are given the longest, most meaningful lives possible.

Environment

This is an on-site job in our working studio in West Town where fabrication of large-scale artworks happen. You must be able to thrive in a fast-paced and open working studio environment. It’s awesome (and noisy, dusty, and smelly at times…) but it’s the sounds, feeling and smell of creativity hard at work.

Compensation and Hours

Compensation is commensurate with experience. This is a full-time salaried role with a benefits package (we offer a 401k match after 1 year, a healthcare contribution and 2 weeks paid time off with 1 extra day per year worked, and a profit pool bonus). We’re a growing company & this position is intended to expand alongside us. We are testing studio hours of 7am – 5:30pm M-TH in 2026.

We prefer employees to be vaccinated but do not check records.

We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention or promotion of employees; nor in determining their rank or the compensation or fringe benefits paid to them.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people within this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this job.