Exhibition Designer

Socket.dev; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Union benefits package

7-step union pay scale

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Generous time off

Job summary

COFAM (Corporation of Fine Arts Museums) invites applications for an Exhibition Designer in San Francisco. The role focuses on conceptual and technical expertise to design museum artworks installations and exhibitions, drafting floor plans, elevations, and drawings for temporary and rotating exhibitions while meeting ADA standards.

Under senior leadership, you will coordinate with curators, conservators, registrars, and technicians; maintain archives, and support exhibition build-outs and site

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Architecture strongly preferred.
• 4 years of progressively responsible exhibition/architectural/interior design experience.
• Galleries or art museum experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop design concepts and produce sketches, layouts, and drawings for exhibitions.
• Create organized plans, elevations, renderings, and construction drawings to deadlines and standards.
• Collaborate with curators, conservators, registrars, designers, and project managers throughout design, build, and install phases.
• Prepare drawings of exhibitions and rotations using existing inventory of furniture and display elements.
• Be present during installation to ensure design intent is executed and to field questions.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

M.Arch / 5-year B.Arch preferred

Tools

Rhino

Adobe Creative Suite

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Microsoft Office

Job description

As a member of the Exhibition Design Department, the Exhibition Designer provides conceptual and technical expertise in designing museum artwork installations and exhibitions. Under the direction of the Senior Manager of Exhibition Design and the Director of Exhibition Management and Design, the Exhibition Designer develops and drafts floor plans, elevations, and other design drawings for temporary exhibitions and permanent gallery rotations with adherence to museum and ADA standards, considering curatorial, conservation, technical, and facility needs.

The application deadline is Monday, October 12, 2026, 9 PM PST.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Works closely with the Director of Exhibition Management and Design and the Senior Manager of Exhibition Design to assist in developing design concepts and producing sketches, layouts, and other drawings for temporary exhibitions and permanent collection rotations.

1. Prepares organized, accurate, and legible plans, elevations, renderings, and detailed construction drawings in accordance with strict deadlines and departmental software/drawing standard requirements. Makes adjustments and corrections to drawings during the design phase as requested.

1. Works closely and communicates regularly with the Curator, Conservator, Registrar, Exhibition Graphic Designer, Exhibition Project Manager, Director of Preparation, and Technicians throughout the design, construction, and installation process. This is a highly collaborative role that requires strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work positively and effectively with multiple stakeholders throughout all phases of an exhibition.

1. As assigned, prepares drawings of exhibitions and rotations incorporating existing inventory of exhibition furniture including cases, movable walls, mounts, platforms, and stanchions.

1. As assigned, is present during art installation to ensure execution of design intent and to field design-related questions and issues.

1. Maintains office pin-up board and public drive folder with up-to-date drawings of current and upcoming exhibitions.

1. Prepares and maintains an archive of exhibitions including as-built drawings and records of paint colors, finishes, casework details, etc.

1. Maintains an up-to-date library of paint samples, fabric samples, and other materials. Maintains comprehensive facility and exhibition gallery floor plans with up-to-date information regarding wall configurations, emergency exits, security cameras, lighting, electrical outlets, climate sensors, reflected ceiling plans, etc.

1. Maintains an organized electronic inventory system for all exhibition furniture, including temporary walls, pedestals, cases, and vitrines.

1. Coordinates with technicians to design exhibition build-outs and prepare orders for related building materials, fabric, furniture, paint, etc.

1. Provides layouts and architectural details to tour venues, artists, guest designers, and internal staff.

1. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education:

  • Minimum: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. A degree in Architecture is strongly preferred.

  • Preferred: M.Arch, 5-year B.Arch, or international equivalent.

• Work Experience: Requires four years of progressively responsible exhibition design, architectural design, or interior design experience. Work experience in galleries or art museums is a plus.

Technical Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced skills in Rhino and Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign).

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

• An understanding of interior and furniture construction, building materials, and construction drawings.

• Ability to work according to strict deadlines and within established budgets.

• Ability to communicate effectively with museum colleagues, artists, and vendors working in a team environment.

• Must have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously.

• Ability to effectively utilize standard office equipment and to maintain accurate, up- to-date records.

Additional:

Schedule: This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. Hybrid schedules are a minimum of 4 days a week onsite, with the understanding that schedules may change based on operational needs. The workweek is Monday - Friday, 8 hours a day, 40 hours per week.

Compensation: This is a union position eligible for the Museums’ benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance and a generous time off package. There is a 7-step union pay scale for this position: Step 1 (starting rate) is $39.46 per hour, Step 7 (max rate) is $52.88. Generally, new employees start at the beginning of the pay scale.

Application Deadline: Monday, October 12 at 9 PM PST. We plan to launch the interview process in October.

If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources @ famsf.org.

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COFAM is the Corporation of Fine Arts Museums and is the privately funded non-profit corporation which supports the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, a department of the City and County of San Francisco.

COFAM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in all phases of employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Comprising the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, we are the largest public arts institution in the City of San Francisco and one of the largest art museums in the United States. The de Young, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and located in Golden Gate Park, showcases American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries, international contemporary art, textiles and costumes, and art from the Americas, the Pacific, and Africa. The Legion of Honor displays a collection of over 4,000 years of ancient and European art including Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker and houses the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts in a Beaux-Arts style building overlooking Lincoln Park and the Golden Gate Bridge.