Experiential Art Director

Caterpillar

Chicago (IL)

On-site

USD 98,000 - 146,000

Full time

14 days+

Get more replies from employers

Send a job-specific resume in minutes.

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) savings plans

Tuition Reimbursement

Incentive bonus

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc.'s Ironworks, the in-house creative agency in Chicago, seeks an Experiential Art Director to craft immersive environments and experiences from concept through installation. You will lead environmental design, interior graphics, and multimedia content for permanent spaces and live activations, collaborating with architects, fabricators, and production teams to deliver on-brand environments.

A strong portfolio and design degree are required; role is on-site in Chicago with a

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in design or related field required.
Experience in experiential design or in-house design environment preferred.
Strong portfolio across environmental, interior and experiential work.

Responsibilities

Create immersive environments and experiences across permanent spaces and live activations.
Develop distinctive visual identities for spaces and activations that stay on-brand.
Design environmental graphics including signage, wayfinding, murals, and architectural branding.

Skills

Conceptual thinking

Client collaboration

Presentation skills

Space design

Education

Bachelor's degree in design or related field

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Microsoft Office

Job description

Ironworks, Caterpillar Inc.’s in-house creative agency, is building immersive, on-brand environments and experiences from start to finish. This Experiential Art Director role focuses on creating permanent interior spaces and live, temporary activations, combining environmental design, interior graphics, and multimedia content with end-to-end design and build support through installation.

What you’ll create

Immersive environments and experiences, spanning permanent interior spaces and live, temporary activations
Distinctive visual identities that give each space or activation a clear point of view while staying unmistakably on-brand
Environmental and interior graphic design including signage, wayfinding, murals, dimensional elements, and architectural branding
Multimedia content that becomes part of the environment, including motion and video-wall content designed for both the display and the surrounding room
Highly detailed, accurate print-ready files that translate concepts into production-ready deliverables

How you’ll work

Shape the full journey through a space by aligning form, function, materials, and key moments to tell a cohesive story
Lead design and build plans from first concept through fabrication and installation, including show day support for live experiences
Partner with architects, fabricators, event producers, and production teams to align locations, specifications, and install details
Travel to sites to art‑direct execution and help ensure the final environment matches the intended vision
Present ideas clearly to internal teams and in front of clients, explaining the rationale behind design decisions
Manage multiple complex projects at once, maintaining a high creative bar and attention to detail under tight timelines
Help strengthen a collaborative culture across creative peers, account partners, production teams, and clients

What you bring

Strong conceptual thinking and a customer-focused mindset, using values and practices aligned with customer needs and satisfaction
Demonstrated collaborative techniques and a relationship-centered approach with clients, vendors, and peers
Real range across disciplines including environmental and interior graphics, spatial design, and experiential design with an instinct for movement and how people feel in a space
Ability to craft a distinctive visual identity and apply it consistently across surfaces, screens, and moments
Comfort partnering with architects, fabricators, and production partners with an understanding of how designs come together in the real world
Sharp communication and presentation skills to explain the “why” behind your work
Deep command of Adobe Creative Cloud, and sufficient comfort with Microsoft Office
Hands‑on art direction or senior‑level design experience, in‑house or at an agency
Experience designing for large‑format digital, video walls, or other in-space multimedia
A portfolio showing range and craft across environmental, interior, and experiential work, including both permanent spaces and live experiences
A track record of thriving in fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environments
A bachelor’s degree in design or a related field, or equivalent experience