Graphic Design Apprentice via Adobe Creative Apprenticeships

Work with us; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 33,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, in partnership with Adobe, offers the Graphic Design Apprentice program at the de Young Museum. The role provides mentorship, hands-on project experience, and exposure to branding, typography, and visual communications across print, environmental graphics, and digital media.

Scheduled for on-site, part-time work in San Francisco, the apprenticeship lasts five months (Jan 5–June 4, 2027) with a pay rate of $28 per hour and no benefits.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED, pursuing graphic design education.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strong typography and visual design understanding.
• Excellent communication and teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Museum Design Studio on large-scale projects.
• Research, conceptualize, and design visual communications.
• Scale brand consistently per identity guidelines.
• Present concepts and iterate based on feedback from designers and collaborators.
• Meet internal clients to plan scope and schedule for projects; communicate deadlines and production information.
• Deliver projects within established budgets and timelines.

Skills

Typography

Visual design

Communication

Team collaboration

Time management

Human-centered design

Education

High School Diploma / GED

Pursuing Graphic Design studies

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is proud to partner with Adobe as a host for their Adobe Creative Apprenticeship program.

Eligibility to apply for the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship is contingent upon successful completion of an Adobe Commission.

Together, the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park make up the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), the largest public arts institution in the city and one of the largest art museums in the United States. Reporting to the Director of Brand Design & Creative and the Lead Graphic Designer, the Graphic Design Apprentice is a member of FAMSF’s award-winning Graphic Design department. Our team plays an important role in implementing and translating the vision of our institution into a vibrant and cohesive experience.

During their tenure, the Graphic Design Apprentice will gain knowledge of museum design careers and culture, receive professional mentorship from full-time staff, hands-on project experience and feedback, and engage with a network of design professionals. They will familiarise themselves with our branding, workflows, and systems, and understand how Graphic Design can support the institution’s goals.

From concept to implementation, the approach of the Graphic Design Apprentice is holistic, inspiring, and empathetic. This individual loves a challenge, has an eye for detail, works well in a team, and successfully balances aesthetics, innovation, sustainability, consistency, and versatility in their work.

Expectations

• Collaborate with the Museum Design Studio and serve as a creative partner to other departments at FAMSF on large-scale projects involving a range of media, including print communications, environmental graphics, outdoor media, mobile and online media, and wayfinding/signage.
• Research, conceptualise, and design visual communications that support museum initiatives.
• Scale our brand consistently and effectively per our identity guidelines.
• Apply a finely tuned sense of typography to all projects.
• Present concepts and design decisions/rationale to designers and non-designers for feedback, then carry designs through a series of iterations, demonstrating the capacity to be flexible with and reactive to project collaborators’ needs.
• Meet with internal clients to plan the scope and schedule for individual projects; communicate deadlines, schedules, and production information to all necessary museum departments; attend project meetings as a representative of the department.
• Schedule, bid, produce, and deliver projects within established budgets, on time, while maintaining museum-quality standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Skills

• High School Diploma/GED, and pursuit of further education in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite required
• Solid understanding of visual design principles and typography
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Passion for research and design trends
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and collaboratively
• Excellent organisation and time management skills
• Understanding of human-centered design and accessibility standards

Eligibility

Eligibility to apply for the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship is contingent upon successful completion of an Adobe Commission. Once a candidate meets the eligibility criteria, they will see open opportunities on Behance and can apply directly to the job post.

Schedule

This temporary part-time position is onsite in San Francisco at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park: 7 hours a day, 21 hours a week, 3 days a week (Monday-Friday). The duration of the apprenticeship is 5 months: January 5-June 4, 2027.

Compensation

The pay rate for this position is $28 per hour. This is a temporary part-time hourly position. There are no benefits associated with this position.

Additional

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

COFAM

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.