Intermediate Designer

AKQA; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

AKQA in San Francisco is seeking an Intermediate Designer to craft high-quality design across print, digital and campaign, working closely with the Design Lead and multidisciplinary teams to bring brand-led work to life. You’ll explore ideas, refine details and create work that is useful, intuitive and culturally resonant.

You’ll own design tasks from concept through to final artwork, collaborate openly, embrace feedback, and take increasing ownership as you develop toward a Senior Designer

Qualifications

• Solid experience as a designer in an agency or studio environment.
• Strong design craft with typography, layout and brand consistency.
• Able to translate briefs into thoughtful, on-brand design.
• Confident in design systems and production-ready artwork.
• Curious and inventive, open to AI-enabled tools and new ways of working.
• Collaborative, receptive to feedback and eager to learn.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver high-quality work across print, digital and campaign.
• Interpret briefs and explore creative routes with thoughtful ideas.
• Own design tasks from concept through to final artwork and files.
• Apply typography, layout and attention to detail across deliverables.
• Work within design systems and brand guidelines, maintaining assets.
• Collaborate with Art Directors, Strategists, Technologists and Delivery teams.
• Present and explain design work in internal reviews and incorporate feedback.
• Manage multiple tasks and deadlines, flagging blockers early.

Skills

Brand-led design

Typography & layout

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Design systems

Collaboration

Presentation & communication

Time management

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Job description

At AKQA we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

As an Intermediate Designer, you’ll craft high-quality design across the full breadth of creative agency output, spanning print, digital and campaign. Working closely with the Design Lead, Designers, Art Directors and wider multidisciplinary teams, you’ll bring creative direction to life through thoughtful, brand-led work that is as beautiful as it is effective. You’ll explore new ideas, refine the details and create work that is useful, intuitive and culturally resonant.

You’ll be a hands-on, generalist designer who brings curiosity and creativity to every brief. From owning design tasks and smaller projects through to final artwork, to contributing ideas within larger campaigns, you’ll build your craft and confidence while delivering work across a range of formats. You’ll collaborate openly, embrace feedback and take increasing ownership of your work as you develop towards a Senior Designer role.

Beyond day-to-day design delivery, you’ll contribute to the wider creative culture of the studio. You’ll share ideas and knowledge, explore emerging technologies and AI-enabled tools, and help showcase the quality and impact of our work through new business pitches, case studies and portfolio pieces.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Design and deliver high-quality work across print, digital and campaign, translating creative direction into polished, on-brand outputs

• Interpret briefs and explore creative routes, bringing considered ideas and experimentation to each project

• Own design tasks and smaller projects from concept through to final artwork and production-ready files

• Apply strong typography, layout and attention to detail across all deliverables

• Work accurately within established design systems and brand guidelines, contributing to the development and maintenance of brand assets

• Collaborate with Art Directors, Strategists, Technologists, Copywriters and Delivery teams, contributing ideas to creative sessions

• Present and explain design work clearly in internal reviews, responding positively to feedback and refining work with care

• Manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively, communicating blockers or concerns early

• Support client presentations, reviews and workshops, building confidence in presenting work and rationale

• Embrace new technologies, platforms and AI-enabled tools to elevate creative craft and improve delivery

• Contribute design work and ideas to new business pitches, proposals, case studies and portfolio pieces

• Share knowledge and techniques with the wider team, taking ownership of your development towards a Senior Designer role

QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Solid experience as a designer in an agency or studio environment, with a portfolio spanning print, digital and campaign work

• Strong design craft, typographic sensibility and a keen eye for layout, detail and consistency

• Able to translate briefs and creative direction into thoughtful, well-executed, brand-led design

• Confident working within design systems and brand guidelines, with experience preparing production-ready artwork for print and digital channels

• Curious and inventive, with a willingness to explore different creative approaches rather than defaulting to familiar solutions

• Collaborative, generous and open to feedback, with a genuine desire to learn and grow

• Clear communicator who is building confidence in presenting and explaining creative decisions

• Organised and reliable, able to manage competing priorities and deliver quality work to agreed deadlines

• Interested in emerging design, technology and cultural trends, with an openness to AI-enabled tools and new ways of working

• Proficient in industry-standard design tools, including Adobe Creative Suite and Figma

We believe great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach including required in-office days. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

AKQA is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

About WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.