Merchandise Concept Artist – Character Design

Catface; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k)

Flexible time off

Lunch, snacks and drinks in office

Pets in the office

Onsite fitness center

Learning stipend

Relocation assistance for Austin

Job summary

Catface in Austin is seeking a merchandise designer to own end-to-end development for Aphmau collections. You will research, sketch, and finalize artwork, maintaining brand integrity and licensing requirements while coordinating with Brand, Licensing, and Production teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on design work, collaboration, and timely delivery across multiple collections, with relocation support to Austin and a suite of office perks.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of merchandise design experience.
• A portfolio showing the full progression from research and ideation to finished artwork.
• Strong skills in Illustrator and Photoshop for pattern, icon, and surface design development.
• Ability to follow brand and character style guides and licensed product requirements.
• Ability to manage several concurrent assignments against a development calendar and hit dates.
• Strong character drawing fundamentals—proportion, expression, and consistency to an established model.
• Comfort giving and receiving direct creative critique, and separating feedback on the work from feedback on you.
• Clear communication: explain why a concept works commercially, not just why you like it.
• Discipline with file organization, naming conventions, and version control.

Responsibilities

• Own defined portions of Aphmau merchandise collections end to end, from research to final artwork execution.
• Develop mood boards, concept sketches, and final artwork for assigned products or categories.
• Translate approved concepts into polished merchandise artwork and prepare files for production.
• Annotate sketches to communicate materials, placements, features, and story references.
• Build colorways and artwork placements, organize layered master files for vendors.
• Incorporate feedback from Brand, Licensing, Merchandise Production, and leadership.
• Present directions and justify the rationale behind each concept.

Skills

Merchandise design

Portfolio development

Illustrator

Photoshop

Brand guidelines

Time management

Character drawing

Creative critique

Communication

File organization

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Catface in Austin is seeking a merchandise designer to own end-to-end development for Aphmau collections. You will research, sketch, and finalize artwork, maintaining brand integrity and licensing requirements while coordinating with Brand, Licensing, and Production teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on design work, collaboration, and timely delivery across multiple collections, with relocation support to Austin and a suite of office perks.