Principal Environmental Designer

Brobston Group; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Nordstrom seeks a Principal Environmental Designer to set the creative direction for environmental design across stores. You will translate brand narratives and seasonal strategies into compelling customer experiences, while aligning with business objectives.

You will lead large-scale initiatives, mentor designers, and collaborate with senior teams across Visual Merchandising, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Store Operations to ensure feasibility and impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's in Environmental Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, or a related field.
• At least 8 years in retail design, with a strong portfolio of large-scale work.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of 3D spatial design, materials, fabrication, and retail environments.
• Experience with sustainability and scalable design systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the creative vision for store concepts, events, and brand activations.
• Partner with Visual Merchandising, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Store Ops to align design with goals.
• Develop design systems, standards, and scalable solutions across environments (physical and digital).
• Mentor designers and present concepts to executive stakeholders.
• Advance sustainable materials and production methods with feasibility, budgets, and delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Store design

Retail design

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Environmental Design/Architecture/Industrial Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

SketchUp

CAD

3D modeling/rendering tools

Job description

Summary

The Principal Environmental Designer sets the creative direction and strategic vision for environmental design across Nordstrom stores. This role leads large-scale design initiatives, translating brand narratives and seasonal strategies into compelling customer experiences while ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the creative vision for store concepts, scaled events, and brand activations.
• Partner with senior teams across Visual Merchandising, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Store Operations to align design strategies with business goals.
• Develop design systems, standards, and scalable solutions across physical and digital environments.
• Mentor designers, present concepts to executive stakeholders, and evaluate high-impact proposals and executions.
• Advance innovation in materials, sustainability, and production methods while partnering with engineers and project managers on feasibility, budgets, and delivery.

Requirements

• Bachelor\'s or master\'s degree in Environmental Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of experience in retail design, visual merchandising, or experiential design, with a strong portfolio of large-scale work.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of 3D spatial design, materials, fabrication methods, and retail environments.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, CAD, and other 3D modeling or rendering tools.
• Experience with sustainability practices and scalable design systems is a plus.