Senior Designer- Retail [AQ-18596]

Aquent; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquent Studios is seeking a Sr. Designer to lead strategic conceptualization and visual systems for high-impact retail environments.

You will partner with creative leadership, stakeholders, and production partners to scale 2D and 3D design across our hardware portfolio, mentoring junior designers and overseeing production from ideation to proofing. You have 7+ years in retail or physical space design, a strong portfolio of branded environments, and superb presentation skills to influence senior

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional design experience in retail, environmental, experiential, or physical space design.
• Portfolio demonstrating retail environments, visual merchandising, window displays, branded physical experiences, or similar work.
• Strong 2D graphic design and visual systems expertise.
• Experience developing creative concepts and providing art direction.
• Understanding of how graphic design translates to 3D/physical environments and architectural constraints.
• Hands-on experience with print production, fabrication, proofing, color management, and physical execution.
• Strong presentation and communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional creative, production, spatial, and marketing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead Creative Vision: Drive overarching design concepts, mood boards for large-scale retail initiatives.
• Systemic Design & Art Direction: Establish scalable 2D design systems, typography, and color frameworks.
• High-Impact VM & Window Campaigns: Direct visual strategy for flagship window displays and VM touchpoints.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Spatial Designers, Experience Strategists, and Production Leads.
• Production & Quality Oversight: Oversee print production and color standards for flawless execution.
• Stakeholder Management: Present design strategies to senior leadership and regional stakeholders.

Skills

Retail design

2D graphic design

Visual systems

Art direction

Presentation

Cross-functional collaboration

Print production

Job description

• Please note this role requires you to be onsite 2 to 3 days a week*

• Please note this role requires you to be onsite 2 to 3 days a week*

Project Overview

As a Sr. Designer for our client's Team, you will lead the strategic conceptualization, holistic visual expression, and design execution for high-impact physical environments and retail spaces. You will partner closely with creative leadership, cross-functional stakeholders, and external production partners to establish and scale compelling 2D and 3D visual design systems across our client's hardware portfolio. The role demands a seasoned creative who can orchestrate complex design frameworks, maintain pristine brand stewardship across diverse physical footprints, and mentor junior design talent while managing high-fidelity production oversight from ideation to final physical proofing.

Project Details

• Lead Creative Vision: Drive overarching design concepts, vision decks, and comprehensive mood boards for large-scale retail initiatives, ensuring alignment with global brand directives.
• Systemic Design & Art Direction: Establish robust, scalable 2D design systems, typographic guidelines, and color frameworks that seamlessly translate across varied physical dimensions and architectural constraints.
• High-Impact VM & Window Campaigns: Oversee the visual strategy and creative direction for flagship window displays and key visual merchandising (VM) touchpoints, balancing storytelling with commercial impact.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner directly with Spatial Designers, Experience Strategists, and Production Leads to ensure a unified physical-to-digital customer journey within the retail footprint.
• Production & Quality Oversight: Direct the print production and proofing process for complex materials, setting engineering and color standards to ensure flawless physical execution.
• Stakeholder Management: Confidently present design strategies and creative solutions to senior leadership and key regional stakeholders to secure buy-in.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional design experience, with a strong focus on retail, environmental, experiential, or physical space design
• A portfolio demonstrating retail environments, visual merchandising, window displays, branded physical experiences, or similar work
• Strong 2D graphic design and visual systems expertise
• Experience developing creative concepts and providing art direction
• Understanding of how graphic design translates to 3D/physical environments and architectural constraints
• Hands-on experience with print production, fabrication, proofing, color management, and physical execution
• Strong presentation and communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional creative, production, spatial, and marketing teams

Nice To Have

• Experience designing for a global consumer or hardware brand
• Experience with large-scale or flagship retail programs
• Experience working with external production partners and fabricators
• Experience mentoring or providing creative direction to other designers

Client Description

Aquent Studios is a global creative studio that delivers scale, speed and efficiency to the world's most recognized brands. We create the work that matters the most to them-work that has a real impact on their business. As an Aquent Studios team member, you'll have the opportunity to engage with the largest and most influential companies in the world, solving design challenges and extending their brands across tactic types and platforms, including digital design, UI/UX, video, motion, content, print design, web development, and more. If you want to do work that matters in a collaborative setting that values ingenuity and personal growth, you have found the right place!

Other Requirements

The target hiring compensation range for this role is $120-200K. However, final compensation level will be determined based on experience and scope alignment.