Surface Designer

Apres Nail; California (MO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading beauty company located in California is looking for a versatile graphic designer to join their team. The ideal candidate will have over three years of experience and a strong grip on Adobe Creative Suite, as well as expertise in both digital and hand-drawn illustration techniques. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work on innovative projects within a fast-paced environment, driving visual trends in nail art and beauty, with a competitive salary range of $60,000 to $70,000 annually.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience in graphic design.
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite tools.
• Expert-level proficiency in both hand-drawn and digital illustration.

Responsibilities

• Create and design visual assets across various platforms.
• Use AI-assisted and traditional design for quick concepts.
• Collaborate with teams to execute creative ideas.

Skills

Graphic design

Illustration

Adobe Creative Suite

AI tools

Color theory

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe InDesign

Job description

Après Nail has innovated the nail market as the creator of Gel X. Our mission is to improve nail industry standards and the lives of nail artists by providing innovative products that help both them and their services thrive. Our nails are seen everywhere, from the Met Gala to the Oscars to your local nail salon. The Gel X revolution is real, and we're looking for our next great team member!

We’re looking for a versatile graphic designer with strong visual taste, fast instincts, and a genuine passion for design. This role isn’t limited to one lane—you’ll tackle a wide range of creative needs, from artwork and illustrations to patterns, layouts, and brand visuals. You’re comfortable wearing multiple hats, moving quickly, and using AI as a powerful creative partner.

You’re curious, trend‑aware, and excited to help shape what’s next in beauty and nail culture. You understand that great design comes from both intuition and execution—and that speed matters just as much as aesthetics.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience in graphic design
• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Advanced experience using AI tools for image generation, ideation, and creative iteration
• Familiarity with digital asset specs, file organization, and production‑ready file preparation
• Working knowledge of print production, printing methods, and print file setup
• Strong understanding of color theory, composition, and visual hierarchy
• Excellent visual taste with a strong fashion sense and awareness of fast‑moving trends
• Expert‑level proficiency in both hand‑drawn and digital illustration, with the ability to execute intricate, highly detailed, production‑ready artwork
• Experience working in project management platforms such as Asana
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize efficiently, and meet tight deadlines
• Strong communication skills and comfort collaborating across creative, marketing, and R&D teams
• Self‑motivated, detail‑oriented, and excited to join a fast‑moving environment

What You’ll Do

• Create and design a wide range of visual assets, including illustrations, patterns, artwork, and brand graphics
• Use AI‑assisted and traditional design workflows to generate, refine, and iterate creative concepts quickly
• Translate creative direction, product ideas, and brand needs into strong visual outputs with a clear point of view
• Create detailed hand‑drawn and digital illustrations, translating concepts into elevated, production‑ready artwork
• Develop intricate vector graphics from scratch, ensuring precision, scalability, and technical accuracy
• Refine and clean up hand‑drawn concepts, transforming them into polished digital assets aligned with brand standards
• Prepare print‑ready production files, including proper ink builds, specialty finishes, material considerations, dielines, and layer separations
• Contribute to cohesive visual systems and collections across products, packaging, and marketing
• Stay plugged into fast‑moving trends in fashion, beauty, and nail culture—and act on them
• Collaborate closely with creative, marketing, and R&D teams to bring ideas to life efficiently

What We’re Looking For

• Strong visual instincts and solid design fundamentals
• Experience across graphic design, illustration, artwork, or pattern‑based work
• Working knowledge of digital specs, file setup, and print production processes
• Familiarity with common printing methods (offset, digital, specialty finishes, etc.) and how design translates to physical products
• Comfort working fast, iterating often, and juggling multiple types of design tasks
• AI‑savvy: experience using AI tools thoughtfully to enhance creativity and productivity
• Strong sense of style with awareness of emerging trends
• Passion for nails, beauty, and evolving brand aesthetics
• Self‑motivated and adaptable
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
• A portfolio showcasing a range of design work

Nice to Have

• Background in fashion, beauty, textiles, or surface design
• Experience refining AI‑generated artwork into production‑ready assets

The pay range for this role is:

60,000 - 70,000 USD per year (Gale)