Communications Design Contractor

COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN CONTRACTOR ABOUT THE ROLE Spherical is a transdisciplinary research and design studio working to regenerate the health and integrity of Earth's living systems. We are looking for a Communications Design Contractor to join our team for a six-month engagement. This designer will work closely with Spherical's Design Director and Senior Designer on two primary tracks of work: the ongoing design and production of Neighbors: A Living Infrastructure Magazine, and a range of brand and marketing design. This is a 32-40-hour/week remote contract position reporting directly to the Design Director. ABOUT NEIGHBORS MAGAZINE Neighbors https://livinginfrastructure.org/learn/ is a collection of stories from Angelenos about the futures we are building together. Produced by Spherical for the Living Infrastructure Field Kit, , the magazine uplifts examples of living infrastructure already taking shape through non-fiction, fiction, photography, and more. Neighbors launched in June 2026 and publishes new stories every two weeks. The design of Neighbors is bold, editorial, and deeply considered. It’s rooted in a strong typographic sensibility and a commitment to immersive digital storytelling. The right candidate will be excited to help shape and evolve a publication that is just getting started. SCOPE OF WORK NEIGHBORS MAGAZINE Under the direction of the Design Director, the Communications Design Contractor will help evolve the design of Neighbors and support the production of ongoing content: - Collaborate with editors, producers, and creatives to conceptualize and design immersive digital storytelling experiences for articles published every two weeks - Iterate existing templates for recurring story formats and design new templates for new story types - Collaborate with producers to translate stories into social media content that is on-brand, distinctive, and designed to perform across platforms - Evolve and maintain the Neighbors brand guidelines and style guide BRAND AND MARKETING Working under the direction of the Design Director, this designer will: - Contribute to engagements as directed, including brand identity, marketing materials, and social media design. - Design page layouts and produce creative assets for the studio's website, social media, and blog - Design and produce a range of communications including presentation decks, email newsletters, and marketing collateral REQUIREMENTS EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION - Formal education in graphic design or a related field is a plus, though equivalent professional experience and a strong portfolio are equally valued. - Demonstrated professional experience designing across digital mediums and formats - A strong portfolio demonstrating work across brand identity, communications, and digital content. Please include your portfolio link with your application SKILLS - Strong foundation in graphic design fundamentals: typography, color, layout, imagery, and composition - Experience in brand identity and campaign design for both print and digital is required - Editorial design experience is a plus, though not required to apply - Proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) - Healthy balance of comfort, curiosity and discernment in the use of AI-assisted tools and workflows WAYS OF WORKING - Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and keep the Design Director informed of any issues in real time - High standards of craft with a consistent ability to meet deadlines - A thorough, exploratory approach to design and willing to push ideas before landing on the right solution - Collaborative, with a graceful, solutions-oriented approach under pressure - Comfortable taking creative direction and iterating quickly and accurately CONTRACT DETAILS - Duration: 6 months - Hours: 32-40 hours - Rate: $100/hr - Location: Remote - Start date: As soon as possible - Reporting to: Michael Yap, Design Director HOW TO APPLY Spherical is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We are happy to provide accommodations throughout the hiring process. Please let us know what you need. Please send your resume, portfolio, and a brief note about why this role interests you.