Graphic Designer, Arts

Profile

• Employee status: Temporary, 10 months with an anticipated end date of October 2026
• Schedule: Part-time, contingent (up to 25 hours/week; hours may vary based on business need)
• Structure: Hybrid schedule, 1 day per week on-site at Stanford's Palo Alto campus
• Rate of pay: $40-45/hour
• Start date: January 6, 2026
• Reports to: Associate Director of Web and Digital Services, Office of the Vice President for the Arts

Job Description

Stanford University is one of the world's premier academic and research institutions, devoting tremendous intellectual and physical resources toward the betterment of humanity. As a major Silicon Valley employer, Stanford seeks people committed to excellence and improving our world. The university is committed to supporting its employees as they develop their careers and enrich their lives. Stanford's future success will be shaped by its diverse perspectives, unique experiences, and inclusive culture.

The Office of the Vice President for the Arts is seeking a part-time, temporary graphic designer to create compelling visual materials that showcase Stanford's incredible creative community. Output will range from posters and flyers to email templates, venue signage, website banners, brochures, and logos. The ideal candidate is someone who can work within multiple brand guidelines to produce original designs that demonstrate the vital contributions of the arts at a research university and in our society. This role collaborates closely with communications partners across VPA units to ensure consistency, accessibility, and quality across channels.

This temporary role is scheduled to work until October 2026.

In this role, you will

• Work within several brands to edit templates and produce original designs (including illustrations, graphics, images, print pieces).
• Work as an individual contributor, taking responsibility for projects from ideation with client, design, internal review, quality assurance, proof inspection, to delivery.
• Coordinate workflows between design development and vendors and print shops to ensure high-quality output, on-time and within budget.
• Help drive creative identity across all channels including print, social media, web, email, and video.
• Support VPA Units and campus partners in design projects, within their unique style guides. VPA Units include: Stanford Live, Anderson Collection, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford Arts Institute, and the Institute for Diversity in the Arts.
• Consult with internal and external clients to understand the need and purpose of a project.

In order to be successful, you will bring:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and other design platforms (Canva) to develop and design materials according to defined requirements.
• Experience developing email templates within constraints of email platforms (Mailchimp, DotDigital, etc.) and sending emails; basic HTML/CSS is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to start from an initial concept and work from broad possibilities to specific solutions.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities, deadlines, and client/partner needs.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Outstanding organizational and communication skills (written, verbal, and visual communications).
• Meticulous attention to detail with the ability to perform work with a high level of accuracy.
• Current knowledge of industry standards, trends, and technical developments in graphic design.
• Collaborative mindset with proven ability to work effectively with others as part of a team.
• Familiarity with web CMS (e.g., WordPress/Drupal) and basic image optimization for web is a plus.
• Experience working with or for arts and cultural organizations is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience (preferred).

To apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and provide a link to a portfolio of past design work including flyers, brochures, emails, infographics, illustrations, and/or ads.

Submit to: Robert DeArmond <robertde@stanford.edu> with the subject line "Graphic Designer Application – [Your Name]"

Priority consideration will be given to materials received by December 1.