Associate Creative Director / Creative Director

Deeplocal creates inspiring moments for brands in the real world. We strategize, imagine, design, and fabricate ambitious physical experiences, from immersive installations and interactive environments to large-scale activations, from concept to execution. Our work lives at the intersection of inventive technology, spatial design, and human connection. As part of WPP since 2017, Deeplocal brings a uniquely hands-on, culturally-tuned approach to brand experience.

We’re seeking an Associate Creative Director / Creative Director who can deliver aesthetically beautiful and meaningful physical experiences. We want someone who thinks in space, materials, and motion, and has built or directed work that exists in the real world. You may come from 3D design, environmental design, strategy, or UX, but above all, you understand how people move through and interact with designed spaces.

Ideally this position is based in our Pittsburgh, PA studio,  however remote candidates will also be considered.

This position may be a fit for you if:

• You live and breathe culture and are excited to experiment and invent with new technologies, especially when those technologies manifest in physical space.
• You care deeply about design quality—whether it’s the high-level vision or intricate details.
• You are an exceptional leader of interdisciplinary teams from concept to production, while also being an individual contributor.
• You can give critical and actionable creative feedback and elaborate on creative concepts.
• You are someone who solves creative and business challenges with innovative solutions.
• You are comfortable leading pitches and selling through ideas to clients. 
• You can express your creative ideas through physical mockups, mood boards, style-frames, and motion prototypes and execute and deliver highly polished, sophisticated projects.
• You are just as comfortable working on a conceptual brief as you are bringing a defined brief to life.
• You are comfortable working under tight deadlines, and collaborating with cross functional teams, playing a leadership role on a unified team.  
• You’re a strategic thinker that seamlessly integrates strategy into projects.
• You are aesthetically agile and can design for a variety of brands with different styles, tones, palettes, and voices.
• You like getting your hands dirty—utilizing rapid prototyping technologies and low fidelity prototypes to prove out design concepts.
• You can contribute across several disciplines. These include: Physical Design, Brand Strategy, Interactive Design, Experience Design, UI Design, UX Design, Motion Design, Animation, 3D Modeling, Graphic Design, Art Direction, 2D + 3D Visualization  

Responsibilities

• Big picture creative that can own and drive complex, multi-disciplinary projects
• Champion the ideas in the room.
• Inspire and collaborate with Producers, Designers, Engineers and Creative Technologists to create and pitch concepts that are inventive, strategic, help define culture and create meaningful experiences for audiences. 
• Flawless oversight of multiple creative teams and projects simultaneously
• Captivating speaker who can own a room, clearly articulate complicated concepts, listen to client feedback and redirect as necessary.
• Lead with the team and make key decisions around experience and visual direction throughout the duration of a project.
• Lead concepting discussions with internal teams and clients, thoroughly explain decisions and processes so that clients not only approve them, but understand why they were made and can share them with colleagues to get further internal buy-in.
• Contribute to the project needs at every stage, including pre-production, production, and on-going engagement.
• Foster emerging and established talent to consistently improve the team.
• Tap into culture and stay up-to-date on emerging trends and technologies.

Desired Skills

• A minimum of 8-10 years of experience is typically required for this role, with a preference for experience gained in a creative agency or a similar setting.
• Advanced proficiency across multiple design disciplines, including 3D modeling, UI/UX, motion design, animation, graphic design, and experience design
• Proven ability to lead interdisciplinary teams from concept through production
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and teams simultaneously while maintaining quality and timelines
• Strong concept development and storytelling skills
• Ability to integrate business objectives and strategic thinking into creative solutions
• Skilled in art direction and experience direction, making key decisions throughout project lifecycles
• Capable of driving big-picture creative vision while ensuring executional excellence
• Ability to lead client presentations, pitches, and workshops
• Skilled at delivering clear, constructive, and actionable creative feedback
• Strong listening skills with the ability to adapt based on client feedback
• Ability to align diverse perspectives into a unified creative vision
• Ability to experiment and push boundaries while staying aligned with project goals and constraints.
• Strong mentorship skills with experience developing and guiding creative talent
• Comfortable acting as both a hands-on contributor and strategic leader

The assigned title will be based on experience level.

Expected Salary

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is $70,000-$140,000 USD.  Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package.

 

You don’t need to match every skill on this list to apply—we welcome applicants with a variety of experiences.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the interview process, please email us at hr@deeplocal.com

About Deeplocal

Deeplocal is an internationally-recognized innovation studio based in Pittsburgh, PA. Our team includes experts in marketing, engineering, design, and fabrication who collaborate to develop never-seen-before physical experiences for brand clients.

Deeplocal has been behind some of advertising’s most talked about campaigns: the Netflix Switch, Google Photos Pay With A Photo, and the Nike Chalkbot. From creating a mind-controlled bike that allowed riders to shift with their thoughts, to building a robotic pitching machine that allowed a child to throw out the first pitch at a baseball game from thousands of miles away, to a single button that dims the lights, orders food, silencers your phone and puts on your favorite show, our projects are wide-ranging and unique. Our work has been featured on Fast Company, Wired, NYTimes, USA Today, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Gizmodo, Engadget, Forbes, and many more.

Deeplocal’s studio is located in a renovated brewery loft space in Sharpsburg, PA—just outside of Pittsburgh and within a few minutes of Lawrenceville. All team members at Deeplocal contribute and participate in work for our amazing roster of clients.

Our Mission

Invent products and experiences for innovative brands.

Our Purpose

To be a place where amazing talent can invent, create and inspire.

Our Core Values

Deeplocal is committed to maintaining the company's core values and culture as the company grows. Employees should exhibit the following Deeplocal core values:

• Inventive
• Impactful
• Resourceful
• Humble
• Efficient

Building interactive physical experiences and innovative marketing installations.