Senior Graphic Designer 3 - 152212-1

About The Job Senior Graphic Designer 3 - 152212-1

Job Title:Graphic Designer 3

Location: remote but needs to be local to Cambridge, Massachusetts (1 Memorial Drive) or New York City, New York (300 Lafayette Street)

Schedule: M-F, 40 HR

Duration/Start Date: 4/21/2025

Salary Range: $44 - $48/hourly

Candidates with previous experience working at Microsoft Corporation, either as a full-time employee (FTE) or contractor, are strongly preferred.

Summary

The purpose of this team is managing the internal and external affairs for Microsoft Research. The team partners closely with researchers to help accelerate their research, hosts internal events, and engages in

community initiatives both internally and externally.

Key projects: This role will contribute to:

As a Graphic Designer, you will play a crucial role in creating and producing visually compelling designs and deliverables for various digital platforms and in-person experiences. With a strong background in design principles, you will collaborate in a fast-paced environment and when projects need evolving with the program managers on the Community Initiatives team and cross-functional teams to deliver innovative design deliverables. This role will report into the Director of the Microsoft Research Community Initiatives team.

In This, Role You Will:

Design & Production: Create and deliver timely and accurate graphic art production, layout and design for programs and projects (webpage banners, emails, conference booth design and assets, social media assets)

Collaboration & Communication: Communicate and collaborate directly with Community Initiatives teams Program Managers to gather input and regular feedback, managing expectations and presenting design concepts effectively.

Visual identity Consistency: Ensure Microsoft Research visual identity consistency across all design deliverables.

Alignment: Collaborate with and collect feedback from the Design Lead in the Microsoft Research Creative Studio to ensure alignment to overall Microsoft Research visual identity guidelines and evolutions

Typical task breakdown and operating rhythm: The role will consist of 25% meetings, 75% heads down.

This role provides the opportunity to work in a fast-paced and fun environment within Microsoft Research, which is focused on technology exploration and creativity. The sponsor stresses the

importance that this candidate will be integrated into the team and they will ensure that they feel like a part of the broader MSFT team.

Unique Selling Points: There will be growth opportunities such as working closely with researchers to visually tell their research mission and vision. If they are interested in specific areas, the sponsor is willing to carveout time for

specific interests and connecting them with researchers in that area. They will be apart of a global team, collaborating across multiple time zones and locations, which adds diversity and a broader perspective to the work.

Candidate Requirements

An ideal candidate would be someone who already works in an academic or research ecosystem. Example: graphic designer at a university.

Years of Experience Required: 5+ overall years of experience in the field.

Degrees or certifications required: An undergraduate or bachelors degree in graphic design or related field degree is required to be eligible for this role.

Disqualifiers: Candidates with job hopping (a year or less in roles) and will not be eligible for the role.

Best vs. Average: The ideal resume would contain experience designing for academic research communities, knowledge of motion graphics or video editing, and experience working in a large tech or research organization.

Performance Indicators: Performance will be assessed based on meeting deadlines. The sponsor would also like the candidate to bring new ideas - be comfortable looking at what they're currently doing and bringing new ideas to the

table and suggesting improvements to current processes.

Top 3 Hard Skills Required + Years of Experience

• Minimum 5+ years experience with in-depth mastery of current design and production tools and technologies: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, M365, WordPress..
• Minimum 5+years experience with proven experience as a graphic designer with a strong portfolio across print and digital, including event-related materials.
• Minimum 5+years experience with strong time management skills to independently manage multiple projects, responsibilities, and ensure preparedness. (this is 75% of the role)
• Minimum 5+years experience with excellent written communication skills, essential for collaborating across a global team and multiple time zones, ensuring clear and effective updates via Teams messages.
  
  

What Youll Do

As a Graphic Designer, you will play a crucial role in creating and producing visually compelling designs and deliverables for various digital platforms and in-person experiences. With a strong background in design principles, you will collaborate in a fast-paced environment and when projects need evolving with the program managers on the Community Initiatives team and cross-functional teams to deliver innovative design deliverables. This role will report into the Director of the Microsoft Research Community Initiatives team.

In This, Role You Will:

Design & Production: Create and deliver timely and accurate graphic art production, layout and design for programs and projects (webpage banners, emails, conference booth design and assets, social media assets)

Collaboration & Communication: Communicate and collaborate directly with Community Initiatives teams Program Managers to gather input and regular feedback, managing expectations and presenting design concepts effectively.

Visual identity Consistency: Ensure Microsoft Research visual identity consistency across all design deliverables.

Alignment: Collaborate with and collect feedback from the Design Lead in the Microsoft Research Creative Studio to ensure alignment to overall Microsoft Research visual identity guidelines and evolutions

What Were Looking For:

5+ years experience in graphic design

An undergraduate or bachelors degree in graphic design or related field

Proven experience as a graphic designer with a strong portfolio across print and digital, including event-related materials

In-depth mastery of current design and production tools and technologies: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, M365, WordPress.

Familiarity with Microsoft productivity tools: Microsoft 365, Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint

Strong time management skills to independently manage multiple projects, responsibilities, and ensure preparedness.

Excellent written communication skills, essential for collaborating across a global team and multiple time zones, ensuring clear and effective updates via Teams messages.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice To Have)

Experience designing for academic research communities.

Knowledge of motion graphics or video editing.

Experience working in a large tech or research organization.