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Staff Designer, Generalist (R5944)

Shield AI
Actively Hiring
Washington, D.C.full_time$117K - $170KPosted 6 days ago
Growth DivisionEngineering
About This Role
Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:

The Marketing team at Shield AI is hiring a Senior Designer to lead the development and execution of integrated brand campaigns. Working closely with the Director of Brand and Creative, you’ll translate campaign strategy and creative direction into distinctive visual concepts and cohesive systems that work across digital, social, events, presentations, advertising, and other brand touchpoints.

You’ll be a close creative partner throughout the campaign process—from early concept development and visual exploration through production and launch. You’ll help shape briefs, develop campaign ideas, establish the visual direction, and turn approved concepts into clear systems that other designers, agencies, and production partners can execute consistently.

You’ll own high-visibility design work while also providing direction, feedback, and hands-on support across the broader campaign. You’ll collaborate with writers, designers, video teams, marketers, and external partners to connect messaging and visuals, solve creative problems, and keep the work aligned as requirements evolve.

This is a senior individual contributor role for a designer with strong judgment, exceptional craft, and a bias toward action. You can move between concept and execution, present and defend your thinking, incorporate feedback without weakening the idea, and deliver polished work under demanding timelines. You’ll help raise the creative standard across Shield AI while ensuring every campaign feels clear, cohesive, and unmistakably on brand.

Required qualifications:

  • 6+ years of professional design experience, with a portfolio demonstrating conceptually strong, integrated brand campaigns.
  • Expert command of visual design, including typography, composition, color, imagery, and art direction.
  • Demonstrated ability to translate campaign strategy and creative briefs into distinctive concepts and scalable visual systems.
  • Experience developing campaigns across digital, social, advertising, events, presentations, and other brand touchpoints.
  • Ability to move fluidly from early concept development through detailed design and final production.
  • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.
  • Experience directing and reviewing work produced by designers, agencies, and production partners.
  • Strong presentation skills, including the ability to clearly explain and defend creative decisions to senior stakeholders.
  • Experience collaborating closely with writers, marketers, video teams, and other creative disciplines.
  • Ability to manage multiple high-visibility projects, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and deliver exceptional work under tight deadlines.
  • Strong understanding of production requirements across digital and print formats.
  • Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to brand consistency.
  • Ability to operate as a senior individual contributor, taking ownership of work without requiring day-to-day direction.
  • Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience designing for aerospace, defense, advanced technology, or another complex technical industry.
  • Experience translating technical products and capabilities into clear, compelling campaign creative.
  • Background working in an in-house brand studio or creative agency on large, integrated campaigns.
  • Experience partnering closely with a creative director from initial concept through launch.
  • Art direction experience across photography, illustration, motion, video, and 3D.
  • Experience directing agencies, freelancers, photographers, and other production partners.
  • Familiarity with environmental graphics, event experiences, and large-format production.
  • Experience developing campaign systems that can be extended consistently by other designers and teams.
  • Working knowledge of motion design, video production, or 3D workflows.
  • Familiarity with legal, brand, data-handling, and export-control reviews for public-facing creative work.
  • Ready to apply?

    This role is listed by Shield AI. You'll finish your application on their site.

    Apply on Shield AI
    Eligibility & work details

    Work authorization

    Subject to U.S. export-control law. You must be a U.S. person — a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident — to be eligible.

    Work arrangement

    On-siteWashington, D.C., US

    Travel

    No travel indicated in this listing.

    Estimated application time

    ~2 min to start on the employer site

    Eligibility details are interpreted from the job listing to help you gauge fit. Always confirm citizenship, clearance, and certification requirements with the employer before applying.

    About Shield AI

    Defense technology company building AI pilots for aircraft

    Defense AI
    San Diego, CA
    500-1000 employees
    View Company Profile
    Job Summary
    Employment Typefull_time
    DepartmentGrowth Division
    CategoryEngineering
    Salary Range$117K - $170K
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