Find & Apply For Graphic Designer Jobs in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Graphic Designer Art Department • BlueCotton • Bowling Green, KY BlueCotton is looking for a Graphic Designer who can be a strong addition to our Art Department, the team that stands between every customer's order and our production floor. We need someone who possesses basic design skills, can quickly learn our processes, and start turning out accurate, production-ready artwork right away. The majority of this job is production artwork for custom apparel. You'll prepare customer artwork for screen printing and embroidery, create mockups, make revisions, communicate with customers, and help move orders accurately and quickly toward production. There are creative opportunities, too. Some customers know exactly what they want. Others send us a rough sketch, three conflicting ideas, or a description that makes perfect sense only in their own head. Part of your job is figuring out what they're trying to accomplish and finding a workable solution. This is a 100% on-site position based in Bowling Green, KY. We are not accepting applications for remote work. While a formal education and undergraduate/graduate degree is nice to have, we are most interested in your total experience and abilities. The ideal candidate is a confident problem-solver who wants to work with people, not just artwork. Someone who can hold their own with a customer, a salesperson, or a production lead, and who sees every unusual request as a puzzle worth solving. WHAT "

FAST-PACED

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MEANS AT BLUECOTTON

Almost every candidate tells us they thrive in a fast-paced environment. Here, that's not a line on a resume, it's the job. Before you apply, know what you're signing up for: If you take three days off, don't be surprised if we've rolled out a new process or launched a whole new project while you were gone. Priorities move that quickly. We're privately owned. The co-owners make the calls, and we move as fast as the business needs. No layers, no waiting on a committee. Every job here is urgent, because our customers' jobs are urgent. Custom apparel comes with a deadline attached, and that urgency runs through everything we do. We're a custom business and every order is unique. You'll face a new challenge every day, and "I did my best, but it's not quite what they wanted" isn't an answer we accept. We keep exploring solutions until we've solved the problem.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The tasks and responsibilities that will fill your day: Artwork preparation: Work with both vector and raster artwork; edit, clean up and color-separate customer-supplied designs; prepare artwork to meet our production requirements for screen printing and other decoration methods.

Customer mockups:

Create design mockups, make requested revisions, and email customers for approval.

Design development:

Turn rough ideas, reference images, sketches, or incomplete descriptions into finished designs that can actually be produced.

Problem-solving:

Work through unusual artwork, garment, placement, color, or production challenges rather than waiting for someone else to provide every answer.

Customer communication:

Talk directly with customers when clarification is needed and help guide them toward a solution that will produce a good result.

Internal communication:

Work closely with salespeople, other artists, and production employees throughout the day.

Embroidery and outsourced artwork:

Prepare and submit files for embroidery digitizing, vectorizing, or other outside services when needed.

AI-assisted production:

Use AI image-generation and other emerging tools when they can help us create or prepare artwork more efficiently.

Creative work:

While production artwork makes up most of the job, you'll also have opportunities to develop original designs and help customers bring new ideas to life.

Process improvement:

As you learn our operation, we want you to notice problems, ask why we do things a certain way, and contribute ideas that could make the department better.

Room to grow:

This role starts as an individual contributor, meaning production-ready artwork and creative problem-solving from day one. If you build the track record and show the interest, there's real potential for growth in our company that has our sights set on big goals!

THE SKILLS YOU'LL SHOWCASE

The character and mindset that make someone thrive in this job, separate from the task list above.

Creativity:

A natural eye for generating options, not just executing the one idea you're handed.

Confidence:

Once you've grown into the role, you're comfortable being an advisor to our people and customers; speaking up when something might not work while offering a better alternative.

Curiosity:

Genuine interest in learning why a process works the way it does, not just how to follow the steps.

Detail Oriented:

Notices what's off before it becomes a costly mistake on the production floor.

Composure Under Pressure:

Steady when priorities shift quickly or a customer is frustrated. Doesn't rattle easily.

Team Player:

Works well across departments, not just within Art. That's what our BlueCotton family is all about!

Dedication:

Willing to work an occasional evening or weekend to meet a production schedule.

THE EXPERIENCE YOU'LL BRING

We're more interested in capability than a specific number of years, but you should come in with enough professional or real-world design experience to work independently on typical graphic design tasks. We're looking for: Solid working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Experience working with both vector and raster artwork. A good understanding of basic design principles, typography, color, composition, and file preparation. A portfolio that demonstrates solid design ability and, ideally, examples where you had to solve a problem rather than simply execute a supplied concept. The ability to interpret vague, incomplete, or occasionally conflicting instructions and ask the right questions to figure out what's actually needed. Comfort communicating directly with customers and coworkers. The ability to organize and manage multiple designs and deadlines at the same time. Willingness to follow established production procedures while also learning why those procedures exist. Comfort learning new software, AI tools, and production techniques as our processes evolve.

BENEFITS

We offer benefits that let our team chase their own goals, not just ours: Paid time off 401(k) match Free Bitcoin after 5 years Health, dental, and vision insurance Paid life insurance policy SmartDollar Program Optional participation in BlueCotton's professional development group

Dream Manager Incentive:

Meet with a coach who helps you reach your dreams onsite, on the clock, for free! Family atmosphere throughout the company

JOB SPECIFICS

Full-time, 100% onsite position Eligible for Hybrid or Remote? No Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5pm (occasional evenings/weekends as production schedules require) Reports to:

Director of Art Pay:

Starting at $18-$20/hr

WHY BLUECOTTON?

Even though we've been in business for 35 years, BlueCotton is on the move. We've been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America for two years running (8 times total), and we were just named one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky. We are a $20M company looking for A+ players. We have big goals about the impact we can make on our team members, customers, and community, and we know we'll get there by building a team that understands our goals, is passionate about our "why," and is excited to build something significant. We're in Bowling Green, KY, the fastest-growing city in the state and just one hour north of Nashville. Our team calls this area home and comes to work every day ready to serve customers all around the United States. We have a lot of production muscle and compete with the top screen printers in our industry, but we're still small enough to feel like a family business. It's important to us to know the names and interests of everyone on the team. The biggest reason BlueCotton is so special is because our work is meaningful and connects us with people during special moments of their lives. Our products help open businesses, raise money for worthy causes, celebrate milestones, commemorate special events, and honor the legacy of lives well lived. T-shirts mark the moment. If you can help us reach our goal of $40M by 2030, we can hardly wait to speak with you! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to learn more about our company and culture. @

BlueCotton Pay:

$18.00 - $20.00 per hour

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee discount Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Referral program Retirement plan Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person