Find & Apply For Graphic Designer Jobs in Lebanon, Oregon

Turn Creative Ideas Into Things People Can Actually Hold, Wear and Use Gateway Imprints is looking for a creative, detail-oriented Graphic Designer / Production Artist who enjoys seeing their work go beyond the computer screen and become something real. We are a locally owned, full-service print and customization shop in Lebanon, Oregon. Since 2009, we have helped businesses, nonprofits, schools, organizations and individuals bring their ideas to life through custom apparel, embroidery, engraving, signs and banners, promotional products, paper printing and more. This is not a design position where you'll work on the same type of project every day. One morning you might create artwork for a T-shirt, then prepare a logo for embroidery, rebuild a customer's low-resolution image, set up an engraving file, lay out a banner, create a print-ready business card, or turn an AI-generated concept into artwork that can actually be produced. If you like variety, enjoy solving creative problems and want to understand how your designs become finished products, this may be a great fit. What You'll Do This position is approximately 25% creative design and 75% production art and file preparation.

Responsibilities include:

Create original graphics, layouts and production artwork for apparel, signs, banners, engraving, embroidery, paper printing, promotional products and other custom projects. Prepare customer-supplied artwork for production, including vectorizing, recreating, cleaning up and optimizing files. Prepare artwork for DTF, DTG, screen printing, embroidery, vinyl, sublimation, engraving, UV printing, large-format printing and other production processes. Use CorelDRAW as a primary production design program. Create and send digital art proofs to customers. Communicate directly with customers when needed to clarify artwork, revisions and design expectations. Manage revisions and obtain artwork approval before production. Check spelling, sizing, placement, color, resolution and other details before files are released to production. Work closely with the production team to ensure artwork is appropriate for the machine, material and production method being used. Maintain organized customer artwork and production files. Assist with Gateway Imprints' internal marketing and creative projects as needed. Help with light production during busy periods and learn how our different production processes work. Continue learning new software, technology, production methods and design tools. AI Is a Tool, Not a Substitute for Design Skills AI-generated artwork has become part of the modern print industry, and we want a designer who is comfortable working with it. You should be willing and able to use AI-assisted design tools when appropriate, but you must also understand the fundamentals of graphic design and production artwork. Customers increasingly bring us AI-generated graphics that look great on a screen but aren't ready to print, embroider, engrave or cut. Our designer needs to be able to evaluate that artwork and determine what needs to happen next. That may mean recreating portions of an image, vectorizing artwork, correcting typography, rebuilding shapes, removing backgrounds, simplifying colors, repairing poor-quality elements or otherwise converting a concept into clean, usable, production-ready artwork. Software CorelDRAW is our primary design and production software and is required for this position. Already know CorelDRAW? Great. If you're an experienced Adobe Illustrator designer but haven't used CorelDRAW, don't let that stop you from applying. We are willing to train the right person, but you must be willing to learn CorelDRAW and use it as part of your daily workflow. Experience with the following is helpful: CorelDRAW Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe Creative Suite Flexi AI-assisted graphic design and image-generation tools Raster-to-vector conversion and artwork recreation What We're Looking For We care about design ability, but we're equally interested in the person behind the portfolio.

The right person will be:

Creative and visually minded Extremely detail-oriented Comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines Flexible when priorities change Friendly and comfortable communicating with customers Able to receive feedback and make revisions without taking them personally Curious about how things are made Comfortable asking questions when something doesn't make sense Willing to learn new processes and technology A problem solver who can look at questionable customer artwork and figure out how to make it work Willing to jump in and help the team when needed Dependable and able to work independently Comfortable working in a small-business environment where every day can be a little different Experience & Education We are open to both experienced designers and talented designers who are early in their careers. A degree in graphic design or a related field is helpful, but a strong portfolio, design fundamentals, attention to detail and willingness to learn matter more to us than a specific degree. Print shop, sign shop, apparel decoration, prepress or production-art experience is a plus, but it is not required for the right candidate. You should have a solid understanding of: Typography and layout Color theory Vector and raster artwork Image resolution File formats Basic print-production concepts Preparing professional, accurate artwork You'll Learn How Your Designs Are Actually Made We believe designers become better designers when they understand production. Our Graphic Designer / Production Artist will cross-train with our production team to develop a working understanding of the equipment and processes used to turn artwork into finished products. You won't just send a file into a mysterious production queue. You'll learn why certain artwork works beautifully for DTF but needs to be changed for embroidery, why an engraving file needs to be built differently than a printed graphic, and how materials, machines and production methods affect design decisions. During high-volume periods, you may also be asked to jump in and help with light production tasks. We're a small team, and we help each other when needed. Benefits & Perks Paid time off after one year of employment Employee discounts on Gateway Imprints products and services Bonus opportunities On-the-job training in multiple print and production processes Opportunities to develop new design and production skills Casual, creative work environment Consistent Monday-Friday daytime schedule No regularly scheduled weekends About Gateway Imprints Gateway Imprints, Inc. is a family-managed print and customization company that has served Lebanon and the surrounding communities since 2009. Our work is incredibly varied. We serve businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, schools, events, families and individuals, which means there is rarely a boring day in our art department. We're a small team, so communication, flexibility and teamwork matter. We take quality and deadlines seriously, but we don't believe work needs to feel corporate. We value creativity, integrity, gratitude, problem-solving, authenticity and continued growth. We want people on our team who take pride in their work, care about the customer receiving it, enjoy learning and are willing to jump in when someone needs a hand. Physical Requirements This position involves extended periods working at a computer as well as regular movement throughout a working print-production environment. Occasional standing, bending and light production assistance will be required. The employee must occasionally be able to lift up to 25 pounds. How to Apply A portfolio and cover letter are required. Please email the following to operations@gatewayimprints.com : Your resume A brief cover letter telling us about yourself and why this position interests you A portfolio or link to examples of your design work In your cover letter, we'd also love to know what design software you are most comfortable using and whether you have any experience preparing artwork for print, apparel, signs, embroidery, engraving or other physical production. We're not necessarily looking for the person with the longest resume. We're looking for someone with creative ability, attention to detail, a great attitude and the willingness to learn how great artwork becomes a great finished product.

Pay:

$18.00 - $23.00 per hour Expected hours: 30.0 - 40.0 per week

Benefits:

Employee discount Paid time off People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location:

In person