Job Description

To be considered for this position, candidates will need to provide a link to their portfolio. The link should be included in the resume or cover letter.

Salary Range: The salary range for this position is $40,500-$58,000, with an expected starting salary between $40,500-$45,000, based on experience and qualifications.

Eligibility for remote work:  Human Kinetics is headquartered in Champaign, IL. New hires are required to work onsite for at least 3 days per week. The Graphic Designer I position is eligible to request a 100% remote work arrangement after the first year of employment.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Applicants are not obligated to disclose expunged juvenile records of adjudication, arrest, or conviction as part of the application process.

*Learn more about our perks and benefits here: (

Human Kinetics is committed to building a more diverse workforce. We welcome BIPOC candidates and others who identify with underrepresented groups to apply.

Human Kinetics is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Human Kinetics will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR at 217-403-7540.

Human Kinetics Compensation & Benefits Information

Our compensation philosophy is to value the contributions of all HK employees and to reward exceptional performance exceptionally. To do that, we provide a standard increase to all HK staff, and we award merit increases and bonuses to people who make extraordinary contributions to the work we do.

Job Summary:  As a member of the Art/Design Department, the Graphic Designer I (GD I) is the ProdDev expert responsible for designing and laying out assigned publications according to the quality, budget, and schedule expectations established by the Acquisitions Editor. The GD I functions at a Proficient level (level I) in all aspects of the position.

Essential Functions

1. Using design software and incorporating design feedback from colleagues and authors, produces quality interior designs for assigned products that meet the project's visual objectives. Learns and follows evolving accessibility guidelines for graphic design and layout, including working with current available software and scripts to ensure color accessibility standards for all newly created designs are met.
2. Participates in project planning with acquisition and editorial staff to determine project needs, establish project schedules, and ensure project pieces are in hand and prepared appropriately for placement in layout.
3. Attends assigned project planning meetings and weekly designer meetings; shares any new or updated techniques or technologies that improve process efficiency or product quality. Also accurately provides project updates in weekly graphic design meetings.
4. Creates page layouts that meet project objectives, ensuring spreads are well balanced, and that choices for placement and sequence of graphic elements are effective at first pages.
5. Corrects page proofs. Accurately and efficiently completes all changes at each round of pages, including incorporating the index at the end of the process. Checks copy at each round to ensure presence, proper placement, and organization of all project parts.
6. Collaborates effectively with colleagues to solve layout challenges during initial layout, minimizing the need to modify layout or substantially cut or add pages at later proof stages, including initiating conversation with project team during the layout process when printed page count is tracking longer or shorter than expected.
7. Prepares project materials for external publishing partners or freelancers, serves as graphic design liaison with outsourcing company or freelancer, monitors assigned layout-only outsourced or freelanced projects, and is available to our partners or freelancers to answer project questions or supply additional materials necessary to ensure project is completed on schedule. Carefully reviews the work returned by the publishing partner or freelancer and provides any necessary feedback about design specifications, page layout, and sizing and placement of art in pages. Once all completed work is done satisfactorily and is approved by the author and editor, the GD begins the final phase of prepping project files for the designated printer.
8. Contributes to HK's profitability by working productively and ensuring project design and layout budgets and schedules are met.
9. Produces reprint files with the most current product files and according to printer specifications.
10. Creates ebook PDFs immediately after ebook transmittal form is received and revises as necessary after any printer proof corrections.
11. Archives completed projects to permanent electronic storage within one week of a project's release.
12. Organizes and safely stores all design and layout files so they are accessible to other HK staff and adheres to the network file storage guidelines to ensure that colleagues are always working with the most current versions of project materials.
13. Takes on RTFs, foreign rights, custom ebooks, and watermarking of project chapters when assigned.

Secondary Functions

1. Effectively designs book covers under the guidance of the Cover Design Director, as assigned.

Job Qualifications

Education:  Required Associate's Degree, preferably in graphic design/art, or portfolio demonstrating proven knowledge and ability to work efficiently within the Adobe Creative Suite products. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of degree. Bachelor's Degree preferred, preferably in Graphic Design/Art.

Required Experience:  Minimum of 1 year experience in designing with type, preferably in a publishing environment, or college-sponsored internship that resulted in portfolio quality samples of design work that show competencies in typography, color theory, page design, as well as expertise of the Adobe Creative Suite.

Ability to independently work on several projects concurrently.

Preferred Experience: 3 or more years' experience in designing with type, preferably in a publishing environment. Knowledge of desktop publishing.

Required Competencies: 
HK Values: Integrity
Resourcefulness
Effort
Respect
Teamwork
Stewardship

Plus ProdDev Competencies:
Accountability
Adaptability
Attention to detail
Computer literacy
Decision making
Financial awareness
Functional expertise and usage
Planning and organizing
Quality orientation
Results orientation
Stress tolerance

Plus, for Graphic Designer I role:
Conceptual thinking
Creative arts orientation

Preferred Competencies: 
Customer focus
Initiative
Innovation orientation
Continuous learning
External (strategic) awareness
Negotiating
Organizational awareness
Strategic thinking
Written communication

Job Demands:

Office Equipment: Frequent computer - Mac use, occasional phone, copier, printer, scanner use, and rare use of a computer - Windows.

Mental Demands: Frequent problem solving, decision making, organization, reading/writing, and time management. Rare supervision and data interpretation.

Working Conditions:  Indoor office environment.

Physical Demands:  Frequent sitting, typing, and seeing. Occasional walking, hearing, and speaking. Rare standing, lifting, carrying, and driving.

Other Duties:  Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

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