Abacus Brands is a children’s toy company with a focus on educational products that promote creativity in kids through early learning and hands-on play!
Our products can be found in Costco, Indigo, Walmart, Amazon and retailers around the world, and recently WINNER of the prestigious TOY OF THE YEAR award for best STEM Educational Toy 2022! We have also partnered with licenses like Bill Nye (The Science Guy), MasterChef Junior, Smithsonian, Penn & Teller, DK books and more as we push our creative engine to make learning fun!
We are looking for a Junior Graphic Designer, to help with typesetting of books and retail packaging. The pre-press and pre-flight process requires patience and a keen eye for details as we prep and package art files to be sent to our factories for mass production.
This position will require you to perform the following tasks:
1. Typesetting and Layout Design: The Junior Graphic Designer will be primarily responsible for typesetting the provided copy into the designated artwork. This involves arranging the text and images in a visually appealing way that aligns with the overall design concept of the children's book. They must ensure that the font, size, line spacing, and other typographical elements are appropriately chosen and placed in a manner that complements the illustrations and enhances readability.
2. Pre-Press File Preparation: The designer will be required to prepare art files for pre-press. This includes ensuring all elements are at the correct resolution, colors are set to the appropriate color profile (typically CMYK for print), and all linked images or elements are properly embedded or included in the file package. They will also need to create and manage print-ready PDF files.
3. File Packaging and Archiving: The Junior Graphic Designer will package all design components for each project (e.g., the InDesign file, linked images, and fonts) into a folder that can be easily transmitted to the printing factory. They will also archive these files for potential future use or reference, following the company's file management protocols.
4. Quality Assurance and Proofing: Before the art files are sent for mass production, the designer will perform a final quality check. This includes proofreading the text, ensuring all images are correctly placed, the colors are accurately represented, and all elements are correctly formatted according to the printer's specifications. They should also ensure that all bleeds, crop marks, and other print guides are properly set.
We are looking for someone that can...
- Design with consistency!
- Design under company brand guidelines and style guide!
- Understand typography!
- Is in tune with trends and has a creative approach
- Balance creative thinking with time management
- Organized, with an acute attention to detail
- Have input on product development, and how their design can bring content to life
- Offer a confident creative point of view and work collaboratively with multiple teams (Copy Writers, Production Artists)
- Have an in depth understanding of imagery, composition and design
- strong ability to communicate and collaborate with teams
- experience on set with photo and video teams
- Must be able to prioritize when required, work on multiple projects at a time and manage tight timelines independently
- Ensure the integrity of all creative is maintained according to brand guideline and standards
- Self motivated, excited about life, and eager to drive themselves and the people around them to succeed
What You'll Need:
- Have at least 3 years of design experience in industry or more.
- Book or print layout experience a plus!
- Comprehensive knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, especially InDesign, Photoshop & Illustrator.
- Proficient in creating graphic elements, layouts and spreads to spec for publishing, packaging, mobile and online.
- Must have an understanding of Color Profiles and managing Asset Libraries and design iterations.
- Comfortable building upon an existing brand style and visual direction, while adding to the brand’s visual language.
- Excellent creative and visual conceptualization, written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to effectively pitch and present ideas
- Desire to work in a fast-paced, evolving, dynamic environment
- Detail oriented, highly enthusiastic and a team player, with positive attitude and high energy level
- Knowledgeable in all aspects of graphic design: layout, typography, color theory and production processes
- Ability to develop innovative design solutions in accordance with company requirements and within brand standards
- Ability to prioritize work and handle multiple projects with tight deadlines
- Comfortable working in an Apple/Mac environment
- A passion for life, and making money doing what you love
To Apply:
1. Portfolio!
Quickest way to get our attention is to share your work! Doesn’t have to be fancy, send us what you’re proud of!
2. A tiny blurb (mini-cover letter) about yourself!
This is your chance to showcase your personality and why you think this position is right for you!
3. Your Resume!
Not the end all be all, but nice to see what you've done in the past!
Please note that we'll reject any submissions missing any of the above 3, so please make it easy for us to see these!
Local candidates only please as we are looking for an immediate hire!
Abacus Brands is a creative toy manufacturer and publisher that offers competitive pay, room for growth, a stable and challenging role, in a super fun and upbeat work environment in downtown Vancouver in the heart of Yaletown!
This is the perfect opportunity for a graphic designer that is looking to move into a senior role, and ultimately into an executive or leadership position.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $48,750.00-$58,875.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Extended health care
- Paid time off
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
- No weekends
Supplemental pay types:
Experience:
- Graphic design: 3 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
