Senior Visual Designer

Senior Visual Designer 

ESI Design, an NBBJ Studio, transforms places into experiences that drive excitement and create a unique invitation for personal interaction and empathy. We experiment and collaborate to develop new ideas for high-profile, visionary clients. We are a community that design, develop and construct large-scale, novel ideas. As a studio within the highly regarded NBBJ Design firm, we are uniquely positioned within the experience industry. 

ESI Design’s approach to experience design combines the physical, digital and behavioral to create memorable moments. We believe the most compelling experiences are born from interdisciplinary collaboration. As a result, our eclectic team and user-first approach allows us to provide a range of experience solutions and a depth of service that’s unique in the world of design. We create custom experiences that are made for every individual client’s needs. 

The Role at a Glance 

The Senior Visual Designer will be based in NBBJ | ESI Design's New York office and will report to Layne Braunstein, Experience Practice Leader, Creative. This individual is a creative driver on the studio's projects, shaping ideas across user interaction, digital interfaces, and content from concept through execution. They will work closely with leaders in strategy, creative technology, and production to build streamlined workflows and bring client narratives to life. The role is primarily design-focused (developing concepts, visual references, and polished deliverables) and collaborative (partnering across disciplines and responding to team and client feedback). 

A key aspect of this role will be bringing a distinctive point of view to every project. This means finding unique, provoking visual references, developing creative concepts with intention, giving those ideas form through style frames, mood boards, storyboards, and motion, and refining the details that make our presentations and storytelling stand out. You will present ideas directly to clients, telling the story behind the work with confidence, and engage constructively in design reviews, iterating quickly to move the work forward with our teams and clients. 

In Your New Role, you will 

• Deliver high-quality visual design development across user interaction, digital interfaces, and content deliverables from concept through execution 
• Represent ideas visually through style frames, mood boards, storyboards, and motion design to communicate creative direction 
• Leverage emerging AI tools to accelerate creative exploration, concept development, and visual storytelling. 
• Partner closely with strategy, creative technology, and production teams to build streamlined workflows 
• Refine presentation decks, project details, and visual storytelling assets 
• Present concepts and design ideas to clients, clearly articulating the thinking behind the work and how it supports their goals 
• Engage constructively in design reviews and iterate based on team and client feedback 

Qualifications 

• 8+ years of design experience in experience design, digital/visual design, spatial design, or a related creative field 
• Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, design, or equivalent practical work experience 
• Strong fluency in the Adobe Creative Suite, plus complementary tools like Figma 
• Proficiency with AI-powered creative tools, with a strong understanding of emerging technologies and how to integrate them into design workflows. 
• A strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual range, aesthetic sophistication, graphic hierarchy, and attention to detail 
• Ability to communicate ideas through style frames, mood boards, storyboards, and work in motion 
• Clear, candid, and compelling verbal and visual communication skills, including comfort presenting ideas to clients 

The annual base pay range for this opportunity is anticipated to be between $125,000 - $150,000. In addition to base salary, employees may be eligible for bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package. Actual compensation for successful candidates will be carefully determined based on a number of factors, including their skills, qualifications and experience.