ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Associate Designer Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

TRC Companies, Inc.

Distribution Designer I

Ely, IA · On-site

$21 - $28/hr

... Associate degree in electrical, civil or mechanical engineering or similar discipline (Preferred) Experience * Entry level with an Associate's degree in Electrical, Civil or Mechanical Engineering ...

PSC Distribution Inc

Showroom Cabinet Designer

Iowa City, IA · On-site

$20 - $24.50/hr

The Showroom Cabinet Designer is responsible for guiding homeowners, contractors, and designers ... Associates or Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Architecture, Construction Management or ...

Rogers Freels & Associates Inc

UX Designer

Dubuque, IA

$75K - $110K/yr

Minimum of 2 years of experience designing user interfaces for web, mobile, or in-vehicle display applications. * Minimum of 2 years of experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including ...

IMEG

Civil Project Designer 2

Bettendorf, IA · On-site

Scope The Civil Project Designer 2 will lead design efforts as a project manager or lead engineer ... Associates degree, or certificate, in utilizing Autodesk Civil 3D or equivalent software tools or ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsAssociate Designer JobsAssociate Designer Jobs in Iowa

Associate Designer information

See Iowa salary details

$18.3K

$55K

$82.2K

How much do associate designer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for associate designer in Iowa is $55,004.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $45,600.00 and $63,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is an Associate Designer?

An associate designer is responsible for assisting the lead designer or art director with the production and design of creative projects. Associate designers can work in a variety of industries, include fashion, graphic design, and interior design. As an associate designer, your job duties vary significantly by industry, but they generally involve researching trends, communicating with clients, and procuring materials necessary for designing the project. Regarding academic qualifications, you need a bachelor’s degree in fine arts or a major related to the specific industry in which you choose to work. Some employers may require previous experience or a portfolio that proves your design skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Associate Designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Designer, you generally need a strong foundation in design principles, proficiency with design software (such as Adobe Creative Suite), and a relevant degree or portfolio showcasing your work. Familiarity with tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and sometimes prototyping platforms like Figma or Sketch is often required. Strong attention to detail, creativity, and effective communication skills help you excel in collaborative environments and respond to feedback. These skills ensure you can contribute high-quality, innovative designs that meet client or project objectives in a fast-paced industry.

Is Associate designer higher than designer?

In most organizations, an Associate Designer is considered a junior or entry-level role, while a Designer is typically a more experienced or mid-level position. The hierarchy can vary depending on the company's structure, but generally, Designers have more responsibilities and require a higher skill level than Associate Designers.

What does an associate designer do?

An associate designer supports the design team by creating visual concepts, drafting layouts, and developing prototypes using tools like Adobe Creative Suite. They assist in project development, collaborate with senior designers, and often gain experience to advance in the design field.

How does an Associate Designer typically collaborate with other team members during a project?

Associate Designers work closely with senior designers, project managers, and cross-functional teams such as marketing, engineering, or product development. Collaboration often involves participating in brainstorming sessions, contributing design ideas, and iterating on feedback from multiple stakeholders. Regular communication—via meetings, design reviews, and digital collaboration tools—is essential to ensure that design concepts align with project goals and brand guidelines. This teamwork helps Associate Designers learn from experienced colleagues and refine their skills in a supportive environment.

What is the difference between Associate Designer vs Junior Designer?

AspectAssociate DesignerJunior Designer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in design or related field; some employers may prefer internship experienceBachelor's degree in design or related field; entry-level position
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with senior designers, participates in projects, and supports design teamsAssists in design tasks, learns workflows, and gains practical experience
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across creative agencies, in-house design teams, and studiosCommon entry-level role in similar settings

Associate Designers typically have more responsibilities and may oversee parts of projects, while Junior Designers focus on learning and supporting design tasks. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds, but Associate Designers are often more experienced and involved in project execution.

What is the highest paid designer job?

The highest paid designer roles are often senior positions such as Creative Director or Design Director, especially in large corporations or specialized fields like user experience (UX) or product design. These roles typically require extensive experience, leadership skills, and proficiency with design tools, and they can earn six-figure salaries or more depending on the industry and location.

How much do associate designers make?

Associate designers typically earn between $45,000 and $65,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with specialized skills or in high-demand markets can earn more.
More about Associate Designer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Designer jobs in Iowa? The most popular types of Designer jobs in Iowa are:
What are popular job titles related to Associate Designer jobs in Iowa? For Associate Designer jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Associate Designer jobs in Iowa look for? The top searched job categories for Associate Designer jobs in Iowa are:
What cities in Iowa are hiring for Associate Designer jobs? Cities in Iowa with the most Associate Designer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Associate Designer jobs in IA? For Associate Designer jobs in IA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Associate Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Associate Designer job openings in Iowa as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 67% Full Time, 29% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $55,004 per year, or $26.4 per hour.
Substation Physical CADD Designer

Substation Physical CADD Designer

Stanley Consultants

Muscatine, IA

$39.66 - $50.37/hr

Full-time

Posted 15 days ago

Job description

Stanley Consultants is an award-winning and industry-leading global consulting engineering firm, with an unmatched commitment to culture, values, and ethics. We are dedicated to client experience and solve the most complex challenges to create a sustainable, connected, and enriched world for all. As the world changes, Stanley strategically evolves with it, integrating the latest technology, innovation, and resiliency practices.
 
With over a century of experience serving the energy, federal government, transportation, and water sectors, we have helped improve lives and shape the infrastructure systems that connect us. As an employee-owned organization with a People First approach, we stand apart from other engineering consulting and services firms. At Stanley, your voice counts, your growth matters, and your success is our success.
 
Stanley Consultants offers flexible work options, competitive pay and great benefits, a strong sense of community, and the chance to build a meaningful, long-term career!

Job title - Substation Physical Designer
Job location - Denver, CO (Centennial) \u007C or Muscatine, IA
Job type - Hybrid or Onsite
Requisition ID - 11184
 

JOB SUMMARY:

Primarily functions as substation physical designer to create equipment plans, elevations, conduit/trench plans, grounding plans, installation details, bill of materials, and conduit schedules drawings on projects. Drawings created by designer should be substantially complete, requiring limited review and mark-up by the engineer prior to completion. Fully developed and marked-up details would not be provided by the engineer; the designer would be expected to utilize the results of calculations, design criteria, scope of work and specifications in preparing the drawings with the engineer’s verbal overview of what is needed.

What You Will Be Doing:
  • Utilize CAD in 2D or 3D to create drawings
  • Gather information from manufacturers and vendors drawings for substation design
  • Create general arrangement from one-line diagram
  • Create plans and elevations from general arrangement
  • Prepare preliminary foundation plan
  • Create grounding plan and conduit/trench plan from general arrangement
  • Create bill of material and populate plans and elevations with corresponding call-outs
  • Create grounding and conduit details and associated bill of material
  • Create conduit schedules
  • Coordinate the physical design with civil, steel structures and foundations designs
  • Complete drawings from conceptual development, design phases, construction, to as-built
  • Provide drafting support on other disciplines drawings
  • Provide technicians and designers with design sketches for preparation of finished design drawings, and guidance in refining technical requirements
  • Assist in the training of other technicians and designers
  • Performs other work-related duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:
  • Minimum of 10 years relevant design experience, or able to perform essential duties successfully, and meet the following qualifications
  • Certificate or Associates degree in CADD, drafting, engineering technology or related field
  • Proficiency with AutoCAD and Microstation
  • Autodesk Inventor and/or Bentley Substation 3D software knowledge is a plus
  • Excellent communication, collaboration and coordination skills with drafting and engineering
  • Good understanding of what is required for project set-up and start-up
  • A thorough understanding of the physical design package and how changes in each drawing will carry through to other drawings and disciplines.
  • RUS design guide – General overall knowledge of voltage levels, ampacity, fault current, typical station layouts, bus arrangements & protection schemes
  • Thorough knowledge of bus configuration types and purposes
  • Thorough knowledge of common major equipment applications, types, ratings, manufacturers, specifications and installation requirements
  • Thorough knowledge of common conductors, hardware, fasteners and assemblies including application, types, ratings, manufacturers, specifications and installation, testing and commissioning requirements
  • Good understanding of steel structures and foundations used in substations
  • Thorough understanding of construction & maintenance methods, requirements, sequences and limitations
  • Highly proficient in the CAD Technician role including QA/QC procedures
(Hourly range for CO location)
Stanley Consultants is committed to maintaining transparency in our hiring process, including providing information about compensation. The starting salary for the successful candidate in this position is competitive and will be determined by the selected candidate's qualifications and experience, geographic location, internal equity, company policy and practices. In compliance with pay transparency laws, pay ranges are disclosed for positions and locations where required.

JUDGMENT AND INITIATIVE:  Exercises considerable judgment in design, layout, and coordination. Recommends actions and achieves results with moderate supervision.


Work-Life Balance
We realize there’s more to life than just work. We help you meet the demands of work, family and personal life through several flexible options.
 
What we offer:
Member-Owned. Member-ownership is at the heart of our culture, aligning client satisfaction, company performance, and personal reward.
Paid Time Away. Stanley Consultants offers numerous paid holidays, generous paid time off (PTO), parental leave, and professional development leave.
Health Insurance. We provide a comprehensive insurance package including medical, dental, vision, FSA, HSA, Doctor On Demand, wellness reimbursement, and mental health resources.
Financial Health. We offer life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, identity theft protection, and many other benefits.
Professional Growth. When your skills grow, so do we, which is why we offer tuition assistance, professional society membership, and more.
Financial Rewards. We share our prosperity with members through company stock ownership, a generous 401K match, incentive compensation, and profit-sharing contributions to retirement 401K plans.
Click Here: A Great Place To Work  
 
Learn more about Stanley Consultants in this short video:  Working at Stanley Consultants
 
Stanley Consultants does not welcome unsolicited resumes from staffing and recruiting agencies. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to Stanley Consultants, including but not limited to resumes submitted directly to Stanley Consultants members, or any of our representatives, will be deemed the property of Stanley Consultants.
 
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
 
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
 

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.