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Background Designer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Clera

Founding Product Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Background designing developer tools, infrastructure platforms, or complex technical UX (e.g. agentic or AI-driven interfaces). * Comfort operating autonomously in an early-stage environment where ...

Clera

Founding Product Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Background designing developer tools, infrastructure platforms, or complex technical UX (e.g. agentic or AI-driven interfaces). * Comfort operating autonomously in an early-stage environment where ...

Gumloop

Founding Product Designer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $275K/yr

Background designing for developer tools or technical audiences Benefits * Highly competitive salary and meaningful equity * Generous paid time off: 24 days for SF employees and 20 days globally, use ...

Figma

Product Designer, CMS

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

Background designing content management systems, asset management platforms, or foundational platform products * Familiarity designing developer tools, APIs, SDKs, or other highly technical product ...

Samaya AI

Product Designer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$160K - $220K/yr

Background designing for analytical or professional user bases such as financial analysts, researchers, lawyers, or clinicians, where precision and trust matter more than simplicity alone * A track ...

Samaya AI

Product Designer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$160K - $220K/yr

Background designing for analytical or professional user bases such as financial analysts, researchers, lawyers, or clinicians, where precision and trust matter more than simplicity alone * A track ...

YOUNG LA TRADING CO LLC

Graphic Designer

Northridge, CA · On-site

$24 - $32/hr

Figma is a plus. ● Experience designing for paid media and social, with an understanding of how creative supports performance and audience engagement. ● Background designing within the fashion ...

Triwill Group

Product Designer, CMS

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$169 - $303/hr

Background designing content management systems, asset management platforms, or foundational platform products * Familiarity designing developer tools, APIs, SDKs, or other highly technical product ...

New

Figma

Product Designer, CMS

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Background designing content management systems, asset management platforms, or foundational platform products * Familiarity designing developer tools, APIs, SDKs, or other highly technical product ...

Home From College

Lead Product Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site +1

$211K/yr

Background designing consumer apps, consumer software, or marketplace products * Strong design tool fluency -- you can move from sketch to high-fidelity quickly * Comfort with design tools for ...

The Planet Group

Designer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$40 - $42/hr

Associate Designer 📍 Newbury Park, CA (Hybrid: 3 Days Onsite / 2 Days Remote) 💲 $40-$42/hr ... Apparel, footwear, accessories, or consumer products background

Chipton Ross

Designer 3

Del Rey, CA · On-site

$36/hr

Designs components or portions of systems and modifies existing designs to develop or improve ... Seeking an individual with a background in Electrical Design and who is proficient in AutoCAD ...

Impact Trial Consulting, LLC

Designer

Santa Rosa, CA · On-site

$65K - $75K/yr

We are looking to add a full-time designer to our visual communications team in San Francisco, CA ... Background in creating dynamic presentations * Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office, with ...

New

Impact Trial Consulting, LLC

Designer

Sonoma, CA · On-site

$65K - $75K/yr

We are looking to add a full-time designer to our visual communications team in San Francisco, CA ... Background in creating dynamic presentations * Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office, with ...

New

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All JobsBackground Designer JobsBackground Designer Jobs in California

Background Designer information

See California salary details

$35K

$82.1K

$108.6K

How much do background designer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for background designer in California is $82,059.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,200.00 and $107,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a background designer?

Background designers are artists responsible for creating the visual environments and settings in animation, film, video games, and other media productions. They design and illustrate the scenery, such as landscapes, interiors, and exteriors, that characters interact with. Their work helps establish the mood, style, and atmosphere of a scene, supporting the storytelling by providing context and depth. Background designers often collaborate closely with art directors, layout artists, and other team members to ensure their backgrounds fit seamlessly into the overall visual style of the project.

How does a background designer typically collaborate with animators and other artists during a production?

Background Designers work closely with animators, layout artists, and art directors to ensure that environments support the story and visual style of a project. Communication is key, as designers must adapt their work based on feedback and evolving animation needs. It’s common to participate in regular team meetings, share progress, and make revisions, ensuring backgrounds integrate seamlessly with character animation and overall scene composition. This collaborative environment helps maintain consistency and enhances the visual storytelling of the production.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a background designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Background Designer, you need strong drawing skills, a solid understanding of perspective and composition, and often a degree in art, illustration, or animation. Familiarity with digital painting software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and sometimes 3D modeling tools is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with other artists and directors are crucial soft skills. These abilities ensure that visual environments enhance storytelling and meet the artistic vision of animation or gaming projects.

What is the difference between Background Designer vs Environment Artist?

AspectBackground DesignerEnvironment Artist
Required SkillsConcept art, 2D/3D design, illustration3D modeling, texturing, scene creation
Work EnvironmentFilm, animation, video gamesVideo game development, film, VR
Common CertificationsArt or design degrees, portfolio3D modeling certifications, portfolio

Background Designers focus on creating visual backgrounds and environments primarily for animation, film, and 2D projects, emphasizing illustration and concept art. Environment Artists typically work in 3D space, building detailed, immersive environments for video games and films. While both roles require strong artistic skills, Background Designers lean more toward 2D art and concept design, whereas Environment Artists specialize in 3D modeling and scene construction.

How do you become a background designer?

To become a background designer, individuals typically need a strong foundation in art and design, often gained through a bachelor's degree in fine arts, illustration, or related fields. Building a portfolio that showcases environment and background work, gaining experience with digital tools like Photoshop or Blender, and understanding perspective and color theory are essential steps in entering the profession.

What are the most commonly searched types of Background Designer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Background Designer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Background Designer jobs in California?

For Background Designer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Background Designer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Background Designer jobs in California are:

Background Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Background Designer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 26% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $82,059 per year, or $39.5 per hour.

UX Designer (Mobile Background)

Atria Group LLC

South San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 14 days ago

Job description

Company Description

We specialize in Staffing, Consulting, Software Development, and Training along with IT services to small to medium size companies. AG's primary objective is to help companies maximize their IT resources and meet the ever-changing IT needs and challenges.

In addition, AG offers enterprise resource planning and enterprise application integration, supply-chain management, e-commerce solutions, and B2B public exchanges and B2B process integration solutions. Our company provides application analysis, design, development and programming, software engineering, systems development, testing, integration, and implementation, and management consulting services to various clients - including governmental agencies and private companies - throughout the United States and India.

We provide these services in multiple computing environments and use technologies such as client/server architecture, object-oriented programming languages and tools, distributed database management systems, state-of-the-art networking, and communications infrastructures. Our honest and realistic approach to recruiting dictates that AG does not entice or lure engineers from their employers. We represent only high caliber technical professionals who have committed to making a change required by career.

Job Description

Skills:

  • Applied understanding and experience on different versions of iOS and Android design guidelines/principles
  • Will be responsible for making updates, simple UI for mobile and web. Not expected to come up with very complicated design for an entire product
  • Has worked with developers in an Agile environment and can support quick turnaround
  • Has worked as liaison with design houses/designers
  • Experience and comfortable with graphic design tools, such as, Adobe Illustrator
  • This isn't really a requirement for a senior resource with deep design experience, but more of someone that can work with the developers and existing designers in making quick changes.
  • Might also require doing simple designs for prototypes.
Additional Information
  1. Good comm skills are a big priority
  2. Duration: 6 Months 

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