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Design Associate Jobs in Novato, CA (NOW HIRING)

Coframe is looking for a Generative Design Associate to help shape the web experiences our agents create for some of the world's largest companies. This is a hands-on role for an early-career ...

New

... Associate and Lead Designers with various design and administrative tasks related to all phases of high end interior design from initial planning through to project completion Review project plans ...

... Associate and Lead Designers with various design and administrative tasks related to all phases of high end interior design from initial planning through to project completion โ€ข Review project ...

COUPAR: Design Assistant

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Benefits Being an associate at Coupar will give you access to work with the top 1% of the residential design firms in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. You will be exposed the proven design process that ...

COUPAR: Design Assistant

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Benefits Being an associate at Coupar will give you access to work with the top 1% of the residential design firms in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. You will be exposed the proven design process that ...

Benefits Being an associate at Coupar will give you access to work with the top 1% of the residential design firms in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. You will be exposed the proven design process that ...

Associate Director, Product Design

Alameda, CA ยท On-site

$175K - $215K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

We are seeking an Associate Director, Product Design in Alameda, CA to lead the design of the next evolution of the product. This role is ideal for a strategic design leader who thrives in fast-paced ...

Associate Director, Product Design

Alameda, CA ยท On-site

$175K - $215K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

We are seeking an Associate Director, Product Design in Alameda, CA to lead the design of the next evolution of the product. This role is ideal for a strategic design leader who thrives in fast-paced ...

We are seeking an Associate Director, Product Design to lead the design of the next evolution of the product. This role is ideal for a strategic design leader who thrives in fast-paced environments ...

We are seeking an Associate Director, Product Design to lead the design of the next evolution of the product. This role is ideal for a strategic design leader who thrives in fast-paced environments ...

Associate Director, Product Design-Mobile

Alameda, CA ยท On-site

$148K - $297K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

We are seeking an Associate Director, Product Design to lead the design of the next evolution of the product. This role is ideal for a strategic design leader who thrives in fast-paced environments ...

Talent & Performance Manager

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Design initiatives to improve engagement, satisfaction, and retention * Analyze associate feedback (AOS, exit interviews) and act on insights * Support a culture of continuous feedback and growth ...

Talent & Performance Manager

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Design initiatives to improve engagement, satisfaction, and retention * Analyze associate feedback (AOS, exit interviews) and act on insights * Support a culture of continuous feedback and growth ...

CAD & Permitting Associate

Brisbane, CA ยท On-site

$30 - $35/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Description: CAD & Permitting Associate About Us From weddings and celebrations to corporate gatherings and major sporting productions, our team works behind the scenes to bring events to life. We ...

CAD & Permitting Associate

Brisbane, CA ยท On-site

$30 - $35/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

CAD & Permitting Associate About Us From weddings and celebrations to corporate gatherings and major sporting productions, our team works behind the scenes to bring events to life. We take pride in ...

Joybird Design Sales Associate

San Francisco, CA

$18/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Design Sales Associate (Full-Time & Part-Time) - Joybird Location: San Francisco, CA Compensation: Base + Unlimited Commission Joybird isn't just about furniture - it's about creating one-of-a-kind ...

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Showing results 1-20

Design Associate information

See Novato, CA salary details

$22.9K

$68.8K

$102.7K

How much do design associate jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for design associate in Novato, CA is $68,754.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $56,900.00 and $79,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Design Associate vs Design Coordinator?

AspectDesign AssociateDesign Coordinator
Required CredentialsAssociate's degree or relevant certification, some experienceSimilar credentials, often with additional project management skills
Work EnvironmentDesign firms, retail, or corporate settingsDesign teams, client-facing roles, project management settings
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in interior, graphic, and product designOften used interchangeably or in larger firms for project oversight

The main difference between a Design Associate and a Design Coordinator lies in their focus. Design Associates typically assist with design tasks and client support, while Design Coordinators often handle project coordination, timelines, and communication. Both roles require similar credentials, but Design Coordinators usually have additional organizational responsibilities.

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

To thrive as a Design Associate, you need a solid understanding of design principles, proficiency in graphic design, and a relevant degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with industry-standard design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) is typically required. Strong communication, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate creatively are essential soft skills. These skills and qualities enable effective project execution, ensure design consistency, and foster successful teamwork in a fast-paced creative environment.

What are some common challenges design associates face when working on multiple projects simultaneously?

Design Associates often juggle several projects at once, which can make managing deadlines and shifting priorities a challenge. Effective communication with team members and clear organization of tasks are essential to ensure all projects move forward smoothly. Additionally, adapting quickly to feedback from clients or senior designers is key, as project requirements can change rapidly. Building strong time management skills and staying flexible will help you thrive in this fast-paced environment.

What is a design associate?

Design Associates are entry- to mid-level professionals who support design teams in creating visual concepts, layouts, and presentations for projects across industries such as graphic design, interior design, fashion, and architecture. They assist senior designers by conducting research, preparing materials, and using design software to bring creative ideas to life. Design Associates often collaborate with clients and other team members to ensure that the final product aligns with project goals and brand standards.

What are the most commonly searched types of Design jobs in Novato, CA?

The most popular types of Design jobs in Novato, CA are:

What are popular job titles related to Design Associate jobs in Novato, CA?

For Design Associate jobs in Novato, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Design Associate jobs in Novato, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Design Associate jobs in Novato, CA are:

What cities near Novato, CA are hiring for Design Associate jobs?

Cities near Novato, CA with the most Design Associate job openings:

Infographic showing various Design Associate job openings in Novato, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 24% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $68,754 per year, or $33.1 per hour.

Generative Design Associate

Coframe

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

$36 - $45/hr

Full-time

Posted 3 days ago

New


Job description

Coframe is looking for a Generative Design Associate to help shape the web experiences our agents create for some of the world's largest companies.
This is a hands-on role for an early-career designer with exceptional visual judgment, obsessive attention to detail, and an interest in how AI is changing the way interfaces are designed and built. You'll work directly with our Agent Strategy and engineering teams to prompt, refine, QA, and ship high-quality customer experiences - moving quickly while maintaining an extremely high bar for craft.
You'll be based in our San Francisco office and work alongside a senior team building at the intersection of AI, experimentation, design, and the web.
About Coframe
Coframe is building the future of living interfaces - digital experiences that continuously generate, test, learn, and improve themselves.
Instead of teams manually designing and shipping one static experience at a time, Coframe's agents can autonomously generate and optimize web experiences based on real user behavior. Our technology has already driven more than $250M in incremental revenue, and we work with companies including OpenAI, Apple, Intuit, Dropbox, Cash App, and Replit.
We've raised $35M from Khosla Ventures, Nat Friedman, and founders and leaders from companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepMind, Webflow, Framer, Dropbox, and Intercom. We're a small, highly technical team working on a new category of software, and we care deeply about the quality of everything we put into the world.
What You'll Do
  • Design through prompting. Work with AI systems to describe and iterate toward the right visual direction - from layout and hierarchy to motion, tone, and overall feel.
  • Refine AI-generated interfaces. Take generated concepts and turn them into polished, production-quality web experiences with precise typography, spacing, color, and visual hierarchy.
  • Maintain a high customer quality bar. Review experiences across devices, breakpoints, and states; catch inconsistencies early; and ensure everything we ship feels intentional and on-brand.
  • Translate brand systems into web experiences. Work from customer brand guidelines, existing sites, design systems, and creative direction to produce work that feels native to each brand.
  • Build reusable design patterns. Contribute components, tokens, references, and patterns that help our agents and team produce consistently better work.
  • Partner closely with Agent Strategists and engineers. Work side-by-side with the team in our San Francisco office to rapidly iterate from an idea to something live.
What We're Looking For
  • Exceptional attention to detail. You notice when spacing is slightly off, typography feels wrong, or an interaction lacks polish - and you care enough to fix it.
  • Strong visual and UI fundamentals. You have a portfolio showing thoughtful work across layout, typography, hierarchy, composition, and interaction design. Student, personal, freelance, and professional work are all welcome.
  • Strong web instincts. You understand responsive design, common web patterns, and what makes an interface feel polished in the browser.
  • Comfort working iteratively. You enjoy trying multiple directions, responding quickly to feedback, and improving something until it feels right.
  • High ownership and reliability. You follow through, communicate clearly, and can be trusted with work that will ultimately reach customers.
  • Curiosity about AI-native design. You're excited by the idea that the designer's role is evolving from manually creating every artifact to directing, evaluating, and improving systems that generate them.
  • On-site availability. You're able to work from our San Francisco office.
Nice to Have
  • Experience with Figma, including components, auto-layout, constraints, and shared styles.
  • Familiarity with HTML/CSS or how front-end interfaces are implemented.
  • Experience designing landing pages, growth experiences, or conversion-focused interfaces.
  • Exposure to design systems or component libraries.
  • Experience using tools like Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, or other generative design/coding tools as part of your workflow.
Contract Details
  • Engagement: Independent contractor, paid hourly. Rate dependent on experience: $36-$45/hour.
  • Commitment: 20-40 hours/week
  • Location: On-site at Coframe's San Francisco office. This is not a remote role.
  • Duration: Initial one-month engagement, with the potential to extend.
How to Apply
Apply through this posting and include a link to your portfolio. We care much more about the quality of your work and your eye for detail than the number of years you've been designing. A portfolio is required to be considered.
Coframe is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for everyone.