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Designer Startup Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Creative Designer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$87K - $106.40K/yr

Creative Designer Location: Chicago, IL Office : 3 days/week in South Loop office Reports to ... tech startup building tools and insights to help our customers win elections and make better ...

BIM Project Designer - Nuclear

Chicago, IL · On-site

$94.25K - $143.99K/yr

Support project kickoff and BIM startup activities, including model setup coordination, access needs, permissions requests, and collaboration workflow readiness in partnership with the PM, discipline ...

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Showing results 1-20

Designer Startup information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$15

$24

$44

How much do designer startup jobs pay per hour?

As of May 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for designer startup in Chicago, IL is $24.43, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.29 and $24.76 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Designer Startup vs Graphic Designer?

AspectDesigner Startup
Required Credentials
Work Environment
Employer & Industry Usage
Search & Comparison Intent

Designer Startup typically refers to a designer involved in early-stage product or business design, often working in startups or entrepreneurial settings. Graphic Designer usually focuses on visual communication, branding, and print or digital media. While both roles require design skills, Designer Startup emphasizes product design, user experience, and business impact, often with a broader skill set. Graphic Designers tend to specialize in visual aesthetics and branding. Understanding these differences helps job seekers target the right roles and employers in the design industry.

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Designer Startup jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Designer Startup job openings:
Infographic showing various Designer Startup job openings in Chicago, IL as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $50,807 per year, or $24.4 per hour.

Startup Lab 2026: Graphic Design Summer Associate

Fulcrum GT--Startup Lab [2026]

Schaumburg, IL

Full-time, Temporary

Posted just now


Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

As a Graphic Design Summer Associate at Startup Lab, you will work as part of an in-house creative agency and be responsible for delivering professional, high-impact visual designs that bring startup ideas to life. Your primary role will be to transform the visual side of startup teams' rough concepts, wireframes, and prototypes into elegant, polished designs that captivate users and make their products irresistible.

You will:

  • Work with different startup teams to come up with ideas for products and/or services.
  • Collaborate with the teams to name products and startups; advise from perspective of design.
  • Analyze market trends and do market research to target the preferences that will resonate with users.
  • Design logos—logomark, logotype, and lockups—for the teams' various products and startups.
  • Deliver a visual identity handbook for assigned teams.
  • Design icons, screens, and other visual assets for the UIs of the products.
  • Collaborate with the teams to design memorable websites for each startup.
  • Work with startup team members to refine the look of the products.
  • Translate startup teams' wireframes into polished, visually stunning UI designs consistent with the solution's visual identity.
  • Assist with the testing and QA of the products/services, especially from the design perspective.
  • Help the teams prepare for their Pitch Day Demos and the Demo Days Demos.
  • Work with the teams to design their pitch day and demo days decks and other marketing materials.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • You should be pursuing or have recently completed a Bachelor's degree in graphic design, UI design or HCI from an art school or a top-tier university/college, or able to demonstrate significant professional work experience.
  • You should have already taken the Visual Identity/Branding class.
  • You must have a strong design portfolio.
  • It is a strong plus if you have UI design work experience and/or animation, video, or interaction design experience.
  • You should be entrepreneurial-minded, i.e., you're a self-starter with a bias toward action.
  • You should possess excellent organizational skills.
  • You must be open minded. You know what you don't know and are open to learning new things.
  • You must practice empathy.
  • You must be comfortable in a fast paced and dynamic work environment
  • You must have great interpersonal and communication skills
  • You must be fully available—onsite—from 1 June 2026 through 28 August 2026.

COMPENSATION & PERKS

  • Competitive salary based on experience
  • Opportunities for travel
  • Social and team-building events
  • Fully stocked kitchen with assorted drinks & snacks
  • Professional development through mentors, training, and networking
  • Future opportunities—simplified pathway to employment