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Freelance Sound Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Banner

Visuals Editor

Baltimore, MD · On-site

... designers and audience teams to make stories more compelling, more accessible and more visually ... Assign staff and freelance photographers, illustrators and visual contributors for breaking news ...

Monograph

Design Lead

Phoenix, AZ · Remote

... sound design judgment. * Experience working with external agencies, freelancers, printers, booth vendors, and other production partners. Nice to Have * Experience designing event and trade show ...

Meeting Tomorrow

Creative Director for Events

Only, TN · Remote

... sound) can be used creatively * You believe AI is already changing the creative workflow. You're ... Curate a freelance bench of 3D renderers, motion designers, and AI artists we can pull from Within ...

Meeting Tomorrow

Creative Director for Events

... sound) can be used creatively * You believe AI is already changing the creative workflow. You're ... Curate a freelance bench of 3D renderers, motion designers, and AI artists we can pull from Within ...

Curiosity

Sr. Art Director

Cincinnati, OH · On-site

Responsible for the management of and quality of work delivered by outside vendors (directing photographers, freelance designers, wardrobe, directors, sound design, music, photo retouching, approvals ...

Hadley Designs

Head of Global Talent Acquisition

$106K - $146K/yr

We create beautifully designed, developmentally sound tools that replace noise and distraction with ... Source candidates across LinkedIn, job boards, freelancer platforms, and referrals; filter ...

Hadley Designs

VP of People Operations

We create beautifully designed, developmentally sound tools that replace noise and distraction with ... Source candidates across LinkedIn, job boards, freelancer platforms, and referrals; filter ...

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Freelance Sound Designer information

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$14

$47

$132

How much do freelance sound designer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance sound designer in the United States is $47.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.28 and $61.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Freelance Sound Designer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Sound Designer, you need a solid understanding of audio engineering principles, sound editing, and music theory, often supported by a degree in audio production or related experience. Mastery of digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools or Ableton Live, as well as familiarity with sound libraries and plug-ins, is typically required. Strong creativity, attention to detail, and effective communication with clients help set you apart in this competitive field. These skills ensure high-quality sound production that meets client needs and enhances the impact of media projects.

What are some common challenges freelance sound designers face when working with remote clients?

Freelance sound designers working remotely often encounter challenges such as communicating creative ideas clearly without in-person feedback, managing multiple client expectations across different time zones, and ensuring high-quality audio delivery despite varying technical setups. Building strong relationships through timely updates and clear documentation helps mitigate misunderstandings. Additionally, freelancers must be proactive in resolving technical issues and maintaining organized project files to streamline collaboration with clients and other team members.

What is the difference between Freelance Sound Designer vs Freelance Audio Editor?

AspectFreelance Sound DesignerFreelance Audio Editor
CredentialsOften requires a degree or certification in sound design, audio engineering, or related fieldsTypically needs proficiency in audio editing software; formal education varies
Work EnvironmentWorks on creating original sound effects, soundscapes, and audio concepts for mediaFocuses on editing, cleaning, and assembling audio recordings
Employer & Industry UsageHired by film, game, and media production companies for sound creationHired for post-production tasks in various media projects

While both roles involve working with audio, a Freelance Sound Designer creates original sounds and audio concepts, whereas a Freelance Audio Editor specializes in refining and assembling existing recordings. Understanding these differences helps clients find the right professional for their project needs.

What does a freelance sound designer do?

A freelance sound designer creates, edits, and mixes audio elements for a variety of media, such as films, video games, advertisements, and theater productions. Their work involves recording and manipulating sounds to enhance the overall experience and narrative. As freelancers, they typically work on a project basis, collaborating with directors, producers, and other creative professionals. Their responsibilities can include creating sound effects, designing ambient sounds, and ensuring that audio quality meets the project's needs.
More about Freelance Sound Designer jobs
What cities are hiring for Freelance Sound Designer jobs? Cities with the most Freelance Sound Designer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Sound Designer jobs? The most popular types of Sound Designer jobs are:
What states have the most Freelance Sound Designer jobs? States with the most job openings for Freelance Sound Designer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Freelance Sound Designer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Freelance Sound Designer jobs are:
Freelance Sound Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Sound Designer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% Locum Tenens, 17% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 37% Temporary, 23% Contract, and 3% Nights. Highlights an 77% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 21% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $99,230 per year, or $47.7 per hour.
Visuals Editor

Visuals Editor

The Banner

Baltimore, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

Job description

Our Visuals Team is Growing!
The Banner is building a newsroom that reflects Maryland in all its complexity, urgency and possibility. We're looking for a Visuals Editor to help shape powerful visual journalism across the state.
This is a strategic, hands-on editing, assignment and management role for someone who knows how to move fast on breaking news, think big on enterprise, and collaborate closely with reporters, editors, photographers, illustrators, designers and audience teams to make stories more compelling, more accessible and more visually distinctive.
You'll join a visuals team that includes four staff photojournalists and another Visuals Editor, working across breaking news, arts, investigations, sports, features and special projects. You'll report to the Director of Visuals and help guide the daily visual workflow for photography, illustration and design. In partnership with the Director of Visuals, you'll help assign work, support staff and freelance contributors, uphold visual standards, and provide coaching and feedback that strengthens the team's work.
What You'll Do
  • Help manage the daily visual schedule and workflow for stories across Maryland, with a focus on Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
  • Assign staff and freelance photographers, illustrators and visual contributors for breaking news, features, enterprise stories and special projects.
  • Help coordinate workloads, deadlines and priorities for visual assignments in partnership with the Director of Visuals and other newsroom leaders.
  • Edit photography on deadline with strong visual judgment, rigorous caption accuracy and attention to tone, context and fairness.
  • Provide clear assignment direction, creative briefs and feedback to staff photographers, freelancers and illustrators.
  • Help coach visual contributors on storytelling approach, captioning, ethical considerations, visual quality and digital presentation.
  • Brainstorm visual approaches with reporters and editors early in the story process.
  • Identify opportunities for stronger photography, illustration, design, video, archival imagery, visual explainers and other storytelling formats.
  • Research wire, archival and licensed imagery, ensuring appropriate permissions, credits, captions and usage rights.
  • Help shape story presentation, layout, homepage treatment, newsletters, social visuals and off-platform promotion.
  • Art direct illustrations and create photo illustrations when needed.
  • Support the Director of Visuals in maintaining visual standards, workflow systems and consistent editorial practices across the newsroom.
  • Help onboard and support freelance contributors, including communicating expectations, deadlines, assignment needs and editorial standards.
  • Bring creativity, care, sound judgment and strong editorial standards to every assignment.
  • Uphold The Banner's commitment to ethical, accurate, inclusive and community-centered journalism.

What You'll Bring
  • 5+ years of experience editing visuals in a fast-paced newsroom or editorial environment.
  • Excellent news judgment and a strong understanding of visual ethics, accuracy, consent, representation and context.
  • A strong eye for visual narrative, digital storytelling and platform-specific presentation.
  • Experience assigning or managing photographers, illustrators, freelancers or other visual contributors.
  • Experience providing feedback, coaching or editorial guidance to visual journalists or creative collaborators.
  • Experience commissioning photography, illustration and/or video.
  • Strong caption writing, reporting, assignment brief and visual research skills.
  • Experience with archival research, licensing, copyright permissions and proper image usage.
  • Fluency in Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, Photo Mechanic and related visual editing or design tools.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to help manage competing deadlines, assignments and newsroom priorities.
  • A collaborative approach and the ability to stay calm, clear and constructive under deadline pressure.
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to give and receive thoughtful editorial feedback.
  • A clear commitment to community-centered journalism and inclusive assignment practices.
  • Willingness to work some evenings, weekends or irregular hours as news requires.

What Success Looks Like
  • Visual assignments are clear, well-coordinated and aligned with newsroom priorities.
  • Staff and freelance contributors receive useful direction, timely feedback and the context they need to produce strong work.
  • Visual work is accurate, ethical, compelling and reflective of the communities The Banner serves.
  • Editors and reporters bring visuals into story planning earlier and more consistently.
  • Photography, illustration and design are used thoughtfully to strengthen story presentation across platforms.
  • The Director of Visuals has a strong partner in managing daily workflow, maintaining standards and supporting the visuals team.

Additional Information:
  • Samples of your work: Please submit samples of photos that you have edited and/or art direction.
  • Schedule: This position follows a Sunday - Thursday afternoon/eveningcoverage schedule. Some schedule flexibility may be needed based on news demands.
  • Location: This role is based in Baltimore, Maryland with hybrid work options available.

Salary Range: $95,000 - $105,000 Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by several factors including experience, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. We periodically review all teammates' pay to ensure a great compensation package that is fair and equal across the board.
Our amazing benefits include:
  • Flexible Paid Time Off
  • Retirement savings - 401K plan offered through Human Interest, with a company match
  • Student Loan Debt Repayment Assistance for qualified employees
  • Full health benefits - medical, dental, vision, prescription, FSA/HSA., and coverage for family/dependents
  • Sick Leave eligible for rollover
  • Commuter Benefits
  • 11 Paid National Holidays
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Generous Parental Leave
  • Company paid access to a wellness platform to support mental, financial and physical wellbeing

Our Core Values:
  • Do what's right. Honesty, morality, respect and the mission guide our actions and decisions. By doing the right thing, we inspire others to believe.
  • Work together. We collaborate to create something special. Together we challenge assumptions, trust each other, take risks, and foster transparent and direct communication.
  • Listen to be heard. Our stories are trustworthy. They are inspired by and created for our readers. Their story is our story. Communities are at the center of our journalism, and everything we do.
  • Deliver impactful results. Acting as one accountable team and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, we deliver bold and innovative results. We act fast, execute and learn. We celebrate great outcomes.
  • Be inclusive. We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual and act by curating a culture that leverages diverse perspectives as the key to fulfilling our mission. The Banner is for all of us.

The Venetoulis Institute embraces diversity and inclusion, and we are wholeheartedly committed to being proactive in inspiring a culture of inclusion across our organization. We are dedicated to establishing an organization that reflects the fundamental respect for different ways of working and living, and we assure every employee the opportunity to reach their full potential.
We are dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodation due to a disability to participate in the application process, please contact careers@thebanner.com to request accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, adjustments in the application process, modifications or assistance regarding job interviews, and accommodations to enable access to our facilities. We appreciate the value that individuals with disabilities bring to our workforce and encourage applicants with disabilities to disclose their needs for accommodation to facilitate a smooth and inclusive recruitment experience.

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