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Lead Designer Jobs in Portland, OR (NOW HIRING)

Nike

Generative AI Lead Designer

Beaverton, OR · On-site

You'll partner with world-class designers and engineers globally, reporting to the Generative Studio leadership. Your work will directly impact design teams worldwide as you help build and implement ...

Deckers

Lead Color Designer - HOKA Footwear

Portland, OR · Hybrid

$96K - $130K/yr

Lead Color Designer - HOKA Footwear Reports to: Sr. Manager, Color Design - HOKA Footwear Location: Portland, OR (Hybrid) Typically 3 times per week in office, Tuesday - Thursday The Role As Lead ...

Solvenow Inc.

Structural Designer

Hillsboro, OR · On-site

Ability to perform as an area or system lead designer. * Has thorough understanding of discipline requirements. Responsibilities: General Summary: At this level designers develop more ownership in ...

Aquent

Lead Apparel Color Designer Basketball

Beaverton, OR · On-site

$42 - $46.67/hr

Step into a pivotal lead design role where your vision will directly influence the aesthetic and ... designs that define the next generation of product, leaving your mark on global design trends and ...

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All JobsLead Designer JobsLead Designer Jobs in Portland, OR

Lead Designer information

See Portland, OR salary details

$44.6K

$96.7K

$166.6K

How much do lead designer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for lead designer in Portland, OR is $96,707.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $70,500.00 and $116,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a lead designer?

A lead designer is in charge of the creative aspects of a project. As a lead designer, you may work with a creative director to oversee design of a video game, a multimedia project, or website. Your job duties in this career include meeting with clients to assess their needs, creating a framework for the project, and working with an art team to execute the plan according to specifications. Qualifications vary, depending on the employer, but lead designers typically need a bachelor’s degree and several years of industry experience.

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

To thrive as a Lead Designer, you need advanced design skills, a strong portfolio, and experience with design principles and team leadership, often supported by a degree in design or a related field. Mastery of industry-standard tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or Sketch, and familiarity with project management systems are essential. Exceptional communication, creative problem-solving, and leadership abilities help you guide teams and collaborate with stakeholders. These skills ensure the delivery of innovative, cohesive designs that align with business goals and drive project success.

How does a lead designer typically collaborate with other departments during a project?

A Lead Designer frequently works cross-functionally, coordinating closely with product managers, developers, and marketing teams to ensure design solutions align with business objectives and technical constraints. They often participate in strategy meetings, provide design direction, and facilitate feedback sessions to harmonize the visual and functional aspects of a project. This collaboration helps maintain consistency in user experience and brand identity while ensuring that deliverables meet deadlines and stakeholder expectations.

What is the difference between Lead Designer vs Senior Designer?

AspectLead DesignerSenior Designer
ResponsibilitiesOversees design projects, manages design team, sets creative directionExecutes design tasks, develops concepts, and contributes to projects independently
Required SkillsStrong leadership, project management, advanced design skillsAdvanced design skills, creativity, problem-solving
Work EnvironmentCollaborative, team leadership, client interactionFocused on individual contribution, team collaboration
Common UsageUsed in agencies, tech companies, large organizationsUsed across similar industries, often as a senior individual contributor

The main difference between a Lead Designer and a Senior Designer lies in their scope of responsibilities. Lead Designers typically manage teams and oversee projects, while Senior Designers focus on executing complex design tasks independently. Both roles require advanced design skills, but Lead Designers also need leadership and project management abilities.

What does a lead designer do?

A lead designer oversees the creative process of a project, guiding design teams to develop visual concepts and ensure consistency with project goals. They collaborate with stakeholders, provide feedback, and often use design tools like Adobe Creative Suite or Sketch. Strong leadership, communication skills, and a solid understanding of design principles are essential for this role.
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What job categories do people searching Lead Designer jobs in Portland, OR look for?

The top searched job categories for Lead Designer jobs in Portland, OR are:

Lead Designer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Lead Designer job openings in Portland, OR as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $96,677 per year, or $46.5 per hour.

Generative AI Lead Designer

Beaverton, OR • On-site

Nike
Retail • 10K+ employees

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 274 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 104 rated fashion retailers

People enjoy working here

Good employer

Recommended by students

Learn more about Nikeexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 7 days ago

Job description

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH
Nike's Design Generative Studio is exploring the future of footwear design at the intersection of creativity and AI technology. You'll partner with world-class designers and engineers globally, reporting to the Generative Studio leadership. Your work will directly impact design teams worldwide as you help build and implement AI-augmented workflows that empower our creative community. You'll collaborate closely with AI/ML engineers, footwear designers, and global technology teams to help transform how Nike approaches product creation.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We're looking for a GenAI designer who is both a strong designer and a hands-on tool builder. You bring solid creative foundations paired with a genuine passion for generative AI, an appetite for learning fast, and a natural drive to share what you build with others. You're not just a tool user - you like rolling up your sleeves to create solutions when existing tools fall short, and you're comfortable working at the intersection of art and technology. This role is a great fit for someone who enjoys bridging experimental AI prototypes and production-ready tools, and who can translate design needs into technical requirements (and back the other way).
  • 4-5 years of experience in design, with clear steps toward creative technology and tool-building
  • Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Architecture, Fashion Design, or a related creative discipline. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training
  • Hands-on experience with node-based, visual coding environments for generative AI creative tooling, and a track record of building custom workflows within them
  • Solid working knowledge of 2D and 3D design workflows and software, with an understanding of footwear design principles (or the ability to quickly pick this up)
  • Awareness of additive manufacturing and 3D printing, and how AI-generated concepts can move into physical prototypes.
  • Portfolio showing both creative output and technical/tool-building work
  • Bonus: experience with spatial computing (AR/VR), web development for rapid prototyping, or active participation in the AI/design community

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON
You'll help shape how Nike approaches footwear design by building and refining AI-augmented workflows that fit naturally into our creative process. Alongside the wider team, you'll create custom tools, support adoption across the design community, and contribute to defining a new creative discipline at Nike.
  • Partner with footwear designers to understand existing 2D and 3D creative workflows, and identify high-value opportunities for AI augmentation that enhance rather than replace human creativity
  • Design and prototype clean, modern generative AI workflows using node-based visual coding environments, tailored to footwear design challenges, iterating quickly on feedback from the design community
  • Collaborate with global AI/ML engineers to accelerate the development and deployment of generative AI solutions, acting as a link between creative and engineering teams and translating design needs into technical requirements
  • Help scale prototypes from proof-of-concept toward enterprise-grade tools that serve designers worldwide, working with global technology teams on reliability, performance, and accessibility
  • Support AI adoption by contributing to training materials, workshops, and demonstrations that make generative AI tools approachable for designers of all technical levels
  • Stay close to developments in generative AI, evaluating and integrating new models and techniques, and helping build a culture of experimentation on the team
  • Share learnings and best practices across the organization to grow the wider design community's capabilities and help drive adoption of new methodologies
  • Provide hands-on support to design teams during key moments such as Creative Launch, Creative Direction Week, and other design reviews, so teams can get the most out of AI tools when it matters most.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.

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