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Sports Designer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$70K - $75K/yr

Play Structures, Kids Furniture, Wheeled Goods, Outdoor Activity and Action Sports. Designers are responsible for holding the creative vision for projects from concept to production. Designers are ...

Learn multiple sports through our programs designed by the USA Olympic Committee and major sports organizations like Nike and the NBA Clippers. * Career Advancement: Growth opportunities for ...

Acts as lead designer on multiple projects developing conceptual design, presentations and implementation documents * Guides and directs multiple project teams to manage the development of design ...

Sr. Designer, Sports

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$110K - $175K/yr

Acts as lead designer on multiple projects developing conceptual design, presentations and implementation documents * Guides and directs multiple project teams to manage the development of design ...

$20 - $30/hr

SPORTS DIRECTORSTATUS: PART-TIME (NON-EXEMPT)ABOUT THE COMPANY:The Skating Edge Ice Arena is a ... This role involves designing and implementing training programs, providing instruction and feedback ...

$20 - $30/hr

ICE SPORTS COACH - The Skating Edge Ice Arena Sports Facilities Management, LLC LOCATION: Harbor ... This role involves designing and implementing training programs, providing instruction and feedback ...

ICE SPORTS COACH - The Skating Edge Ice Arena Sports Facilities Management, LLC LOCATION: Harbor ... This role involves designing and implementing training programs, providing instruction and feedback ...

Senior Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$109K - $117K/yr

Senior Designer - NikeSKIMS About NikeSKIMS At the intersection of sport, style, and innovation, NikeSKIMS is building a new category of performance products that seamlessly merge athletic ...

Senior Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$100 - $110/hr

Overview Senior Designer - NikeSKIMS About NikeSKIMS ... At the intersection of sport, style, and innovation, NikeSKIMS is building a new category of ...

We are seeking a mid-level Graphic Designer to join our team, focused on creating on-field and on ... Create original graphics, prints, and visual concepts applied across a range of sports accessories.

What to Bring: * 6-8 years of accessories design experience; sports industry experience is a plus ... Strong experience designing both hardgoods and soft goods accessories, with strong luxury design ...

We are seeking a mid-level Graphic Designer to join our team, focused on creating on-field and on ... Create original graphics, prints, and visual concepts applied across a range of sports accessories.

What to Bring: * 6-8 years of accessories design experience; sports industry experience is a plus ... Strong experience designing both hardgoods and soft goods accessories, with strong luxury design ...

What to Bring: * 6-8 years of accessories design experience; sports industry experience is a plus ... Strong experience designing both hardgoods and soft goods accessories, with strong luxury design ...

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Showing results 1-20

Sports Designer information

See California salary details

$14

$23

$42

How much do sports designer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average hourly pay for sports designer in California is $23.40, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.47 and $23.70 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a sports designer?

Sports designers are creative professionals who specialize in designing visual content related to sports, such as team logos, uniforms, branding materials, event graphics, and digital media. They combine knowledge of design principles with an understanding of sports culture to create engaging and effective visuals for teams, leagues, organizations, and events. Sports designers may work for professional teams, design agencies, apparel companies, or as freelancers, collaborating closely with clients to bring their vision to life.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a sports designer?

To thrive as a Sports Designer, you need a solid background in graphic design, a strong understanding of sports branding, and proficiency with a degree or equivalent experience in visual design. Mastery of industry-standard tools like Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with motion graphics or 3D software are typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively under tight deadlines are crucial soft skills. These abilities ensure compelling visual content that resonates with fans, upholds brand identity, and meets the fast-paced demands of the sports industry.

How does a sports designer typically collaborate with coaches and athletes during the design process?

Sports Designers frequently work closely with coaches, athletes, and team management to ensure that their visual designs—whether for uniforms, branding, or digital content—accurately reflect the team's identity and meet performance needs. Collaboration often involves gathering feedback, attending meetings or practice sessions, and making iterative changes based on user input. This close partnership ensures that final designs are both functional for athletes and visually compelling for fans. Open communication and adaptability are key skills in managing these collaborative relationships.

What is the difference between Sports Designer vs Sports Apparel Designer?

AspectSports DesignerSports Apparel Designer
CredentialsDegree in design, sports management, or related fieldDegree in fashion design, textile, or related field
Work EnvironmentDesign studios, sports teams, or brand companiesClothing manufacturers, sports apparel brands, or design studios
Industry UsageDesigns for sports equipment, facilities, or brandingDesigns for sportswear, clothing, and accessories
Common Search/ComparisonSports DesignerSports Apparel Designer

Sports Designers focus on creating visual concepts for sports branding, equipment, or facilities, while Sports Apparel Designers specialize in designing clothing and accessories for athletes and sports enthusiasts. Both roles require creative skills and industry knowledge but differ mainly in their focus areas within the sports industry.

How much do sports designers make?

Sports designers typically earn a median annual salary of around $50,000 to $70,000, depending on experience, location, and the complexity of projects. Senior or specialized sports designers with advanced skills in graphic design, branding, and software tools like Adobe Creative Suite can earn higher salaries, often exceeding $80,000 annually.

What cities in California are hiring for Sports Designer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Sports Designer job openings:

Infographic showing various Sports Designer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 26% Internship, and 74% Full Time. Highlights an 74% In-person, and 26% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $48,674 per year, or $23.4 per hour.

Designer

Santa Monica, CA • On-site

Jakks Pacific Inc
501 - 1,000 employees

$70K - $75K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Re-posted 17 days ago


Job description

JAKKS Pacific, Inc., a leading designer and marketer of toys and consumer products, with a wide range of products that feature some of the most popular brands and children's toy licenses in the world, currently seeks an experienced, energetic, self-starter for the role of Designer in our Seasonal Division for our headquarters in Santa Monica, CA. As a Designer, you’ll join a creative team of passionate, like-minded people that have the ability to develop products within a broad range of categories: Play Structures, Kids Furniture, Wheeled Goods, Outdoor Activity and Action Sports. Designers are responsible for holding the creative vision for projects from concept to production.

Designers are expected to ideate and implement the design, play pattern and technical aspects of product development, while navigating the complexities of the development process in order to ensure the overall brand vision, cost and schedule requirements are met.

Responsibilities include:

  • Designing innovative, original non-licensed products.
  • Working on top-tier licensed products.
  • Creating tents, ball pits, a variety of kids furniture and room essentials, foot-to-floor ride-ons, trikes, Junior sports items and action sports items such as skateboards, roller skates and scooters.
  • Hunt for trends and consumer insights to identify new ways to play, explore design trends, pop culture and new potential licenses.
  • Concept design - Create innovative new products and play patterns through collaborative team brainstorming and exploration.
  • Design visualization– hands on creation of holistic product design through sketches, renderings, graphics, 3D models, foam core mockups, control drawings, material selection, color specifications and flow charts.
  • Work closely with 3rd party vendors (sculptors, painters, illustrators, etc.) as needed per project.
  • Definition of product features through written documents and diagrams and internal project management systems.
  • Preparation of 2D and 3D presentation materials (boards, samples, etc.) for internal and external meetings; participation in trade show set ups/tear downs.
  • Create and review instruction sheets as needed.
  • Interaction with internal departments including Executive Leadership, Costing Engineers, Creative Services, HK support team, Marketing, Licensing, Packaging and Sales.


Skills & Experience required:

  • 2-3 years design/product development experience within the consumer product or (preferably) the toy industries.
  • Degree in design: Industrial design, toy design
  • Strong Sketching, Illustration, and Rendering Skills (proficiency in Photoshop and Illustrator is necessary).
  • Ability to work in 3D programs such as Rhino, Maya, Solid Works and KeyShot is a plus.
  • Flexibility, creativity, enthusiasm for, and love of the creative process.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong organizational skills are necessary, no exception.
  • The vision and perseverance to take ideas from concept, through development and into production.
  • Self-starting, self-motivating, and self-managing; a solid team player (a must)
  • Excellent creative problem-solving skills.
  • Experience with and interest in outdoor activities/games/sports a plus.
  • Understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and terminology.
  • Ability to create and manage products for licensed brands, design within the constraints of a style guide, and ensure that submissions are followed from concept through production.
  • Ability to follow and apply licensor comments and direction to products throughout the submissions process.
  • Understanding and adherence to all licensor and company guidelines concerning IP security and embargoes.


Our Benefits:

  • Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, disability, life & accident insurance and employee assistance program
  • Savings: 401K matching, pre-tax spending accounts, and employee discount programs
  • Compensation: JAKKS Pacific offers a competitive salary. Compensation for this role commensurate with experience, qualifications, location, and education and typically ranges from $70,304 - $75,000.


Company Overview

A leading designer and marketer of children’s toys and consumer products, JAKKS Pacific® is always on the lookout for talented, bright and creative individuals to join our ever-growing team.

Best known for our toy and entertainment products, JAKKS produces impressive and innovative products across multiple categories spanning from action figures, collectibles, and dolls, to high performance activity toys and vehicles, and let’s not forget our deep portfolios of beloved licensed characters. In other words, we work hard to make play more fun, and we believe it has paid off.

Included in Fortune’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies for four years in a row, and Forbes’ 100 Best Small Companies for three years, JAKKS is an aggressive and passionate company, with a commitment to customers and a dedication to growing our business.

Our goal is to continuously cultivate a talented and diverse workforce while providing a safe and productive work environment and an excellent career growth opportunity while working with a dynamic team who loves what they do and for a Company that ultimately makes children smile, play and succeed!


Jakks Pacific, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer.


No Recruiters Please. No relocation assistance is associated with this position.