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Visual Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Ford Motor Company

Visual Design Lead

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

As a leader on Ford's Digital Product Design team, the Visual Design Lead sits within our Design DNA team and is responsible for the visual craft behind how people interface with Ford vehicles ...

New

Ford Motor Company

Visual Design Lead

Palo Alto, CA

As a leader on Ford's Digital Product Design team, the Visual Design Lead sits within our Design DNA team and is responsible for the visual craft behind how people interface with Ford vehicles ...

New

Ford Motor Company

Visual Design Lead

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$150K - $283K/yr

As a leader on Ford's Digital Product Design team, the Visual Design Lead sits within our Design DNA team and is responsible for the visual craft behind how people interface with Ford vehicles ...

New

Luxer One Zoho

Visual Design Coordinator

Mcclellan, CA · On-site

Role Overview A visual designer and 3D rendering specialist who brings Luxer One and Luxer Access to life visually. You'll own end-to-end creative production - importing CAD/STEP files to build photo ...

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Visual Design Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$110 - $170/hr

Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional visual design, brand systems, typography, layout, and storytelling * Passion for building brands that feel distinctive, polished, and culturally relevant ...

New

Luxer One

Visual Design Coordinator

Mcclellan, CA

$75K - $85K/yr

Role Overview A visual designer and 3D rendering specialist who brings Luxer One and Luxer Access to life visually. You'll own end-to-end creative production -- importing CAD/STEP files to build ...

New

Nutanix

Visual Design Director

San Jose, CA · On-site

$243K - $486K/yr

As the Visual Design Director, you will hold a high-impact leadership role within the User Experience Design organization. Your mission is to elevate our brand within the product experience, leading ...

Mercor

Visual Design Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional visual design, brand systems, typography, layout, and storytelling * Passion for building brands that feel distinctive, polished, and culturally relevant ...

Mercor

Visual Design Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional visual design, brand systems, typography, layout, and storytelling * Passion for building brands that feel distinctive, polished, and culturally relevant ...

Ch

Visual Design Lead

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional visual design, brand systems, typography, layout, and storytelling * Passion for building brands that feel distinctive, polished, and culturally relevant ...

New

French Florist

Visual Design (Los Angeles)

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$50K - $60K/yr

Position Overview We are looking for a talented Visual Designer to join our Brand & Creative team. In this role, you will work closely with our Design Director to bring the French Florist brand to ...

Cti

Audio Visual Design Engineer

Hayward, CA · On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Audio Visual Design EngineerCTI has been a leading Audio Visual provider for over 38 years. Since we began in 1988, our mission has been simple: to provide a fantastic customer experience.At CTI, our ...

CTI

Audio Visual Design Engineer

Hayward, CA · On-site

$93K - $121K/yr

Audio Visual Design Engineer CTI has been a leading Audio Visual provider for over 38 years. Since we began in 1988, our mission has been simple: to provide a fantastic customer experience. At CTI ...

Socket.dev

UI/Visual Design Lead

Irvine, CA · On-site

$125 - $180/hr

This role is strongly focused on UI and visual design --including layout, typography, color systems, and design consistency across platforms--and is ideal for a designer who thrives in polished ...

CTI

Audio Visual Design Engineer

Hayward, CA · On-site

$75K - $100K/yr

Audio Visual Design Engineer CTI has been a leading Audio Visual provider for over 38 years. Since we began in 1988, our mission has been simple: to provide a fantastic customer experience. At CTI ...

TP-Link Systems Inc.

UI/Visual Design Lead

Irvine, CA

$140K - $200K/yr

We are looking for a UI / Visual Design Lead to elevate the visual quality and interaction consistency across TP-Link's digital product ecosystem, including mobile apps, web apps, and device ...

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Visual Design information

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How much do visual design jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for visual design in California is $59.46, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46.01 and $71.15 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is visual design?

Visual design is a field focused on the aesthetics and graphical elements of a product, website, or digital interface. It combines principles of graphic design, color theory, typography, and layout to create visually appealing and effective communications. Visual designers work to ensure that interfaces are both attractive and functional, enhancing user experience by guiding attention and conveying brand identity. Their work often overlaps with UI design, but visual design prioritizes the look and feel rather than the structure or usability alone.

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

To thrive as a Visual Designer, you need a strong foundation in design principles, typography, color theory, and proficiency with a degree in graphic or visual design. Mastery of tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with digital platforms or prototyping tools like Figma is essential. Creativity, attention to detail, and excellent communication skills set outstanding visual designers apart. These skills ensure the creation of compelling visuals that effectively communicate ideas, align with brand goals, and engage target audiences.

How do visual designers typically collaborate with other teams during a project?

Visual designers frequently work alongside UX designers, developers, and product managers to ensure that the visual aspects of a product align with the overall user experience and technical requirements. Collaboration often involves participating in design reviews, providing assets, and iterating on feedback from different stakeholders. Clear communication and openness to feedback are crucial, as visual designers must balance creative vision with practical constraints and user needs. This collaborative environment helps ensure cohesive, visually appealing, and user-friendly final products.

What is the difference between Visual Design vs Graphic Design?

AspectVisual DesignGraphic Design
FocusCreating visual concepts, layouts, and user interfaces for digital productsDesigning visual content for print and digital media, including logos, posters, and branding materials
SkillsUI/UX principles, typography, color theory, digital toolsTypography, layout, branding, print production
Work EnvironmentPrimarily digital, web, app interfacesPrint studios, advertising agencies, digital media
Common UsageWebsites, apps, digital productsPrint media, branding, marketing materials

While both roles involve visual creativity, Visual Design primarily focuses on digital interfaces and user experience, whereas Graphic Design emphasizes visual content for print and branding. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or project focus.

Are visual designers in demand?

Yes, visual designers are in demand across various industries such as technology, marketing, and media, as companies prioritize strong visual branding and user experience. The role often requires proficiency in design tools like Adobe Creative Suite and knowledge of user-centered design principles, with job growth expected to continue as digital content expands.

Is visual design a good career?

Visual design is a viable career that involves creating visual content for digital and print media, often requiring skills in graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. It offers opportunities in various industries such as advertising, marketing, and technology, with roles ranging from junior designer to art director. Success typically depends on creativity, technical skills, and the ability to adapt to evolving design trends.

What does a visual designer do?

A visual designer creates visual content for digital and print media, including layouts, graphics, and user interfaces. They use design tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to communicate ideas visually and ensure aesthetic consistency across projects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Visual Design jobs in California?

The most popular types of Visual Design jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Visual Design jobs?

Cities in California with the most Visual Design job openings:

Visual Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Visual Design job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,680 per year, or $59.5 per hour.

Visual Design Lead

Ford Motor Company

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

New

Ford Motor Company rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 527 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

11th of 45 rated automakers

Job description


We made history and now we work to transform the future - for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.
Digital Product Design (DPD) at Ford is committed to envisioning and creating simple, thoughtful, enjoyable, and compelling product experiences that our customers need and love. We work in close partnership with product and engineering to deliver best-in-class interaction experiences. Our team includes product designers, researchers, visual designers, industrial designers, modelers, and project managers.
In this position...
As a leader on Ford's Digital Product Design team, the Visual Design Lead sits within our Design DNA team and is responsible for the visual craft behind how people interface with Ford vehicles through the visual design of the in-vehicle experience, connected devices, and mobile applications. This role shapes the look, feel, and visual consistency of Ford and Lincoln's digital ecosystem at scale, across millions of touchpoints worldwide.
This position is hybrid with a requirement to be in office four or more days per week.
Responsibilities
What you'll do... Visual Craft & Systems
  • Establish and codify the visual "look and feel" of Ford and Lincoln digital experiences, in-vehicle and beyond
  • Define and evolve visual and motion design standards - typography, color systems, iconography, imagery, layout/grid, and GUI components - into a cohesive design language for DPD
  • Lead the creation of "exemplar" visual design work that sets the bar for quality and craft across the team
  • Guide design teams in up-leveling presentation and prototyping through stronger visual and motion execution
  • Use consumer research, competitive benchmarking, and automotive-industry knowledge to inform and evolve the visual design language

What you'll do... Collaboration & Execution
  • Partner with UX designers to solve problems and deliver high-quality, on-brand experiences
  • Work with engineering teams to guide visual execution to the highest standard, with consistency across implementation
  • Participate in design reviews, providing clear, constructive visual design feedback
  • Manage communication with internal colleagues and stakeholders

Qualifications
You'll have...
  • Bachelor's degree in graphic design, UI/UX design, digital product design, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
  • Strong, demonstrable visual design skills, with experience building and extending complex digital design languages/systems
  • A portfolio showing exceptional command of layout, hierarchy, typography, color theory, and iconography in interactive/digital contexts (portfolio required for consideration)
  • 6+ years of dedicated experience in visual UI/UX design for complex digital products and consumer-facing brands
  • 6+ years of experience working within highly collaborative creative teams (product-side or consultancy)
  • A positive, inspiring presence on a team, paired with the ability to give clear, actionable design feedback

Even better, you may have...
  • Experience working closely with multi-disciplinary teams of researchers, designers, product managers, and engineers
  • Proficiency with modern visual design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Protopie, Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects, Rive, or 3D animation tools)
  • Deep passion for brand and digital product design
  • Experience designing visual systems across key touchpoints in the customer journey
  • Experience developing brand guidelines/standards for user interfaces - color, typography, iconography, imagery, and GUI elements
  • Experience bringing digital products or services to market
  • Experience mentoring or managing others in the visual design field
  • Passion for the automotive and transportation industry
  • Strong verbal, written, and visual presentation skills

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!
As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder...or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
This position is a leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.
For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.
This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week.
#LI-Hybrid #DesignTeam #LI-LS1

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