Kern Collective

Junior Designer

Design that works. People who care.

At Kern, we believe great design solves problems, tells stories, and makes people's lives a little better.

We're a creative studio in downtown Tacoma that partners with nonprofits, healthcare organizations, technology companies, and businesses doing meaningful work. We create brands, websites, campaigns, videos, motion graphics, and just about anything else that helps our clients connect with the people they serve.

We're growing, and we're looking for a Junior Designer who wants to grow with us.

This isn't a job where you'll spend two years changing button colors. From day one, you'll be part of real projects, working alongside experienced designers, project managers, strategists, and animators. You'll ask questions, share ideas, make mistakes, learn quickly, and become a better designer because of it.

If you're curious, humble, excited to learn, and genuinely enjoy making things better, we'd love to meet you.

What you'll do

• Design across print, digital, web, social, presentations, and branding.

• Help bring creative ideas to life—from initial concepts through final production.

• Create basic motion graphics and animations using After Effects.

• Work closely with designers, project managers, and clients to solve creative challenges.

• Participate in brainstorming sessions and contribute your own ideas.

• Learn how strategy informs great design—not just how things look, but why they work.

• Balance multiple projects while maintaining a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail.

What we're looking for

You don't need years of experience (though experience is a plus). We care more about your portfolio than your résumé.

We're excited to meet someone who:

• Has a portfolio that demonstrates strong design thinking.

• Is curious, asks good questions and is a natural problem solver.

• Takes feedback well and is always looking to improve.

• Enjoys collaborating with others while taking ownership of their work.

• Pays attention to the little details that make good design great.

• Brings a positive attitude and is willing to jump in wherever needed.

The tools we use

Design today happens in more than one piece of software. Our team works primarily in Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects) and Figma, while also creating work in PowerPoint, Google Slides, Microsoft Office, Canva, Mailchimp, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, and other creative platforms. You don't need to know them all—we're looking for someone who's excited to keep learning.

AI at Kern

AI is changing the creative industry, and we're embracing it thoughtfully. We use AI to help us brainstorm ideas, speed up production, explore concepts, and improve our workflow—but never at the expense of great thinking or craftsmanship.

Experience with AI-powered creative tools is a plus, but curiosity and a willingness to experiment matter even more.

Life at Kern

We're intentionally building a team—not just filling seats.

We believe the best work happens when talented people support one another, share ideas freely, and enjoy coming to work together. We work hard, laugh often, and genuinely care about our clients and each other.

You'll work with organizations making a real difference, teammates who love what they do, and projects that will stretch your creativity every day.

We offer competitive pay, flexibility when appropriate, opportunities for professional development, and a collaborative studio environment in downtown Tacoma.

Think you'd be a good fit?

Email your portfolio, your résumé, and a short note telling us why you'd like to work at Kern.

More than anything, we want to see how you think, what you're passionate about, and what kind of teammate you'll be.