Ad Designer

About Contra Labs

Contra Labs sits at the intersection of human creativity and AI. We partner with leading AI labs and product companies to improve their tools across design, video, development, and beyond. Our research is grounded in how top creatives actually work, studying the patterns behind what gets created, what gets chosen, and what resonates. We believe human input will always be at the center of net new creation, and our mission is to help shape technology so human creativity can be amplified to create what today is unimaginable. By joining the Contra Labs network you gain access to paid projects with some of the most innovative companies building the next generation of creative and AI-powered tools.

How It Works

This is an application to join the network and be eligible for roles as they arise. Projects are staffed on an as-needed basis, typically 5 to 10 hours at a time, though some may extend into longer engagements. In unique cases, we may have full-time roles available as well. When a project matches your skill set, we'll reach out with details and timeline.

To Join the Network

• Portfolio review - We'll assess your Contra profile and portfolio for strength in product design, specifically across desktop and mobile applications.
• Record a 30 second intro video - Share a quick 30 second introduction so we can get to know you.
• Complete profile - Once you've applied, we recommend completing your profile for better job matches and setting up your wallet so you can get paid when a job comes through.

What You May Work On

• Evaluate AI-generated advertisements and marketing creative across digital, social, display, email, and other campaign formats.
• Provide structured feedback on messaging, composition, branding, hierarchy, visual storytelling, and overall creative effectiveness.
• Help define benchmarks for what makes advertising creative engaging, memorable, on-brand, and likely to perform.
• Compare multiple creative approaches, identify strengths and weaknesses, and explain why certain ads are more compelling than others.
• Contribute to research on how human creative judgment can improve the next generation of AI-powered advertising and marketing tools.

What We're Looking For

• A strong portfolio of advertising, marketing, or brand creative across digital channels.
• Experience creating campaigns, paid social ads, display creative, email marketing assets, or other performance and brand marketing materials.
• A sharp eye for visual communication, messaging, branding, and creative strategy.
• The ability to articulate thoughtful, actionable feedback on both visual execution and marketing effectiveness.
• Strong creative instincts and an understanding of current advertising trends, consumer behavior, and digital creative best practices.
• Comfort working in fast-paced, experimental environments.
• Experience with AI creative tools is a plus.