Research Graphic Design Specialist

About the Role

Design mission-focused graphics, presentations, photo, and video content for UDRI and Air Force sustainment initiatives. Help turn complex technical work into clear, polished visuals that drive engagement and impact. The Research Graphic Design Specialist provides graphic design support that advances the organization's image, identity, brand, and communication goals, as well as client research and implementation activities.

Working under the direction of senior creative staff, this position helps conceptualize and produce visual communications—including graphics, photography, and videography—while ensuring brand consistency in accordance with the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) Brand Guide and established messaging standards. Creative deliverables may include infographics, one-pagers and slick sheets, briefings and presentations, newsletter and social media graphics, success-story and case-study visuals, environmental and video-monitor displays, illustrations, photographs, and video.

This position will work alongside RSO staff to support technology adoption through marketing material generation, strategic communications initiatives, and presentation development, and may support additional UDRI customers and initiatives as needed. The position is co-located with the customer at the Hangar 01 facility and will travel between UDRI locations, base, and other mission locations to support communications work as needed.

The Graphic Design Specialist collaborates closely with the creative team, project managers, technical writers, and subject matter experts to maintain organizational continuity for branding and marketing initiatives and to deliver polished, on-brand products to internal and external customers.

Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and produce visual communications, including graphics, photography, and videography.
• Ensure brand consistency in accordance with the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) Brand Guide and established messaging standards.
• Create infographics, one-pagers, slick sheets, briefings, presentations, newsletter and social media graphics, success-story and case-study visuals, environmental and video-monitor displays, illustrations, photographs, and video.
• Support technology adoption through marketing material generation, strategic communications initiatives, and presentation development.
• Collaborate with the creative team, project managers, technical writers, and subject matter experts to deliver polished, on-brand products.
• Travel between UDRI locations, base, and other mission locations as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in fine arts or graphic design and 3 years of experience in the graphic design field (internship and academic project experience may be considered).
• U.S. citizenship due to federal government research contract requirements.
• Reliable means of transportation to respond to short-notice and multi-location in-person needs.

Skills

• Strong verbal communication and active listening skills.
• Detail-oriented and organized with excellent time management skills.
• Ability to prioritize, monitor, track, and complete multiple projects with competing deadlines simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Experience translating technical or complex information into clear, engaging visual design (e.g., infographics, presentations, marketing pieces, posters, and trade-show collateral).
• Working knowledge of color theory, composition, typography, and visual hierarchy.
• Ability to apply and maintain brand standards (logos, colors, fonts, imagery) for consistency across products.
• Photography experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• More than 3 years of directly related graphic design experience.
• Demonstrated experience with Adobe After Effects for 2D/3D animation and with Adobe Lightroom, Bridge, and Premiere Pro.
• Experience in video creation, storyboarding, and editing.
• 1+ years of marketing or organizational communication experience.
• Experience developing or maintaining a brand guide and producing branded communication products (e.g., newsletters, slick sheets, success stories, social media graphics for platforms such as LinkedIn).
• Experience preparing photo and video content for distribution channels (e.g., DVIDS and LinkedIn) and content for digital signage or video-monitor systems.
• Working knowledge of US Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Sustainment Center, and Air Logistics Complexes.
• Familiarity with project management approaches, tools, and phases of the project lifecycle.
• Understanding of how people experience change and the change management process.
• Experience working with technical subjects and collaborating with engineers and technical subject matter experts.
• Demonstrated problem-solving abilities and proofreading expertise.
• Ability to work effectively at all levels of an organization and collaborate with project stakeholders.
• Experience printing large-format designs and working with offsite vendors.