Production Designer — Beer Marketing (Downtown Seattle)

Taphandles is a high energy and collaborative award-winning design and manufacturing company based in Seattle. We are the leader in supporting the beer industry with the most innovative and unique product marketing available. Our products consist of tap handles, lighted signage, and custom point-of-purchase items for breweries across the globe.

We are looking for a Production Designer to join our team. The ideal candidate should be organized, detail oriented, flexible, communicative, and energetic. The Production Designer role at Taphandles requires a unique blend of design for manufacturability and technical versatility. You will assist in bringing our products to life by translating designs into complete 3D models and manufacturing specifications to be provided to our factory. An understanding of manufacturing processes, commercial decoration and finishing methods is essential to this position.

What You’ll be Doing:
• Using Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino 3D, and a variety of other software to translate our Design team’s concepts into technical specification documents (SPECs) for use by our manufacturing plant. Determine materials, assembly methods, and finishes to inform manufacturing decisions.
• Working primarily in Adobe Illustrator, assemble and clean up artwork files in preparation for screen and digital printing.
• Consulting with Designers and Project Managers on technical issues that impact function, aesthetics, cost, and timelines.
• Proofreading specification documents from fellow Production Design team members.
• Creating final proofs to send to the customer and copyright documentation for Taphandles design work.
• Taking on a variety of projects that help promote manufacturing capabilities knowledge within the company.
• Providing feedback on design presentation checks for production feasibility and accuracy.
• Assisting Junior Production Designers on SPEC document creation, and 2D & 3D software proficiency pertaining to our specific process.
• Providing production-based assessment to Project Managers including but not limited to sculpture, painting, and printing during the sampling phase.
• Organizing and maintaining capabilities manual for use by all departments.

Technical Qualifications/Requirements:
• Production-ready design or Engineering background
• Well versed in Rhino 3D and Adobe Creative Suite (Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop primarily
• Ability to be productive in a fast paced and collaborative environment

About You:
• Your design skills and interests exist in the digital as well as the physical world. You’re a maker of things and a tinkerer of stuff
• You are motivated, driven by a desire to learn and achieve personal growth
• You enjoy working with others as much as you enjoy taking responsibility for personal projects
• You are extremely observant when it comes to attention to detail

Do This to Apply (read carefully):
Reply to this ad with subject line “Production Designer” — Our first cut of applications will be based on following directions. Answer the following in the body of the email. Keep in mind, a person is reading this letter. Share your personality and answer carefully.

• Tell us about a time you taught yourself how to do something.
• Would you rather do something good and on time, or perfect and late?
• What is the last book you read and why did you choose to read it?
• What is your favorite beer? Favorite brewery?

Attach resume in PDF format, do not add in the body of the email. Attach PDF portfolio sample that showcases your technical abilities as well as your design aesthetics (< 5MB)

We receive a high volume of applicants and will reach out to those we would like to review further. Please do not call or email to ask about the status of your application.

Thank you for applying at Taphandles. We look forward to reviewing your application.