Graphic Designer & Illustrator Coordinator

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The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

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The CUNY Mexican Studies Institute (MSI) seeks a highly creative, bilingual, and detail-oriented Graphic Designer & Illustrator to support the Institute’s visual identity, public visibility, and academic, cultural, and community-based initiatives. This position will be responsible for conceptualizing, designing, and producing innovative visual materials across print and digital platforms, including social media campaigns, promotional materials, publications, exhibitions, educational programs, public events, and special projects and initiatives such as the New York City International Book Fair (FILNYC).

The ideal candidate is a visual storyteller with experience in graphic design, illustration, branding, and digital communications. They should possess strong communication skills in both English and Spanish, as well as the ability to translate academic research, cultural programming, and community initiatives into accessible, engaging, and culturally relevant visual content for diverse audiences. The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, students, artists, researchers, and community organizations to develop materials that reflect the Institute's mission and values. This position plays a key role in expanding the Institute’s public presence and strengthening its connections across the CUNY university system, with a particular focus on Mexican, Mexican American, Latino, and immigrant communities in New York City, as well as with cultural, community-based, and academic organizations both within and beyond the University.

• Design visual content for social media platforms, newsletters, digital campaigns, and other communication channels of the Mexican Studies Institute.
• Create flyers, posters, invitations, banners, promotional graphics, and other visual materials for academic programs, public events, exhibitions, workshops, conferences, cultural festivals, and other institutional initiatives.
• Maintain and update the visual content of the Institute’s website and assist with the design and layout of digital materials.
• Develop graphic materials for educational programs, conferences, publications, research projects, community initiatives, and other Institute activities.
• Support the visual production of the New York City International Book Fair (FILNYC), as well as other Institute initiatives, cultural events, exhibitions, and festivals organized or supported by the Institute.
• Design editorial materials, including brochures, reports, catalogs, publications, event programs, and other print and digital materials.
• Produce original illustrations, graphic assets, and visual concepts that reflect and advance the Institute’s mission, values, and public programs.
• Collaborate closely with faculty, students, artists, researchers, community organizations, and Institute staff to develop visually compelling and culturally relevant materials.
• Prepare print-ready files and ensure visual consistency, branding, and design standards across all print, digital, and multimedia platforms.
• Assist in maintaining and strengthening the Mexican Studies Institute's visual identity across all public-facing materials and communications.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of the mission, programs, and initiatives of the Mexican Studies Institute.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Illustration, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, Digital Media, or a related field, and at least 2 years of professional experience in graphic design, illustration, visual communications, or creative production.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and other industry-standard design and creative software.
• Demonstrated experience designing for both print and digital platforms, including social media campaigns, publications, websites, exhibitions, marketing materials, and public-facing communications.
• Strong knowledge of typography, editorial design, visual identity systems, branding, layout design, information design, and digital communications.
• Exceptional illustration, visual storytelling, and conceptual design skills, with the ability to translate complex academic, cultural, and community-based content into compelling visual narratives.
• Experience designing and maintaining websites using WordPress, Squarespace, or other content management systems (CMS).
• Ability to develop creative concepts from inception to final production while maintaining high standards of design quality, accuracy, and visual consistency.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize competing deadlines, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, students, artists, researchers, community organizations, and institutional partners.
• Sensitivity to and understanding of cultural, historical, social justice, and community-based work, particularly as it relates to Mexican, Mexican American, Latino, immigrant, and multilingual communities.
• Fluency in English and Spanish, including the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences in both languages.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multilingual environments and engage a broad range of stakeholders across higher education, cultural, and community settings.
• Experience working in higher education, museums, cultural institutions, nonprofit organizations, publishing, or community-based organizations is highly desirable.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in graphic design, illustration, branding, editorial design, and visual storytelling across multiple media platforms.
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends, as required by program schedules, special events, and institutional activities. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with cultural institutions, museums, archives, nonprofits, or educational organizations.
• Familiarity with social media strategy and content creation.
• Knowledge of motion graphics, video editing, or animation is a plus.
• Interest in Mexican, Latin American, Indigenous, migrant, or social justice histories and cultural production.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is collaborative, flexible, and deeply invested in visual culture as a tool for education, storytelling, and community engagement. They should be comfortable moving between institutional design needs and more experimental or artistic visual approaches depending on the project.

Pay Range:

Minimum - Maximum: $54,313.06

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.