Job Description
About Alta
Alta Planning + Design is an active transportation company dedicated to creating active, healthy communities through planning, landscape architecture, engineering, and education/encouragement programs. Alta was founded in 1996 when cities and communities were calling for safer streets for people walking and bicycling as the non-motorized transportation movement developed into a profession in the United States. We pioneered the field of active transportation, evolving our planning and design work into a visionary global practice that empowers people to live active, healthy lives and getting them to where they need to go.
Our core values and work bring about positive change by creating places that are geared toward moving people rather than cars, connecting community members to daily needs and human experience, and empowering every person to live an active healthy life. As a global leader in mobility innovation for over 24 years with 175 people on staff, we are dedicated to connecting people to places by working across disciplines and scale to address social justice, safety, and environmental resilience.
About the position
We are seeking a Senior Graphic Designer and Cartographer to join our team in Los Angeles, CA. If you are passionate about using visual communication and maps to tell stories focused on enabling people to bike, walk, and use transit more often, this position is for you. As a Graphic Designer, you will be responsible for brand development, design, and production of materials for digital, print, and fabricated mediums. This position has a special focus on mapping and cartography, including coordination with Alta’s Civic Analytics and Web teams. In addition, you may be involved in a range of general graphic design projects requiring both creative and technical skills, including wayfinding design, icon/symbol design, typography, complex infographics, and print collateral.
Our in-house Graphic Design team works closely with a multi-disciplinary team of planners, landscape architects, and engineers. We create graphics for a wide variety of projects including: wayfinding and sign systems for trails; planning and user maps; bicycle and pedestrian master plans; marketing and outreach campaigns; digital and print media campaigns; bicycle/pedestrian safety education; walking/biking events; and Safe Routes to School programs.
**Due to COVID-19 this position may temporarily start out as a work from home position. However, this position requires that the employee be based near one of the Alta offices listed above, as in-office attendance (at least twice a week) may be required when it is safe to return to the office.**
Position Priorities
An understanding of graphic design; cartography and maps; branding and typography, and demonstrated ability to thrive in collaborative environments; are required in order to successfully meet the requirements of this position.
The essential priorities of this exempt, salaried position are to:
Contribute to the conceptualization and development of cartography and graphic design elements for print and digital media including reports, websites, apps, and campaigns.
Work with Alta’s GIS specialists to develop standard ArcGIS Pro map templates, ensuring quality and integrity in Alta-produced maps
Ensure accuracy in all prepared documents.
Responsibilities + Tasks
Responsibilities of this positions include, but are not limited to:
Regularly collaborate with Civic Analytics and/or Web staff with a focus on improving and maintaining Alta standards, branding, and accessibility across a wide range of deliverables that span those three service areas.
Lead the development and regular review of Alta’s cartographic standard for print and digital maps.
Design and layout of long documents such as reports and master plans
Project management and communication with internal and external clients from concept to completion
Assist with design briefs by gathering information and data through research
Manage and coordinate production and fabrication of materials and files with external vendors
Ensure accuracy in all graphic files; including proofreading
Requirements
This position requires a combination of skills and experience including, but not limited to:
5-7 years of experience as a graphic designer/cartographer or 3-5 years of experience and a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Geography, or related field of study
Portfolio showcasing experience in maps and cartography, infographics, and print production and/or fabrication.
A strong interest in working closely with Alta’s Civic Analytics team as the designated point person for cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Must be able to take direction, as well as conceptualize and design projects independently
Design and prepare project deliverables for print and digital including: maps (planning and user/kiosk), complex data-driven infographics, and other outreach and/or marketing collateral (as assigned).
Project management experience
Consistently apply and enforce branding and style guidelines
Ability to communicate design concepts to a general audience
Ability to learn from and handle critiques; flexible and responsive to feedback
Ability to work independently and efficiently to meet tight deadlines
Ability to collaborate remotely across disciplines and geographic boundaries
Excellent time management skills, strong organizational skills, and superior attention to detail
Expert in Adobe Creative Suite software including Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Acrobat, and proficient in MS Office including Word, Excel, and Powerpoint
Proficiency with GIS including the ESRI Suite (ArcGIS Pro), and/or open source GIS tools (QGIS, Mapbox, Carto) to create high-quality map products
Existing Experience with ArcGIS Pro and willingness to learn its deep cartographic functionality and its integration with Adobe Products.
Preferred Skills + Certifications
The following skills are not required, but would be a plus:
Knowledge of, and interest in, the field of active, non-motorized transportation
Experience working in an agency environment or in-house design department
Skill in interactive mapping (html, CSS, JavaScript), and general awareness of interactive mapping options that are currently available
Experience managing and mentoring staff
Experience using SketchUp
An understanding of and ability to read architectural drawings
Familiarity with pioneering artists and cartographers
Master’s Degree in Graphic Design, GIS, or a related field of study
Reporting + Management Structure
Reports to the Art Director and generally will manage no one.
Physical Requirements
This is a mostly sedentary position that requires sitting or standing for long periods of time. Manual dexterity and visual acuity are required for computer work.
What We Offer
Compensation
The pay range for this job in Los Angeles, CA is $77,000-$96,000 annually. Placement within the range is based upon experience, skill-sets, and qualifications.
Alta offers comprehensive benefits to all full-time employees.
Medical: PPO or HSA medical plans, Alta pays 75% of the cost.
Dental/Vision: PPO, Alta pays 90% of the cost.
Life Insurance: Alta pays 100% of the premium for life and AD&D, equal to your base compensation.
401k: Alta provides a safe harbor match up to 4%.
PTO: 21 days accrued annually to start.
Holidays: 11 total company paid holidays
Additional benefits: Wellness reimbursement up to $800 annually, Bike maintenance reimbursement up to $150 annually, transit reimbursement up to $750 annually, 5-year travel award, and professional development opportunities.
To apply, please upload your resume and a cover letter, telling us why you’re interested in Alta and why you’d be a good fit. Please also include a link to a portfolio website and/or upload at least one sample of your graphic design work for us to review. Due to the high volume of applicants, we will not be able to respond to email or phone inquiries.
Alta is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants. It is our policy that decisions involving people are made on the basis of job-related criteria, independent of an individual’s gender, race, color, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability for which reasonable accommodation is available, and any other status protected by law. This includes decisions involving hiring, job placement, transfer, promotion, compensation, benefits, training and company-sponsored programs. Alta Planning + Design maintains formal employment policies, available on online and by request.
Affirmative Action Plan
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. is a federal contractor subject to affirmative action regulations requiring written Affirmative Action Plans (AAP’s) for minorities and women, and for covered veterans and individuals with disabilities. We worked intensively with a local firm who specializes in Affirmative Action Plans to develop a program for our company that will not only satisfy our federal obligations, but will be a living document. This means the plan is integrated into our recruiting and evaluation procedures, and is revisited often in order to ensure we’re doing everything we can to embrace and promote diversity within our company.
