About the Eames Institute

The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity is a nonprofit public charity dedicated to advancing the dynamic legacy of 20th-century designers Ray and Charles Eames. By sharing the things the Eameses made and loved, along with their joyful and rigorous approach to life and work, we seek to inspire creative problem-solving that positively shapes our world. 

With our vast collections, digital and print offerings, extensive program of events, and the Eames Ranch, we aim to demonstrate the enduring value of the Eameses’ philosophy and invite people to explore their own curiosity, ask questions, and implement creative solutions to the challenges of today.

About the Role

At the Eames Institute, we aim to honor the innovative spirit of Ray and Charles Eames by integrating thoughtful, user-centered design into every digital interaction. As we expand our digital presence, the Digital Experience Designer will play a key role in shaping intuitive, accessible, and engaging experiences that align with the Institute’s mission and values.

The Digital Experience Designer will lead digital brand execution and shape core user journeys across our website and other digital platforms, ensuring a cohesive and impactful user experience across our ecosystem. Reporting to the Director of Digital Development and collaborating closely with the Senior Creative Director and other cross-functional stakeholders, they will translate institutional goals into compelling, user-friendly digital interactions.

By balancing visual storytelling, UX strategy, and technical considerations, this role will ensure that our digital assets meet the highest standards of quality, accessibility, and usability.

In this role, you will…

Lead Brand Execution Across All Touchpoints

• Collaborate closely with the Senior Creative Director to translate the Institute’s brand identity into engaging, high-quality digital experiences by conceptualizing, crafting, and iterating compelling interfaces and interactions in Figma that align with stakeholders’ needs, data insights, and technical considerations.
• Develop user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual design assets that reflect the full context of user engagement, ensuring all digital touchpoints work together to tell a cohesive story.
• Shape core user journeys and champion user-centered design principles to create intuitive, accessible, and delightful experiences across all digital platforms.
• Guide and support internal teams in applying the Institute’s brand and user experience principles to third-party platforms, ensuring consistency and usability across membership, e-commerce, email marketing, and other digital tools.
• Create and refine visual assets for various digital surfaces, including social media, web content, email campaigns, and interactive displays.

Work Cross-functionally to Enhance the Digital Experience

• Partner with content producers, engineers, the Senior Creative Director, photographers, curators, experience team, and members of Executive Team to align digital design efforts with institutional priorities and audience engagement goals.
• Effectively communicate and present designs for review, facilitating design discussions with internal teams, and managing stakeholder feedback effectively to refine and improve the digital experience.
• Provide clear guidance on digital design execution and frontend fidelity, collaborating with engineering in code where appropriate to ensure accurate design implementation while maintaining a primarily design-focused role.

Support Product Strategy and Continuous Improvement

• Help define digital product direction, refining design processes to ensure efficiency and alignment across teams and supporting the Director of Digital Development in scoping project plans as well as establishing the necessary talent and resources.
• Identify areas for improvement through user research, A/B testing, behavioral data, and usability testing, working with the Digital Product Director to prioritize opportunities that are focused on clarity, accessibility, and engagement.
• Stay informed about emerging design tools, trends, and digital methodologies, advocating best practices and innovation within the team.
• Maintain and expand design documentation and operational workflows to streamline collaboration and ensure long-term consistency in digital brand execution, and contribute versioned design work to the institutional archive as a resource for further reflection and evolution.

Cultivate Organizational & Cultural Impact

• Contribute to the Institute’s culture of curiosity, learning, and design excellence.
• Share technical knowledge, resources, and enthusiasm to the organization as a whole.
• Champion accessibility, usability, and inclusive design principles across all digital interactions.
• Serve as an in-house advocate for high-quality digital experiences, fostering a strong commitment to excellence in design, technology, and storytelling. 
• Promote the work of the team both internally and externally via writing, talks, or conferences.

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Values continuous learning, stays up-to-date with evolving industry standards and best practices, and enjoys openly sharing knowledge with colleagues.
• Is capable of abstract and conceptual thinking and employs thoughtful storytelling to work through complex problems and produce elegant, user-centered solutions.
• Can work with and expand upon existing and fledgling design systems to produce intuitive, accessible, and brand-consistent designs that adhere to our digital design principles.
• Understands web and product development best practices, including accessibility standards and Agile processes.
• Is a versatile designer that communicates effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences, confidently managing stakeholders at various organizational levels.
• Is proactive, detail-oriented, and committed to delivering exceptional work in a collaborative environment.

The ideal candidate has:

Required skills, abilities, competencies

• Advanced proficiency with Figma, including experience creating design systems and interactive prototypes as well as managing complex component libraries.
• A strong portfolio of diverse projects, including examples ranging in scale, demonstrating user-centered design thinking, UX strategy, and visual storytelling.
• Strong visual and interaction design sensibilities, with an eye for detail, typography, color, responsive layouts, and holistic user journey design.
• Some experience with HTML and SASS/CSS at minimum. Familiarity with JavaScript and/or frontend frameworks is a plus.
• Experience working with and understanding the needs of cultural institutions or arts organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholder expectations effectively, clearly articulating design decisions and responding constructively to feedback.
• Solid understanding of best practices in UX/UI design, including accessibility guidelines and responsive design techniques.
• Experience building and scaling informed decision making practices, including conducting and applying insights from user research, user interviews, usability testing, and behavioral data analysis through tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar. A/B testing experience is a plus.

Education and Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience in digital design, UX/UI, or a related field, with a focus on user-centered, interactive, and brand-driven experiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in interaction design, product design, graphic design (with a concentration in UI/UX), or work equivalent.

Other duties:

Please note: this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.

Work hours, working styles, and additional benefits: 

This position is expected to be primarily onsite at one of the Institute’s three main properties (Petaluma, Richmond, or occasionally San Francisco), with occasional travel as needed. Exact schedule and expectations will be established with the Director of Digital Development.

What we offer: 

The Eames Institute offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including…

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, for which the organization covers 99% of the cost for employees and 75% of the cost for dependents
• Base salary range: $107,000 - $127,000
• 401k employer match up to 6%, commuting benefits, and parental leave
• Wellness benefit of $600 per year to spend on anything that contributes to your mental and physical wellness
• Professional development benefit up to $600 per year to support your continued learning and career development
• $500 match for charitable giving, for every year of service up to five years
• Unlimited paid time off policy in addition to fourteen paid holidays
• Sabbatical leave after five years of employment

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The Eames Institute values diversity, inclusion & belonging for all, and is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We strive to create a workplace that empowers people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to feel respected, valued, and able to contribute at the highest level. If you’re excited by this role but your professional experience doesn’t perfectly align with the qualifications listed, we still encourage you to apply.