Designer & Senior Designer - RHCB - (Open to remote)

Penguin Random House is the leading adult and children's publishing house in North America, the United Kingdom and many other regions around the world. In publishing the best books in every genre and subject for all ages, we are committed to quality, excellence in execution, and innovation throughout the entire publishing process: editorial, design, marketing, publicity, sales, production, and distribution. Our vibrant and diverse international community of nearly 300 publishing brands and imprints include Ballantine Bantam Dell, Berkley, Clarkson Potter, Crown, DK, Doubleday, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Little Golden Books, Knopf, Modern Library, Pantheon, Penguin Books, Penguin Press, Penguin Random House Audio, Penguin Young Readers, Portfolio, Puffin, Putnam, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Riverhead, Ten Speed Press, Viking, and Vintage, among others. More information can be found at http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.

The Random House Children’s Books young adult covers team is seeking two highly motivated, skilled individuals with a desire to learn and contribute to the team in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. They will work on YA covers across all RHCB’s imprints, executing all phases of cover and jacket making from concept through final art, mechanicals, and prepress. They will also have the opportunity to work on some interiors and/or middle-grade covers.

Responsibilities

Work collaboratively with art directors, publishers, and editors to develop covers and support the publishing programs overall; Responsible for effective, high-quality design of and sales materials for assigned titles from concept to final art to print-ready PDFs using creativity, resourcefulness, and understanding of goals; Research illustrators, designers, photographers, stock, and/or type. Present appropriate samples and pitch vision in meetings; Art direct illustrators, photographers, and/or freelance designers from initial concept and sketch development through revisions to final art for covers of assigned titles; Prepare jacket and cover mechanicals for routing, approvals, and release to production per printing standards, with attention to detail, and in a timely manner to maintain schedules and meet deadlines; Problem-solve with sensitivity and self-awareness; Track cover design trends in YA space with an eye toward setting new trends; Develop and maintain cultural competence to ensure stories about people from marginalized backgrounds are represented sensitively and authentically; Communicate clearly, professionally, and courteously with all internal and external contacts; Attend and participate in production, cover, team, and title-specific meetings; Participate in DEI initiatives; Support the art directors and other designers with all aspects of cover design as needed; Perform other related duties as assigned

Requirements

4+ years in a publishing or editorial design role; Strong knowledge of Adobe Suite’s current InDesign and Photoshop programs and at least basic understanding of Adobe Suite’s Illustrator and Acrobat programs; Portfolio showcasing inventive book cover design and typography; Highly organized, able to handle multiple tasks, to prioritize and manage time efficiently; Strong attention to detail, quality, and process; Willingness to take on responsibilities and an ability to ask for support or help; Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Desire to learn and work collaboratively; Deep interest in YA books

Nice to have

Experience with pre-press, 1-color and 4-color printing processes, and PDF workflow; Advanced retouching and/or photo composite skills; Hand lettering skills; Illustration skills; Experience designing Young Adult covers; Experience designing MG covers and/or interiors