Jr Designer, Portfolio - (Hybrid)

Penguin Random House is seeking a Junior Designer to join our Penguin art department. This role will support the Art Director and Senior Designer for the Portfolio, Sentinel, Thesis, and Optimism Press imprints. These imprints focus on producing original and idea-driven nonfiction in fields such as business, technology, economics, entrepreneurship, biography, and investigative journalism, with a focus on educating and inspiring a new generation of innovative leaders, participating in today’s most important debates, and helping shape the conversations of tomorrow.

 

The junior designer will work on all stages of the book cover creation process from conception through design and prepress. This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with the team to create covers for a variety of commercial non-fiction titles and apply your skills to push boundaries and set trends within these genres. 

 

Past titles include Unreasonable Hospitality, The Small and the Mighty, How to Change, Main Street Millionaire, On Character, Million Dollar Weekend, Co-Intelligence, Build the Life You Want, From Strength to Strength, Rich Girl Nation, Wild Courage, Stillness is the Key, Morning After the Revolution, Same As Ever, Rich AF, A Certain Idea of America, The Algebra of Wealth, A Hunter-Gather’s Guide to the 21st Century, Power Failure

 

Specific responsibilities include:

 

• Conceptualize, design, and manage multiple front covers
• Design and typeset hardcover jacket and paperback cover mechanicals (spine, flaps, back ads)
• Route, track, and maintain frontlist and backlist mechanicals through all stages (initial build, text corrections, color corrections, preflight, and final preparation and delivery of press-ready digital files to Production)
• Support and work closely with the supervising Art Director on various tasks such as research, layouts, and presentations.
• Partner and coordinate with other departments (editors, copy editors, production and prepress) to deliver assets and maintain a steady workflow across the imprints
• Learn and maintain high production standards, meet deadlines, keep to budgets, respond thoughtfully to feedback, and contribute effective ideas
• Organize and manage cover grids for current working list(s) to review at weekly cover meetings and monthly production meetings

 

Please apply if you meet the following minimum requirements:

 

• Proficiency with the MAC environment and the Adobe Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
• Highly creative thinker who is willing to explore a number of visual and conceptual possibilities for every book cover and enjoys problem solving: revisions are an opportunity to grow!
• Highly organized and flexible
• Strong layout and typography skills
• Very strong attention to detail
• Empathic person who can target designs to specific audiences/communities
• Passionate about book design, typography, color, and trends
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written
• Ability to prioritize and multitask and do timely follow-ups in a deadline driven environment
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel
• Knowledge of printing, prepress file/art management and production are a plus 
• Bachelor’s degree in art/design preferred
• Previous design experience a plus
• Previous design experience a plus

 

 

Please apply using our online application system and please include a cover letter and link to your portfolio along with your resume. 

 

This is a hybrid position that will require coming into the New York city office 1-2 times per week. We will consider candidates who can work from a commutable distance to our offices at 1745 Broadway, which includes the tri-state area (NJ, CT, & PA). 

 

The salary for this position is $56,000. All positions are currently eligible for annual profit award or bonus, subject to Company results. 

 

Please apply by July 11th, 2025 and include your resume for consideration. Before ap