What are the responsibilities and job description for the Signage Designer position at Kolano Design?
Company Description
Kolano Design is a multidisciplinary design firm in Pittsburgh, PA, specializing in Signage, Graphics, Interiors, and Web. Our clients include Acrisure Stadium, the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the Kamin Science Center, Hazelwood Green, Pittsburghs North Shore Entertainment District. Our work shapes how people navigate and interact with built environments. We value clarity, functionality, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in getting there.
Role Description
The Signage Designer designs interior and exterior signage systems, wayfinding graphics, and environmental graphics that meet client brand standards and project requirements. Day to day, that means developing design concepts, preparing layout files, selecting materials and fabrication methods, and producing detailed documentation for production. You will coordinate with fabricators, review proofs and shop drawings, prepare zoning and permit submissions, and make sure final installations meet quality, accessibility, and code-compliance standards. You will work alongside project managers, other designers, and outside vendors, present in client reviews, and revise based on feedback.
This is a design role with a business side. Beyond the drawing, you will help pursue new clients, write proposals and contracts, scope fees, and manage project budgets and timelines.
Qualifications
- Strong visual design skills, including layout, typography, and color theory, with a focus on signage and wayfinding systems
- Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign; familiarity with AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Blender, or other vector and CAD tools is a plus
- Experience creating production-ready files and working with fabrication specifications, materials, and installation methods
- Ability to read architectural plans and collaborate with architects, interior designers, and project managers
- Precision with dimensions and specs, because signs get built exactly as drawn
- Excellent communication, organization, and time management, with the ability to run multiple projects and hold deadlines
- Ability to write clearly, price work honestly, and manage a budget
- Commitment to accessibility, code compliance, and user-centered wayfinding
- Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Environmental or Experiential Design, Industrial Design, Architecture, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience
- Prior experience in signage design or environmental graphics is highly beneficial