Designer - Children's Books

Sourcebooks•New York, NY

2d•$55,000 - $65,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for an imaginative and collaborative Children’s Book Designer with 3–5 years of experience to join our team. If you love children’s books, believe in the power of art and design to spark curiosity, and would thrive in a fast-paced environment where creativity, data, learning, and collaboration are celebrated. This is a fantastic opportunity for an individual who has a desire to grow their career in publishing and believes in our mission that Books. Change. Lives! In this role, you will design and support the production work for children’s book covers and internals across multiple formats including board books, picture books, middle grade, and graphic novels. You’ll work closely with editors, authors, art directors, and illustrators, with opportunities to grow your skills, bring innovative ideas to the table, and help to shape stories that make a lasting impact on young readers. This an exempt salaried position with a range of $55,000 - $65,000. We determine starting pay based on a thorough evaluation of job-related factors, including geographic location, market conditions, relevant experience, training, and education. This process ensures a fair and competitive salary that aligns with both the company and the candidate’s qualifications. This position can be hybrid in Naperville or NYC, or fully remote in the following states ONLY: Arizona, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. This role involves little to no travel, with the exception of attendance at company-wide meetings.

Requirements

Experience: 3–5 years of professional experience in book design or a closely related field. A portfolio that demonstrates children’s book work is preferred.
Expertise in a Mac-based environment utilizing the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat).
A strong sense of typography, composition, color, contrast, and art-driven design.
Solid understanding of file set-up and final production guidelines, pre-flight, and printing processes including 1/C to 4/C offset printing, spot colors, and specialty coatings and treatments.
Able to license photography and stock art and color-correct and retouch images as required.
Familiarity with eBook standards and accessibility guidelines.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in the Arts or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Passion: A genuine love for children's books and an understanding of what engages readers at different developmental stages.

Responsibilities

Design engaging covers and internals for a range of children’s formats with a focus on strong visual storytelling, age-appropriate design, and market appeal.
Communicate design decisions clearly, listen actively, be open to feedback, and be willing to stretch creatively and professionally. Approach projects with curiosity and a growth mindset.
Partner with art directors, editors, authors, illustrators, production, and other key stakeholders to develop designs that align with the unique creative vision and business strategy for each book you touch.
Balance multiple deadlines while maintaining quality, creative excellence, and attention to detail across all projects.
Help partner with illustrators to achieve the best visual outcomes while always striving to create alignment across the creative and editorial vision of each book.
Ensure that files are accurate, properly prepared for print and digital output, and aligned with production and pre-press requirements.
Research trends in children’s books and products, design, typography, and illustration to bring fresh ideas to the team.
Maintain schedules, reporting, and databases for all assigned titles.
Be able to pivot quickly, take initiative, learn from challenges, and celebrate progress in all of its forms.
Always design with children and their caregivers in mind—creating books that are age appropriate, inclusive, and accessible.