Graphic Designer

Ascend Wellness Holdings • Morristown, NJ

50d • Remote

About The Position

The Graphic Designer will bring Ascend's portfolio of brands to life through thoughtful, high-impact design across packaging, retail environments, and digital activations. This role is responsible for translating brand strategy into cohesive visual expressions including packaging, in-store signage, menu boards, and digital displays that engage customers and reinforce brand identity. The Designer will collaborate closely with Brand, Marketing, Retail Operations, and Product teams to ensure all creative work is visually compelling, consistent with brand guidelines, compliant with industry regulations, and market ready. This position reports to the Senior Graphic Designer. Portfolio showcasing relevant work required with application.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Illustration, or related field.
• 3+ years of hands-on design experience, ideally in the cannabis industry or a comparable regulated/brand-intensive consumer business
• Strong portfolio of work demonstrating brand identity development, packaging design, retail collateral, illustration, and digital/print design
• Expert-level skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and strong working knowledge of preparing print and packaging files
• Experience designing across print, packaging, retail display, and digital formats (web, social, email)
• Understanding of production workflows, vendor management, and delivering print/digital assets to spec
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, regulatory-sensitive environment; excellent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Strong collaboration, communication, and project management skills
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of cannabis industry design standards, packaging compliance, and marketing regulations, applying state-specific requirements as needed
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic brand direction into cohesive, market-ready creative assets

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience in the cannabis industry (brand design, packaging, retail activations) Illustration skills (hand-drawn or digital) and a strong illustration portfolio
• Experience in retail design or brand development for multiple states or retail locations
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements for cannabis packaging/labeling and retail signage
• Motion graphics/video editing skills (After Effects, Premiere) are a bonus
• Experience with web/UX design, WordPress/Squarespace, or other CMS
• Familiarity with merchandising/display design and retail store environment design

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute design assets for new brand and product launches (including identity, logo, illustration, packaging, brand guidelines)
• Produce retail-touchpoint design: in-store assets, point-of-sale displays, fixtures and retail collateral
• Work with marketing to design digital and print assets: social media graphics, email templates, web assets, and event collateral
• Ensure designs meet regulatory/compliance requirements specific to cannabis (labeling, packaging, retail signage)
• Maintain and evolve the brand identity system: ensure consistency across all touchpoints, develop toolkits/templates for use across states/locations
• Own its own workstream by working directly with XF partners to ensure a timely development and deployment of all needed assets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (product development, retail operations, marketing, external agencies) to align design work with business objectives
• Stay up to date on cannabis industry design and retail trends (packaging innovations, retail experience, brand activation)
• Provide and incorporate feedback into design iterations; manage multiple projects and shifting priorities
• Prepare final production files and ensure all assets are optimized for print and digital delivery, maintaining accuracy in color, typography, and format
• Contribute to creative concepting and brainstorming sessions for campaigns, product launches, and retail experiences to bring fresh, on-brand ideas to life

Benefits

• Build brands in the fast-moving, evolving cannabis category where design makes a real difference
• Work across product and retail - from packaging to in-store experience to brand identity
• Be part of a multi-state operation with high growth potential
• Opportunity for career advancement alongside brand evolution
• Collaborate with passionate, cross-functional teams shaping the next generation of cannabis retail and brand experiences

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Crop Production
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees