Product Illustrator – Entry-Level

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Mexico.

📋 Description

• **Role Overview**

• In the position of Junior Product Illustrator, your primary responsibility will be to transform the Chief Creative Officer's vision into polished, on-brand product art. This will enable Hadley Designs to launch new products more swiftly and expand our creative capacity beyond what one individual can achieve. The CCO will establish the tone, style, and strategy, while you will handle the hands-on execution by creating new artwork, completing sets in an established aesthetic, and developing each concept to be production-ready. This role is intended for someone early in their career with genuine illustration talent who is eager to advance their skills. We do not expect you to arrive as an experienced art director; rather, you should be proficient in drawing, quickly learn our style, accept direction effectively, and complete the final stages of the creative process, allowing the CCO to concentrate on setting the vision rather than executing it.

• **Key Responsibilities**

• **Original Illustration & Artwork**

• - Produce new artwork and finalize sets in Hadley Designs' established aesthetic across our product offerings.

• - Illustrate original elements such as characters, motifs, patterns, and scenes that align with our charming, child-friendly style.

• **Product Design Execution**

• - Convert the CCO's concepts and creative vision into finished, production-ready product designs.

• - Manage a design from initial handoff to final build-out without returning work to the previous stage.

• **Creative Production Support**

• - Take ownership of the execution offload (variations, completing designs across a full set, and preparing files) to free up the CCO's time.

• - Prepare print and production files to specifications, and create mockups and product previews for listings.

• **Style Consistency**

• - Ensure that every piece remains on-style and on-brand throughout the entire product range.

• - Maintain the living style reference to ensure consistency in look as the catalog expands.

• *As needed: occasional ad-ops support (A+ content, storefront updates, CMYK ad images) and revisions on existing product lines. This is secondary support, *not the core of the role.

• **How Success Is Measured**

• **First-pass approval rate:** the percentage of deliverables that the CCO accepts without requiring major revisions. This serves as an objective measure of "on-style."

• **New original art created:** the quantity of original artwork produced to support the product pipeline.

• **Sets / SKUs completed:** the number of finished design sets shipped each month, representing speed leverage.

• **On-time delivery:** the proportion of assigned pieces delivered by the established deadline.

• - **Framework-to-finish independence:** the percentage of projects carried from CCO handoff to production-ready without needing to send work back up the chain.

⛳️ Requirements

• **Who You Are**

• You are an emerging illustrator with authentic drawing skills and a keen eye for charming, playful, kid-friendly design. You have a passion for creating art and wish to pursue this path further rather than seeing it as a temporary position. You take creative direction well, quickly adapt to a style, and can carry a piece through to completion without needing it returned to you. You thrive in a remote, fast-paced setting where new products are released monthly and are excited to develop your portfolio within a brand that connects with millions of families.

• **Must-haves**

• - A portfolio of original illustration work demonstrating a cute, playful, kid-friendly or product-design sensibility.

• - Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator for native illustration (not limited to file handling or layout).

• - Ability to replicate and expand an existing art style, ensuring new pieces blend seamlessly with original works.

• - Strong capability to interpret written and verbal creative direction into finished products.

• - Dependability in meeting deadlines while managing multiple projects simultaneously.

• **Nice-to-haves**

• - Experience in preparing print/production files to specifications.

• - Familiarity with the children's, educational, or consumer-product industries.

• - Comfort with lightweight project tools (Notion, ClickUp) and file organization.

• Note: This is an entry-level maker's role. We are not seeking a senior art director or veteran illustrator. We are looking for genuine talent at the start of its career, with the desire and motivation to grow.

🏝️ Benefits

• Impact: Your contributions will have a direct effect on how families engage with learning through the Hadley Designs brand.

• Culture: Become part of a dedicated, mission-driven team that values trust, creativity, and collaboration.

• Flexibility: Experience the freedom of a remote role with adaptable working hours.

• Growth: Gain insights directly from our Chief Creative Officer and develop a portfolio of shipped, real-world product work.

• Remote-first work environment

• Paid time off and holidays

• Access to learning resources and professional development opportunities

• Complimentary access to Hadley Designs products

• Regular engagement with leadership, including the CEO and CCO

• Stability backed by a decade of being a family-founded, mission-driven brand