Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Assistant Designer

💰 $45,000 - $75,000

DesignVisual DesignUXProduct DesignCreative

🎯 Role Definition

The Assistant Designer supports senior and lead designers in creating high-quality visual and interactive assets across product, marketing, and brand channels. This role combines hands-on production work (mockups, assets, handoffs) with iterative design collaboration—ideal for early-career designers who want to grow into full product or art direction roles. Core focus areas include UI/UX mockups, branding execution, production-ready assets, design-system maintenance, and cross-team communication to ensure consistent, accessible, and on-brand experiences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Designer
  • Graphic Designer / Production Artist
  • Design Intern

Advancement To:

  • Senior Designer
  • Product Designer
  • Art Director
  • Lead Visual Designer

Lateral Moves:

  • Visual / UI Designer
  • Motion Designer
  • Content / Marketing Designer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist senior designers in creating pixel-perfect visual designs and UI mockups for web and mobile products using Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, ensuring alignment with product goals and user needs.
  • Produce high-quality marketing and brand assets (banners, social media graphics, email templates, presentation decks) optimized for digital and print delivery while adhering to brand guidelines.
  • Prepare and deliver developer-ready design files, including annotated specs, exportable assets, SVGs, and redlines to ensure smooth handoffs and accurate implementation.
  • Maintain and update the design system or component library by adding tokens, documenting usage patterns, and ensuring visual consistency across screens and products.
  • Iterate on designs rapidly based on stakeholder and user feedback, documenting rationale for design decisions and tracking changes in version control.
  • Create interactive prototypes and micro-interactions to communicate motion, transitions, and user flows for usability testing and stakeholder demos.
  • Conduct basic usability testing support—recruiting participants, preparing test artifacts, capturing observations, and synthesizing actionable findings for design iterations.
  • Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and marketing teams to translate product requirements into visual solutions and feasible implementations.
  • Ensure accessibility standards are met in designs (contrast ratios, keyboard navigation, readable type scales) and document required accessibility considerations for developers.
  • Produce and optimize image assets for performance (compression, responsive sizes, web formats) while preserving visual fidelity across devices and screen densities.
  • Apply strong typographic and layout skills to design information-dense pages, dashboards, and marketing microsites that prioritize clarity and hierarchy.
  • Support photography direction and basic photo editing/retouching for campaign and product imagery using Photoshop and Lightroom.
  • Manage multiple concurrent design tasks and projects by prioritizing, estimating effort, and meeting delivery deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Maintain a clean, searchable asset library and versioning conventions so teammates can find components, icons, and templates quickly.
  • Implement and update brand collateral templates in InDesign and Illustrator for consistent use across internal and external communications.
  • Build and maintain icon sets, illustrations, and reusable visual motifs that align with the brand’s voice and product requirements.
  • Collaborate with engineering during QA to review implemented UIs, identify visual regressions, and document required fixes for pixel parity.
  • Assist with production planning for launches—preparing final artwork, liaising with external vendors/printers, and verifying proofs to ensure quality and timeline adherence.
  • Analyze usage data and stakeholder input to propose minor UX improvements and A/B test ideas in coordination with product analytics teams.
  • Prepare clear design documentation, case studies, and portfolio artifacts that explain problems, process, and outcomes for internal knowledge sharing and external hiring materials.
  • Participate in creative reviews, critique sessions, and design sprints—actively giving and receiving feedback to elevate team output and personal growth.
  • Stay current with visual design and UI trends, tooling improvements, and emerging best practices to recommend sensible updates to the team’s tooling and workflows.

Secondary Functions

  • Support content teams by formatting templates, preparing production-ready files, and advising on visual best practices for campaigns.
  • Help maintain project trackers and design roadmaps; provide status updates during stand-ups and planning sessions.
  • Assist in onboarding and mentoring design interns and contractors by sharing style guides, templates, and production workflows.
  • Contribute to internal process improvements—identifying repeatable tasks ripe for automation or template creation to speed delivery.
  • Participate in stakeholder meetings to capture feedback, take clear design notes, and follow up with revised deliverables.
  • Prepare materials for client or executive presentations, including slide decks, mood boards, and visual rationale to help communicate design choices.
  • Collaborate with localization teams to adapt visuals and layouts for global markets while maintaining brand integrity.
  • Support motion designers by producing assets and storyboards for short animations and product walkthroughs.
  • Work with analytics and product teams to instrument design experiments and capture qualitative feedback for iterative improvements.
  • Engage in cross-functional workshops and ideation sessions to surface visual opportunities that align with product strategy.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in Figma (components, variants, auto-layout) for UI design and prototyping.
  • Strong command of Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for production and branding.
  • Experience building and maintaining design systems, component libraries, and style guides.
  • Practical prototyping skills with Figma/Adobe XD/Principle/Framer to communicate micro-interactions and flows.
  • Working knowledge of HTML/CSS and responsive design principles to create realistic, implementable UI designs.
  • Typography, color theory, layout, and grid system expertise for clear visual hierarchy and readability.
  • Asset preparation and export workflow for multiple platforms (web, iOS, Android, print) including SVG, PNG, JPG, and optimized web formats.
  • Basic motion design skills or familiarity with After Effects for simple animations and micro-interactions.
  • Familiarity with accessibility (WCAG) guidelines and ability to design for inclusive experiences.
  • Experience with version control and collaboration tools (Abstract, Figma Libraries, Zeplin, Git basics for design files).
  • Usability testing basics: creating test scripts, synthesizing feedback, and converting observations into design improvements.
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating thoughtful process, problem-solving, and a range of visual and interactive deliverables.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication—able to present design choices and rationale to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Collaborative team player who thrives in cross-functional environments and solicits feedback constructively.
  • High attention to detail and a commitment to visual polish and production accuracy.
  • Time management and prioritization skills for handling multiple projects and shifting deadlines.
  • Curiosity and a growth mindset—actively seeking feedback and new learning opportunities.
  • Empathy for users, balancing business goals and technical constraints while delivering user-centered solutions.
  • Adaptability to changing priorities and iteration-driven workflows typical of agile product teams.
  • Strong problem-solving mindset—able to break down complex design problems into actionable tasks.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Interaction Design, or equivalent practical experience and portfolio.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Visual Communication, Human-Computer Interaction, Fine Arts, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Graphic Design
  • Visual Communication
  • Interaction / Product Design
  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
  • Fine Arts / Illustration
  • Marketing / Digital Media

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–4 years of professional design experience in agency, in-house, or product teams.

Preferred:

  • 2–4 years experience working on cross-functional product or brand teams with a strong portfolio showing UI, marketing assets, and production work. Familiarity with design systems, handoff workflows, and accessibility best practices is a strong plus.
Explore More Careers