Web Designer

Creates websites, web pages, emails and other online marketing content by designing and building user interface elements, graphics, XHTML/CSS, JavaScript/AJAX, Flash, and formatting content for optimum user experience and conversion.

Duties:

• Plans web site design by identifying and evaluating intended audience interests and capabilities; evaluating browser capabilities; by clarifying goals; designing functionality.
• Plans web site visual appearance by determining overall cohesiveness, functionality, appearance, and navigation.
• Develops solid content design to help content scan-ability and leading users through the content.
• Develops site content and graphics by coordinating with copywriters and project managers; designing images, icons, banners, audio enhancements, etc.
• Prepares site by using image authoring and formatting tools (web developer and designer); ensuring cross-platform compatibility; establishing links.
• Utilizes Google Webmaster Tools and other search engine tools to submit sites and check for errors.
• Analyzes Analytics data and trends.
• Upgrades site by updating content and graphics; monitoring performance and results; identifying and evaluating improvement options; introducing new technology; maintaining links.
• Maintains site appearance by developing and enforcing content and display standards; editing submissions.
• Designs, performs layout, and produces digital graphics and finished files for XHTML/CSS prototypes, visual interfaces and interaction of web-based applications, micro-sites, websites, landing pages, emails, banner ad campaigns, etc.
• Validates site by testing and troubleshooting XHTML/CSS, including file/performance optimization.
• Researches competitors and other online applications to produce best in class layouts.
• Maintains internal and client related corporate logo and graphics library.
• Builds and maintains standard corporate MS Office templates.
• Prepares work to be accomplished by gathering information and materials from clients and in-house team.
• Plans concepts by reviewing with creative and/or art director, as well as studying information and materials such as the creative brief and discovery documents.
• Illustrates concept(s) by designing rough layout of images and copy; resolving issues of arrangement, size, type size and style, and related aesthetic concepts.
• Obtains approval of concept(s) by submitting rough layout for approval.
• Builds web site by specifying elements and attributes, logical and physical styles, background graphics, external images, sounds, and animations; defining anchors and relative and absolute path links; entering comments; writing code and using text editors; following accepted html specifications.
• Completes web projects by coordinating with project managers, designers, content editors, marketing, and development team.
• Possess a willingness to learn and integrates usability standards.
• Maintains technical knowledge by reading industry-specific books, online and offline industry articles on industry trends, advancements, and best practices; attending design workshops; reviewing professional publications; participating in professional societies.
• Must be willing to expand XHTML coding technique or integrate studio’s technique into own technique. Discover more efficient ways to build websites and integrate new ideas/techniques.
• Contributes to team efforts by helping out with other tasks as needed and always pushing self and others among the team to achieve world class results.
• Performs site maintenance updates and revisions.
• Organizes directories, project files and assets in consideration to our requirements.
• Follows established processes and specifications to create client deliverables.
• Understands and follows creative briefs & technical specs.
• Quickly and efficiently creates visual designs that address business, brand, market, and user requirements, including design and production of screen layouts, prototypes, color palettes, typography, and interface elements.
• Ensures consistency, clarity, and elegance of presentation.
• Works with product managers and developers to define and design the user experience.
• Takes direction from design lead(s), as well as work as a design lead and serve as a point of contact in project planning for marketing design activities with marketing managers and producers.
• Anticipates potential project problems and create solutions or contingency plans.
• Checks all work for accuracy and specifications.
• QA other designers’ work for accuracy and specifications.
• Participates in review and approval processes for project deliverables.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Strong skills using Adobe Creative Suite, including Interactive/Multimedia (Flash) knowledge
• College degree in related Computer Science curriculum OR three years of experience in front-end website development including hands-on work with web interface and layout design
• You must have a strong understanding of web standards (W3C), semantic markup, cross-browser support, browser degradation techniques, visual design, usability, SEO, and accessibility.
• Intermediate to Advanced XHTML/CSS/JavaScript
• Solid knowledge of the constraints of online design; research and must be interested in exploring best practices in interactive design
• Experience optimizing images for web user interface and creating XHTML/CSS that matches a Photoshop design layout; ,must possess understanding of how mockups translate to code.
• Strong layout skills and web asset design (CTAs, Promo/Content units, Ads/Banners, etc)
• Multimedia/Video/Flash Content Development
• Ability to take complex ideas and translate into simple visual communication
• Possess understanding of usability in relation to specific user’s needs
• Possess a creative and resourceful problem-solving mindset, with a proven ability to create design work that is clear, clean, vibrant, and meets business requirements
• Ability to communicate all aspects of presentation layer development in technical and non-technical fashion
• Ability to build reusable HTML templates from scratch and ability to do so with plain text editors as well as complex editors like Adobe Dreamweaver
• Strong ability to review, understand, and reuse existing code base
• Knowledge and experience working with content management systems as well as the ability to code from scratch
• Coding style should be evolved to where your code is modular and very reusable
• Understanding of Cross-Compatibility. Ability to develop web pages so that pages are 'pixel perfect' in all major browsers. Troubleshoot code by sight. IE6 bug and remedies expertise.
• Web browser, SEO, and 508/WCAG accessibility expertise
• Ability to follow detailed instructions, stay focused, be able switch gears on short notice and complete tasks efficiently
• Possess an ability to provide expert direction to content managers
vPossess an ability to work in a collaborative environment where passion and communication skills are valued
• Must be detail-oriented, organized, and possess excellent time management skills to handle and prioritize multiple projects.
• Must be flexible and open to critique
• Must possess creative lifecycle experience, from concept to production of functional creative.
• Possess fundamental graphic design knowledge – typography, color theory, grids, hierarchy, kerning, etc.
• Must keep the audience and user experience in mind at all times.
• Must be up to date on browser/platform/tool/user issues, and their fixes.
• Must be up to date on major industry happenings, design trends, the latest online strategies, and make the leap to consider their potential benefits/impacts on the work we do for our clients every day.
• Possess ability to identify, leverage, and share additional tools and materials to assist your production work (Firefox extensions, code validators, debuggers, W3C web site, etc).

Must Have:

• 3+ years experience in designing, coding and maintaining dynamic websites
• Must be very familiar with XHTML, CSS, XML, JavaScript, AJAX and bonus if understand XSLT
• Passion for writing elegant, modular code
• Passion for the web and learning new technologies
• Excellent time management skills - detail-oriented and efficient

Pluses:

• Google Analytics and/or other Analytics experience
• Experience in website testing (A/B Testing/Multivariate Testing) and user research (online surveys, etc)
• Intermediate to Advanced understanding of Flash techniques and action scripting
• Experience with Search Engine Optimization strategy, execution and validation
• Experience in Online Marketing such as email marketing, paid search marketing, article marketing and social networking
• Experience with the Microsoft Visual Studio / .NET technology specifically in ASP.NET and C#
• B.S. in Computer Science or related fields
• Creative Writing Skills

About Us:

We're fun, we work hard, and we take great pride in what we do.

In business for over 11 years, we continue to hone our skills. We continue to learn from both our own experience and participation in leading conferences and seminars. We're passionate advocates of web standards that bridge design, marketing strategy and usability to achieve measurable results

Culture and Attitudes/Traits:

• Work as a team - leave no teammate behind
• Demonstrate a positive attitude everyday
• Be solution oriented - never say "try" or "can’t"
• Demonstrate excellence by going above and beyond for the benefit of teammates and the company
• View mistakes as an opportunity to learn rather than as a negative situation
• Value diversity in gender, knowledge, culture and experience
• Be a creative innovator
• Think green - positively affect the environment

For employment consideration, please submit your resume, with salary expectations and availability for work, as well as a list of recent project URLS (noting scope and role) to: jobs@blastam.com