Day Job is a creative studio headquartered in Los Angeles with around 20 full-time employees. The team conceptualizes brands from the ground up and launches them into the world. Much of the studio’s work lives in consumer spaces, developing branding and rebranding for companies such as Recess, Fly By Jing, David, Grindr, A24, and The BBC.

About the Role

Day Job is a creative studio headquartered in Los Angeles with around 20 full-time employees. The team conceptualizes brands from the ground up and launches them into the world. Their work is largely focused on consumer spaces, with branding and rebranding projects for companies like Recess, Fly By Jing, David, Grindr, A24, and the BBC.

About the Role

Day Job is looking for a Senior Packaging Designer to lead the design and development of physical product packaging—from early concept through production.

This role sits at the intersection of brand thinking and technical execution. You should be comfortable creating packaging that is both distinctive and brand-forward, while also understanding the practical realities of manufacturing and market performance.

The ideal candidate brings strong visual taste, fluency in packaging systems, and deep familiarity with dielines, production files, and manufacturing processes. You should also have a clear understanding of retail-ready packaging principles—how packaging communicates quickly, establishes hierarchy, and stands out in crowded shelf environments.

You will collaborate closely with the design team, clients, and manufacturers to create packaging that performs in the real world—whether that means standing out on shelves, scaling across product lines, or delivering a premium direct-to-consumer unboxing experience.

Much of the studio’s work is in CPG and physical products, so a strong understanding of packaging as both a brand expression and a product system is essential.

Qualifications

Packaging Craft

Strong fundamentals in typography, hierarchy, layout, and color, specifically applied to physical product packaging. Ability to design packaging that feels confident and premium while maintaining clarity and usability across SKUs.

Packaging Systems & Hierarchy

Understanding of how packaging works across product lines—not just individual designs. Ability to establish clear hierarchy across SKUs, flavors, formats, and extensions while maintaining brand consistency.

Strong knowledge of retail-ready packaging principles, including how packaging communicates at a distance, establishes clear hierarchy on shelf, and maintains impact in crowded environments.

Comfortable designing systems that work across both retail and ecommerce/DTC contexts, adapting hierarchy and information design accordingly while keeping a cohesive brand system.

Dielines & Production Files

High proficiency working with dielines and packaging mechanicals. Ability to build, modify, and prepare production-ready artwork that accounts for folds, bleeds, finishes, and structural constraints. Files should be organized, precise, and ready for manufacturer handoff.

Manufacturing Literacy

Working knowledge of packaging production, including print methods, materials, finishes, and structural formats. Ability to collaborate directly with vendors and manufacturers to ensure designs translate effectively into production.

Brand Thinking

Ability to treat packaging as a core brand surface. Comfortable extending brand systems across packaging while maintaining consistency, clarity, and strong visual impact.

Workflow & Autonomy

Ability to take a brief, ask the right questions, and move work forward independently. Comfortable managing multiple SKUs, iterative feedback, and production timelines while maintaining well-organized files and documentation.

Taste

Strong visual references and cultural awareness across CPG, food & beverage, beauty, wellness, and lifestyle brands. Consistently produces work that feels considered, restrained, and intentional.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in packaging, brand, or product design (ideally within an agency or fast-paced creative environment)
• Strong portfolio demonstrating packaging systems and physical product work
• Proven experience working with dielines, packaging mechanicals, and manufacturing processes

Application Notes

This role focuses on real-world packaging that goes to market. Candidates with experience in CPG, food & beverage, beauty, wellness, or lifestyle product brands are especially encouraged to apply.

When applying, include portfolio examples of packaging projects that have gone into production—particularly work that demonstrates experience with dielines, packaging systems, or multi-SKU product lines.

If possible, highlight projects where you collaborated with manufacturers, structural designers, or packaging vendors, and where your work moved from concept through final production.

Compensation

• $600–$900 per day ($75–$112 per hour), depending on experience
• Potential to convert to a full-time role

Equal Opportunity

Day Job is an equal opportunity employer. They celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.

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