Colorist Jobs
Colorist jobs are open across film and television production, advertising, photography studios, hair salons, and digital media, at every level from assistant to senior and lead, with specializations in hair color, film grading, and beauty editorial work. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Colorist JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 8+ Colorist jobs
Colorist, Licensed Cosmetologist
Licensed Colorists at Madison Reed Hair Color Bar are an essential part of our guest promise, delivering quality services and excellent guest care. You love beauty and hair color, and you pride yourself on helping guests find the best color for them and executing their service with perfection.
The Madison Reed Licensed Colorist brings to life our mantra of "confident is the new beautiful", and is the expert on Madison Reed consultations, hair care products, blowout services, unlimited roots memberships, connecting with guests and fellow team members to foster a focused and friendly work environment, meeting the demands of a busy day by knowing the targets, having a plan to meet them, keeping the environment clean and organized while building relationships and supporting each other. #livelifecolorfully
This role reports to the Manager, can be full or part time depending on business needs and requires availability at peak times to best serve our guest needs.
At Madison Reed, we aim to pay competitively. Compensation for this role consists of base hourly pay, commissions, and tips. Potential earnings for this location range from $37.50 - $39.50 per hour. Actual compensation contingent on factors including Hair Color Bar performance, tenure, and time behind the chair.
Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate and develop teamwork skills to provide a guest experience aligned with our values of Love, Joy, Trust, Courage and Responsibility.
- Provide consultations and all services offered on the menu, including shampooing and conditioning, styling such as blow drying, flat ironing and curling, etc., and all chemical services to the highest of quality standards and to 100% guest satisfaction.
- Be attentive to guest needs to help select the best products and color for them, while staying flexible to business needs and on time for bookings.
- Contribute to achieving monthly sales goals and other key performance indicators, including but not limited to: retail sales, services, memberships.
- Ensures Hair Color Bar meets company standards as it relates to cleanliness, merchandising, inventory, company asset security.
- Adheres to protocols regarding Madison Reed systems, policies, processes and procedures.
- Drive Hair Color Bar revenue through increasing the average service ticket through additional services, sales of unlimited roots memberships, subscriptions, home hair care and more.
- Grow within Madison Reed by participating in ongoing training and staying up to date on MR products and service offerings.
- Support the training and development of Assistant Colorists through demonstration, coaching and care.
Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, team members will regularly stand, walk for four plus consecutive hours; repetitive and regular bending and twisting at the waist; manipulating fingers and hands, bend and reach wrists and arms, reach with hands and arms or move up to ten pounds. May occasionally sit, kneel, stoop, crouch, and lift, push, pull up to ten pounds. Additionally, team members will communicate regularly with guests via ongoing conversations and consultations.
Qualifications:
- Active cosmetology license in the state in which you are applying.
- 1+ year of experience as a colorist behind the chair within a salon environment.
- Effective communication, strong problem solving and people skills, in a fast-paced retail or salon environment.
- Comfortable operating point of sale systems
- Fluency in English
Benefits:
- Medical, Dental, Vision & FSA (FT Only)
- Employee Assistance Program (FT and PT)
- Pre-tax Commuter (Parking & Transit) Basic (FT Only *)
- Life AD&D (FT Only)
- Short & Long-term Disability (FT Only)
- Accident Insurance (FT Only)
- Critical Illness Hospital (FT Only)
- Hospital Indemnity (FT Only)
- Parental Leave* (FT Only - Dependent on Tenure and Position)
- Team Member Discount: Working Advantage (FT & PT)
- Pet Insurance (FT & PT)
- One Medical Membership (FT & PT)
- The College Tuition Benefit (FT & PT)
- 401k Plans (FT & PT)
- Paid Vacation Time (FT Only)
- Paid Holidays (FT & PT)
- Additional benefits may be available depending on geographic location
Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, team members will regularly stand, walk for four plus consecutive hours; repetitive and regular bending and twisting at the waist; manipulating fingers and hands, bend and reach wrists and arms, reach with hands and arms or move up to ten pounds. May occasionally sit, kneel, stoop, crouch, and lift, push, pull up to ten pounds. Additionally, team members will communicate regularly with guests via ongoing conversations and consultations.
Equal Opportunity Statement Madison Reed is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to recruiting, training, compensating, and promoting our employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Inclusion is at the heart of what we do, from the way we craft our job descriptions to the values we espouse daily.Pay Transparency The posted pay range for this role represents the expected compensation for this position. Actual offers are determined by a number of factors including the applicant's experience, skills, and location.Background Checks & Fair Chance We comply with all applicable Fair Chance Ordinances and will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and other applicable laws within the city, county, and state candidates are located.Accommodations We value inclusion and are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations to complete the interview process. If you require an accommodation, please contact hiring@madison-reed.com as early as possible.
Note to Recruiters Madison Reed does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing vendors or search firms and does not pay fees for any such resumes. All unsolicited resumes are considered the property of Madison Reed.
Colorist, Licensed Cosmetologist
Licensed Colorists at Madison Reed Hair Color Bar are an essential part of our guest promise, delivering quality services and excellent guest care. You love beauty and hair color, and you pride yourself on helping guests find the best color for them and executing their service with perfection.
The Madison Reed Licensed Colorist brings to life our mantra of "confident is the new beautiful", and is the expert on Madison Reed consultations, hair care products, blowout services, unlimited roots memberships, connecting with guests and fellow team members to foster a focused and friendly work environment, meeting the demands of a busy day by knowing the targets, having a plan to meet them, keeping the environment clean and organized while building relationships and supporting each other. #livelifecolorfully
This role reports to the Manager, can be full or part time depending on business needs and requires availability at peak times to best serve our guest needs.
At Madison Reed, we aim to pay competitively. Compensation for this role consists of base hourly pay, commissions, and tips. Potential earnings for this location range from $37.50 - $39.50 per hour. Actual compensation contingent on factors including Hair Color Bar performance, tenure, and time behind the chair.
Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate and develop teamwork skills to provide a guest experience aligned with our values of Love, Joy, Trust, Courage and Responsibility.
- Provide consultations and all services offered on the menu, including shampooing and conditioning, styling such as blow drying, flat ironing and curling, etc., and all chemical services to the highest of quality standards and to 100% guest satisfaction.
- Be attentive to guest needs to help select the best products and color for them, while staying flexible to business needs and on time for bookings.
- Contribute to achieving monthly sales goals and other key performance indicators, including but not limited to: retail sales, services, memberships.
- Ensures Hair Color Bar meets company standards as it relates to cleanliness, merchandising, inventory, company asset security.
- Adheres to protocols regarding Madison Reed systems, policies, processes and procedures.
- Drive Hair Color Bar revenue through increasing the average service ticket through additional services, sales of unlimited roots memberships, subscriptions, home hair care and more.
- Grow within Madison Reed by participating in ongoing training and staying up to date on MR products and service offerings.
- Support the training and development of Assistant Colorists through demonstration, coaching and care.
Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, team members will regularly stand, walk for four plus consecutive hours; repetitive and regular bending and twisting at the waist; manipulating fingers and hands, bend and reach wrists and arms, reach with hands and arms or move up to ten pounds. May occasionally sit, kneel, stoop, crouch, and lift, push, pull up to ten pounds. Additionally, team members will communicate regularly with guests via ongoing conversations and consultations.
Qualifications:
- Active cosmetology license in the state in which you are applying.
- 1+ year of experience as a colorist behind the chair within a salon environment.
- Effective communication, strong problem solving and people skills, in a fast-paced retail or salon environment.
- Comfortable operating point of sale systems
- Fluency in English
Benefits:
- Medical, Dental, Vision & FSA (FT Only)
- Employee Assistance Program (FT and PT)
- Pre-tax Commuter (Parking & Transit) Basic (FT Only *)
- Life AD&D (FT Only)
- Short & Long-term Disability (FT Only)
- Accident Insurance (FT Only)
- Critical Illness Hospital (FT Only)
- Hospital Indemnity (FT Only)
- Parental Leave* (FT Only - Dependent on Tenure and Position)
- Team Member Discount: Working Advantage (FT & PT)
- Pet Insurance (FT & PT)
- One Medical Membership (FT & PT)
- The College Tuition Benefit (FT & PT)
- 401k Plans (FT & PT)
- Paid Vacation Time (FT Only)
- Paid Holidays (FT & PT)
- Additional benefits may be available depending on geographic location
Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this position, team members will regularly stand, walk for four plus consecutive hours; repetitive and regular bending and twisting at the waist; manipulating fingers and hands, bend and reach wrists and arms, reach with hands and arms or move up to ten pounds. May occasionally sit, kneel, stoop, crouch, and lift, push, pull up to ten pounds. Additionally, team members will communicate regularly with guests via ongoing conversations and consultations.
Equal Opportunity Statement Madison Reed is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to recruiting, training, compensating, and promoting our employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Inclusion is at the heart of what we do, from the way we craft our job descriptions to the values we espouse daily.Pay Transparency The posted pay range for this role represents the expected compensation for this position. Actual offers are determined by a number of factors including the applicant's experience, skills, and location.Background Checks & Fair Chance We comply with all applicable Fair Chance Ordinances and will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and other applicable laws within the city, county, and state candidates are located.Accommodations We value inclusion and are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations to complete the interview process. If you require an accommodation, please contact hiring@madison-reed.com as early as possible.
Note to Recruiters Madison Reed does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing vendors or search firms and does not pay fees for any such resumes. All unsolicited resumes are considered the property of Madison Reed.
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Find Colorist JobsColorist Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in colorist jobs.
- Proficiency in DaVinci Resolve, Baselight, or equivalent color grading software
- Portfolio or demo reel demonstrating completed color work across multiple projects
- One to three years of hands-on experience in a professional color environment
- Strong understanding of color theory, contrast, and exposure correction principles
- Ability to work collaboratively with directors, photographers, or creative directors
- Cosmetology license or relevant state certification for salon-based colorist roles
Tips for Your Colorist Job Search
Tailor your portfolio to the medium
Hiring managers in film grading want to see reel work with clear before-and-after grades, while salon clients expect a photo book of finished hair color results. Organize your portfolio by medium so employers find the work most relevant to the role.
List every piece of color software you use
Colorist job listings often filter candidates by software proficiency. Name every tool you've used in your resume's skills section, whether that's DaVinci Resolve, Lightroom, or professional color mixing systems, so your application clears keyword screening.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists colorist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target job titles that map to your specialty
The colorist field uses different titles depending on the medium. Search for 'hair colorist,' 'color artist,' 'digital colorist,' or 'DI colorist' to surface listings that match your background rather than relying on a single keyword.
Prepare a grade breakdown for your interview
Post-production studios frequently ask colorists to walk through a specific shot or series during the interview. Choose two or three examples from your reel and rehearse explaining the creative decisions, client feedback, and technical constraints behind each one.
Negotiate rate by citing project type and turnaround
Colorist compensation often varies by project complexity, not just years of experience. When discussing rate, reference the turnaround time, deliverable format, and revision rounds expected so the offer reflects the actual scope of the work.
Colorist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a colorist?
Start by developing foundational skills in color theory through formal training, a cosmetology program, or a film production course depending on your target medium. Build a portfolio through freelance projects, assisting senior colorists, or personal work. Then pursue entry-level assistant or junior colorist roles to gain professional credits and client-facing experience.
How do you get hired as a colorist with little or no experience?
Focus on building a demo reel or photo portfolio using personal projects, student films, or volunteer work before applying. Many post-production houses and salons hire assistants or apprentices specifically to train candidates. Applying to those assistant-level roles and naming the software you've practiced in your resume is the most direct path in.
What does the colorist interview process look like?
Most colorist interviews start with a portfolio or reel review where you walk through your process on past work. Post-production roles often include a practical grading test on the studio's system. Salon interviews may involve a live color application on a model. Expect questions about how you handle client feedback and revisions in either setting.
Where can I find and apply to colorist jobs?
You can find and apply to colorist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your medium and experience level, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 8 Colorist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Colorist Jobs