Design Director Jobs in California

Design Director jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, entertainment, consumer goods, and digital product companies, with openings from senior individual contributors through executive creative leads. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego account for the largest share of postings, anchored by employers like Apple, Google, and Warner Bros. Discovery, all of which maintain significant design leadership functions in the state. Product design direction, brand and visual identity, and UX leadership are the specialties California employers pursue most consistently. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles93
Top employerMeta
Top citySan Francisco, CA
Cities hiring30
Work type55% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 93+ Design Director jobs

Stanford Health Care
Director of Facilities Planning & Design
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Stanford Health Care
Added 1d ago
Director of Facilities Planning & Design
Stanford Health Care
Palo Alto, California
Corporate Training
Corporate Training & Learning Development
Teaching & Instruction
$91.68 - $121.48/hr
Master's degree in public administration
10,000+

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Nen Creative
Design Director
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Nen Creative
Added 1d ago
Design Director
Nen Creative
San Francisco, California
Business Strategy
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Strategy & Corporate Development
Remote (US)

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California State University, Long Beach
Director, Design & Construction Services
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California State University, Long Beach
Added 1d ago
Director, Design & Construction Services
California State University, Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Business Strategy
Corporate Development & M&A
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
$13k - $20k/yr
Bachelor's degree in construction management
5,001-10,000

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The J. Paul Getty Trust
Associate Director of Retail Design
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The J. Paul Getty Trust
Added 1d ago
Associate Director of Retail Design
The J. Paul Getty Trust
Los Angeles, California
Business Operations
Program Management
Project Management
$140k - $189k/yr
Hybrid
1,001-5,000

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McAfee
Director of Product Design
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McAfee
Added 2d ago
Director of Product Design
McAfee
San Jose, California
Business Strategy
Project Management
Strategy & Corporate Development
$150k - $246k/yr
Remote (US)
1,001-5,000

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See All 93 Design Director Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Design Director Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Santa Clara
7 jobs
Irvine
3 jobs
Palo Alto
3 jobs
El Segundo
3 jobs
San Diego
2 jobs
Sunnyvale
2 jobs

Design Director Job Market in California

A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Meta
Meta5 open roles
ServiceNow
ServiceNow4 open roles
Turner & Townsend Pty Limited
Turner & Townsend Pty Limited3 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Electronics & Hardware
  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Insurance
  • Manufacturing

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in design director jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in design, visual communications, or a related creative field
  • 10 or more years of progressive design experience with at least three in a leadership role
  • Demonstrated portfolio of brand, product, or UX work shipped at scale
  • Experience managing multidisciplinary design teams across research, visual, and motion disciplines
  • Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and collaborative product development workflows
  • Background collaborating with product management and engineering in an agile environment

Design Director Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a design director in California?

Becoming a design director in California typically starts with a bachelor's degree in graphic design, industrial design, interaction design, or a closely related field, often supplemented by an MFA or an MBA with a design focus for those targeting large technology or entertainment companies. California does not require a state-issued license for design directors, so the path is built around progressive portfolio work, leadership credibility, and domain expertise in the sector you are targeting, whether that is consumer technology, film and media, or consumer packaged goods.

Which companies hire design directors in California?

Employers hiring design directors in California right now include Meta, ServiceNow, and Turner & Townsend Pty Limited, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's concentration of major technology headquarters, streaming platforms, and global consumer brands means design director roles appear at both household-name corporations and well-funded growth-stage companies.

Which California cities have the most design director jobs?

San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles account for the most design director openings in California. Los Angeles dominates because of its entertainment, streaming, and consumer brand industries, San Francisco and the broader Bay Area draw volume from enterprise software and consumer technology headquarters, and San Diego contributes a steady share driven by biotech, defense contractors, and digital health companies that increasingly invest in design leadership.

Are there remote design director jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most senior creative roles. About 66% of design director openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting the field's compatibility with distributed collaboration tools. Strategic and brand-focused design director positions tend to be the most remote-accessible, while roles involving physical product development, retail environments, or on-set production generally require an in-person presence.

How can I get hired as a design director in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is securing a senior designer or design lead role first, then building toward director-level scope over time. In California, large technology companies like Apple and Google run structured design residency and associate programs that develop early-career designers, and entertainment studios often bring in associate creative directors from art director or brand designer backgrounds. A strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end ownership, even from freelance or agency work, carries significant weight with California hiring teams evaluating first-time director candidates.

Where can I find and apply to design director jobs in California?

You can find and apply to design director jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and experience levels. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly through the listings.

See All 93 Design Director Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Design Director Jobs