Design Director Jobs in Massachusetts
Design Director jobs in Massachusetts are in strong demand, concentrated in technology, biotech, consumer goods, and financial services firms, with roles ranging from senior individual contributors to executive creative leads. Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville are the primary hiring hubs, where employers like Fidelity Investments, Wayfair, and Bose maintain in-house design organizations with ongoing director-level needs. Product design, brand and experience design, and UX leadership are the most consistently sought specialties. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 27+ Design Director jobs
At MERGE, we are Built Different. We are a marketing and technology agency purpose-built for the intersection of health and wellness—where human impact matters most. By weaving storytelling through technology, we move beyond traditional engagement to Whole Human Marketing. This approach recognizes that humans are multidimensional and complex, and uses AI to ensure every brand interaction feels natural, contextual, and relevant.
This commitment to human-first innovation is what brings us together and propels us forward. We are united by our North Star: to unite people and brands to empower healthier, happier lives.
Emerge to the Top of Your Career
At MERGE, we strive to create a superior work experience where talented and ambitious people grow. An experience that encourages people to think higher and feel deeper. An experience where people engage their minds and hearts to do the best work of their careers.
Associate Creative Director (Design)
As Associate Creative Director (Design), you will shape the digital and physical visual narrative for a fast-paced retail account [major Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) account]. You are a digitally forward design lead—equally comfortable setting high-level creative vision, implementing and guiding design systems, and hands-on execution across dynamic digital touchpoints, retail environments, and integrated campaigns.
What You'll Do
- As a core member of the team, you'll craft visually compelling designs, ensuring a consistent and premium presence across diverse channels
- Produce high-quality assets across digital and animated menu boards, packaging, in-restaurant signage, mobile apps, and web, ensuring pixel-perfect accuracy and timely delivery within budget constraints.
- Strategically apply design systems across various touchpoints to ensure cohesive and unified execution.
- Engage in all facets of design, from quick comping and creating design systems to type treatments, consistently delivering polished design solutions
- Work seamlessly with client-side digital and development teams to create best-in-class UX/UI experiences
- Articulate the underlying strategy behind design projects, emphasizing the rationale ("why") over the deliverables ("what") to all team members
- Work seamlessly with the creative team, account managers, developers, studio designers, and most importantly, clients, fostering a collaborative and synergistic environment
- Guide and inspire other designers by providing valuable direction
- Has a strong understanding of copy direction and its emotional impact on design
- Design and/or direct design efforts across multiple mediums and touchpoints, ensuring consistency and alignment with strategic goals
- You are responsible for holistic project lifecycles—from interpreting high-level business objectives into pixel-perfect execution and measurable post-launch success
Qualifications
- 8+ years of design experience within an ad agency, digital shop, or creative studio, with a portfolio showcasing strong digital, responsive, and cross-channel work
- Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Digital Design, UI/UX, or equivalent practical experience
- Proficiency in Figma (auto-layout, components, prototyping) alongside deep mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite
- Design System Experience: Proven track record of designing digital and physical experiences using component-based design systems. Across both digital platforms and physical/print retail environments
- Demonstrated ability to manage, inspire, and direct a team of designers while managing multiple fast-paced projects simultaneously
- Prior experience with QSR, fast-casual, or high-volume retail brands is a major plus
#LI-
#LI-HYBRID
At MERGE, we're committed to fostering an environment where our team members can thrive in both their careers and personal lives, ensuring they feel supported and empowered to succeed.
MERGE believes in transparency and equity. In accordance with state regulations, we're proud to include salary ranges in our job postings to ensure fair compensation practices.
The salary range for this role is $88,450 - $129,750, based on the individual's skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors. The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.
MERGE is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401K, Lifestyle Spending Account, Employer Paid Life & Disability Insurance, Flexible Time off & Holidays plus many other benefits and rewards.
Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.
And here's how we live our values at MERGE
- Ability. Mastering our craft
- Agility. Delivering with a growth mindset
- Humility. Collaborating for shared success
MERGE is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer
MERGE welcomes and celebrates diversity regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status or people with abilities. We believe that the more diverse we are, the more creative our work will be!
At MERGE, we are Built Different. We are a marketing and technology agency purpose-built for the intersection of health and wellness—where human impact matters most. By weaving storytelling through technology, we move beyond traditional engagement to Whole Human Marketing. This approach recognizes that humans are multidimensional and complex, and uses AI to ensure every brand interaction feels natural, contextual, and relevant.
This commitment to human-first innovation is what brings us together and propels us forward. We are united by our North Star: to unite people and brands to empower healthier, happier lives.
Emerge to the Top of Your Career
At MERGE, we strive to create a superior work experience where talented and ambitious people grow. An experience that encourages people to think higher and feel deeper. An experience where people engage their minds and hearts to do the best work of their careers.
Associate Creative Director (Design)
As Associate Creative Director (Design), you will shape the digital and physical visual narrative for a fast-paced retail account [major Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) account]. You are a digitally forward design lead—equally comfortable setting high-level creative vision, implementing and guiding design systems, and hands-on execution across dynamic digital touchpoints, retail environments, and integrated campaigns.
What You'll Do
- As a core member of the team, you'll craft visually compelling designs, ensuring a consistent and premium presence across diverse channels
- Produce high-quality assets across digital and animated menu boards, packaging, in-restaurant signage, mobile apps, and web, ensuring pixel-perfect accuracy and timely delivery within budget constraints.
- Strategically apply design systems across various touchpoints to ensure cohesive and unified execution.
- Engage in all facets of design, from quick comping and creating design systems to type treatments, consistently delivering polished design solutions
- Work seamlessly with client-side digital and development teams to create best-in-class UX/UI experiences
- Articulate the underlying strategy behind design projects, emphasizing the rationale ("why") over the deliverables ("what") to all team members
- Work seamlessly with the creative team, account managers, developers, studio designers, and most importantly, clients, fostering a collaborative and synergistic environment
- Guide and inspire other designers by providing valuable direction
- Has a strong understanding of copy direction and its emotional impact on design
- Design and/or direct design efforts across multiple mediums and touchpoints, ensuring consistency and alignment with strategic goals
- You are responsible for holistic project lifecycles—from interpreting high-level business objectives into pixel-perfect execution and measurable post-launch success
Qualifications
- 8+ years of design experience within an ad agency, digital shop, or creative studio, with a portfolio showcasing strong digital, responsive, and cross-channel work
- Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Digital Design, UI/UX, or equivalent practical experience
- Proficiency in Figma (auto-layout, components, prototyping) alongside deep mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite
- Design System Experience: Proven track record of designing digital and physical experiences using component-based design systems. Across both digital platforms and physical/print retail environments
- Demonstrated ability to manage, inspire, and direct a team of designers while managing multiple fast-paced projects simultaneously
- Prior experience with QSR, fast-casual, or high-volume retail brands is a major plus
#LI-
#LI-HYBRID
At MERGE, we're committed to fostering an environment where our team members can thrive in both their careers and personal lives, ensuring they feel supported and empowered to succeed.
MERGE believes in transparency and equity. In accordance with state regulations, we're proud to include salary ranges in our job postings to ensure fair compensation practices.
The salary range for this role is $88,450 - $129,750, based on the individual's skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors. The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.
MERGE is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401K, Lifestyle Spending Account, Employer Paid Life & Disability Insurance, Flexible Time off & Holidays plus many other benefits and rewards.
Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.
And here's how we live our values at MERGE
- Ability. Mastering our craft
- Agility. Delivering with a growth mindset
- Humility. Collaborating for shared success
MERGE is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer
MERGE welcomes and celebrates diversity regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status or people with abilities. We believe that the more diverse we are, the more creative our work will be!
See All 27 Design Director Jobs in Massachusetts
Find roles in Massachusetts that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Director JobsDesign Director Jobs by City in Massachusetts
Where Massachusetts roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Design Director Job Market in Massachusetts
A snapshot from current Massachusetts openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Construction & Real Estate
What Massachusetts Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in design director jobs across Massachusetts.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in design, human-computer interaction, or a related field
- Seven or more years of progressive design experience including team leadership
- Demonstrated portfolio of shipped products or brand systems at scale
- Experience managing cross-functional projects with engineering and product partners
- Proficiency in Figma, Sketch, or comparable collaborative design tools
- Strong communication skills for presenting creative strategy to executive stakeholders
Design Director Jobs in Massachusetts: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a design director in Massachusetts?
Most design directors in Massachusetts follow a path from individual contributor designer to senior designer to design manager before reaching the director level. There is no state-issued license or registration required for the role. Employers in Boston and Cambridge typically look for candidates with a degree in design or a related field, a portfolio demonstrating leadership-scale work, and several years of people management experience. Graduate programs at institutions like MassArt and Northeastern produce many candidates who eventually reach this level.
Which companies hire design directors in Massachusetts?
Employers hiring design directors in Massachusetts right now include Harvard University, Boston Athletic Association, and Bevi, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Massachusetts's concentration of technology, life sciences, and consumer brands means hiring is spread across both large headquarters and well-funded growth-stage companies, particularly in the Greater Boston area.
Which Massachusetts cities have the most design director jobs?
Boston, Cambridge, and Massachusetts have the most design director openings in Massachusetts. Boston drives the largest share of listings because of its density of technology firms, financial services companies, and consumer brands headquartered or regionally anchored there, while Cambridge draws significant demand from biotech and academic-adjacent organizations, and Somerville has grown as a design hub tied to the expanded Kendall Square ecosystem.
Are there remote design director jobs in Massachusetts?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 75% of design director openings tied to Massachusetts are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting the discipline's strong suitability for distributed work. Strategic and management-heavy responsibilities such as design systems oversight, stakeholder presentations, and team coaching translate well to remote settings, while hands-on production review and workshop facilitation are more commonly handled on-site.
How can I get hired as a design director in Massachusetts with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a design manager or lead designer role first, then building toward director-level responsibility. Large Massachusetts employers in technology and consumer goods, including firms headquartered in the Boston metro, often hire senior designers with two or three years of informal team leadership into manager roles. From there, demonstrating cross-functional ownership and strategic impact is what opens the director track. A strong portfolio showing systems thinking, not just execution, is the clearest credential edge for candidates making this transition.
Where can I find and apply to design director jobs in Massachusetts?
You can find and apply to design director jobs in Massachusetts on Migrate Mate, which lists current Massachusetts openings. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly through the listings on this page.
See All 27 Design Director Jobs in Massachusetts
Find roles in Massachusetts that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Director Jobs