Principal Designer Jobs in Washington
Principal Designer jobs in Washington are in strong demand, concentrated in technology product design, architecture, and interactive media, with openings from mid-level practitioners through senior principals leading cross-functional teams. Seattle anchors the market, with Bellevue and Redmond close behind as primary hiring centers, and employers like Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing consistently seek principal designers across software, aerospace, and enterprise systems. Product systems design, UX architecture, and design operations are among the most sought-after specializations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Description
Job Summary
The Principal Environmental Designer is a highly skilled, visionary leader responsible for setting the creative direction and strategic vision for environmental design across Nordstrom stores. This role drives innovation in store environments, and experiential design, ensuring alignment with brand identity and business objectives. The Principal Environmental Designer single handedly manages and executes over 500 projects annually that vary in scope, complexity, and detail. This designer works to ensure the delivery of high-quality design solutions that align with business objectives and environmental considerations.
In addition to leading cross-functional collaboration, mentoring design teams, and influencing executive stakeholders, the Principal Designer partners closely with the Nordstrom Merchandising Group (NMG) and Nordstrom Leadership to co-develop compelling visual and departmental concepts. This includes translating seasonal strategies and brand narratives into immersive in-store experiences that resonate with customers and support business goals. This role demands a keen ability to synthesize input from multiple stakeholders, define a clear creative direction, and lead the design process from concept to execution. As the Principal Designer, they not only transform ideas into tangible designs but also effectively communicate the Nordstrom vision to secure brand alignment and approval for new projects. Their leadership ensures consistency, innovation, and excellence across every customer touchpoint.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and lead the creative vision for large-scale environmental design initiatives, including store concepts, Scaled Events, and brand activations.
- Partner with senior leadership across Visual Merchandising, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Store Operations to align design strategies with business goals.
- Oversee the development of design systems, standards, and scalable solutions that ensure consistency across all physical and digital environments.
- Guide and mentor a team of designers, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Present design strategies and concepts to executive stakeholders and external partners, articulating the business impact and customer value.
- Lead innovation in materials, sustainability, and production methods to enhance design quality and operational efficiency.
- Evaluate and approve high-impact design proposals, prototypes, and final executions to ensure alignment with brand and customer expectations.
- Collaborate with VM Engineers and Project Managers to ensure feasibility, budget alignment, and timely delivery of projects.
- Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies to inform future-forward design thinking.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Strategic Mindset: Is aware of how own work connects to the broader organization's strategy. Understands what actions to take to help the organization reach its goals.
Drives Vision: Takes steps to advance the organization’s vision and ensures that own efforts align with the team's goals and priorities. Operates with a clear sense of purpose that gives meaning to everyday activities. Ensures clear connections between day-today actions and the organization’s overall vision.
Communicates Effectively: Tailors communication content and style to the needs of others.Takes steps to ensure effective
communication between individuals and teams.Pays attention to others’ input and perspectives; ask questions and summarizes input to confirm understanding.
Builds Trust: Demonstrates dependability and builds an organization with a reputation for living up to its commitments. Gains others' trust and respect by showing consistency between what is said and what is done.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, or related field.
- 8–10+ years of experience in retail design, visual merchandising, or experiential design, with a strong portfolio of leadership in large-scale projects.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders.
- Deep understanding of 3D spatial design, materials, fabrication methods, and retail environments.
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, CAD, and other 3D modeling/rendering tools.
- Strong knowledge of Nordstrom’s brand, customer, and retail landscape preferred.
- Experience with sustainability practices and scalable design systems is a plus.
Pay Range Details
The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations.
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
We’ve got you covered…
Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:
- Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away
- Life Insurance and Disability
- Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources
A few more important points...
The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.
For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.
Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com.
Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.
Current Nordstrom employees: To apply, log into Workday, click the Careers button and then click Find Jobs.
Nordstrom keeps job postings open for at least one day after the posting date.
© 2026 Nordstrom, Inc
Job Description
Job Summary
The Principal Environmental Designer is a highly skilled, visionary leader responsible for setting the creative direction and strategic vision for environmental design across Nordstrom stores. This role drives innovation in store environments, and experiential design, ensuring alignment with brand identity and business objectives. The Principal Environmental Designer single handedly manages and executes over 500 projects annually that vary in scope, complexity, and detail. This designer works to ensure the delivery of high-quality design solutions that align with business objectives and environmental considerations.
In addition to leading cross-functional collaboration, mentoring design teams, and influencing executive stakeholders, the Principal Designer partners closely with the Nordstrom Merchandising Group (NMG) and Nordstrom Leadership to co-develop compelling visual and departmental concepts. This includes translating seasonal strategies and brand narratives into immersive in-store experiences that resonate with customers and support business goals. This role demands a keen ability to synthesize input from multiple stakeholders, define a clear creative direction, and lead the design process from concept to execution. As the Principal Designer, they not only transform ideas into tangible designs but also effectively communicate the Nordstrom vision to secure brand alignment and approval for new projects. Their leadership ensures consistency, innovation, and excellence across every customer touchpoint.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and lead the creative vision for large-scale environmental design initiatives, including store concepts, Scaled Events, and brand activations.
- Partner with senior leadership across Visual Merchandising, Brand Creative, Marketing, and Store Operations to align design strategies with business goals.
- Oversee the development of design systems, standards, and scalable solutions that ensure consistency across all physical and digital environments.
- Guide and mentor a team of designers, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Present design strategies and concepts to executive stakeholders and external partners, articulating the business impact and customer value.
- Lead innovation in materials, sustainability, and production methods to enhance design quality and operational efficiency.
- Evaluate and approve high-impact design proposals, prototypes, and final executions to ensure alignment with brand and customer expectations.
- Collaborate with VM Engineers and Project Managers to ensure feasibility, budget alignment, and timely delivery of projects.
- Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies to inform future-forward design thinking.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Strategic Mindset: Is aware of how own work connects to the broader organization's strategy. Understands what actions to take to help the organization reach its goals.
Drives Vision: Takes steps to advance the organization’s vision and ensures that own efforts align with the team's goals and priorities. Operates with a clear sense of purpose that gives meaning to everyday activities. Ensures clear connections between day-today actions and the organization’s overall vision.
Communicates Effectively: Tailors communication content and style to the needs of others.Takes steps to ensure effective
communication between individuals and teams.Pays attention to others’ input and perspectives; ask questions and summarizes input to confirm understanding.
Builds Trust: Demonstrates dependability and builds an organization with a reputation for living up to its commitments. Gains others' trust and respect by showing consistency between what is said and what is done.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Design, Architecture, Industrial Design, or related field.
- 8–10+ years of experience in retail design, visual merchandising, or experiential design, with a strong portfolio of leadership in large-scale projects.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence senior stakeholders.
- Deep understanding of 3D spatial design, materials, fabrication methods, and retail environments.
- Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, CAD, and other 3D modeling/rendering tools.
- Strong knowledge of Nordstrom’s brand, customer, and retail landscape preferred.
- Experience with sustainability practices and scalable design systems is a plus.
Pay Range Details
The pay range(s) below has been provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different for other locations.
Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
We’ve got you covered…
Our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits. Nordstrom is proud to offer a variety of benefits to support employees and their families, including:
- Medical/Vision, Dental, Retirement and Paid Time Away
- Life Insurance and Disability
- Merchandise Discount and EAP Resources
A few more important points...
The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. There may be additional duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job.
For Los Angeles or San Francisco applicants: Nordstrom is required to inform you that we conduct background checks after conditional offer and consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with legal requirements per Los Angeles, Cal. Muni. Code 189.04 and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For additional state and location specific notices, please refer to the Legal Notices document within the FAQ section of the Nordstrom Careers site.
Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at www.nordstrom.com.
Please be mindful that there may be legal notices and requirements related to this job posting that are specific to your state. Review the Career Site FAQ’s for relevant information and guidelines.
Current Nordstrom employees: To apply, log into Workday, click the Careers button and then click Find Jobs.
Nordstrom keeps job postings open for at least one day after the posting date.
© 2026 Nordstrom, Inc
See All 15 Principal Designer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Designer JobsPrincipal Designer Jobs by City in Washington
Where Washington roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Designer Job Market in Washington
A snapshot from current Washington openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Technology & Software
- Distribution & Wholesale
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Washington Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal designer jobs across Washington.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in industrial design, architecture, or a related design discipline
- Eight or more years of professional design experience with demonstrated leadership on complex projects
- Proficiency in Figma, Sketch, or similar industry-standard design and prototyping tools
- Experience owning end-to-end design processes from research and strategy through final delivery
- Proven ability to influence product direction and align cross-functional stakeholders on design decisions
- Portfolio demonstrating systems-level thinking and measurable impact on product or user experience outcomes
Principal Designer Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal designer in Washington?
Most principal designers in Washington reach the role through a combination of a four-year degree in design, architecture, or a related field and several years of progressive experience in product, UX, or industrial design. Washington does not require a state-issued license for most principal designer roles outside of licensed architecture. Candidates competing for senior roles at technology companies typically build a portfolio demonstrating systems thinking, cross-functional leadership, and measurable design impact.
Which companies hire principal designers in Washington?
Employers hiring principal designers in Washington right now include Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Impinj, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Washington's concentration of major technology headquarters and aerospace firms means hiring activity is particularly consistent across enterprise product, platform, and industrial design disciplines.
Which Washington cities have the most principal designer jobs?
Seattle, Bellevue, and Washington State have the most principal designer openings in Washington. Seattle drives the largest share of activity as the home base for major technology and retail companies, while Bellevue and Redmond generate significant volume from enterprise software and hardware employers headquartered on the Eastside.
Are there remote principal designer jobs in Washington?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 71% of principal designer openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on digital products and collaborative design tools rather than physical presence. Strategic, systems-level, and UX architecture work tends to be the most remote-eligible portion of the role.
How can I get hired as a principal designer in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an associate or mid-level designer role at a Washington technology company or design consultancy, then progressing toward principal through demonstrated ownership of larger projects. Amazon and Microsoft both run structured design programs that hire candidates at junior levels with strong portfolios. Building experience in UX research, design systems, or product strategy gives candidates the systems-thinking foundation Washington employers look for when promoting to principal-level positions.
Where can I find and apply to principal designer jobs in Washington?
You can find and apply to principal designer jobs in Washington on Migrate Mate, which lists current Washington openings across technology, aerospace, and other industries. Find roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 15 Principal Designer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Designer Jobs