Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Digital Designer, Climate Science

at Project Drawdown

🏢 About Project Drawdown

Project Drawdown is the world's leading guide for science-based climate solutions, offering a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of rigorous climate science and creative communication. As a mission-driven nonprofit, your designs will directly help translate complex climate data into actionable insights for global audiences, making a tangible impact on the fight against climate change.

About This Role

As Senior Digital Designer, you will lead the creation of compelling digital content—from infographics to animations—that makes climate science accessible and engaging. Your work will directly support marketing campaigns, fundraising, and educational initiatives, ensuring that Project Drawdown's visual identity remains cohesive and impactful across all channels.

💡 A Day in the Life

Start your day by reviewing project briefs from the science team, then sketch concepts for a new infographic on methane reduction. Midday, you'll collaborate with the marketing team on a social media campaign, refining animations in After Effects. After lunch, you'll present wireframes for a new fundraising landing page, incorporating feedback from stakeholders. The day ends with a team stand-up to align on priorities for the week.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Project Drawdown Is Looking For

  • A seasoned designer with 5+ years creating science-based digital content, especially in climate or environmental fields, who can translate dense data into clear, beautiful visuals.
  • Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, video editing tools, and Keynote, with a portfolio showcasing infographics, animations, and social media assets.
  • Deeply knowledgeable about climate change and related topics, able to grasp complex scientific concepts and communicate them to non-expert audiences.
  • Strategic thinker who contributes to digital strategy and branding, ensuring consistency and innovation across web, mobile, social media, email, and presentations.

📝 Tips for Applying to Project Drawdown

1

Highlight any experience designing for climate or environmental nonprofits in your portfolio—showcase projects that simplified scientific data.

2

Include a direct link to a portfolio with diverse examples: infographics, animations, social media graphics, and presentation slides.

3

Tailor your resume to emphasize your ability to work remotely and collaborate with cross-functional teams (science, marketing, fundraising).

4

In your cover letter, mention specific Project Drawdown initiatives (e.g., the Drawdown Roadmap) and how your design skills can amplify their impact.

5

Submit a brief design exercise (if not requested) that visualizes a climate concept from their website, demonstrating your ability to simplify complexity.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your passion for climate action and how your design work can drive engagement and understanding of science-based solutions.', 'Specific examples of translating complex environmental data into accessible visuals for diverse audiences.', "Your strategic approach to branding and digital strategy, with ideas for enhancing Project Drawdown's visual identity.", 'Your experience collaborating with scientists or researchers to ensure accuracy while maintaining creative excellence.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Project Drawdown's website thoroughly, especially their published reports and the Drawdown Roadmap, to understand their key messages and visual style.
  • → Review their social media channels (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) to see how they currently communicate climate science visually.
  • → Read their latest scientific papers or blog posts to familiarize yourself with the terminology and current focus areas.
  • → Study their brand guidelines if available publicly, or analyze their visual identity across materials to identify consistency and gaps.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach designing an infographic that explains the carbon sequestration potential of regenerative agriculture?
2 Describe a time you had to simplify a complex scientific concept for a non-expert audience. What was your process?
3 How do you ensure brand consistency across different digital channels (web, social, email) while keeping content fresh?
4 What metrics do you use to measure the success of your digital designs, and how have you iterated based on data?
5 How would you handle a tight deadline for a fundraising campaign asset while maintaining high design standards?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic portfolio without any climate or science-related projects—this role requires domain-specific design skills.
  • Ignoring the remote-work aspect: failing to demonstrate self-motivation, time management, and remote collaboration experience.
  • Overlooking the science communication aspect: avoid overly artistic or abstract designs that don't prioritize clarity and accuracy.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Project Drawdown!

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