Thumbnail Artist

Thumbnail Artist (YouTube & Podcast Packaging) — Full-Time, Remote
Salary: $70,000–$100,000 per year
Type: Full-time
Location: Remote, open to candidates worldwide
Hours: US Pacific Time business hours
About Content Forge
Content Forge is a social-first content agency. We build founder-led content, podcasts and YouTube channels for brands and operators in ecommerce, B2B/SaaS, sports media and more. We're bringing thumbnail design fully in-house and want a dedicated artist to raise the bar on packaging across our client roster.
What you'll do
Design thumbnails for weekly podcast episodes and YouTube videos across several client channels, each with its own brand and audience.
Work from an episode brief: posting date, guest, draft title, a transcript of the first minute, the topic and the client's brand book.
Make each thumbnail and title work as a pair. They should add to each other, not say the same thing twice.
Build and maintain a thumbnail style or template for each channel, and help revamp packaging on older episodes.
Deliver several concepts and A/B variants for each video, then turn around client feedback quickly.
Composite host and guest shots cleanly, including AI-assisted imagery, while keeping every person's likeness accurate.
Watch CTR with the team and change what isn't working.
Plan thumbnails ahead of time from our Notion board, working to a roughly 10-day production cycle.
What we're looking for
A portfolio of YouTube thumbnails, ideally interview or podcast style. Bonus if you can show CTR results.
Expert Photoshop skills: compositing, cutouts, retouching and color grading.
Hands-on experience with AI image tools, and good judgment about when to use them.
A strong sense of packaging: curiosity, emotion, one clear message, and readability at small sizes on mobile.
The range to switch styles between very different brands, from sports to B2B.
Speed, reliability, openness to revisions, and clear written English.
Able to work full-time during US Pacific Time business hours, wherever you're based.
Nice to have
Figma experience.
Light motion design, such as channel covers and animated assets.
Experience with YouTube's thumbnail A/B testing.
Experience with business, founder or sports creators.
How to apply
Send us your portfolio link. Candidates we move forward with will complete a short design challenge as the next step: you'll create original thumbnails for real client channels we work with. We'll send full details to shortlisted applicants.

Work arrangement
Yes