The AO is a medically guided, not-for-profit organization, a global network of surgeons, and the world's leading education, innovation, and research organization specializing in the surgical treatment of trauma and musculoskeletal disorders. We are home to people from all over the world, from different backgrounds, with diverse talents and specialist areas. What binds us together is our passion for excellence, our dedication to our mission of improving patient care, and our understanding that we are stronger together: we are one AO.
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At the, we're committed to advancing medical education. We focus on equipping surgeons and healthcare professionals with cutting-edge learning programs, driving excellence in patient care.
Our Education Design team works at the forefront of digital learning, harnessing the power of media and graphic design to create immersive educational content. Our work spans curriculum and assessment development, medical simulations, video production, development of educational materials, and establishment of digital platforms on a global scale.
Employment type / Anstellungsverhältnis: Permanent Workload percentage / Pensum: 80% Location / Standort:
Zizers, CH
Experience level / gewünschtes Erfahrungsniveau: Experienced professional Application language / Bewerbungssprache: English or German
Short Description
We are looking for a curious, versatile creative professional who brings illustration skills alongside broader visual content production skills. Faced with a content brief, the ideal candidate considers the most effective way to communicate the message, often combining multiple formats and drawing on creative experience beyond the AO to strengthen surgical education content.
Main Responsibilities
Visual Content Production (Primary)
1. Produce high-quality illustrations, infographics, and visual assets for medical education materials across online, e-learning, event formats and print
2. Work from established templates and the AO illustration style guide; create new templates where gaps exist
3. Translate complex surgical procedures and medical concepts into clear, visually compelling imagery
4. Prepare and optimize visual assets for multi-format publishing (responsive web, learning management systems, presentations, print)
5. Produce motion graphics, short animations, or interactive visual elements for digital education
6. Manage and organize visual assets within the digital asset management (DAM) system, ensuring accurate cataloging, accessibility, and optimal usability across multiple digital platforms.
Creative Collaboration & Content Development
7. Participate in content development workshops with surgeons, including occasional international travel
8. Collaborate with medical editors, instructional designers, project managers, and subject matter experts to ensure visual accuracy and pedagogical effectiveness
9. Proactively research of anatomy, procedures, and clinical context to produce informed, accurate visual work
10. Contribute to creative visual content production beyond medical illustration
Quality & Standards
11. Apply and evolve the AO illustration style guide; ensure visual consistency and quality control across all outputs
12. Prepare illustrations for production workflows (embedding, color management, transparency, masks)
13. Maintain and update the internal image database and DAM system
Main Requirements
14. Degree in scientific/medical illustration, biomedical visualization, visual communication, graphic design or related field
15. 2–3 years of professional experience in visual content production, scientific illustration or graphic design
16. Strong proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop
17. Proven record in translating complex information into clear, memorable visual formats
18. Experience working from brand/style guides and template systems
19. Fluent English (written and verbal); German language skills preferred
20. Independent, structured, and organized working style with the ability to manage multiple projects
21. Comfort with AI-assisted creative workflows (e.g., Adobe Firefly, generative tools) as part of a modern production process
Highly Valued
22. Motion graphics / animation capability (After Effects or equivalent)
23. 3D modelling, rendering, or visualization experience
24. Basic video editing or asset preparation for video production workflows
25. Understanding of responsive and multi-format design principles
26. Data visualization skills beyond standard charting
Nice-to-Have
27. Experience with digital asset management systems (eg, Bynder)
28. Experience with content management systems (eg, Sitecore)
29. UX/UI design sensibility
30. Medical or scientific subject matter background
31. Familiarity with instructional design principles
We offer
32. An interesting and varied job in an exciting and innovative organization
33. The opportunity to be part of a highly committed international team
34. Modern infrastructure
35. High degree of flexibility regarding working hours and location (depending on operational requirements)
36. Generous package of social benefits, including supplementary vacation days and pension scheme contributions
37. Internal skills training opportunities and support for continued education