Service Designer

Do you want to contribute to society and organisations in a way that truly matters
to people? Do you have the drive to tackle complex challenges and are you keen to
contribute to positive change? Because… Livework is looking for a new colleague!
Our Rotterdam studio is looking for a full-time Service Designer with 3 to 5 years
of work experience.

We believe that public organisations can work better for people
Livework Netherlands is a strategic design agency focused on major societal challenges in the Netherlands.
We focus on sectors in society that call for innovation, such as the prison system, immigration, healthcare
and charities. We help organisations tackle complex challenges and create lasting value through design. We
develop vision and strategy and always connect this to tangible improvements; this is how we work towards
sustainable change.

A new chapter in Service Design
In complex contexts, we always work on 4 building blocks that each contribute to impact in their own way:
(1) (systemic) insight into the challenge and the people involved, (2) concrete solutions and services that
genuinely create change, developing and testing these, (3) strategy and policy development and (4)
developing the organisation’s change capacity and strengthening design capability. We’re not here for pipe
dreams; across all these projects, our strength lies in bringing about real change with real solutions that are
actually implemented.

People full of passion and drive who dare to dream
We are wherever we believe processes need to be more human. We keep each other sharp and inspire one
another with lessons from different projects and domains. We encourage each other by sharing personal
goals and motivations so we shape the studio together. Through a weekly check-in and our own newsletter,
monthly huddles, and a quarterly global meeting, we invest in each other’s learning journeys, passions and
integrity. Over lunch we explore new combinations in our sandwiches, pancakes, or tacos and recharge
during a walk with our office dog Pepijn. We celebrate birthdays with pizzas and collages and end-of-year
drinks with karaoke, speeches and chaotic pottery classes!

What will you be doing?
At Livework, you will likely work on multiple projects at once, from small to large. You will often be part of a
larger team, but you may also carry out a small or medium-sized project entirely independently. A day in
your new role might involve conducting interviews with a vulnerable target group, refining insights for a
journey map, contributing to business development thinking or putting the finishing touches on a
workshop you’ll be facilitating the next day. We expect you to have a thorough command of the core design
process: from research and synthesis to conceptualisation and testing. When you are involved in more
complex challenges in demanding contexts, you will work alongside senior colleagues who make time for
reflection and learning, because we see all our day-to-day project work as a great playground for growth and
development.
To succeed in this role, you will need a flexible mind, sharp analytical thinking, a calm disposition, creativity,
commitment and good self-organisation. You are a strong collaborator, and know when to be ‘bold’ and
when to be ‘humble’ depending on what the situation calls for. You enjoy thinking and collaborating with
other team members on business development and the growth of our studio.

Who are we looking for?
You have 3–5 years of relevant work experience, are fluent in Dutch, work and think creatively and critically.
You have a design background, preferably in strategic design. In more detail:
● You have a great passion for societal challenges.
● You have a thorough command of the core design process across all its phases and activities. You have an
interest in strategy, vision, organisations and the change capacity of design.
● You have an open and curious attitude; not only within projects, but also within our team. You have a
healthy capacity for reflection and contribute to a positive learning environment.
● You enjoy working with a client over a longer period: it gives you the chance to build trusted relationships,
work more effectively and create greater real-world impact. Your toolkit includes a positive attitude,
empathy and the necessary organisational sensitivity.
● You are an engaging speaker who can bring others along with your ideas and perspective.
● You have the ability to be mentally agile; to analyse and reframe, to zoom in and zoom out, to think from
both a human and organisational perspective and to switch fluently between the two.
● You are comfortable with the fuzziness of our work and don’t easily lose your footing. And if things do get
tricky, you ask for help in good time; because it’s always there.
● You know how to prioritise and can manage deadlines and budgets effectively, thanks to your commercial
awareness and understanding of the day-to-day business context.

What do we offer?
● Depending on your education and experience, a salary of €50,000–€60,000 per year based on full-time
employment (40 hours), including holiday pay.
● 25 days of annual leave (with the option to purchase more).
● Challenging projects with attention to your personal development goals.

● Varied work across a range of organisations, such as the Dutch government, Zilveren Kruis, the Red Cross,
ProRail and many others.
● A team of talented and supportive colleagues with a wealth of knowledge and seniority.
● Collaboration with Liveworkers from our other studios in São Paulo and London.
● Attention and space for professional development, in the form of a development budget of €1,000 per year
and 5 personal development days.
● A flexible, hybrid working arrangement; from our studio in Rotterdam, on-site with clients and sometimes
remotely from home. With the option to work from abroad for up to 6 weeks per year.
● A company MacBook and iPhone.
● A pension scheme.
● Free (vegetarian) lunch for those working in our studio.

Here’s how to apply
Are you excited about this role? We’d love to get to know you! Please send us three things:
● A cover letter, video, or slides (!) in which you address at least the following questions:
○ Why can’t Livework do without you?
○ How did you demonstrate your talent in a previous project?
○ What does your dream project look like?
● A CV
● A mini portfolio offering insight into at least 2 projects you have worked on.
Please send everything to rotterdam@liveworkstudio.com before 30 April 2026 at midnight.
If you have any questions about this vacancy, you can direct them to our studio manager Wouter at
rotterdam@liveworkstudio.com.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of
gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, ethnicity or disability. Should you require
any adjustments during the application process, please let us know so that we can support you.