Medical Illustrator Needed for Two ENT / Head & Neck Academic Projects

We are looking for a medical illustrator for two academic ENT / head and neck surgery projects. Ideally, we are looking for someone with experience in head and neck anatomy, airway anatomy, surgical anatomy, procedural illustration, or publication-quality medical figures. The start date is ASAP. The style should be clean, anatomically accurate, and suitable for medical manuscript/book chapter submission. We are open to either clean 2D medical line art or semi-realistic medical illustration. Accuracy is more important than overly complex 3D rendering. This job includes two separate projects: Project 1: Airway Localization in Distorted Neck Anatomy We need approximately 3 medical illustrations for an academic manuscript/pictorial essay about identifying the airway when normal neck landmarks are distorted or difficult to palpate. The figures should show the following concepts: 1. Open surgical localization of the larynx/trachea This should show a large neck mass distorting normal anatomy, with emphasis on the laryngeal framework and trachea. Relevant structures may include thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, tracheal rings, sternal notch, strap muscles, and displaced airway. 2. Needle-assisted airway localization This should show the concept of using a needle/syringe as an adjunct to help localize the airway lumen when anatomy is distorted. This should be illustrated as a controlled medical/surgical concept, not as a simplified emergency instruction. 3. Ultrasound-assisted airway localization This should show an ultrasound probe being used on the anterior neck to identify airway structures in distorted anatomy. Relevant elements include the neck mass, displaced/difficult-to-palpate airway, ultrasound probe, ultrasound beam concept, and labeled structures such as thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, trachea/tracheal rings, and possibly esophagus depending on the view. Optional for Project 1: If you have animation experience, we may also be interested in a short simple animation for the ultrasound-assisted localization figure. This would show the ultrasound probe moving over the anterior neck and identifying the airway/trachea in distorted anatomy. Project 2: Gastropharyngeal Anastomosis After Gastric Pull-Up Reconstruction We also need a stepwise medical illustration for a head and neck surgery book chapter involving gastric pull-up reconstruction. The key illustration is the gastropharyngeal anastomosis, which is the most technically important portion of the operation. We are hoping to show this as one multi-panel figure with approximately 3-4 panels. The figure should show: 1. Initial setup before the anastomosis begins This should include the base of tongue anteriorly, posterior pharyngeal wall, and gastric conduit/specimen after creation of a characteristic “smiley-face”/curved incision configuration, with the flap reflected superiorly. 2. Posterior wall closure This should show progressive interrupted suture placement along the posterior aspect of the anastomosis. 3. Anterior wall closure This should show completion of the anterior wall closure with interrupted sutures. 4. Final completed anastomosis If space allows, this panel can show the completed gastropharyngeal anastomosis in a clean, simplified surgical view. Important anatomy/visual elements across both projects: * Head and neck anatomy * Larynx / voice box * Thyroid cartilage * Cricoid cartilage * Cricothyroid region * Trachea and tracheal rings * Sternal notch * Large neck mass causing distortion/deviation * Needle/syringe localization concept * Ultrasound probe and airway ultrasound concept * Base of tongue * Posterior pharyngeal wall * Gastric conduit / gastric pull-up reconstruction * Gastropharyngeal anastomosis * Interrupted sutures / stepwise closure Expected deliverables: * Project 1: approximately 3 medical illustrations * Project 2: one multi-panel stepwise surgical illustration, approximately 3-4 panels * Optional: short animation for the ultrasound-assisted airway localization figure * High-resolution publication-quality files * Editable source files if possible, such as AI, EPS, SVG, PSD, or layered PDF * Final export as TIFF, PNG, or PDF * Labels should be editable if possible * Figures must be original and suitable for academic manuscript/book chapter submission * We will need rights to use the final figures in academic manuscripts, presentations, and related academic work Please include in your proposal: 1. Examples of previous medical, anatomical, or surgical illustrations 2. Any experience with head and neck, ENT, airway, ultrasound, GI reconstruction, or procedural illustration 3. Whether you can create editable vector/source files 4. Your estimated cost for Project 1 5. Your estimated cost for Project 2 6. Your estimated cost for both projects as a combined package 7. Whether you can also create a short simple animation for the ultrasound-assisted figure, and the additional cost 8. Estimated timeline 9. Number of revisions included 10. Whether you are comfortable working from surgeon-provided sketches, de-identified operative photos, and written step-by-step descriptions Additional details, reference images, and surgeon-provided clarifications can be shared after we review portfolios and select a suitable illustrator.