She was a senior designer at Landor Associates until 1989, when she left to establish the San Francisco office of MetaDesign with Erik Spiekermann and Bill Hill.
From 1992-2001 she served as creative director at the agency, leading projects for Apple Computer, Nissan Motors, BVG, Audi, Ernst & Young, Sony and Samsung.
[2] In 2003, Irwin moved to Devon to pursue an MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher College, studying with renowned deep ecologists and physicists including Fritjof Capra.
[5] Irwin has served on the national board of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and organized the 2003 Power of Design Conference in Vancouver.
[2] She has held faculty positions at Otis Parsons School of Design, 1986-1989; California College of Arts & Crafts, 1989-2003; and the University of Dundee, 2007-2009.