Design Director, Product Design

Remote; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 125,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401k with employer matching

Unlimited PTO + company wide closures

Work From Home and Wellbeing monthly(s

HSA Employer Contribution

Professional Development Stipend

Paid Parental Leave

Job summary

Remote is seeking an experienced Design Leader to steer the design of complex digital products and platforms. You will guide multidisciplinary teams, collaborate with clients, and maintain high craft standards across experiences.

You will mentor designers, lead multiple workstreams, and champion collaboration with strategy, production, and technology partners. A humble, curious leader with AI interest will thrive in this distributed environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience leading the design of complex digital products, platforms, services, or interactive experiences.
• Strong product design expertise, connecting user needs, business goals, and technical realities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with strategy, technology, and production partners.
• Systems-thinking mindset with experience navigating large-scale, interconnected experiences.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to lead multiple projects and priorities while maintaining a high standard of craft and execution.
• Confidence working directly with clients, building trust, and guiding complex conversations.
• Curiosity about emerging technologies, including AI, and enthusiasm for exploring how they can enhance products, experiences, and workflows.
• A collaborative, humble approach to leadership and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of complex digital products, platforms, and experiences from concept through execution.
• Partner with clients and cross-functional teams to define opportunities, shape solutions, and drive alignment.
• Guide teams through ambiguity, translating complex challenges into clear, thoughtful experiences.
• Establish and maintain a high bar for craft across visual design, interaction design, systems thinking, and user experience.
• Facilitate workshops, presentations, critiques, and working sessions with clients and internal teams.
• Mentor designers through feedback, creative direction, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Balance strategic vision with practical execution, ensuring ideas can be delivered successfully.
• Lead multiple projects and workstreams while supporting team health, quality, and delivery.
• Champion collaboration across design, strategy, production, and technology disciplines.
• Stay curious about emerging technologies and help teams thoughtfully explore new opportunities and ways of working.

Skills

Design leadership

Product design

Cross-functional collaboration

Systems thinking

Communication & facilitation

Multi-project management

Client relationship

Curiosity about AI

Collaborative leadership

Job description

Instrument is a design and technology company. We build brands, products, and experiences that move businesses forward—by making the complex simple.

For over 20 years, we’ve partnered with companies like Google, ServiceNow, Uber, Eventbrite, and ŌURA, helping them navigate change, launch new ideas, and grow with intention.

Our work spans Brand, Marketing, and Product, but what defines us is how we work. We bring strategy, design, and engineering together from the start, moving quickly from idea to execution and refining as we go. We aim to do great work and be great to work with, because both matter.

We’re a collaborative, hands‑on team with roots in Portland and New York and a distributed presence across the U.S. and Europe. We build teams around the needs of the work, staying nimble without sacrificing craft.

We value curiosity, perspective, and continuous learning, and we’re committed to building an inclusive environment where people can do their best work.

If that sounds like you, we’d love to meet you.

What You'll Do

• Lead the design of complex digital products, platforms, and experiences from concept through execution.

• Partner with clients and cross-functional teams to define opportunities, shape solutions, and drive alignment.

• Guide teams through ambiguity, helping translate complex challenges into clear, thoughtful experiences.

• Establish and maintain a high bar for craft across visual design, interaction design, systems thinking, and user experience.

• Facilitate workshops, presentations, critiques, and working sessions with clients and internal teams.

• Mentor designers through feedback, creative direction, and collaborative problem-solving.

• Balance strategic vision with practical execution, ensuring ideas can be delivered successfully.

• Lead multiple projects and workstreams while supporting team health, quality, and delivery.

• Champion collaboration across design, strategy, production, and technology disciplines.

• Stay curious about emerging technologies and help teams thoughtfully explore new opportunities and ways of working.

What You'll Bring

• 8+ years of experience leading the design of complex digital products, platforms, services, or interactive experiences.

• Strong product design expertise, with the ability to connect user needs, business goals, and technical realities.

• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and collaborating closely with strategy, technology, and production partners.

• Systems-thinking mindset with experience navigating large-scale, interconnected experiences.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.

• Ability to lead multiple projects and priorities while maintaining a high standard of craft and execution.

• Confidence working directly with clients, building trust, and guiding complex conversations.

• Curiosity about emerging technologies, including AI, and enthusiasm for exploring how they can enhance products, experiences, and workflows.

• A collaborative, humble approach to leadership and problem-solving.

Pay Range

• The expected pay range for this position is $125,000-$158,000. We have three regional pay ranges that are adjusted for cost of living (US1 +15%, US2 +7.5%, US3 Base), learn more about our pay philosophy and cost of living adjustments

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage

• 401k with employer matching

• Unlimited PTO + company wide closures

• Work From Home and Wellbeing monthly stipend

• HSA Employer Contribution

• Professional Development Stipend

• Paid Parental Leave