Design Engineer

Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance Bonus up to 15% of base salary

Medical, dental and vision insurance

401(k) with 4% employer match

Generous paid time off

Job summary

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation in San Francisco is looking for a Design Engineer to lead design processes and build user-centric products. In this unique hybrid role, you'll take charge of both designing interfaces and writing code to implement them, greatly impacting women's empowerment initiatives.

With a focus on creating scalable design systems and optimizing user experiences, you will collaborate closely across teams. Offering a competitive salary ranging from $130,000 to $200,000, and additional performance bonuses and benefits.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in design and engineering or deep experience in one with demonstrated ability in the other.
• A portfolio showcasing strong execution and user-centered thinking.
• Strong self-starter attitude with autonomy in project management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design process from research to prototypes for web and mobile.
• Write clean, maintainable code and debug across the stack.
• Partner with product and data teams to translate user needs into solutions.

Skills

User-centered design

Figma expertise

Python proficiency

JavaScript (Node.js) familiarity

Interaction design

Responsive design

Accessibility standards

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design or related field

Tools

Figma

RESTful APIs

Job description

About Lean In & The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation (SGBFF) works to build a more equal and resilient world. We bring people together to support each other through four initiatives: LeanIn.Org, LeanInGirls.Org, OptionB.Org, and the Dave Goldberg Scholarship Program.

Through our community, research-based content, and programs, we help women and allies build the skills, confidence, and networks they need to reach their full potential. We believe a more equal world is possible - and that it will take us working together to create it. While the majority of your work will focus on Lean In, this role offers the opportunity to drive impact across multiple mission-driven initiatives.

The Role

We're hiring a Design Engineer - a rare hybrid who both designs and builds. You'll own experiences end to end: research and design the interface, then write the code that brings it to life. As AI collapses the distance between idea and implementation, the most valuable people are those who move fluidly across the whole arc of a product - taste and craft on one side, engineering rigor on the other. You'll have real autonomy, direct influence on the experiences we put in front of our community, and room to grow alongside the team and platforms you help shape.

What You Will Do:

Design the experience

• Lead the end-to-end design process — research, concept, and prototypes for web and mobile.
• Build and evolve design systems and patterns that stay consistent and scale across products.
• Spot opportunities to make the user experience better and proactively propose thoughtful solutions.

Build the product

• Take features from design concept to production release.
• Write clean, maintainable, well-tested code, and troubleshoot and debug across the stack.

Own the craft

• Partner with product, data, and leadership to translate user needs into shipped solutions.
• Optimize performance, accessibility, and security across everything you build.
• Help shape engineering and design standards as the team grows.

What You Bring:

• 3+ years across design and engineering — or deep experience in one with demonstrated ability in the other.
• A portfolio that shows user-centered thinking and strong execution.
• Expert proficiency in Figma, including components, variants, auto-layout, and design systems.
• Working back-end proficiency (Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, etc.) and comfort building RESTful APIs.
• A strong foundation in interaction design, visual design, and information architecture.
• Deep understanding of responsive design, accessibility standards, and inclusive design principles.
• Fluency with — or strong curiosity about — AI-assisted design and development tools.
• A self-starter who thrives with autonomy and drives projects forward with minimal direction.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to collaborate across a small team.
• A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• A deep commitment to Lean In's mission to inspire and equip women to lead.
• Alignment with the Sandberg Bernthal Family Foundation's initiatives, including building resilience and driving social impact.

What We Will Offer You

Base Salary: $130,000 – $200,000, based on experience, skills, and qualifications

Performance Bonus: Up to 15% of base salary annually

Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) with a 4% employer match; generous paid time off; and additional benefits designed to support well-being and long-term success