Lead Designer, Design Systems & Structures

Apple; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple is seeking a Lead Designer for the Design Systems & Structures team to set strategic direction for content design systems across Services. You will partner with design, engineering, product, and business teams to build scalable frameworks that uphold Apple’s standards of quality and craft.

You will define cohesive content structures aligned with Apple's voice and experience principles, mentor designers, and apply AI tools and emerging technologies to elevate content design at scale.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in human interface design, content design and UX design.
• Demonstrated experience leading owning design systems work in a large, complex organization.
• Expert-level proficiency in design tools (Sketch, CS Suite and Figma). Prototyping skills are beneficial.
• Experience working across multiple products and lines of business simultaneously.
• Strong understanding of content strategy, information architecture, and editorial standards.
• Preferred: experience in a consumer technology, media and services environment.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted content and design workflows.
• Experience developing new content formats and pioneering design system standards from the ground up.
• Prior experience mentoring and managing designers.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and evolution of content design systems across Apple Services.
• Define cohesive content structures reflecting Apple's voice, style, and experience principles.
• Leverage AI tools and emerging technologies to advance content design at scale.
• Partner with design, engineering, product, and business teams to ensure adoption and maintenance.
• Mentor IC designers and raise the craft and capability of the team.
• Synthesize cross-functional requirements into clear design system solutions.

Skills

Content design leadership

UX design

Design systems

AI tooling knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring designers

Communication

Tools

Sketch

Adobe CS Suite

Figma

Job description

Summary

At Apple, extraordinary ideas become products, services, and experiences that shape culture. Bring passion and precision to your craft, and there's no limit to what you can build. The Content Design team supports Apple Services products and defines the content experience across some of Apple's most visible products. We focus on how people consume, create and connect across all our applications. We are looking for a lead Designer to shape the systems and structures that define how content and brand comes to life across Apple's Services. This is a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of design, systems thinking, and emerging technology, helping define the next generation of signature Apple content experiences.

Description

As a lead on the Design Systems & Structures team, you will set the strategic direction for content design systems and formats across Services lines of business, partner closely with cross-functional teams, and bring a rigorous, human-centered approach to building scalable frameworks that uphold Apple's standards of quality and craft.

• Lead the design, development, and evolution of content design systems used across Apple Services
• Define and operationalize cohesive content structures that reflect Apple's signature voice, style, and experience principles
• Leverage AI tools, design tools, and emerging technologies to advance the efficiency and quality of content design at scale
• Partner with design, engineering, product, and business teams to ensure systems are adopted, maintained, and continuously improved
• Support the exploration and development of new content formats across Services
• Mentor and guide IC designers, raising the craft and capability of the team
• Synthesize complex, cross-functional requirements into clear, elegant design system solutions

Key Responsibilities

You will be a systems thinker who finds clarity in complexity and can translate broad strategic goals into actionable frameworks

• A seasoned content design and UX leader with a strong portfolio demonstrating design systems work at scale
• Deeply fluent in design tools and current in your knowledge of AI-powered design tooling and emerging technologies
• A clear and confident communicator who can influence without authority across disciplines
• Equally comfortable working at the conceptual level and diving into the details when it matters
• Passionate about content and brand design as a craft and committed to Apple-caliber quality

Minimum Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in human interface design, content design and UX design
• Demonstrated experience leading owning design systems work in a large, complex organization
• Expert-level proficiency in design tools (Sketch, CS Suite and Figma). Prototyping skills are beneficial.
• Experience working across multiple products and lines of business simultaneously
• Strong understanding of content strategy, information architecture, and editorial standards

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a consumer technology, media and services environment
• Familiarity with AI-assisted content and design workflows
• Experience developing new content formats and pioneering design system standards from the ground up
• Prior experience mentoring and managing designers