Staff AI Product Designer

Headspace; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,400 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock awards

Healthcare coverage

Wellness stipend

Retirement match

Headspace membership

Job summary

Headspace, a leader in mental health support, seeks a Staff Product Designer to own design execution and shape strategy for high‑impact surfaces. You will collaborate with engineers, PMs, researchers, and clinicians, applying evidence‑based design to deliver engaging, trustworthy experiences that support habit formation and meaningful mental‑health outcomes.

You will bring AI fluency to prototyping, research, and iteration, and mentor other designers while influencing roadmaps with

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience designing thoughtful, human-centred products.
• High‑quality visual design craft with a strong portfolio.
• Deep experience with AI as design practice and discipline.
• Strong knowledge of iOS and Android patterns and standards.
• Proficiency in Figma and prototyping tools.
• A curious, strategic mindset for actionable design solutions.
• Ability to drive cross‑functional collaboration aligned with goals.
• Proven ability to mentor and inspire other designers.

Responsibilities

• Own design execution and contribute to design strategy across complex product areas.
• Bring AI fluency to prototyping, research synthesis, and rapid iteration.
• Drive design vision within workstreams across multi‑quarter timelines.
• Influence roadmap decisions with evidence‑based design rationale.
• Lead and conduct design research including generative studies and usability evaluations.
• Partner with Research to define research agendas for workstreams.
• Apply behavioral design to create habits and reduce friction.
• Mentor and support designers across levels.

Skills

AI fluency

iOS/Android patterns

Figma

Prototyping

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Motion design

Human-centered design

Design research

Tools

Figma

Cursor

Claude

Figma Make

LLM-assisted prototyping

Job description

About the Staff Product Designer at Headspace

Headspace’s mission is to create a world where mental health is never an obstacle. We combine evidence‑based content, clinical care, and innovative technology to help millions of members around the world get support that’s effective, personalized, and truly accessible whenever and wherever they need it.

Design is central to how that mission becomes real. We are seeking a Staff Product Designer to own design execution and contribute to design strategy across high‑impact product surfaces. This person operates with significant autonomy, brings evidence‑based thinking into cross‑functional conversations, and actively elevates the craft and capabilities of the designers around them. You’ll be part of a collaborative team of designers and researchers, working closely with engineers, product managers, content creators, brand designers, and clinical experts to bring ideas to life.

We’re looking for someone passionate about making a positive impact—on both individuals and the world. If you’re into solving meaningful challenges, love behavioral design, and enjoy creating features that delight and support members, this could be the perfect fit.

What you will do

• Own design execution and contribute to design strategy across complex product areas, setting a high bar for interaction quality and member experience.
• Bring AI fluency to every stage of the design process, using AI‑powered tools for prototyping, research synthesis, and rapid iteration to accelerate and elevate the quality of design work.
• Drive design vision within your workstreams across multi‑quarter timelines, partnering closely with Product, Engineering, and Research to embed design thinking early and often.
• Influence roadmap decisions and product strategy; bring evidence‑based design rationale into cross‑functional conversations and contribute meaningfully to roadmap discussions.
• Lead and conduct design research including generative studies, contextual inquiry, concept testing, and usability evaluations, to deeply understand member needs, behaviors, and mental models.
• Partner with dedicated Research team members to define research agendas for your workstreams, and operate independently when research support is not available.
• Apply behavioral design principles to create experiences that support habit formation, reduce friction, and drive meaningful engagement with mental health content and care.
• Mentor and support designers across levels, contributing to reviews, knowledge sharing, and helping create the conditions for the team to do strong work.

What you will bring

Required Skills:

• 6+ years of experience designing thoughtful, human‑centered products—ideally with exposure to emerging technologies or innovative problem spaces.
• High‑quality visual design craft with a strong portfolio showcasing high‑impact, polished designs and a deep understanding of motion design principles.
• Deep experience with AI as both a design practice and a design discipline: fluent use of AI‑powered tools (Claude, Figma Make, Cursor, generative prototyping, LLM‑assisted research) to accelerate personal workflow, paired with demonstrated experience designing AI‑powered product experiences for end users that feel natural, trustworthy, and human‑centered. Portfolio must include shipped or advanced concept work in AI‑driven product design, not solely AI‑assisted workflow examples.
• Strong knowledge of iOS and Android patterns, behaviors, and interface design standards.
• Proficiency in Figma and prototyping tools to create and communicate complex design ideas with clarity.
• Experience designing interfaces for digital products, with a focus on crafting seamless, engaging, and accessible experiences.
• A curious, strategic mindset with the ability to break down ambiguous challenges into actionable design solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to drive cross‑functional collaboration and clarify how design decisions align with broader team and company goals.
• Proven ability to mentor, inspire, while promoting a growth‑oriented mindset.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working in emerging technologies, AI‑driven experiences, or other innovative product spaces.
• Demonstrated design research competency, experience independently planning and executing generative and evaluative research methods (user interviews, usability testing, diary studies, concept testing) and translating findings into product‑shaping insights is highly preferred.
• Proven ability to lead engaging workshops and foster creativity across interdisciplinary teams.
• Skilled in motion design and interaction design, creating dynamic and seamless user experiences.
• Strong ability to explore, iterate, and refine ideas through prototyping, user testing, and experimentation.
• Experience contributing to or working within design systems to ensure consistency and scalability.
• Experience in healthcare or digital health is a plus, particularly where design work touched health behavior change, sensitive member journeys, or collaboration with clinical teams.

Location

We are currently hiring this role remotely in the US and Hybrid for San Francisco (SF). Candidates must permanently reside in the US full‑time. For candidates with a primary residence in the greater SF area, this role will follow our hybrid model: work 3 days per week from our office and the rest of the week remotely.

Salary, Equity, and Benefits

The anticipated new hire base salary range for this full‑time position is $140,400‑$190,000 plus equity and benefits. Benefits include base salary, stock awards, comprehensive healthcare coverage, monthly wellness stipend, retirement savings match, lifetime Headspace membership, generous parental leave, and more.

About Headspace

Headspace exists to provide every person access to lifelong mental health support. We combine evidence‑based content, clinical care, and innovative technology to help millions of members around the world get support that’s effective, personalized, and truly accessible whenever and wherever they need it.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• A mission that matters—with impact you can see and feel.
• A culture that’s collaborative, inclusive, and grounded in our values.
• The chance to shape what mental health care looks like next.
• Competitive pay and benefits that support your whole self.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Headspace is committed to bringing together humans from different backgrounds and perspectives, providing employees with a safe and welcoming work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, feel a sense of belonging, and do impactful work together.

As an equal opportunity employer, we prohibit any unlawful discrimination against a job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, family or parental status, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We respect the laws enforced by the EEOC and are dedicated to going above and beyond in fostering diversity across our workplace.

*Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on Headspace.

Please inform our Talent team by filling out this form if you need any assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application or interview process.