Staff Product Designer - VC Backed Startups

SignalFire; New York (NY); On-site; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a passionate Staff Product Designer to lead design strategy for VC-backed startups. This role involves crafting exceptional user experiences and scaling design systems across various products. You'll collaborate with cross-functional teams, mentor junior designers, and advocate for user-centered design principles. Join a dynamic environment where your contributions can significantly impact the future of technology. If you thrive in fast-paced settings and are eager to shape the design landscape, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in product design, UX/UI, or interaction design.
• Expertise in building and scaling design systems for complex applications.
• Strong understanding of user research and data-driven design.

Responsibilities

• Lead design vision and user experience for high-growth startup products.
• Create high-fidelity UI designs, prototypes, and interaction models.
• Conduct user research and usability testing to optimize product experience.

Skills

Product Design

User Experience (UX)

User Interface (UI)

Mentoring

User Research

Usability Testing

Data-Driven Design

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Design

Master's Degree in Design

Tools

Figma

Sketch

Adobe Creative Suite

InVision

Framer

Maze

Google Analytics

Job description

Staff Product Designer - VC Backed Startups

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Staff Product Designer - VC Backed Startups

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This range is provided by SignalFire. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$170,000.00/yr - $250,000.00/yr

Join SignalFire’s Talent Network for Staff Product Designer Roles at VC-Backed Startups

At SignalFire, we partner with top early-stage startups that are shaping the future of technology. Our portfolio spans 200+ innovative companies across AI, cybersecurity, healthtech, fintech, developer tools, and enterprise SaaS.

We’re looking to connect with exceptional Staff Product Designers who are excited about leading design strategy, scaling design systems, and crafting world-class user experiences. By joining SignalFire’s Talent Network, your profile will be shared with our portfolio companies, giving you visibility into exclusive early-stage opportunities that may not be publicly listed.

This is not an application for a specific job. Instead, this is a way to get on the radar of VC-backed startups that are actively hiring AI/ML talent. If you have any questions, please direct inquiries to [e-mail].

Who Should Join?

We’re looking for designers who are:

Passionate about leading product design efforts and shaping user experience at scale

Experienced in building and scaling design systems that support complex digital products

Excited to mentor designers, collaborate cross-functionally, and drive user research

Typical Roles & Responsibilities

• Lead the design vision and user experience for high-growth startup products
• Create high-fidelity UI designs, prototypes, and interaction models for web and mobile applications
• Develop and maintain scalable design systems to ensure consistency across products
• Work closely with engineering and product teams to align design strategy with business goals
• Conduct user research, usability testing, and A/B experiments to optimize the product experience
• Advocate for accessibility, usability, and human-centered design principles
• Establish best practices for UX/UI workflows, design documentation, and cross-functional collaboration
• Mentor and guide junior designers, fostering a strong design culture within the team
  
  

Common Qualifications

While each startup has its own hiring criteria, many staff product design roles in our network look for:

• 6+ years of experience in product design, UX/UI, or interaction design
• Expertise in Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, and prototyping tools (Framer, InVision, Principle)
• Experience designing for complex applications, AI-driven interfaces, or enterprise SaaS products
• Strong understanding of user research, usability testing, and data-driven design decision-making
• Proven ability to develop and scale design systems across multiple products
• Knowledge of motion design, micro-interactions, and responsive UI principles
• Familiarity with front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics) for effective collaboration with engineers
• Experience working in fast-paced startup environments or cross-functional teams
  
  

Tools & Technologies You Might Work With:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Framer, InVision, Principle
• User Research & Testing: Maze, Lookback, UserTesting, Hotjar, Google Analytics
• Design Systems & UI Libraries: Material Design, Tailwind UI, Carbon Design System
• Collaboration & Handoff: Notion, Miro, Zeplin, Abstract, Storybook
• Front-End Basics (for Collaboration): HTML, CSS, JavaScript basics
  
  

What Happens Next?

• Submit your application to join SignalFire’s Talent Ecosystem.
• We review applications on an ongoing basis to identify strong candidates.
• If there’s a match, a SignalFire talent partner or a leader from one of our startups may reach out directly.
• No match yet? We’ll keep your profile on file for future product design roles in our portfolio.
  
  

Compensation Range: $170K - $250K

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

• Industries

  Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals

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