Staff UX/UI Designer — AI-Driven Design Systems Leader

Robots and Pencils

United States

Remote

USD 120,000 - 160,000

Full time

14 days+

Application generator

Stand out for this role — generate a tailored resume and cover letter in about a minute.

Get past ATS filters

Job summary

Robots & Pencils, an applied AI engineering firm, seeks a Staff UX/UI Designer to own end-to-end design for multi-platform products and lead AI-powered design workflows. You will mentor designers, shape design strategy, and partner with leadership to influence client engagements.

You will drive design system governance, UX research strategy, and collaboration with engineers, strategists, and delivery leads to ensure high-quality, scalable design outcomes for enterprise clients.

Qualifications

6+ years of professional UX/UI design experience with a strong product background.
Expert Figma proficiency with design system architecture experience.
Deep experience leading design systems at scale, including architecture, governance, and cross-team adoption.
Deep UX research experience including research strategy, methodology selection, and translating insights into product direction.
Experience defining design strategy for complex products or engagements.
Experience presenting and influencing at the leadership and client level.
Track record of mentoring designers and lifting team craft.
Strong experience with AI-assisted design tools and leading their adoption within a team (e.g., Figma AI, Claude).
Experience facilitating workshops, design sprints, and collaborative sessions with clients and cross-functional teams.
Service design experience, design ops leadership, or multi-platform design depth is a plus.

Responsibilities

Define design strategy and direction for major engagements, leading end-to-end design across complex, multi-platform products.
Own design system architecture and governance, ensuring consistency, scalability, and flexibility across products and teams.
Lead UX research strategy — selecting methodologies, embedding research into the delivery process, and ensuring insights influence product direction.
Champion AI-powered design workflows and lead their adoption on engagements, driving efficiency and creative quality (e.g., Figma AI, Claude).
Drive design operations and process improvements that improve how the Experience team delivers and collaborates.
Lead internal initiatives including marketing, business development, and the evolution of the design practice.
Partner with leadership and clients on design direction, serving as a senior design voice at the engagement level.
Collaborate closely with engineers, strategists, and delivery leads to align design decisions with technical and business realities.
Lead workshops, design sprints, and collaborative sessions with clients and cross-functional teams.
Mentor junior and mid-level designers, helping them grow their craft, confidence, and professional practice.
Establish design quality standards and critique culture that lift the team’s collective craft.
Make design decisions with thoughtful consideration of tradeoffs across usability, business goals, and technical constraints.