Lead Designer

What You’ll Do:

As a Lead Designer, you will translate the needs of users into innovative designs that empower users.  In this hybrid role, you will create your own product designs and lead a team of User Interface (UI) Artists.  You will manage the design process from discovery and concept ideation through  full-fidelity prototype designs.

Position Responsibilities: 

• Set the long term product design vision along with plans for iterative updates continuously make progress towards that vision. Identify long term goals and near term objectives for design and user research.
• Define Slingshot’s design and research processes, methodologies, and best practices. Champion user problems, design and research throughout the organization.
• Develop and advocate for Slingshot’s design system, information architecture, typography, copy, and visual hierarchy to efficiently solve complex and abstract design challenges. Design user experiences that are cohesive, comprehensive, intuitive, innovative and empowering.
• Lead the user research and design process to create new innovative products and features in collaboration with product, engineering, astrodynamics, data science, program, marketing, growth and leadership. Partner with engineering, product and program to ensure the successful integration of new designs and experience improvements into the product.
• Contribute to product documentation, user stories, product requirements, and roadmaps. Work with stakeholders to clarify user experience and the design. 
• Apply the design tools that best fit the needs of the product development process: whiteboard user flows, exploring multiple UX directions, draft low fi wireframes, craft high fidelity production designs or bake high fi prototypes, etc.  Ensure design deliverables are timely and appropriately comprehensive. 
• Conduct direct user research, analyze data, and gather insights to inform and validate design decisions. Share your perspective, insights and rationale with the team so they can have great understanding and empathy for our users.
• Synthesize research, insights and perspectives from subject matter experts to create simplicity from complex and abstract design challenges. 
• Develop informed perspectives that you can passionately and persuasively advocate for. Hold strong but loosely held opinions. Know when to disagree and commit wholeheartedly (and you can expect the same of your teammates). 
• Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships inside and outside your focus areas with product, engineering, growth / sales, marketing, and program to facilitate buy-in from leadership and cross-functional teams where appropriate for your product designs and vision.
• Perform other duties as assigned (to be less than 10% of the responsibilities listed above)

Pre-Requisites

• Must be a U.S. citizen eligible for TS/SCI government clearances

Minimum Requirements

• 7+years  of experience in product design
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience (advanced degree a plus) in a relevant design-related field
• Experience leading a team (direct or indirect)

Preferred Skills

• Industry experience in software, technology, aerospace or 3D gaming 
• Technical skills: strong understanding of and experience with software technology
• Business skills: acumen of business principles and decision making
• Communication skills: excellence in verbal and written communication to drive the most effective exchange with stakeholders, including customers, partners, and investors
• Leadership skills: strong ability to motivate and inspire others to build high performing teams. First hand experience with applied leadership frameworks and principles highly desired.
• Analytical and problem solving skills: you are a skilled problem solver and are able to identify and resolve complex problems. You are a critical and creative thinker who questions the status quo and comes up with innovative solutions
• Industry experience in software tech (space industry experience desired)
• Strong understanding and experience with design thinking, human centered design and the product development process
• Able to synthesize input/feedback and turn into recommendations
• Comfortable shifting in between blue sky designing, rapid low fi wireframes and building high fi prototypes, etc as needed  
• Strong communication and design fluency 
• Exceptional knowledge and experience with Figma
• Experience with interactive 3D design 
• Excellent visual and interactive design skills
• Experience designing for multiple device platforms
• Experience with creating and leveraging design systems

*You don’t have to meet every qualification listed - if your skills are transferable and you meet the minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply.  

Compensation Details: $177,000-$227,000

Location: Remote 

Classification: Full time Exempt (professional exemption) 

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion are key to our success. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds, who share a passion for creating a safer, more connected world. Diversity not only includes race and gender identity, but also age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion and many other parts of one’s identity. All of our employee’s points of view are key to our success, and we embrace individuality.