Product Designer – Design Systems

About the Role A well-funded seed-stage AI infrastructure startup is looking for experienced Design Systems specialists to help build the data layer that teaches AI models what great design looks like. You'll work on production-grade design systems used to evaluate and train AI design tools — building them, implementing them in code, and assessing how well AI systems ingest and reproduce them. This is a contract, fully remote role with async flexibility and quick turnarounds. You can join on one of three tracks: Design Track: Build complete design systems in Figma — tokens (color, type, spacing, radius), component libraries with variants and states, and golden screens composed exclusively from library components. Product Design Track: Envision product designs from scratch using and implementing existing design systems, maintaining strict adherence throughout. Engineering Track: Implement design systems as coded component libraries using React, Storybook (v8), token pipelines (e.g., Style Dictionary), and variant patterns (e.g., CVA). What You'll Do Prompt AI models to generate and refine design work from a brief across multiple conversation turns Evolve the underlying design system: refine color ramps, type scales, spacing and radius tokens, and component treatments Evaluate AI outputs on design-system coherence, visual quality, and fit to the brief — flagging where adherence breaks down Compare outputs, select the stronger one, and write clear rationale and reproduction prompts grounded in expert judgement Vote and rank preferences to help train models on what a cohesive, high-quality design system looks like What We're Looking For Dealbreakers (must-haves): 3+ years of professional experience building and owning token-based design systems (color ramps, type scales, spacing and radius tokens, components with variants and states) You have personally built and owned a token-based system end-to-end — not just consumed one Portfolio with at least 3 examples of end-to-end design work Required: Experience reasoning about design systems expressed in code (HTML/CSS/tokens) and identifying interface breaks from system specifications Professional experience building, maintaining, or applying design systems in an in-house team, agency, or design-engineering role Experience with React or Figma variables for design system implementation Sharp eye for adherence — you notice when a corner radius, casing rule, or spacing value drifts from spec Ability to write structured, specific creative direction grounded in design-systems principles Nice to Have: Proficiency with AI design tools (Claude, Figma AI, or similar) Experience with Storybook v8, Style Dictionary, or CVA Eagerness to work at the frontier of AI-assisted design tooling Compensation & Benefits Rate: $60–$100 per hour (USD) Contract / freelance engagement Fully remote and async-friendly Visa sponsorship: Not available Location This role is fully remote and open globally . The primary hiring timezone is aligned with New York, United States . Originally posted on Himalayas