Job description
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
Who can apply
Eligible countries: United States. Accepted UTC offsets: UTC-10, UTC-9, UTC-8, UTC-7, UTC-6, UTC-5, UTC+14. Review the full description for employer-specific work authorization, residency and schedule requirements.