Lead Product Designer (UX/UI)

About the role

Whipsaw is seeking a senior Lead Product Designer (UX/UI) Contractor to help define and deliver the next generation of digital product experiences. This role is for a designer with a proven track record of creating digital products from the ground up, combining sharp UX instincts with strong visual sensibility. You’ll work with some of the world’s largest brands and most ambitious startups, designing everything from mobile and web apps to human-machine interfaces and experimental digital products. This hybrid role is based in San Francisco (3 days per week onsite).

Responsibilities

• Lead by example: Drive projects from research to launch, delivering flows, prototypes, and high-fidelity assets that set the standard.
• Invent what’s next: Ideate new features, services, and interaction models that expand what’s possible for our clients.
• Turn insight into action: Conduct or collaborate on research, distill findings, and translate them into clear design directions.
• Craft with precision: Create elegant, pixel-perfect UI, systems, and prototypes ready for implementation.
• Elevate the team: Mentor other designers, offer sharp critique, and show by doing.
• Collaborate across disciplines: Partner with strategists, engineers, and industrial designers to make ideas real and balance ambition with feasibility.
• Pitch and present: Present bold ideas and sharp design work to clients with clarity and confidence.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in UX/UI, product design, or interaction design with a portfolio demonstrating end-to-end digital product creation.
• Strong command of UX best practices, research methods, interaction models, and visual design principles.
• Proven ability to create thoughtful user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and production-ready assets.
• Deep understanding of how digital products are built (web and mobile) and ability to advise on feasibility and tradeoffs.
• Experience ideating and defining new features, services, or interaction models in emerging digital contexts.
• Confidence presenting to executives and clients, with excellent storytelling and communication skills.
• Collaborative spirit with the ability to lead teams, mentor others, and energize the studio through example.
• Proficiency with modern design tools (Figma required; prototyping tools a plus).
• Current documentation to work in the United States.

Nice to have

• Experience working in an agency or consulting environment.
• Exposure to designing digital-physical hybrid experiences.

Schedule

Up to 40 hours per week, hybrid (2-3 days per week onsite at 55 Mississippi St, San Francisco).

Pay

$100–$130 per hour (W2 classification).

Contract Length

4 months, with potential to extend.