Lead Product Designer (Full-time Contract) — Consumer Social — start small, ramp fast

We’re a seed-stage startup tackling the ills of the attention economy and the information crisis — one of the most pressing and underserved problems of our time. We have a consumer product around the “content side of you” — podcasts, books, music, videos, and ideas — helping people discover and share high-signal taste in a way that feels human. Our app is live in beta with real users. We already have a functional product, valuable feedback, and solid design foundations. You'll have the work of a worldclass branding agency and product design studios to build off of. Because our user base consists of designers, creatives, and tastemakers, our bar for interaction design, clean UX architecture, and visual aesthetics is incredibly high. This role is about taking our capabilities to the next level and perfecting our product towards market-fit — bringing senior/lead strategic thinking, autonomy, execution quality, and speed to accelerate growth. We’re a tight-knit team with no middle layers — you’ll work directly with the founder, GTM, creative, and engineering leaders every day. We care deeply about craft, but we move with urgency. ————— Trial + Ramp (how we start): - Paid trial (2–3 weeks): explore real product problems, propose directions, execute key flows, and get a feel for working together. - Short ramp (1–2 weeks @ 10–15 hrs/wk if needed) → full-time once we both love it. We’ll decide the best model together, with the goal of finding someone who can become the main product design owner: setting direction and owning execution. Apply with: portfolio + 2–3 projects (what you owned vs what was given) + short note / Loom on your product thinking process + rate + availability + timezone overlap with Boston/EST. ————— FULL DETAILS: About the role: We need a Lead Product Designer who can own product design end-to-end. Not just someone who executes from a distance — we need both strategic thinker and high-craft executor in one person. In true startup fashion, we move wide and converge fast: you’ll propose directions, pressure-test them, run tight iteration loops, and ship work we’re proud of. You’ll lead the craft and ship the work. What you’ll do: Own product design end-to-end: research, strategy, user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity UI, prototypes, and rapid iteration with engineering. Drive product direction with a high degree of autonomy — break down ambiguous problems and make strong trade-offs. Raise the overall quality bar and evolve our design system. Collaborate daily with the founder to keep product and design tightly aligned. Opportunity to influence branding and visual direction if you have that skillset. You are: 5+ years as a Product Designer, ideally at early- to mid-stage consumer startups. Strategic thinker who can move from high-level product problems to pixel-perfect execution. Excellent written and spoken English (critical — we move fast). Master of Figma and modern product design practices. High taste, strong product intuition, and someone who ships fast while caring deeply about quality and user experience. Thrive in a high-ownership, fast-paced remote startup environment. Budget: $5,500 – $7,500 USD / month (flexible based on experience and demonstrated impact — we pay at the higher end for exceptional fits) The listed hourly range is broad because we may start with an hourly paid trial. For the ongoing full-time role, we expect to agree on a weekly or monthly retainer based on availability, experience, and fit. How to apply: - Your portfolio (2–3 end-to-end case studies showing process + business impact) - Short note on what you personally owned vs. what was given - Rate expectations and availability - Timezone and overlap with Boston/EST - Optional but very helpful: a short 2–3 minute Loom video telling us (a) why you’re excited about this role, and (b) one product/project you’re most proud of and why. We review applications quickly and will ask shortlisted candidates for a Loom before scheduling any calls so we can better understand your product thinking and communication style.