Head of Product Design

San Francisco CA. On site. Full time.

Advantra is partnering with a high growth AI software startup in San Francisco to hire a Head of Product Design to lead the design of full-stack web applications for defense contractors.

You will work directly with founders and engineers to design intuitive high-impact interfaces for complex workflows. You will translate user feedback into product experiences build design systems and create AI-first workflows that reduce manual effort. The role involves crafting interfaces that are both functional and accessible for enterprise defense users shaping how they interact with government contracts and internal data daily.

1. Design intuitive interfaces using Figma that simplify complex workflows.
   

2. Translate user feedback into actionable product designs with the CPO.
   

3. Build and maintain scalable design systems and component libraries.
   

4. Design AI-first workflows that automate and replace manual processes.
   

5. Work closely with engineers to ship designs rapidly.
   

6. Observe users and gather insights from real-world usage.
   

7. Define the overall product experience across multiple applications.
   

8. Collaborate with founders to align design strategy with business goals.
   

9. Advocate for user experience throughout the product lifecycle.
   

1. 4 to 10 years of product design experience ideally at Seed to Series B startups.
   

2. Experience designing web applications for complex enterprise workflows.
   

3. Skilled in Figma and creating design systems.
   

4. Proven ability to translate user feedback into actionable designs.
   

5. Experience working directly with engineers to ship product designs.
   

6. Strong understanding of user-centered design principles.
   

7. Experience creating AI-first or automated workflows.
   

8. Comfort working in a fast-paced high-impact startup environment.
   

9. Experience defining and scaling design systems across products.
   

10. Strong portfolio demonstrating impactful usable design solutions.
    

1. Experience in defense government or regulated industries.
   

2. Prior experience leading a design function at an early-stage startup.
   

3. Familiarity with complex data visualization and enterprise software.
   

4. Experience with rapid prototyping and user testing.
   

5. Knowledge of accessibility and usability standards.
   

Competitive base plus equity.

Email with links to shipped work and a short note on what you owned. Company name shared after the intro.

Advantra-Upstart Crew is a search program inside Advantra Consulting. We partner with early stage and high growth startups to hire the top 2% in Tech and GTM. We run end to end searches from single role headhunts to full team build outs using domain experts and a vetted network to deliver tight shortlists. We stay close to founders and candidates so the relationship lasts beyond the first hire.