Who We Are
Studio.init() is a team of Eng/UX/Product experts with backgrounds at Startups, Google, Apple, Amazon, and Coinbase. Although our studio is just over a year old, we’re a tight group that has worked together for over five years at Google. Our work at Google was frequently highlighted in Google’s blog, 9to5Google, and 9to5Mac. We’re super legit, as our studio was featured in both Wired and Business Insider last year.
We help early-stage startups build MVPs, establish a strong foundation, and scale software products to new heights. We offer product, design, and engineering services, and our user-centric approach and deep understanding of the latest technologies transform their product visions from concept to reality.
We also don’t offshore or nearshore our work as an agency. We are a local, USA-based (San Francisco and NYC Metro) team that does the work ourselves. Our Engineering team is located in Hoboken, NJ. Our Design team is located in San Francisco, CA. Both teams operate in an onsite office environment.
You can learn more about us here: https://www.studioinit.com.
NOTE: NO Recruiters, Agencies, C2C, or Staffing firms - No Exceptions!
Role Description
We seek a kick-ass UX Designer who combines strong visual design skills with a deep understanding of user experience principles.
If you’re passionate about solving complex problems in abstract environments and thrive in creating scalable and systematic design solutions, then read on!
You should be a mid-level to senior UX designer - with at least three years of experience. Ideally, you’re earlier in your career - hungry to learn, perform, and improve.
You should be a UX designer experienced in desktop (consumer/enterprise) software who can easily translate to tablet and mobile platforms. From creating user flows and wireframes to building user interface mockups and prototypes, you’ll bring a startup’s vision to life that’s so slick their jaws will drop (and wallets).
You’ll work alongside our senior-staff team of doers who developed their careers at startups and big tech. It’s a great opportunity to become a more confident and stronger designer. We're growing fast, so there's insane upside.
You should be highly driven and self-motivated. You should be comfortable asking for help, but don’t expect us to do the work for you. You’ll be expected to manage your tasks (we SCRUM) and contribute meaningfully to projects. You’ll work sometimes on solo projects or be part of a small team (it varies).
We function like a startup and work with various startups, so the pace is energetic and fun. If you like producing, this is a perfect opportunity to excel. This might not be for you if you like to take slow, methodical, and deep thoughts about interface design and interactions.
We take on a variety of fun and challenging projects. We enjoy going outside our comfort zone to learn and improve. We strive for high-quality work, and our clients accept nothing but excellence.
You'll be expected to work on all aspects of interaction design and whatever might need to be done. Day-to-day tasks will include participating in design sprints, designing across multiple platforms, working with technical/design teams to create user flows and wireframes, building user interface mockups and prototypes, and creating design systems and branding materials.
You’ll ensure every interaction is intuitive, seamless, and engaging. You’ll translate complex functionality into simple, elegant interfaces. You’ll make the user’s journey effortless and enjoyable, balancing user needs with business goals to create products that delight and perform.
This is an onsite, full-time role with benefits. We're growing fast. The role is located in San Francisco, California. We are NOT considering fully remote or hybrid. Frankly, we’ve tried that, and it just doesn’t work. We want to create a strong culture of collaboration, and in our experience, remote work doesn’t cut it. Expect to be reporting to our San Francisco office at least four times a week.
Your Design Stack
- Required: Figma
- Nice to have: ProtoPie, Framer, Illustrator, After Effects, etc. (anything to bring higher fidelity than static mocks).
Qualifications
- You must have existing experience — at least three years of UX design experience. We are not able to teach you design. But we can help you learn new techniques and sharpen your skills. Ideally, you're an L4 (on the way to L5) at a big tech company.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Experience with agile development methodologies (we SCRUM).
- Experience with Figma and Prototyping software (PrototPie, Framer, etc).
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or similar. Boot camps or a certificate do not count.
- Must be legally able to work in the USA.
- You must be able to travel to and work from our San Francisco, CA, office.
- We cannot sponsor an H1B Visa or similar. OPT for F1 students is OK.
Compensation
- $75,000 to $100,000 base salary, based on experience. (We cannot go higher; there are no exceptions.)
- Opportunity for a performance bonus.
- Great benefits: 401k / Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision) with HSA contributions.
- Swag like stickers and t-shirts from time to time.
- Our SF Office sits in a cool space called Shack15, which you get access to.
- NOTE: You will be on a 90-day probationary period to ensure a good fit. The probationary period may be a contract-to-hire arrangement, depending on your interview performance.
Interview Expectations
As you can tell, we’re looking for a rockstar to grow with us - so we must be thorough. We will invest lots of time in you and your career, so we have high expectations of your ability to perform. Thus, there are a few steps to complete.
Note: Please include a portfolio, website, or any other relevant link to your work in your resume (providing a viewable link and/or access instructions).
- One Take-Home Design Challenge:
- -- You’ll be asked to design an interface, timeboxed at no more than two days.
- One 45-minute portfolio review:
- -- The session focuses on reviewing your past projects.
- One 45-minute general interview:
- -- We’ll focus on your ability to work in a team, build products, and think creatively.
- -- We’ll also be determining if you’re a good culture fit.
Questions? Email jobs@studioinit.com
NOTE: Direct hire only. Please do not book meetings to learn about this role. We'll reach out to pursue an interview. Thank you!