Founding Design Engineer

HIKINEXSan Francisco, CA

$150,000 - $250,000 / year

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Overview

Schedule

Full-time

Career level

Senior-level

Remote

On-site

Compensation

$150,000-$250,000/year

Job Description

Founding Design Engineer

Location: San Francisco, CA (On-site, 5 days/week)

Compensation: $150,000–$250,000 Base + Equity (0.4–0.8%)

About the Opportunity

An early-stage, venture-backed AI startup is seeking a Founding Design Engineer to become its first design-focused engineering hire. This is a unique opportunity to own the end-to-end user experience for a highly technical AI platform, defining the product's design language while building production-ready frontend applications.

Working directly with the founding team, you'll help shape the future of an AI-native enterprise platform by combining exceptional product design with hands-on frontend engineering.

What You'll Do

Own product design and frontend implementation from concept to production.
Design and build production-ready interfaces using React and TypeScript.
Establish the company's design language, design system, and UX patterns.
Collaborate closely with founders to build intuitive experiences for complex technical workflows.
Design for enterprise B2B software, platform products, and AI-powered user experiences.

What We're Looking For

1 - 5 years of experience in design, recent experience shipping frontend code in React/TypeScript
Experience at a venture-backed early-stage startup or fast-paced high-growth company
Has a self-driven project with real users (portfolio, side project, or startup)
Experience at an early-stage startup or other fast-paced environment.
Experience designing technical products such as developer tools, enterprise SaaS, infrastructure, platform software, or AI products.
Self-starter who thrives in an ownership-driven environment with minimal direction.
Design/Arts/CS degree

Skills

Tech stackReact, TypeScript, Figma, Tailwind CSS

PLUS

Next.js
Figma
Experience with design systems and component libraries.
Familiarity with AI, agentic workflows, or Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) principles.

Visa Sponsorship

The company can support:

H-1B transfers
O-1 visas
TN visas
J-1 visas

Please note that new H-1B sponsorship is not available.

Why Join?

Be the first Design Engineer and help define the product from the ground up.
Own both design and implementation without traditional design handoffs.
Work directly with an experienced founding team in a collaborative, high-impact environment.
Receive competitive compensation and meaningful equity while helping build a category-defining AI product.

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FAQs About Founding Design Engineer Jobs at HIKINEX

What is the work location for this position at HIKINEX?

This job at HIKINEX is located in San Francisco, CA, according to the details provided by the employer. Some roles may also include multiple work locations depending on the requirement.

What pay range can candidates expect for this role at HIKINEX?

Candidates can expect a pay range of $150,000 and $250,000 per year.

What employment applies to this position at HIKINEX?

HIKINEX lists this role as a Full-time position.

What experience level is required for this role at HIKINEX?

HIKINEX is looking for a candidate with "Senior-level" experience level.

What is the process to apply for this position at HIKINEX?

You can apply for this role at HIKINEX either through Sonara's automated application system, which helps you submit applications 10X faster with minimal effort, or by applying manually using the direct link on the job page.