Product Designer (Startup Experience), Austin

Staff / Lead Product Designer (Startup Experience)
Location:
Austin, Texas
Start Date:
By May ****
Compensation:
$180K – $210K + Equity
About the Opportunity
Rubiboo is a headhunting firm partnering with a YC-backed, high-growth AI startup building cutting-edge autonomous software systems.
The company is scaling rapidly and already serves hundreds of customers globally.
As they enter their next phase of growth, they are looking for a
Staff / Lead Product Designer
to shape the end-to-end user experience of their core product and help define design as a function.
The Role
This is a high-impact, hands-on design role with strong ownership across product direction and user experience.
You'll work closely with product, engineering, and AI teams to craft intuitive, scalable, and elegant experiences in a fast-moving environment.
Key Responsibilities
Lead end-to-end product design from concept to launch (UX, UI, interaction design)
Translate complex technical and AI-driven workflows into intuitive user experiences
Partner closely with product and engineering to define features and product direction
Conduct user research, testing, and iteration to continuously improve usability
Establish and evolve design systems, patterns, and standards
Influence product strategy through design thinking and user insights
Help build and scale the design function as the company grows
Must-Have Requirements (in order of importance)
Strong product design experience with a portfolio showcasing end-to-end work
Startup experience (0?1 or early-stage scaling, high ownership)
Ability to simplify complex systems into clear, usable interfaces
Experience working closely with engineers and product teams
Ability to start by April ****
Availability to work US hours
Nice to Have
Experience designing for AI/ML-driven products or developer tools
Familiarity with data-heavy or workflow-oriented applications
Experience building or contributing to design systems
Strong prototyping skills (Figma, Framer, or similar)
Experience mentoring or leading other designers
Why This Role
Join a YC-backed company at a critical stage of growth
High ownership and influence over product direction and user experience
Opportunity to shape design culture and foundation from an early stage
Work on cutting-edge AI products with real-world impact