Design Systems Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Mobile Design Systems (Contract)

Company: TEKsystems

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Product Design / Design Systems

Date Posted: 2026-09-01

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive consistency, scalability, and quality of user experiences across multiple consumer mobile products through expert mobile design systems development.

• Design, evolve, and maintain reusable design system components, patterns, and interaction models for mobile platforms (iOS and Android).

• Manage and maintain critical Figma libraries, comprehensive design documentation, and source-of-truth assets for the design system.

• Partner closely with product and engineering teams to define new components and refine existing system patterns based on evolving product requirements and user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is focused on the strategic development and ongoing maintenance of a mobile-first design system, emphasizing reusable components, scalability, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure a cohesive user experience across TEKsystems' product portfolio. The "Senior" title indicates a need for significant autonomy and leadership in system design and adoption.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, evolve, and maintain reusable design system components, patterns, and interaction models specifically for mobile experiences (iOS and Android).

• Manage and maintain Figma libraries, ensuring component architecture, variants, auto layout, variables, and design tokens are up-to-date and well-documented.

• Partner with product managers and engineering leads to understand emerging product requirements and translate them into new system components or refinements of existing patterns.

• Provide ongoing design system support to product teams through structured office hours, design critiques, detailed documentation, and direct consultation.

• Champion the adoption and adherence to design standards, best practices, and accessibility guidelines across multiple product development teams.

• Collaborate closely with software engineers to ensure accurate implementation of design system components in production environments, bridging the gap between design intent and code.

• Contribute lightweight code updates or review pull requests when appropriate to maintain alignment between design specifications and implemented components, particularly for systems with code-backed design tokens.

• Proactively identify opportunities to improve system quality, usability, scalability, consistency, and accessibility, driving continuous enhancement initiatives.

• Drive continuous improvement of design workflows, governance models, and documentation processes to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach to design systems, requiring not only design expertise but also a strong understanding of engineering implementation and process optimization. The emphasis on "reusable components," "Figma libraries," and "collaboration with engineers" points to a role deeply embedded in the product development lifecycle, aiming to accelerate feature delivery while maintaining brand integrity and user experience quality.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong portfolio and demonstrated experience in product design, UI/UX design, or related fields will be paramount. A degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline is often preferred.

Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in designing, building, and maintaining production-level design systems for mobile products at scale.

Required Skills:

• Advanced expertise in Figma, including mastery of component architecture, variants, auto layout, variables, design tokens, and comprehensive library management.

• Proven experience creating and managing reusable UI components, interaction patterns, and scalable design system documentation.

• Strong visual design skills with exceptional attention to detail across typography, spacing, color, accessibility (WCAG standards), and overall user experience quality for mobile.

• Demonstrated experience partnering closely with software engineers to bring design systems into production environments, ensuring fidelity and functionality.

• Experience managing design systems that support multiple products, brands, or user experiences, effectively balancing consistency with flexibility.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills with a track record of presenting system changes, documenting decisions, and driving adoption across cross-functional teams.

• Experience designing consumer-facing mobile applications for both iOS and Android platforms, understanding platform-specific conventions. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with design tokens and code-backed design systems, understanding their relationship with frontend development.

• Familiarity with React Native and/or native iOS (Swift/Objective-C) and Android (Kotlin/Java) component architectures.

• Experience using version control systems like Git and GitHub, with a capacity for contributing minor code updates or reviewing code related to design system components.

• Experience facilitating design system governance, running design system office hours, leading design reviews, or managing adoption programs.

• Experience supporting large, complex organizations with multiple product teams leveraging a shared design system.

• Ability to work independently, proactively identify opportunities for improvement, and drive solutions with minimal direction, demonstrating strong initiative.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize deep technical proficiency in Figma and practical experience in building and scaling design systems for mobile. The preference for code-backed systems and familiarity with native mobile development suggests a role that bridges the gap between design and engineering, requiring a candidate who can speak the language of both disciplines.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A dedicated section showcasing your experience with design systems, highlighting your role, responsibilities, and impact.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating the design, development, and implementation of reusable UI components and patterns for mobile applications.

• Examples of Figma libraries you have managed or contributed to, emphasizing component architecture, variants, and documentation.

• Evidence of your ability to collaborate with engineering teams, including examples of how you ensured accurate implementation and resolved discrepancies.

• Demonstrations of your approach to design system governance, documentation standards, and driving adoption across multiple teams.

• Case studies that illustrate your understanding of mobile-specific design principles, accessibility standards, and platform conventions (iOS/Android). Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to documenting design system components, including usage guidelines, best practices, and accessibility considerations.

• Provide examples of your workflow for creating new components, from initial concept to production-ready assets and specifications.

• Illustrate how you manage design system evolution, including version control, release notes, and communication strategies for updates.

• Present your methods for measuring design system adoption, impact, and identifying areas for process improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on design systems, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond typical product design showcases to specifically detail the candidate's expertise in building, maintaining, and scaling design systems. Emphasis should be placed on demonstrating a systematic approach, clear documentation, and successful collaboration with engineering.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $90.00 - $110.00 per hour.

• Note on Salary Estimation: This range is provided directly in the job description. Based on industry benchmarks for contract Senior Product Designers specializing in Design Systems in high cost-of-living areas like San Francisco, this hourly rate is competitive. Factors influencing the exact compensation within this range include the candidate's specific years of experience, depth of expertise in Figma and mobile design systems, and proven track record of successful implementations. The hourly rate suggests a contract role, potentially through TEKsystems as an employer of record or a direct client engagement managed by TEKsystems.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital insurance coverage.

• 401(k) Retirement Plan (with pre-tax and Roth post-tax contribution options).

• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for employee and dependents).

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.

• Health Spending Account (HSA).

• Transportation benefits.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for support services.

• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation, or Sick Leave), as applicable for contract roles.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

• Note on Working Hours: While the standard is 40 hours, the hybrid nature of the role may offer some flexibility. Contract roles often require adherence to client-specific schedules, but communication and collaboration are key, necessitating availability during core business hours for meetings and team syncs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific. The benefits listed are typical for contract employees placed by staffing agencies like TEKsystems, offering a comprehensive package. It's important for candidates to clarify eligibility and specific plan details with TEKsystems during the onboarding process.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Services & Staffing (TEKsystems is a major IT staffing and services company).

Company Size: TEKsystems is part of Allegis Group, a global leader in talent solutions, employing 80,000+ people worldwide and serving over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500. This indicates a large, established organization with extensive reach and resources.

Founded: TEKsystems was founded in 1983, signifying a long history and deep experience in the IT services and staffing market.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team Aspect: As a contractor, the designer will likely be embedded within a specific client's product team, working under that client's structure. TEKsystems' internal operations would support the contractor placement, HR, and payroll aspects.

• Reporting Structure: The designer will report to a hiring manager within the client organization, likely a Product Design Lead, Director of Product Design, or Engineering Manager, depending on the client's structure. TEKsystems will also have a dedicated account manager or recruiter who serves as a point of contact for contract-related matters.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role is inherently cross-functional, requiring close collaboration with Product Managers, Software Engineers (iOS, Android, potentially React Native), QA Testers, and potentially other Designers and UX Researchers within the client's organization.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: While not the primary focus for a Design Systems Designer, understanding user data and analytics from the client's products will be crucial for informing design system decisions and identifying areas for improvement.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The role's core is to optimize workflows by providing a robust and efficient design system. This involves planning how components are created, documented, and adopted to streamline product development.

• Automation & Efficiency: Design systems themselves are a form of automation, enabling faster and more consistent product development. The designer will contribute to this by creating efficient components and potentially improving design tooling.

Company Website: https://careers.teksystems.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: While TEKsystems is the hiring entity, the role is a contract position likely with one of their major clients. The "company culture" described here pertains to TEKsystems as a staffing provider and Allegis Group as its parent. The actual day-to-day work environment and culture will be dictated by the client company where the designer is placed. Understanding TEKsystems' role as a facilitator of talent is key.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Senior" level contract role, indicating a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and responsibility. It's a specialized position focused on design systems rather than a broad operational management role.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report directly to a lead within the client's product or design organization, and will also have a point of contact at TEKsystems for HR and administrative aspects of the contract.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing the efficiency, consistency, and quality of user experiences across multiple mobile products. A well-maintained design system accelerates development cycles, reduces redundant work, and ensures brand integrity, thereby contributing to user satisfaction and potentially revenue growth through improved product performance.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in design system architecture, component management, design tokens, and accessibility best practices. Gain experience with specific mobile development frameworks (React Native, native iOS/Android) from a design implementation perspective.

• Industry Exposure: Work with diverse product teams and potentially different client companies through TEKsystems' contract placements, gaining exposure to various industry challenges and solutions.

• Leadership Potential: While a contract role, demonstrating strong leadership in driving adoption, influencing product strategy through system design, and mentoring junior designers (if applicable) can open doors to future senior or lead positions, potentially permanent roles, or more complex contract assignments.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a contract role, "career growth" is often measured by the acquisition of new skills, exposure to different environments, and the ability to secure subsequent, potentially higher-level contracts. This role offers a concentrated opportunity to become a specialist in a highly in-demand area of product design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This means the designer will be expected to work some days in the client's office and some days remotely. The specific split (e.g., 2-3 days in office) will be determined by the client.

Office Location(s): Seattle, WA (preferred) or Burlingame, CA. These are major tech hubs, suggesting a dynamic and collaborative work environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model necessitates effective collaboration tools and practices. The designer will engage with product teams through virtual meetings, shared digital whiteboards, and direct communication channels. In-office days will likely be focused on high-bandwidth collaboration, brainstorming, and team building.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to Figma, design system documentation platforms (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook), project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana), and communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) is expected. The client will provide the specific stack.

• Team Interaction: Interaction will be frequent with product managers, engineers, and other designers. The hybrid setup requires proactive communication to ensure seamless integration with both in-office and remote team members.

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature allows for some flexibility, but core hours for team synchronization and client meetings will be essential.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is standard for many tech roles. Candidates should be prepared for a mix of remote and in-office work and inquire about the specific expectations for office days with the client's hiring manager during the interview process.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Screening Call: Initial discussion with a TEKsystems recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, salary expectations, and interest in the role.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the client's hiring manager (likely a Design Lead or Director) focusing on design systems expertise, mobile design experience, Figma proficiency, and collaboration skills.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Presentation of portfolio case studies, with a focus on design systems projects. This may include a live design exercise or a take-home challenge related to component design, pattern creation, or system documentation.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with engineers and/or product managers to assess cross-functional collaboration abilities and technical understanding.

• Final Decision: Offer extended based on overall assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Prioritize Design Systems: Ensure your portfolio prominently features 1-2 detailed case studies specifically on design systems you have built or significantly contributed to.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the specific components/patterns you designed, the tools used (especially Figma), and the impact/outcomes achieved (e.g., increased efficiency, improved consistency, reduced bug rates).

• Figma Mastery: Be prepared to demonstrate your Figma proficiency, including advanced features like component architecture, variants, auto layout, and library management. If possible, share read-only links to relevant Figma files or prototypes.

• Illustrate Collaboration: Detail how you partnered with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Provide examples of how you managed feedback, resolved conflicts, and ensured successful implementation.

• Mobile Focus: Highlight your understanding of iOS and Android design principles, accessibility standards, and how your design system addresses platform-specific nuances.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Design Systems Principles: Be ready to discuss core concepts like componentization, scalability, governance, design tokens, and accessibility.

• Figma Practice: Rehearse creating complex components with variants, auto layout, and variables in Figma under timed conditions.

• System Documentation: Practice writing clear, concise documentation for components, including usage guidelines, do's and don'ts, and accessibility notes.

• Problem-Solving: Prepare to analyze a problem related to design system adoption or component design and propose a systematic solution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. Candidates must curate their presentations to directly address the requirements of a design systems designer, showcasing practical application and impact rather than just visual aesthetics.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Advanced proficiency is non-negotiable. This includes component architecture, variants, auto layout, variables, library management, prototyping, and collaboration features.

• Design System Documentation Platforms: Experience with tools like Zeroheight, Storybook, or similar platforms for documenting components, guidelines, and best practices.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma covers much of this, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools used by the client (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and inform design decisions.

• Data Visualization Tools: Basic understanding of how design system usage might be tracked or reported.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, Trello for managing tasks, workflows, and sprint planning.

• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams for daily communication and team synchronization.

• Version Control: Git and GitHub (preferred) for managing code-backed design system components or design assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the central tool for this role. A strong understanding of how design systems integrate with development workflows, including version control and project management, is also critical.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values: (Reflecting client's potential values, as TEKsystems is a staffing agency)

• Craft & Quality: A deep commitment to high-fidelity design, meticulous attention to detail, and a passion for creating polished, user-centric experiences.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication, proactive information sharing, and a willingness to work closely with diverse teams to achieve common goals.

• Efficiency & Scalability: A drive to create solutions that are not only effective but also scalable and efficient, enabling teams to deliver value faster.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of always seeking ways to enhance processes, systems, and outcomes through iterative development and learning.

• User-Centricity: A commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user, ensuring that design decisions prioritize usability, accessibility, and overall user satisfaction.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Working as a true partner with product and engineering, understanding their challenges and collaboratively finding solutions.

• Documentation-Driven: Relying on clear, comprehensive documentation to ensure alignment and reduce ambiguity across teams.

• Feedback-Rich: Actively seeking and providing constructive feedback during design critiques, code reviews, and team syncs.

• Empowerment-Focused: Creating systems and processes that empower other teams to build effectively and autonomously.

📝 Enhancement Note: While TEKsystems is the employer, the culture described here is representative of a forward-thinking design and engineering organization that values collaboration, quality, and efficiency – traits essential for successful design system work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Driving Adoption: Convincing multiple product teams to adopt and consistently use the design system can be a significant hurdle, requiring strong advocacy, clear communication, and excellent support.

• Balancing Consistency and Flexibility: Designing a system that is robust enough to maintain consistency across diverse products while also allowing enough flexibility for unique product needs.

• Maintaining Fidelity with Engineering: Ensuring that implemented components accurately reflect the design intent, especially as codebases evolve and different engineers contribute.

• Scaling the System: As the product portfolio grows and teams expand, the design system must scale effectively without becoming unmanageable or overly complex.

• Cross-Platform Nuances: Managing design system components for both iOS and Android, which have distinct design languages and interaction patterns.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Mobile Platforms: Gaining deeper practical knowledge of iOS and Android native development paradigms and how design systems interact with them.

• Advanced Figma Features: Mastering new features and workflows within Figma as they are released, and potentially exploring advanced plugins or scripting.

• Code-Backed Design Systems: Developing a stronger understanding of how design tokens and components are implemented in code, potentially leading to contributions in this area.

• Design System Governance Models: Learning and implementing effective strategies for managing design system evolution, contribution processes, and conflict resolution in large organizations.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Honing skills in influencing stakeholders, managing change, and leading initiatives across product, design, and engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to design systems work, requiring a candidate who is proactive, diplomatic, and technically adept. The growth opportunities focus on specialization and leadership within the design systems domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to convince a skeptical team to adopt your design system. What was your strategy and the outcome?" (Focus on persuasion, empathy, and data-driven arguments.)

• "How do you approach balancing the need for strict consistency with the requirement for product-specific customization within a design system?" (Highlight your understanding of system flexibility and design tokens.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating a new reusable component for a mobile design system, from initial concept to production-ready asset." (Emphasize Figma, collaboration, documentation, and accessibility.)

• "How do you ensure that design system components are accurately implemented by engineering teams, and how do you handle discrepancies?" (Showcase your collaboration with engineers and understanding of implementation challenges.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about [Client Company Name] and its products? How do you see a mobile design system contributing to their success?" (Research the client's products and articulate the value proposition of a design system.)

• "How do you approach working within a hybrid environment, and what are your strategies for effective collaboration with remote and in-office team members?" (Demonstrate your adaptability and communication skills.)

• "Describe your ideal design system governance model. What are the key elements for success?" (Showcase your understanding of structured processes and team buy-in.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each design system case study, follow a clear story arc: problem, your role, process, solution (components/patterns), impact, and learnings.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the value of your work (e.g., "reduced design time by X%", "increased component usage by Y%", "improved accessibility scores by Z points").

• Highlight Figma Expertise: Be prepared to share your screen and walk through key Figma files, showcasing your component architecture, variants, auto layout, and documentation practices.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Clearly articulate how you worked with engineers and product managers, providing specific examples of your collaborative efforts.

• Address Mobile Specifics: Ensure your presentation touches on your understanding of iOS and Android design patterns and accessibility requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for a design systems role requires a blend of design craft, systems thinking, and collaboration skills. Candidates must be ready to articulate their process, demonstrate their tool proficiency, and prove their ability to drive adoption and impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the TEKsystems careers portal link provided.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to prominently feature your experience with mobile design systems, Figma expertise, and successful component design and implementation. Highlight specific examples of reusable components and patterns.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly states your years of experience in design systems and mobile design. Use keywords from the job description such as "Figma," "design tokens," "component architecture," "accessibility," "iOS," "Android," and "cross-functional collaboration."

• Prepare Case Studies: Have 1-2 detailed design system case studies ready to present, focusing on your role, process, Figma usage, collaboration with engineering, and quantifiable impact.

• Research the Client: If the client company is disclosed during the screening process, research their products, target audience, and any publicly available design guidelines. Understand how your role would contribute to their specific business objectives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding the specific client company and day-to-day responsibilities, should be verified directly with the TEKsystems recruiter during the application process.