Design Systems Specialist / Product Designer (Automotive) - all genders

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Systems Specialist / Product Designer (Automotive)

Company: Edenspiekermann

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Job Type: Permanent employee

Category: Design Operations / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-12T10:34:15

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the evolution, structure, and governance of a complex, enterprise-grade design system within the automotive sector.

• Manage and structure scalable building blocks in Figma, including component libraries, token strategies, variants, and variables, ensuring seamless handoff to engineering teams.

• Act as a key liaison between clients, UX designers, engineers, and product managers to align vision and execution for digital in-vehicle and mobility experiences.

• Develop clear documentation, specifications, and system rules to facilitate easy component accessibility and implementation across multiple teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role bridges the gap between design and engineering operations, focusing on the scalability and efficiency of design systems within a complex automotive product ecosystem. The emphasis on "system over re-design" and "foundational building blocks for future AI-supported operations" highlights a strong DesignOps and GTM enablement component.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development, maintenance, and governance of an established, complex design system to ensure consistent user experiences across various digital touchpoints, resolutions, and themes.

• Architect and manage scalable component libraries within Figma, implementing advanced features such as Auto Layout, token strategies, variables, modes, and versioning for efficient component management and engineering handoff.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for client interactions and cross-functional team collaborations (UX, Engineering, Product Management), guiding system decisions and ensuring alignment between design intent and technical implementation.

• Translate complex design system requirements into clear, actionable documentation, specifications, and guidelines that empower multi-team implementation and adoption.

• Contribute to the optimization of the design system architecture to support future AI-driven operations and ensure its foundational strength for evolving digital products.

• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure the practical implementation and integration of design system components, validating system integrity and performance.

• Champion best practices in design system management, advocating for consistency, scalability, and efficiency across product development lifecycles.

• Conduct regular audits and reviews of the design system to identify areas for improvement, innovation, and alignment with evolving industry standards and client needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a focus on operationalizing design, bridging the gap between high-level strategy and detailed execution. The role requires a blend of strategic thinking, technical proficiency in design tools, and strong stakeholder management skills, all aimed at optimizing the design-to-development workflow.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Interaction Design, Digital Media, Computer Science, HCI, Design, or a related discipline.

Experience: 3+ years of professional experience in Product Design or Design Systems, with a proven track record in enterprise-grade environments.

Required Skills:

• Design Systems Expertise: Proven experience in building, scaling, and governing enterprise-grade design systems and/or DesignOps practices.

• Figma Proficiency: Deep expertise in advanced Figma capabilities including Auto Layout, component libraries, token strategies, variables, shared libraries, versioning, and branching.

• Component Architecture: Strong grasp of enterprise-grade component architecture principles and best practices for modularity and reusability.

• Visual Identity Systems: Comprehensive understanding of typography, layout, color theory, and visual branding principles, with the ability to apply them consistently across digital products.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent ability to communicate clearly with clients, present technical system choices, and effectively bridge the gap between design intent and engineering execution.

• Documentation Skills: Proficiency in creating clear, concise, and actionable documentation, specifications, and system rules.

• Modular Thinking: A strong inclination towards modular and structural design thinking ("system over re-design").

• English Proficiency: C1 level English for effective communication with international clients and internal stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the mobility or automotive industry, including Human-Machine Interface (HMI), commercial vehicles, or Android Automotive OS.

• Familiarity with complex product ecosystems and multi-product platform strategies.

• Understanding of how design systems can be optimized for AI-supported operations.

• Experience working in an agile development environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on advanced Figma capabilities and enterprise-grade design systems suggests a need for candidates who can manage complex, multi-faceted design infrastructure. The preference for automotive experience highlights the specialized nature of the client engagement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design System Case Studies: Demonstrations of your experience in building, evolving, or managing design systems, showcasing system architecture, component libraries, and governance models.

• Figma Mastery Examples: Visual evidence of advanced Figma skills, such as complex Auto Layout setups, token implementation, variable usage, and efficient component organization.

• Process Optimization Examples: Documentation or case studies illustrating how you've improved design workflows, engineering handoff, or system consistency through design system implementation.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Evidence: Examples of projects where you successfully collaborated with engineering, product, and other stakeholders to align on design system decisions and implementation.

• Documentation Samples: Clear examples of design system documentation, style guides, or component specifications that you have created.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase your ability to design and optimize workflows related to design system creation, maintenance, and adoption.

• System Implementation Standards: Provide examples of how you have established standards for component implementation, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate how you track the effectiveness and impact of design systems, including metrics related to efficiency, consistency, and adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are critical for this role. Candidates should be prepared to showcase their practical application of design system principles, tool proficiency, and their ability to operationalize design within complex environments. Demonstrating a "system over re-design" mindset through tangible examples will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Design Systems Specialist/Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Stockholm, Sweden, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between SEK 45,000 - SEK 65,000 per month (approximately €4,000 - €5,700 per month, or €48,000 - €68,400 annually), depending on experience and specific qualifications.

Benefits:

• Participation as a central team member in a dynamic design consultancy with self-determined and independent work.

• Direct connection to partners, management, and colleagues.

• Flat hierarchies and opportunities to contribute and implement personal ideas.

• Significant personal responsibility, room for creativity, and personal development.

• 30 days paid vacation per year.

• Hybrid work arrangement offering flexibility.

• Access to meditation for work-life balance.

• Potential for a four-day work week if needed.

• In-house coaching and mentoring programs.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with a focus on work-life balance and flexibility, including the potential for a four-day week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research for similar roles in Stockholm, considering the company's industry (design consultancy) and the specified experience level. It's important to note that this is an estimate, and actual compensation will be determined by the hiring team. The benefits highlight a strong emphasis on employee well-being and professional growth, which is attractive to operations professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Design Consultancy, Technology, Automotive, Mobility.

Company Size: Edenspiekermann is a design consultancy, and while specific employee numbers for the Stockholm office aren't provided, the nature of design consultancies often involves agile, interdisciplinary teams working on diverse client projects. The company operates globally with multiple locations.

Founded: Edenspiekermann was founded in 1994, indicating a long-standing presence and experience in the design and digital product space.

Team Structure:

• Interdisciplinary Teams: The company works in agile and interdisciplinary teams, combining conceptual thinking, design expertise, and development knowledge.

• Collaboration Focus: Teams are designed to foster collaboration between designers, engineers, product managers, and clients, with a strong emphasis on user-centric approaches.

• Client Partnership: Edenspiekermann views its work with clients as a partnership, aiming for high quality while maintaining humility and an unconventional approach.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Interaction designers work in agile teams on websites and platforms.

• User-Centric Design: Development of digital products and services with a user-centric approach.

• Consultative Approach: Advising and coaching client teams to deliver optimal customer experiences.

Company Website: edenspiekermann.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and a partnership approach with clients. For operations professionals, this means an environment that values proactive contribution, cross-functional teamwork, and a dedication to delivering high-quality, user-centric digital solutions, particularly within complex sectors like automotive.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Senior level specialist, indicating a need for demonstrated expertise and the ability to operate with significant autonomy. It's a crucial role for operationalizing design within the automotive sector.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, in a consultancy setting, this role likely reports to a Design Lead, Design Director, or a Project Manager, with direct interaction with client-side product and engineering leads.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the efficiency, consistency, and scalability of digital product development for a leading automotive manufacturer. By managing and evolving the design system, this specialist enables faster iteration cycles, reduces design and development debt, and ensures a cohesive user experience across multiple vehicle platforms and digital touchpoints. This operational efficiency directly contributes to the client's ability to deliver high-quality digital products effectively.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced design system architecture, governance, and scaling within complex enterprise environments.

• Leadership Development: Potential to lead design system initiatives, mentor junior designers, and influence strategic design decisions for automotive clients.

• Cross-Industry Exposure: Opportunity to apply design system principles to other complex product ecosystems or emerging technologies, such as AI-supported operations.

• Consultancy Growth: Develop strong client-facing and project management skills within a leading design consultancy, potentially leading to senior consultant or partner roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for this role is strong, moving beyond pure design execution to strategic operational leadership within design. The emphasis on "AI-supported operations" suggests a forward-looking career path in a rapidly evolving field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment, combining remote work flexibility with in-office collaboration.

Office Location(s): Stockholm, Sweden, with a specific address at Grev Turegatan 30, 114 38 Stockholm.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The Stockholm office likely serves as a hub for client meetings, team workshops, and collaborative design sessions, fostering direct interaction and idea exchange.

• Tooling & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma) and potentially other collaboration and project management software essential for operations.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to engage with diverse teams of designers, developers, and strategists, promoting a rich learning and collaborative atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The role involves approximately 40 working hours per week, with a strong emphasis on work-life balance and flexibility, including the possibility of a four-day work week. This allows for focused work periods while accommodating personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and emphasis on work-life balance are attractive for operations professionals who require structure and efficiency but also value flexibility. The Stockholm location offers a vibrant professional environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where you will present your design system case studies and demonstrate your Figma proficiency, discussing your approach to system architecture, governance, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Technical/Skills Assessment: Potential for a focused discussion or a small practical exercise to evaluate your understanding of advanced Figma features, component design, and system thinking.

• Cross-functional/Client Interview: An opportunity to interact with potential team members (designers, engineers) and client representatives to assess your communication skills, collaborative style, and ability to articulate complex technical system choices.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to finalize the offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Systemic Thinking: Clearly articulate your approach to "system over re-design." Highlight projects where you've built or significantly evolved design systems, focusing on scalability, consistency, and maintainability.

• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Provide specific examples of your advanced Figma skills, such as complex Auto Layout configurations, effective use of variables and tokens, and robust component library structures.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, quantify the impact of your design system work. This could include metrics on reduced design debt, faster development cycles, improved consistency scores, or increased adoption rates.

• Illustrate Collaboration: Show how you've worked with engineering and product teams. This could involve documenting handoff processes, demonstrating how you’ve incorporated engineering feedback, or showcasing successful client alignment.

• Documentation Clarity: Ensure any documentation samples are clear, well-organized, and easy to understand, reflecting your ability to communicate system rules effectively.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design System Problem-Solving: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach common design system challenges, such as managing contributions from multiple teams, scaling a system for new product lines, or integrating new design principles.

• Figma Scenario Discussion: Be ready to discuss hypothetical scenarios involving Figma features like variables, tokens, or branching for collaborative workflows.

• Client Communication Scenarios: Practice articulating technical design system concepts and decisions to non-technical stakeholders or clients, focusing on clarity and value proposition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical skills and the ability to articulate complex design system strategies. A strong, well-curated portfolio showcasing relevant case studies and technical expertise in Figma will be paramount for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for design creation, prototyping, component library management, and collaboration. Advanced proficiency in Auto Layout, Variables, Tokens, Variants, and Shared Libraries is required.

• Design System Management Platforms: While Figma is primary, familiarity with related tools or methodologies for design system documentation and governance (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook integration) may be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Design Analytics Tools: Understanding how design systems impact product metrics and potentially familiarity with tools that track UI consistency or component usage.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with tools like Slack, Jira, Confluence, or similar platforms for team communication, project tracking, and documentation.

CRM & Automation:

• Client Management Tools: While not directly managed by this role, understanding the client's ecosystem (which may include CRM or product management tools) can be helpful for context.

• Workflow Automation: Awareness of how design system components can be leveraged for automated design processes or code generation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technology stack revolves heavily around Figma and its advanced features. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate deep expertise in this tool, as it's central to the design system's operational effectiveness.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Quality & Craftsmanship: A commitment to high-quality standards in design systems and digital products.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing teamwork, open communication, and a partner-like approach with clients and internal teams.

• Innovation & Improvement: A drive for continuous improvement, leaving comfort zones, and exploring unconventional solutions.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Focus on creating systems and processes that are efficient, scalable, and foundational for future growth.

• User-Centricity: A core principle of designing for the end-user experience, ensuring brand consistency and usability.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Interdisciplinary: Working within agile, cross-functional teams that bring together diverse skill sets.

• Direct & Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue, feedback exchange, and direct connection with partners, management, and colleagues.

• Supportive Environment: A culture where team members support each other, fostering individual and collective growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on values like collaboration, continuous improvement, and user-centricity aligns well with operational roles that require strong interpersonal skills and a dedication to process optimization. This role thrives in an environment that encourages proactive contribution and shared learning.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complex System Governance: Managing and evolving a design system within a complex, multi-product automotive environment with diverse stakeholders and legacy systems.

• Bridging Design & Engineering: Effectively translating design intent into engineering-ready components and ensuring seamless integration, especially in large-scale projects.

• AI Integration: Understanding and preparing the design system architecture to support future AI-driven design and development operations.

• Client Alignment: Navigating client expectations and ensuring buy-in for design system adoption and evolution across their product portfolio.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design System Strategy: Deepen knowledge in design system governance, scaling strategies, and best practices for enterprise adoption.

• Automotive UX/HMI Expertise: Gain specialized knowledge in the intricacies of automotive user interface and human-machine interaction design.

• AI in Design: Explore emerging trends and applications of AI within design systems and product development workflows.

• Consultancy Skills: Develop client management, project leadership, and strategic advisory skills within a professional consultancy setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in design operations within large, complex organizations. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a path to becoming a leader in design systems and digital product development, particularly within specialized industries like automotive.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to building and scaling a design system for a complex product ecosystem like automotive. What are the key governance principles you would implement?" (Focus on modularity, consistency, and stakeholder buy-in).

• "How do you ensure seamless handoff and collaboration between design and engineering teams, particularly when working with advanced Figma features like variables and tokens?" (Highlight documentation, communication, and iterative feedback loops).

• "How would you prepare a design system to be foundational for future AI-supported operations? What considerations are critical?" (Discuss data structure, component definition, and potential for automation). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to Edenspiekermann and this specific role within the automotive sector?" (Research their portfolio, values, and specific client work).

• "How do you approach collaboration in a hybrid work environment with cross-functional teams and international clients?" (Emphasize proactive communication, empathy, and leveraging collaboration tools).

• "How do you measure the success and impact of a design system?" (Prepare to discuss metrics related to efficiency, consistency, adoption, and ROI). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your portfolio presentation around a clear narrative: the problem, your solution (design system approach), the tools and processes used (Figma, documentation), the results (quantifiable impact), and your role in it.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visual examples from your Figma work to demonstrate advanced techniques. Walk through a component library or a complex Auto Layout setup.

• Focus on Operations: Emphasize how your work operationalized design, improved efficiency, and ensured scalability. Highlight your role in bridging design and engineering.

• Client-Centric Language: Frame your contributions in terms of value delivered to the client and their end-users.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skill, but also operational thinking, strategic foresight regarding AI, and strong communication abilities crucial for client-facing roles in a consultancy.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Edenspiekermann careers page.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your experience with design systems, DesignOps, Figma mastery (mentioning Auto Layout, variables, tokens), and any relevant automotive or complex product ecosystem experience. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest design system case studies that best showcase your skills in architecture, governance, Figma proficiency, and cross-functional collaboration. Ensure clear documentation and visual examples.

• Prepare for Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on articulating your strategic approach, technical execution, and the operational impact of your work. Be ready to discuss how you'd handle challenges.

• Research Edenspiekermann: Understand their company culture, client work, and approach to design. Be prepared to articulate why you are a good fit for their values and the specific demands of this client-facing role.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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