Lead Digital Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Digital Product Designer

Company: Scout Motors

Location: Fremont, California, United States

Job Type: On-site

Category: UI/UX Design

Date Posted: 2025-06-05

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end design efforts across responsive web, native mobile, and in-store digital experiences
• Act as a design thought partner to senior stakeholders, shaping customer-facing technology strategies
• Drive the strategic application of Scout’s brand across all digital touchpoints
• Mentor and guide multidisciplinary designers, fostering a culture of feedback, growth, and collaboration
• Partner with engineering leads to champion a scalable design system and component strategy
• Define and uphold design excellence, contributing to best practices, team standards, and frameworks
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy, prioritizing and managing multiple complex initiatives
• Collaborate closely with the Design Director, helping to shape the broader design culture, processes, and team development roadmap

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design efforts across responsive web, native mobile, and in-store digital experiences
• Act as a design thought partner to senior stakeholders, shaping customer-facing technology strategies
• Drive the strategic application of Scout’s brand across all digital touchpoints
• Mentor and guide multidisciplinary designers, fostering a culture of feedback, growth, and collaboration
• Partner with engineering leads to champion a scalable design system and component strategy
• Define and uphold design excellence, contributing to best practices, team standards, and frameworks
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy, prioritizing and managing multiple complex initiatives
• Collaborate closely with the Design Director, helping to shape the broader design culture, processes, and team development roadmap

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience

Experience: 7+ years of end-to-end product design experience, with a proven ability to lead design initiatives that deliver meaningful business and customer impact

Required Skills:

• Expertise in responsive web, mobile (iOS/Android), and digital ecosystems design
• Proven experience establishing and scaling visual and interaction design systems across platforms
• Expert knowledge of interaction patterns for responsive web and native mobile applications
• Outstanding communication and storytelling skills, with a track record of influencing cross-functional partners
• Proficiency with industry-standard tools, including Figma (deep Figma expertise required)
• Experience mentoring or coaching other designers, and a passion for fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and excellence
• Strategic mindset, with the ability to balance user needs, brand integrity, and business objectives in every design decision

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with automotive design or familiarity with the automotive industry
• Knowledge of electric vehicle (EV) market trends and user needs
• Familiarity with design systems and component libraries, such as ZeroHeight or Storybook
• Experience with design tokens and design systems documentation tools, such as Frontify or Backlight

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case studies demonstrating end-to-end design process, from user research and problem definition to final design and implementation
• Examples of design systems and component libraries, showcasing your ability to create and maintain scalable design systems
• Visual design examples that demonstrate your understanding of brand guidelines, color theory, typography, and layout principles
• Interactive prototypes or design challenge solutions that showcase your problem-solving skills and design thinking approach

Process Documentation:

• Detailed user research and discovery phases, including user interviews, surveys, and competitive analysis
• Ideation and iteration methods, including brainstorming sessions, wireframing, and usability testing
• Validation and testing approaches, including A/B testing, usability testing, and user feedback collection

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $170,000 per year

Benefits:

• Competitive insurance including medical, dental, vision, and income protection plans
• 401(k) program with an employer match and immediate vesting
• Generous paid time off, including 20 days planned PTO, 40 hours of unplanned PTO, and 14 company or floating holidays annually
• Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave for biological and adoptive parents of all genders
• Paid leave for bereavement, jury duty, voting time, or military leave

Working Hours: Full-time, exempt position with a base salary and annual performance bonus program

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Motor Vehicle Manufacturing

Company Size: 201-500 employees

Founded: 2022

Team Structure:

• Design team of 848 employees, with a focus on collaboration, growth, and innovation
• Flat organizational structure with cross-functional teams and design leadership opportunities
• Design team composition includes UX designers, visual designers, product designers, and design operations specialists

Methodology:

• User-centered design approach, with a focus on user research, empathy, and problem-solving
• Design thinking methodologies, including brainstorming, prototyping, and usability testing
• Agile development processes, with a focus on iterative design and continuous improvement

Company Website: https://www.scoutmotors.com

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: Mid-Senior Level - Lead Digital Product Designer

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Design Director, with cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Customer Experience teams

Design Impact: This role has a significant impact on Scout Motors' digital products, shaping customer-facing technology strategies and elevating the brand's digital presence

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential career progression to Design Director or other senior design leadership roles as the company grows
• Opportunities to specialize in specific design disciplines, such as automotive design or design systems architecture
• Chance to mentor and coach junior designers, fostering a culture of growth and continuous learning

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: On-site studio with a focus on collaboration, creativity, and innovation

Office Location(s): Fremont, California, United States

Design Workspace Context:

• Open, collaborative workspace with dedicated design areas and team meeting spaces
• Access to the latest design tools, software, and hardware, including high-performance workstations and large-format displays
• Regular design critiques, workshops, and team-building activities to foster a culture of growth and learning

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site position with a standard workweek and flexible hours to accommodate design workflow and creative process

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial phone or video screen with the Design Director or a design team member
• On-site or virtual design challenge, focusing on problem-solving, design thinking, and user-centered design principles
• Portfolio review and case study presentation, with a focus on design process, methodology, and strategic decision-making
• Final interview with senior leadership, focusing on cultural fit, leadership potential, and career growth aspirations

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight case studies that demonstrate your ability to lead end-to-end design efforts, drive strategic design initiatives, and mentor other designers
• Include examples of design systems and component libraries, showcasing your ability to create and maintain scalable design systems
• Showcase your understanding of brand guidelines, color theory, typography, and layout principles through visual design examples
• Prepare interactive prototypes or design challenge solutions that demonstrate your problem-solving skills and design thinking approach

Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with Scout Motors' brand, mission, and design principles
• Research the electric vehicle (EV) market trends and user needs, focusing on Scout Motors' target audience and design requirements
• Prepare a design challenge solution that addresses a real-world design problem, showcasing your ability to apply design thinking methodologies and user-centered design principles

ATS Keywords:

• Product Design, UI/UX Design, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Experience Design, Design Systems, Design Thinking, User Research, Prototyping, Figma, Collaboration, Mentoring, Communication, Storytelling, Design Strategy, Design Operations, Automotive Design, Electric Vehicle Design

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Figma (deep expertise required) for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration
• Sketch for initial ideation and brainstorming
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) for visual design and asset creation

Collaboration & Handoff:

• InVision for design handoff, collaboration, and user testing
• Zeplin for design system management and component library creation
• Slack for team communication and collaboration

Research & Testing:

• UserTesting for usability testing and user feedback collection
• Hotjar for heatmap analysis and user behavior tracking
• Google Analytics for design performance measurement and optimization

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• User-centered design approach, with a focus on empathy, problem-solving, and user needs
• Collaboration and teamwork, with a focus on cross-functional partnerships and stakeholder management
• Continuous learning and growth, with a commitment to staying up-to-date with design trends, tools, and methodologies
• Innovation and experimentation, with a willingness to take risks and challenge the status quo

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional design integration, with a focus on stakeholder communication and design critique culture
• Design critique culture, with a focus on feedback exchange, growth, and continuous improvement
• Design system contribution and knowledge sharing, with a focus on maintaining visual integrity and design excellence

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Balancing user needs, brand integrity, and business objectives in every design decision
• Managing multiple complex initiatives and prioritizing design efforts in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
• Driving design excellence and maintaining visual integrity across a rapidly evolving design system and component library
• Fostering a culture of feedback, growth, and collaboration across multidisciplinary design teams

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design skill advancement and specialization through workshops, conferences, and online learning platforms
• Industry conference and workshop participation, with a focus on design trends, best practices, and networking opportunities
• Design mentorship and leadership development, with a focus on coaching junior designers and driving design team growth

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Prepare for questions about your design process, methodology, and strategic decision-making, with a focus on driving design excellence and user-centered design principles
• Practice explaining your design thinking approach, user research methods, and problem-solving strategies
• Prepare case studies that demonstrate your ability to lead end-to-end design efforts, drive strategic design initiatives, and mentor other designers

Company Culture Questions:

• Research Scout Motors' brand, mission, and design principles, focusing on how your design approach aligns with the company's vision and values
• Prepare for questions about your cultural fit, leadership potential, and career growth aspirations
• Practice discussing your design philosophy, design thinking approach, and commitment to driving innovation and continuous learning

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Highlight case studies that demonstrate your ability to lead end-to-end design efforts, drive strategic design initiatives, and mentor other designers
• Include examples of design systems and component libraries, showcasing your ability to create and maintain scalable design systems
• Showcase your understanding of brand guidelines, color theory, typography, and layout principles through visual design examples
• Prepare interactive prototypes or design challenge solutions that demonstrate your problem-solving skills and design thinking approach

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Customize your portfolio to highlight case studies that demonstrate your ability to lead end-to-end design efforts, drive strategic design initiatives, and mentor other designers
• Optimize your resume for design roles, focusing on keyword strategy and skill highlighting
• Prepare for design interviews by practicing design process questions, company culture questions, and portfolio presentation strategies
• Research Scout Motors' brand, mission, and design principles, focusing on how your design approach aligns with the company's vision and values