Senior Product Designer, Design Systems

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Design Systems

Company: Realtor.com Careers

Location: Austin, Texas, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design, Design Systems, UI/UX Design

Date Posted: June 12, 2025

Experience Level: Senior (8+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3+ days in office)

🎨 Role Summary

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of a comprehensive design system, focusing on reusable UI components and patterns.
• Ensure the design system promotes consistent, accessible, and scalable user experiences across web, mobile web, and native applications.
• Collaborate closely with Design, Product, and Engineering teams to enhance component quality, optimize workflows, and expand the system's utility.
• Play a critical role in delivering consistent experiences to millions of users by designing, documenting, and supporting the adoption of design system standards.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Design and maintain reusable UI components, interaction patterns, and visual styles that adhere to brand guidelines, usability principles, and accessibility standards (WCAG, ARIA).
• Contribute to and manage Figma design libraries, style tokens, and comprehensive documentation to support scalable and consistent usage across multiple platforms.
• Proactively identify inconsistencies, gaps, or areas for improvement within the existing design system and propose practical, scalable solutions.
• Collaborate with the Design Systems team on establishing and refining system governance models and contribution guidelines to ensure quality and consistency.
• Partner with cross-functional product teams (designers, engineers, product managers) to understand their needs and ensure design system components effectively meet real-world product requirements.
• Educate and support product teams in the effective application of design system solutions and guide them on best practices for system adoption.
• Collaborate closely with front-end engineering teams on implementation specifications, interaction behaviors, and alignment with technical standards.
• Design and advocate for inclusive design principles, ensuring components and patterns meet or exceed accessibility standards and conducting accessibility reviews.
• Incorporate feedback from users of the design system (designers, developers) to continuously enhance its utility, usability, and overall effectiveness.
• Stay informed about the latest design system trends, tooling advancements (e.g., Figma features, token management), and platform-specific guidelines to evolve the system intelligently.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in Design, HCI, or a related field.

Experience: 8+ years of experience in UI/UX design, with a minimum of 2 years specifically contributing to or building a design system within a product-driven environment. Requires a strong portfolio showcasing component-based design work and contributions to scalable systems.

Required Skills:

• Deep proficiency and hands-on experience with Figma, including building and maintaining complex component libraries, variants, and auto layout structures.
• Solid understanding of core front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and how design decisions translate into engineering implementation workflows.
• Demonstrated knowledge of web accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.1+, ARIA) and best practices for inclusive design.
• Proven ability to design and document reusable UI components, patterns, and guidelines for a multi-platform environment (web, mobile web, native).
• Strong communication, collaboration, and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and provide constructive feedback.
• Experience working in an Agile or similar iterative product development environment.
• Detail-oriented with a strong passion for design quality, consistency, and scalability.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design token management systems and their integration into design and development workflows.
• Familiarity with version control systems like Git as they relate to design system management.
• Experience with prototyping tools (e.g., Principle, After Effects) for demonstrating complex interactions within the design system.
• Understanding of analytics and how design system adoption and impact are measured.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase case studies specifically focused on your contributions to a design system. Highlight the components you designed, the problems they solved, and their impact on product consistency and development efficiency.
• Demonstrate your process for creating, documenting, and maintaining reusable UI components and patterns.
• Include examples of how you considered scalability, accessibility, and cross-platform compatibility in your design system work.
• Present examples of design system documentation or guidelines you have authored or contributed to.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your methodology for identifying the need for new components or patterns within a design system.
• Detail your process for designing components, from initial sketches and wireframes to final high-fidelity designs and specifications.
• Explain how you collaborate with engineers to ensure components are built accurately and efficiently.
• Describe your approach to gathering feedback on design system components and iterating on them.
• Showcase your understanding of versioning and managing changes within a design system.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry data for Senior Product Designer roles with a specialization in Design Systems in Austin, Texas, the estimated salary range is typically between $120,000 and $160,000 annually. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the overall compensation package offered by Realtor.com, which includes comprehensive benefits. (Source: Based on market data analysis of similar roles in the Austin, TX area as of mid-2025, considering the company size and industry.)

Benefits:

• Inclusive and Competitive Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, and Vision coverage for employees and their families.
• Family forming benefits to support employees building their families.
• Generous paid time off policies, including 13 Paid Holidays and Flexible Time Off (FTO).
• 8 hours of paid Volunteer Time Off to encourage community involvement.
• Immediate eligibility into the Company 401(k) plan with a competitive 3.5% company match.
• Tuition Reimbursement program to support continuous learning and professional development for both degreed and non-degreed programs.
• Access to 1:1 personalized Financial Planning Sessions.
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match program.
• Free snacks and refreshments available in all office locations.

Working Hours: Full-time position, typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid work model requires three or more days per week working from the office in Austin, Texas, allowing for in-person collaboration while offering some flexibility.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Real Estate Technology (PropTech). Realtor.com operates within the dynamic online real estate sector, providing digital tools and information for buyers, sellers, and renters. This industry context means design work directly impacts significant life decisions for users, requiring a focus on clarity, trust, and ease of use.

Company Size: Large (1,001-5,000 employees globally). As a large organization, Realtor.com likely has established processes, dedicated teams (including a Design Systems team), and opportunities for impact at scale. Design systems are particularly crucial in large companies to maintain consistency across numerous products and teams.

Founded: 1996. With over 25 years in the online real estate space, Realtor.com has a long history and established presence, indicating stability and deep industry knowledge. The design culture is likely mature, with a focus on user experience and leveraging technology to simplify complex processes.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within a dedicated Design Systems team.
• This team likely reports into a broader Product Design or Experience organization.
• Close collaboration is required with Product Design teams, Front-End Engineering teams, and Product Management.
• The team structure is likely cross-functional, emphasizing partnership to ensure the design system meets the needs of various product areas.

Methodology:

• The design team likely employs a user-centered design methodology, focusing on understanding the needs and behaviors of real estate consumers and professionals.
• Agile or a similar iterative development process is expected, given the collaboration requirements with engineering and product.
• Emphasis on testing and validation of design system components to ensure usability and accessibility.
• Likely utilizes design thinking principles for problem-solving and innovation within the design system.

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

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: Senior Product Designer. At this level, the designer is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, lead complex design system initiatives, mentor junior designers (potentially), and significantly influence the direction and adoption of the design system across the organization. This role requires not just execution but strategic thinking and leadership within the design systems domain.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Director within the Design Systems or Product Design organization. This provides a clear path for guidance and career progression within the design discipline.

Design Impact: Design at Realtor.com has a significant impact, directly affecting the user experience for millions navigating the complex real estate market. The Design Systems team plays a foundational role, enabling product teams to build consistent, high-quality experiences efficiently. The impact is measured by the system's adoption, contribution quality, reduction in design and development debt, and ultimately, the improved consistency and usability of the final products.

Growth Opportunities:

• Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in design systems, potentially leading to Principal Designer or Design Lead roles focused on system architecture and strategy.
• Growth in technical understanding and collaboration by working closely with front-end engineering on component implementation and tooling.
• Potential for increased leadership responsibilities, such as contributing to design system governance, onboarding new team members, or leading specific system initiatives.
• Opportunities to contribute to the broader design community through sharing best practices and insights from their work on a large-scale design system.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Office-based (Hybrid). The primary work environment is Realtor.com's office in Austin, Texas, with a hybrid model requiring at least three days per week on-site. This fosters in-person collaboration, which is often crucial for complex design systems work involving close interaction with cross-functional teams.

Office Location(s): Austin, Texas, United States. The specific address is 901 E 6th St, Austin, Texas 78702, US. Being located in a major tech hub like Austin provides access to a vibrant design community and potential for industry events.

Design Workspace Context:

• The office environment is designed to support collaboration, likely with spaces for team meetings, design critiques, and cross-functional workshops.
• Access to necessary hardware and software for design work, including potentially large monitors, ergonomic setups, and high-performance machines for design tools like Figma.
• Opportunities for informal interaction and knowledge sharing with design peers and colleagues from other disciplines.
• The hybrid model allows for focused work remotely while leveraging in-office time for crucial face-to-face collaboration required for effective design system development and adoption.

Work Schedule: Standard business hours, Monday to Friday, with the requirement to be in the Austin office for three or more days per week. Flexibility might exist around specific in-office days based on team needs and project requirements.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: Likely a call with a recruiter to discuss your background, interest in the role, and basic qualifications. Prepare to articulate your experience with design systems and your portfolio highlights.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience with the hiring manager. Be prepared to discuss your approach to design systems, your collaboration style, and your understanding of the challenges in maintaining a system at scale. Have specific examples from your portfolio ready to discuss.
• Portfolio Review/Presentation: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, focusing specifically on your design system case studies. Be prepared to explain your design process, technical considerations, collaboration with engineering, and the impact of your work. Structure your presentation to clearly articulate the problems you solved and your contribution.
• Team Interviews: Interviews with members of the Design Systems team, broader Product Design team, and potentially Engineering and Product Management partners. These interviews will assess your collaboration skills, technical understanding, cultural fit, and ability to work effectively across disciplines.
• Design Challenge (Potential): You may be given a design challenge related to design systems, such as extending an existing component, documenting a pattern, or proposing a solution for a system-level problem. Be prepared to explain your thinking, process, and rationale.
• Final Interview(s): Potentially interviews with design leadership or other key stakeholders to assess overall fit and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus exclusively on design system work in the dedicated review session. Curate 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate your expertise.
• For each case study, clearly define the problem you were solving, your role and responsibilities, your design process (research, ideation, testing specific to the system), the technical considerations, and the outcome or impact of your work on the product or team efficiency.
• Showcase not just the final component design, but also the documentation, usage guidelines, and how you collaborated with engineers to ensure successful implementation.
• Highlight your understanding of accessibility and how you built inclusive design principles into your components.
• Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced in building or maintaining the system and how you overcame them.

Challenge Preparation:

• If given a design challenge, approach it systematically. Understand the core problem, consider the constraints of a design system (scalability, consistency, accessibility), and articulate your thinking process clearly.
• Structure your solution logically, explaining your design decisions based on system principles and user needs.
• Be prepared to discuss the technical implications of your design and how you would collaborate with engineering on implementation.
• Time manage effectively and focus on demonstrating your core design systems skills rather than trying to solve every possible edge case.

ATS Keywords: Design System, UI Design, UX Design, Product Design, Component Library, Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Prototyping, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Accessibility, WCAG, ARIA, Inclusive Design, Front-End Development, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Design Tokens, Style Guide, Pattern Library, Documentation, Collaboration, Cross-functional, Agile, User-Centered Design, Usability Testing, Design Critique, Information Architecture, Wireframing, Prototyping, User Research, Design Strategy, Scalability, Consistency, Governance, Storytelling, Communication, Problem Solving, Real Estate Tech, PropTech.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Figma: Essential. Deep proficiency in using Figma for designing components, building and maintaining libraries, utilizing variants, auto layout, and collaborative features. Specific experience with organizing and structuring large-scale Figma files for a design system is crucial.
• Other Design Software (Potential): While Figma is primary, familiarity with other tools like Sketch or Adobe Creative Suite might be beneficial for understanding different workflows, though not explicitly required.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Figma: Serves as the primary tool for design handoff to engineering, with features like Inspect mode and commenting for communication.
• Documentation Platform (Potential): Experience with platforms like Zeroheight, Storybook, Confluence, or custom-built documentation sites for housing design system guidelines and component usage examples.
• Project Management Tools (Potential): Familiarity with tools like Jira or Asana for tracking design system tasks and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Research & Testing:

• Prototyping Tools (Potential): Tools within Figma or external tools for creating interactive prototypes to test component behavior and interactions.
• User Testing Platforms (Potential): Familiarity with platforms used for gathering feedback on design system components from internal users (designers, developers) and potentially external users.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Craft & Quality: High value placed on well-crafted, pixel-perfect design system components that are robust and reliable.
• Consistency & Scalability: Emphasis on building a system that ensures a consistent user experience across all products and can scale effectively as the product suite grows.
• Accessibility & Inclusion: Strong commitment to designing components that are accessible to all users and promoting inclusive design practices.
• Collaboration & Enablement: The design systems team is seen as a service provider, valuing collaboration with product teams and enabling them to build products more efficiently.
• Continuous Improvement: A culture of iterating on the design system based on feedback and staying current with industry best practices and tooling.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative and cross-functional, working closely with product designers, front-end engineers, and product managers.
• Emphasis on giving and receiving constructive feedback to improve the design system.
• Likely involves regular design critiques, working sessions with engineering, and documentation reviews.
• Requires clear and effective communication to articulate design decisions and system guidelines.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Maintaining Consistency at Scale: Ensuring the design system remains consistent and up-to-date across a large and evolving product suite with multiple teams. Requires robust governance and communication strategies.
• Balancing Flexibility and Constraint: Designing components that are flexible enough to meet diverse product needs while providing sufficient constraints to maintain consistency.
• Driving Adoption and Contribution: Encouraging product teams to consistently use the design system and contributing back to it requires ongoing education, support, and advocacy.
• Keeping Pace with Technology: Staying current with advancements in design tools (Figma features), front-end technologies, and accessibility standards to evolve the system effectively.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunities to deepen expertise in design system architecture, governance, and technical implementation by working closely with engineering.
• Potential to learn and implement advanced design system tooling, such as design token management systems or automated accessibility testing tools.
• Growth in leadership skills by contributing to the strategic direction of the design system and potentially mentoring junior team members.
• Access to internal training, conferences, or workshops related to design systems, accessibility, or front-end development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a new component for a design system. How do you ensure it meets the needs of product teams while maintaining system consistency?" (Prepare to walk through a specific example from your portfolio.)
• "How do you approach documenting design system components and guidelines to make them easily understandable and usable for designers and engineers?" (Discuss your experience with documentation platforms and writing clear guidelines.)
• "Explain your approach to ensuring design system components are accessible. How do you collaborate with accessibility experts or conduct testing?" (Highlight your knowledge of WCAG and your process for building inclusive components.)
• "How do you handle requests for new components or variations? What's your process for evaluating their need and integrating them into the system?" (Discuss your approach to system governance and prioritization.)

Company Culture Questions:

• "How do you effectively collaborate with engineers on the implementation of design system components? Describe a time you worked closely with engineering to solve a technical challenge related to a component." (Provide specific examples of successful cross-functional collaboration.)
• "How do you advocate for the use of the design system within product teams? What strategies do you use to encourage adoption and contribution?" (Discuss your experience with education, communication, and building relationships.)
• "Describe a challenging feedback session on a design system component. How did you handle it and incorporate the feedback?" (Showcase your ability to receive and act on feedback constructively.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Begin by briefly introducing yourself and your passion for design systems.
• Clearly state the goal of your portfolio presentation: to showcase your expertise in building and maintaining scalable design systems.
• For each case study, provide context: the company, the product, and the specific design system challenge you addressed.
• Focus on your process: research (understanding user needs - the users of the system are designers and engineers!), ideation, design decisions, technical considerations, and collaboration.
• Showcase both the design artifacts (components, documentation) and the impact of your work (e.g., improved consistency, faster development).
• Be prepared to answer questions about your decisions and process in detail. Practice your presentation to ensure smooth flow and clear explanations.
• End with a summary of your key contributions and how your skills align with the needs of the Senior Product Designer, Design Systems role at Realtor.com.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link on the Realtor.com Careers Greenhouse page.
• Tailor your resume to highlight your specific experience with design systems, including the number of years contributing to systems, the types of components you've built, and the tools you are proficient in (especially Figma). Use relevant ATS keywords.
• Prepare a portfolio that specifically showcases your design system work. Create dedicated case studies detailing your process for creating, documenting, and maintaining components, and highlight your collaboration with engineering.
• Practice presenting your design system case studies, focusing on the problems solved, your process, technical considerations, and the impact of your work.
• Research Realtor.com's products and brand to understand the context in which their design system operates. Familiarize yourself with their design language if possible.