📍 Job Overview
Job Title: Senior - Staff Product Designer
Company: Linear
Location: United States (Remote)
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Product Design
Date Posted: 2025-06-04
Experience Level: 7+ years
Remote Status: Remote (North America & Canada)
🎨 Design Role Summary
- Drive product design and quality across Linear's software, working closely with engineers and product managers.
- Prototype and iterate on designs using Figma and other tools, ensuring usability and visual appeal.
- Collaborate with the design team to maintain and improve Linear's design system.
- Contribute to hiring and onboarding new design talent.
📝 Enhancement Note: This role emphasizes close collaboration with engineers and product managers, suggesting a high level of autonomy and impact on the product.
🖼️ Primary Design Responsibilities
- Lead design projects from inception to completion, working closely with engineers and product managers.
- Create high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and design specifications.
- Conduct user research and usability testing to inform design decisions.
- Mentor and guide junior designers, providing feedback and helping them grow.
- Contribute to Linear's design system, ensuring consistency and quality across the product.
📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves a mix of individual design work and team collaboration, requiring strong communication and leadership skills.
🎓 Design Skills & Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
Experience: 7+ years of experience in product design, with a strong portfolio demonstrating your design process and problem-solving skills.
Required Design Skills:
- Expertise in Figma and other prototyping tools (e.g., Origami, AI, HTML/CSS).
- Strong visual design skills and a keen eye for detail.
- Ability to create clear, focused design solutions based on user needs and business objectives.
- Experience working in a remote, asynchronous team environment.
Preferred Design Skills:
- Experience with design systems and component libraries.
- Familiarity with design thinking methodologies and user-centered design processes.
- Ability to write clean, semantic HTML and CSS.
- Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git).
📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a high level of technical proficiency and experience with design systems and collaboration tools.
🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Demonstrate your design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
- Showcase your ability to create high-fidelity visuals and design specifications.
- Include examples of your work that highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to balance user needs with business objectives.
- Demonstrate your understanding of Linear's design language and how you might extend or improve it.
Design Process Documentation:
- Include user research findings and how they informed your design decisions.
- Showcase your ability to iterate and refine designs based on feedback from users, stakeholders, and team members.
- Demonstrate your understanding of Linear's design system and how you might contribute to its evolution.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft suggests that applicants should emphasize their design process, attention to detail, and ability to create polished, high-fidelity visuals.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $120,000 - $160,000 USD per year (based on experience and regional cost of living).
Benefits:
- Competitive salary and equity (including early and extended exercise).
- Paid lunch and coffee during workdays.
- Paid co-working space/desk at an office.
- Health, dental, and vision insurance (US).
- Regular team events and off-sites.
- 5 weeks of paid vacation.
- 4 months of paid parental leave.
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexibility for a remote work arrangement.
📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on industry standards for senior product designers in the United States. Linear's remote-only policy and focus on quality may also impact compensation and benefits.
🎯 Design Team & Company Context
🏢 Company & Design Culture
Industry: Software Development
Company Size: 51-200 employees
Founded: 2019
Design Team Structure:
- Linear's design team is small and autonomous, with designers working closely with engineers and product managers.
- Designers at Linear are expected to lead projects from inception to completion, with minimal hand-offs.
- Cross-functional collaboration is encouraged, with designers working closely with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders.
Design Methodology:
- Linear emphasizes user-centered design, with a focus on quality and craft.
- Designers at Linear are expected to conduct user research, create prototypes, and iterate on designs based on feedback.
- Linear uses a lightweight design system to maintain consistency and quality across the product.
Company Website: linear.app
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft suggests a design culture that values attention to detail, user-centered design, and continuous learning and improvement.
📈 Design Career & Growth Analysis
Design Career Level: Senior - Staff Product Designer
Reporting Structure: Designers at Linear report directly to the Head of Design, with a flat structure encouraging autonomy and collaboration.
Design Impact: Senior - Staff Product Designers at Linear have a significant impact on the product, driving design quality and consistency across the platform.
Growth Opportunities:
- Linear offers opportunities for designers to grow into leadership roles, mentoring junior designers and contributing to the design system.
- Designers at Linear can also grow their technical skills, working closely with engineers and learning new tools and technologies.
- Linear's remote-only policy and global team provide opportunities for designers to work with diverse perspectives and gain international experience.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft, combined with its remote-only policy and global team, creates opportunities for designers to grow both personally and professionally.
🌐 Design Work Environment
Studio Type: Remote (with optional co-working space/desk at an office).
Office Location(s): San Francisco, California; New York City, New York; Helsinki, Finland (with remote work as the primary work arrangement).
Design Workspace Context:
- Linear's remote work environment allows designers to work from home or a co-working space of their choice, with flexible hours and a focus on results over face time.
- Designers at Linear use a variety of collaboration tools, including Figma, Slack, and Notion, to work together and share ideas.
- Linear's global team provides opportunities for designers to work with diverse perspectives and gain international experience.
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexible hours and a focus on results over face time.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's remote-only policy and focus on results over face time create a flexible and autonomous work environment for designers.
📄 Design Application & Portfolio Review Process
Design Interview Process:
- Initial phone or video screen with a member of the design team.
- Design challenge or case study presentation, followed by a Q&A session with the design team.
- Final interview with the Head of Design, focusing on cultural fit and long-term goals.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Highlight your design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
- Include examples of your work that demonstrate your ability to create high-fidelity visuals and design specifications.
- Showcase your understanding of Linear's design language and how you might extend or improve it.
- Include user research findings and how they informed your design decisions.
Design Challenge Preparation:
- Prepare a design challenge or case study that demonstrates your ability to create a high-quality design solution within a given time frame.
- Practice presenting your design process and rationale, focusing on the problem-solving aspects of your work.
- Be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they align with Linear's design principles and user needs.
Design ATS Keywords:
- Design Skills: Product Design, Prototyping, Figma, HTML, CSS, Collaboration, Communication, Feedback, Iteration, Design Systems, Problem Solving, Visual Design, Technical Discussions, Teamwork, Creativity, Quality Assurance
- Tools: Figma, Origami, AI, HTML/CSS, Git, Slack, Notion
- Methodologies: User-Centered Design, Design Thinking, Agile, Lean
- Soft Skills: Communication, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Leadership, Mentoring
- Industry Terms: Software Development, Product Design, Design Systems, Prototyping, User Research, Usability Testing
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft, combined with its remote-only policy and global team, creates a unique design environment that applicants should be prepared to discuss in their interviews.
🛠 Design Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Design Tools:
- Figma: Used for creating high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and design specifications.
- Origami: Used for creating interactive prototypes and testing design interactions.
- AI: Used for generating design variations and exploring different design concepts.
- HTML/CSS: Used for creating clean, semantic code and ensuring design consistency across the product.
Design Collaboration & Handoff:
- Slack: Used for daily communication and collaboration with the design team and other stakeholders.
- Notion: Used for documenting design processes, maintaining design systems, and sharing resources.
Design Research & Testing:
- User interviews and surveys: Used to gather user feedback and inform design decisions.
- Usability testing: Used to validate design solutions and identify areas for improvement.
- Analytics: Used to measure design performance and optimize user experiences.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft, combined with its remote-only policy and global team, creates a unique design environment that applicants should be prepared to discuss in their interviews.
👥 Design Team Culture & Values
Design Values:
- Quality: Linear emphasizes quality and craft in all aspects of the design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
- User-centered: Designers at Linear are expected to prioritize user needs and create designs that meet their expectations and exceed their requirements.
- Collaboration: Linear's remote-only policy and global team encourage designers to work together and share ideas, with a focus on collective success and continuous learning.
- Craft: Linear values the craft of design, with a focus on attention to detail, user-centered design, and continuous learning and improvement.
Design Collaboration Style:
- Linear's design team is small and autonomous, with designers working closely with engineers and product managers.
- Designers at Linear are expected to lead projects from inception to completion, with minimal hand-offs.
- Cross-functional collaboration is encouraged, with designers working closely with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft, combined with its remote-only policy and global team, creates a unique design environment that applicants should be prepared to discuss in their interviews.
⚡ Design Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Design Challenges:
- Working remotely with a global team can present unique communication and collaboration challenges.
- Linear's focus on quality and craft can require designers to iterate and refine their designs multiple times, demanding patience and attention to detail.
- Designers at Linear may need to balance multiple projects and priorities, requiring strong time management and organizational skills.
- Linear's design system is constantly evolving, requiring designers to stay up-to-date with the latest design standards and best practices.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Linear offers opportunities for designers to grow their technical skills, working closely with engineers and learning new tools and technologies.
- Designers at Linear can also grow their leadership skills, mentoring junior designers and contributing to the design system.
- Linear's remote-only policy and global team provide opportunities for designers to work with diverse perspectives and gain international experience.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft, combined with its remote-only policy and global team, creates unique design challenges and growth opportunities for applicants to consider.
💡 Design Interview Preparation
Design Process Questions:
- Be prepared to discuss your design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
- Highlight your ability to create high-fidelity visuals and design specifications, demonstrating your attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Showcase your understanding of Linear's design language and how you might extend or improve it.
Company & Design Culture Questions:
- Be prepared to discuss your experience working remotely with a global team, highlighting your communication and collaboration skills.
- Demonstrate your understanding of Linear's design principles and how you might apply them to your work.
- Showcase your ability to balance user needs with business objectives, prioritizing quality and craft in all aspects of the design process.
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Highlight your design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
- Include examples of your work that demonstrate your ability to create high-fidelity visuals and design specifications.
- Showcase your understanding of Linear's design language and how you might extend or improve it.
📝 Enhancement Note: Linear's focus on quality and craft, combined with its remote-only policy and global team, creates a unique design interview experience that applicants should be prepared to navigate.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Prepare a design challenge or case study that demonstrates your ability to create a high-quality design solution within a given time frame.
- Practice presenting your design process and rationale, focusing on the problem-solving aspects of your work.
- Be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they align with Linear's design principles and user needs.
- Research Linear's design language and how you might extend or improve it, demonstrating your understanding of the company's design culture.
⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and design industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.