Founding Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer

Company: Sekai

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-30

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the end-to-end user experience design for a novel AI-driven consumer platform focused on mini-apps, akin to "TikTok for mini apps."

• Define and evolve the core product DNA, visual language, interaction patterns, and comprehensive design systems for a rapidly scaling Series A startup.

• Act as the primary design owner, identifying and resolving product ambiguities to elevate quality, clarity, and polish across mobile and web interfaces.

• Collaborate intimately with founders, product managers, and engineers to translate strategic vision into intuitive and engaging user flows.

• Leverage cutting-edge AI and design tools to accelerate exploration, prototyping, and iteration cycles, driving rapid product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as the first design hire, indicating a significant opportunity for an individual to shape the foundational design principles and aesthetics of a new consumer product. The emphasis on "AI-native" and "mini apps" suggests a focus on emerging technologies and interactive content formats, requiring a designer with a forward-thinking mindset and adaptability. The "Founding" title implies a high degree of autonomy and responsibility, crucial for GTM success.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for critical product surfaces across both mobile and web platforms, ensuring a cohesive user journey.

• Drive strategic decisions for major product flows, translating user needs and business objectives into impactful product experiences.

• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance the overall quality, clarity, and aesthetic polish of the Sekai platform.

• Establish and consistently refine the product's DNA, visual identity, interaction paradigms, and a scalable design system.

• Foster a strong, collaborative partnership with founders, product management, and engineering teams to ensure seamless product development and launch.

• Utilize advanced AI-powered design tools and rapid prototyping techniques to expedite ideation and iteration processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach, requiring the designer to be deeply involved in both strategic definition and tactical execution. The emphasis on "defining and evolving" design systems and visual language suggests a need for strong foundational design principles and the ability to create scalable, reusable components that will support future product expansion and maintain brand consistency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of dedicated product design experience, with a strong preference for candidates who have worked on consumer-facing or mobile-first products.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated proficiency in end-to-end product design, encompassing user research, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity visual design.

• Exceptional UX judgment and a keen product sense, with the ability to anticipate user needs and solve complex problems.

• Strong visual design capabilities and a high level of aesthetic taste, crucial for establishing brand identity.

• Proven ability to initiate and lead design projects from conception, bringing structure to ambiguous problem spaces.

• Solid understanding of systems thinking and practical experience in building and maintaining design systems or reusable design patterns.

• High degree of ownership, proactivity, and comfort operating within a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.

• Effective collaboration skills with engineering teams, ensuring smooth handoffs and implementation of design specifications.

• Deep familiarity and comfort with modern AI tools and technologies integrated into the daily design workflow.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in consumer social platforms, creator tools, gaming applications, or AI-specific product development.

• A background in frontend development or a strong understanding of engineering principles.

• Ability to create functional prototypes using code or perform light frontend implementation tasks.

• Previous experience as an early or founding designer at a startup, demonstrating an understanding of early-stage product evolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for Mandarin Chinese fluency is a critical differentiator for this role, indicating a strategic focus on the Chinese market or collaboration with Chinese-speaking teams/users. The "AI-native" and "highly AI-native" emphasis suggests that candidates should be able to articulate their experience and comfort with AI-assisted design tools and workflows, not just as a novelty, but as an integral part of their process.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated collection of case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design ownership, from problem definition to final shipped product.

• Projects that highlight strong UX judgment, problem-solving skills, and a clear articulation of design decisions and their impact.

• Examples of visual design craft, showcasing a refined aesthetic and ability to establish a distinct visual language.

• Evidence of systems thinking, including the creation or significant contribution to design systems, style guides, or reusable component libraries.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline the design process followed, including research methodologies, ideation techniques, and iteration strategies.

• Documentation should detail how ambiguity was managed and how initial concepts evolved into refined product experiences.

• For design system contributions, outline the process for component creation, documentation, and adoption by engineering.

• Demonstrate how AI tools were integrated into the design process to enhance efficiency, explore new possibilities, or solve specific challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Founding Product Designer" role, the portfolio should not just showcase finished work, but also the process of building and defining. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their strategic approach to design, how they established design foundations, and how they collaborated to bring those foundations to life. The ability to demonstrate impact and ownership is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the "Founding" title, early-stage Series A funding ($30M raised), and the remote-first nature within the United States, a competitive salary range is expected. Based on industry benchmarks for senior product designers in tech startups in the US, we estimate a range of $150,000 - $200,000 USD annually. This range is subject to significant variation based on candidate experience, specific skill set, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience and market rates.

• Meaningful equity stake, reflecting the founding role and potential for significant company growth.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage, ensuring well-being for the employee and their dependents.

• Opportunity to shape a product from its inception and influence its trajectory.

• Remote-first work environment offering flexibility and autonomy.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected, with flexibility inherent in a remote-first startup environment. The focus will be on impact and results rather than strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The estimated salary range is based on data from reputable compensation platforms (e.g., Levels.fyi, Glassdoor) for Senior/Lead Product Designers in US-based tech startups, particularly those in the Series A stage with significant funding. The equity component is crucial for a founding role and should be a significant part of the overall compensation package. The "meaningful equity" suggests a substantial percentage, reflecting the early stage and high impact expected.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consumer Technology, Social Media, AI, Interactive Entertainment. Sekai is at the intersection of these rapidly evolving sectors, building a platform that leverages AI to enable instant creation and consumption of interactive content.

Company Size: Early-stage startup (Series A funded, likely under 50 employees). This implies a lean, agile, and highly collaborative environment where individual contributions have a significant impact.

Founded: Sekai is a relatively new company, indicated by its Series A funding stage. This suggests a culture of rapid innovation, experimentation, and a strong focus on product-market fit.

Team Structure:

• As the first design hire, the designer will be a foundational member of the product team.

• They will likely report directly to one of the founders (e.g., CEO, CPO, or CTO), working closely with product management and engineering leads.

• The team will be small, cross-functional, and highly collaborative, emphasizing direct communication and shared ownership.

Methodology:

• Data-driven product development, with a strong emphasis on user feedback and iterative improvements.

• Agile development methodologies, enabling rapid prototyping, testing, and deployment cycles.

• AI-native approach to product development, integrating AI capabilities into core features and design workflows.

• Focus on building scalable systems and processes from the ground up to support future growth.

Company Website: https://sekaiapp.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The "AI-native" aspect is central to Sekai's identity. This suggests a culture that embraces cutting-edge technology, encourages experimentation with AI tools, and aims to embed AI capabilities deeply into the user experience. For a designer, this means being comfortable with the unknown, exploring new interaction paradigms enabled by AI, and potentially influencing the AI's role in content creation and consumption.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Founding Product Designer," signifying a senior individual contributor role with significant strategic influence. It's akin to a Lead or Principal Designer role in larger organizations, but with the added responsibility of establishing the design function from scratch. The scope includes not only execution but also defining the design vision, strategy, and foundational elements.

Reporting Structure: The Founding Product Designer will likely report directly to a founder or the Head of Product, working intimately with the core leadership team. This provides high visibility and direct impact on strategic decisions.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact will be profound, shaping the core user experience and visual identity of a new consumer product. They will directly influence user acquisition, engagement, retention, and the overall brand perception, all critical components of Go-To-Market (GTM) success. Their work will lay the groundwork for future design hires and the scaling of the design team.

Growth Opportunities:

• Foundational Design Leadership: Opportunity to build and lead the design function as the company grows, potentially managing a team of designers in the future.

• Product Strategy Influence: Direct input into product strategy, roadmap planning, and the overall vision for the platform.

• Skill Specialization: Deep dive into AI-driven design, interactive content, and consumer social product development.

• Equity Growth: Significant potential for personal wealth creation through equity appreciation as the company scales.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor future hires and establish best practices within the design discipline.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is an opportunity for a designer to transition into a more strategic, foundational role. The growth path is not necessarily about climbing a traditional ladder but about building a function, defining a product's essence, and potentially shaping the future of a company. The "operations" context here refers to the operational aspects of building a product and a design team from the ground up.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates on a "remote-first" model. This means that while there might not be a central physical office, the entire organization is structured to support and optimize for remote work. Collaboration and communication tools will be paramount.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote within the United States, the company's headquarters are not explicitly stated, but its investors (Khosla, a16z, Mayfield, A*) suggest a strong presence in major tech hubs like Silicon Valley. The remote-first policy allows employees to work from anywhere within the US.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect frequent virtual collaboration sessions, design critiques, and brainstorming meetings using tools like Figma, Miro, and Slack.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design and AI tools will be essential. The company will likely provide licenses for industry-standard software and potentially explore new AI-powered design aids.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual "all-hands" meetings, team syncs, and informal "coffee chats" to foster connection and camaraderie among remote team members.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are typical in remote-first startups, allowing individuals to structure their day around peak productivity times, while still ensuring availability for core team meetings and cross-functional collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" nature requires strong self-discipline, excellent asynchronous communication skills, and a proactive approach to staying connected with the team. The company's investment in remote infrastructure and culture will be key to its success.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or founder to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and alignment with the role's core requirements, including Mandarin Chinese fluency.

• Design Challenge / Portfolio Review: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on specific case studies that demonstrate ownership, process, and impact. This may involve a take-home challenge or an in-depth presentation of past work.

• Founder/Team Interviews: Conversations with the founding team and key engineers to assess strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, collaboration style, and understanding of the company's vision.

• Cultural Fit Assessment: Evaluation of how well the candidate aligns with Sekai's "AI-native," fast-paced, and ownership-driven culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Ownership: Highlight projects where you took significant initiative, defined problems, and drove solutions end-to-end. As the founding designer, this is paramount.

• Detail Your Process: Clearly explain your thought process, design decisions, and the methodologies used. How did you approach ambiguity? How did you leverage AI tools?

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the positive impact of your design work on user behavior, engagement, or business goals.

• Visual Craft & Systems: Ensure your portfolio reflects strong visual design skills and an understanding of how to build scalable design systems.

• Mandarin Chinese Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss how your Mandarin skills will be an asset in this role, whether for user research, market analysis, or team collaboration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Research Sekai's mission, vision, and target market. Think about the unique challenges of building a "TikTok for mini apps" with AI at its core.

• AI Integration: Be ready to discuss how AI can enhance user experiences in a platform for creating and consuming interactive content.

• Systems Design: Prepare to discuss principles of building scalable design systems and visual languages for a growing consumer product.

• Ambiguity & First Principles: Practice articulating how you approach undefined problems and make design decisions based on first principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely be rigorous, given the critical nature of this founding hire. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate not only design skills but also strategic thinking, entrepreneurial drive, and a deep understanding of the company's unique positioning at the intersection of AI and consumer social. The Mandarin Chinese requirement will be a key filter.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable for collaborative design and prototyping), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• AI Design Tools: Candidates are expected to be familiar with and leverage AI tools for ideation, asset generation, workflow automation, and potentially user behavior prediction. Examples may include Midjourney, Stable Diffusion for asset creation, or AI-powered UX research and analysis tools.

• Collaboration: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Miro.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly a data analyst role, the designer will need to understand and utilize product analytics to inform design decisions. Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or similar product analytics platforms is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how user data flows from CRM/user databases into product design considerations can be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-native" and "modern AI tools" means candidates should be proactive in exploring and experimenting with the latest AI applications in design. This isn't just about using existing tools but understanding the potential of AI to revolutionize the design process itself.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• AI-Native Innovation: A deep commitment to exploring and integrating AI into all aspects of the product and design workflow.

• Ownership & Accountability: A culture where individuals take full responsibility for their work and drive initiatives to completion.

• Speed & Agility: A fast-paced environment that values rapid iteration, experimentation, and quick decision-making.

• User-Centricity: A relentless focus on understanding and serving the user, ensuring the product is intuitive, engaging, and valuable.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication, knowledge sharing, and a willingness to support team members across functions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Synergy: Close working relationships with founders, product managers, and engineers, fostering a shared understanding of goals and challenges.

• Design as a Partner: The design function is seen as a strategic partner, not just an execution arm, influencing product direction.

• Feedback-Rich Environment: Openness to constructive feedback, both giving and receiving, to continuously improve designs and processes.

• Experimentation Mentality: Encouragement to try new approaches, learn from failures, and adapt quickly.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is likely to be highly entrepreneurial, driven, and innovative. For a designer, this means being comfortable with ambiguity, taking initiative, and being a proactive contributor to the company's overall strategy and growth. The "operations" aspect here refers to the operational execution of building a product and culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining a New Category: Building a platform for "mini apps" on TikTok-like mechanics with AI integration presents a novel challenge in user experience and interaction design.

• Ambiguity and Rapid Evolution: As a founding hire in a Series A startup, the role will involve navigating significant ambiguity, evolving requirements, and a fast-paced development cycle.

• Balancing Innovation with Scalability: Creating a unique and engaging user experience while ensuring it can scale efficiently with a growing user base and product complexity.

• Establishing Design Foundations: Building a design system, visual language, and design culture from scratch requires strategic foresight and meticulous execution.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Pioneering AI in Design: Opportunity to be at the forefront of applying AI to consumer product design, developing unique workflows and insights.

• Strategic Impact: Directly influence the product's direction, user acquisition, and brand identity at a foundational level.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain invaluable experience in building a company and a product from its earliest stages.

• Professional Network: Build strong relationships with founders, investors (Khosla, a16z), and a high-caliber team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant but come with immense opportunities for growth and impact. The role demands a blend of strategic vision, creative problem-solving, and hands-on execution, all within a highly dynamic startup environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to define a product experience from scratch with limited direction. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process for handling ambiguity and driving initial design direction.)

• "How do you see AI fundamentally changing the way we design consumer products? Can you give an example of how you've incorporated AI into your design workflow?" (Demonstrate your AI-native mindset and practical application.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Sekai's mission and the 'TikTok for mini apps' concept?" (Show your understanding and passion for the company's vision.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineers and product managers in a fast-paced startup environment?" (Highlight your teamwork and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives, highlighting the problem, your unique approach, the challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes.

• Emphasize Ownership: Clearly articulate your role and contributions, especially in projects where you led the design effort.

• Showcase Your Process: Walk through your design thinking, from initial research and ideation to iteration and final execution. Use visuals to support your explanation.

• Highlight AI Integration: If applicable, explain how AI tools enhanced your process or the final product.

• Discuss Systems Thinking: Demonstrate your ability to think about scalable design systems and cohesive user experiences. Be ready to discuss how you would build Sekai's design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to talk extensively about their process, their decision-making rationale, and their ability to operate autonomously and strategically. The interview will likely assess not just design skills but also entrepreneurial spirit and cultural alignment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this founding product designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link (jobs.ashbyhq.com/sekai/0ec2d614-5bf6-45c7-8f00-2ec726329ca1).

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best represent your end-to-end product design ownership, strategic thinking, visual craft, and experience with complex or ambiguous problems. Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your process and impact.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight relevant experience in consumer/mobile-first products, design systems, AI tools, and any experience in early-stage startups. Explicitly mention your Mandarin Chinese fluency and any related professional applications.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design philosophy, your approach to building from scratch, and how you leverage AI in your workflow. Be ready to discuss your understanding of Sekai's mission and the "TikTok for mini apps" concept.

• Research Sekai: Understand their funding (Series A, $30M), investors, and their vision for an AI-driven consumer platform. Prepare thoughtful questions about the product, team, and company culture.

⚠️ 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.