Founding Product Designer - Decentralized Identity

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer - Decentralized Identity

Company: Hyphen Connect Limited

Location: Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, China

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) / Web3 Design

Date Posted: March 13, 2026

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

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end product design lifecycle for a pioneering decentralized identity (DeID) protocol, encompassing user research, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design.

• Establish and evolve the brand's visual identity and design system, ensuring consistency and impact across all user touchpoints.

• Collaborate closely with engineering and product management to translate complex Web3 concepts into intuitive and engaging user experiences.

• Drive user-centered design principles, leveraging user feedback and data analytics to iterate and optimize product interfaces and workflows.

• Champion innovative design solutions within the rapidly evolving Web3 space, with a particular focus on decentralized identity technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly for a "Founding Product Designer," indicating a high degree of autonomy and influence. The emphasis on "Decentralized Identity" and "Web3" signals a need for specialized knowledge in this niche, requiring candidates to demonstrate a strong understanding of blockchain principles and their application in user-facing products. The remote nature, combined with a Hong Kong-based organization, suggests a global team dynamic.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the entire design process, from initial concept ideation and user journey mapping through to high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes.

• Define, document, and maintain a comprehensive visual language and design system that underpins the brand's aesthetic and functional integrity.

• Work collaboratively with engineering teams to ensure design feasibility and seamless implementation, providing detailed design specifications and assets.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and gather feedback to inform design decisions and drive continuous improvement of the user experience.

• Research and integrate the latest design trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in the Web3 and decentralized identity space.

• Develop and present design concepts, prototypes, and final designs to stakeholders, effectively communicating design rationale and user impact.

• Proactively identify opportunities for design innovation and process improvement within the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The term "Founding" implies a significant strategic contribution beyond typical design tasks. Responsibilities will likely include setting the design vision, establishing design processes from scratch, and potentially influencing product strategy. The need to "stay up-to-date with Web3 technologies" is critical and suggests that candidates should be actively engaged in the Web3 design community.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 2-5 years of progressive experience in product design, UX/UI design, or a similar role, with a strong emphasis on digital product development.

• Demonstrated experience working within startup environments or fast-paced tech companies, where agility and rapid iteration are key.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: End-to-end design process ownership from ideation to final delivery.

• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Figma for wireframing, interactive prototyping, and design system management.

• Web3 & Decentralized Identity (DeID): Demonstrated understanding and practical design experience with Web3 concepts, blockchain, and decentralized identity protocols.

• Visual Language & Branding: Ability to establish and maintain a cohesive and compelling visual identity.

• User Experience (UX) Design: Strong grasp of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, and information architecture.

• Prototyping: Skill in creating interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and test user flows.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions clearly and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design systems and component libraries.

• Familiarity with user research methodologies and usability testing tools.

• Understanding of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to inform design feasibility.

• Experience with animation or motion design principles for enhanced user interactions.

• Passion for open-source technologies and community-driven development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Founding" nature of this role implies that candidates should not only possess strong design skills but also demonstrate initiative, problem-solving abilities, and a proactive approach to shaping the product's design direction. A portfolio that specifically highlights Web3 projects is crucial for demonstrating relevant experience in this niche area.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Web3 Project Showcase: A dedicated section highlighting at least one significant Web3 or decentralized technology project, detailing your role, design process, challenges, and outcomes.

• End-to-End Design Process: Examples demonstrating your ability to take a project from initial concept, through user research, wireframing, prototyping, and final visual design.

• Figma Mastery: Evidence of advanced Figma usage, including complex prototyping, component libraries, and design system development.

• Visual Design Excellence: Strong examples of visual design, showcasing a keen eye for aesthetics, typography, color, and brand consistency.

• Problem-Solving Case Studies: Detailed case studies that articulate a specific design problem, your approach to solving it, and the measurable impact of your solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to document design processes, user flows, and interface specifications clearly and concisely.

• Experience in creating and maintaining design system documentation for scalability and team alignment.

• Demonstrating how user feedback and testing were integrated into design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Founding" role, the portfolio should not just show finished products but also the candidate's strategic thinking, ability to define processes, and drive initiatives from inception. Emphasis on how the candidate has previously established or significantly contributed to design systems and visual languages will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, potentially with global coverage options.

• Stock Options/Equity: As a founding team member, significant equity in the company is likely a key component of the compensation package.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous vacation, sick leave, and public holidays, allowing for work-life balance.

• Professional Development Budget: Funding for courses, conferences, and learning resources to stay ahead in Web3 design.

• Home Office Stipend: Support for setting up an ergonomic and productive remote workspace.

• Team Retreats/Offsites: Opportunities for in-person collaboration and team building (frequency may vary).

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week). However, given the remote and startup nature, some flexibility may be expected, particularly during critical project phases or for cross-timezone collaboration. The company's operational hours will likely align with Asia/Hong Kong timezone for core team alignment, but remote work allows for schedule adaptation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on a blend of typical mid-level Product Designer compensation in high-cost tech regions, adjusted upwards for the specialized Web3/DeID niche and the "Founding" status. Equity is a critical component for founding roles and should be a major consideration for candidates. The remote nature implies a need for robust communication tools and potentially asynchronous work practices.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Blockchain / Decentralized Identity (DeID) / Web3

Company Size: Early-Stage Startup (likely < 20 employees)

Founded: Recently founded (specific year not provided, but implied by "Founding Product Designer" role).

Team Structure:

• Lean and Agile: Expect a small, highly collaborative team of founders and early employees, likely including engineers, product managers, and potentially marketing/community leads.

• Flat Hierarchy: Minimal layers of management, fostering direct communication and rapid decision-making.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The Product Designer will work very closely with founders, engineers, and potentially protocol architects to define and build the core product.

Methodology:

• Iterative Design: Emphasis on rapid prototyping, user testing, and iterative development cycles to quickly validate ideas and adapt to market feedback.

• User-Centricity: A strong commitment to understanding and serving the needs of users within the decentralized ecosystem.

• Web3 Principles: Incorporation of decentralized ethos, transparency, and community engagement where applicable.

• Data-Informed Decisions: While qualitative feedback is crucial, data analytics will likely be used to inform design choices and measure impact.

Company Website: https://hyphen-connect.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: As an early-stage startup, Hyphen Connect Limited will likely have a culture that is fast-paced, innovative, and requires a high degree of adaptability. The focus on "Decentralized Identity" means the company is operating at the cutting edge of Web3, attracting individuals passionate about privacy, security, and user control. The small team size means every member's contribution is significant.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Founding Team Member / Senior Individual Cont