Staff Web Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Web Designer

Company: Acquia

Location: Remote - Costa Rica

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Web Design & Development / Digital Experience

Date Posted: 2026-05-06

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic redesign and execution of Acquia.com, a flagship B2B web property, with a focus on defining AI-era marketing site experiences.

• Co-own and evolve a modern, component-based web design system using Tailwind CSS and React, ensuring consistency, accessibility, and developer adoption.

• Drive the integration of AI-assisted design and build tools to enhance velocity and explore new design paradigms for personalized and dynamic web content.

• Execute end-to-end design and development, translating concepts from sketch to live pages, leveraging fluency in Tailwind, React, HTML/CSS, and lightweight JavaScript.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant ownership and strategic input, focusing on both design craft and hands-on development, particularly in the context of AI integration and a component-based architecture. The emphasis on "design and build" and "AI-era marketing sites" highlights a forward-thinking and technically proficient design role.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Set the visual and experiential standard for Acquia.com, pushing creative boundaries beyond typical B2B conventions to reflect brand ambition.

• Translate brand positioning and product strategy into engaging web experiences that resonate with a B2B SaaS audience.

• Define, document, and maintain components, patterns, and design tokens within the web design system, ensuring adherence to accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and brand identity.

• Lead the design and implementation of AI-generated and AI-assisted surfaces on Acquia.com, including personalized treatments and dynamic content patterns.

• Champion and integrate AI-assisted design and build tools (e.g., Figma AI, v0, Cursor, Claude) to optimize design workflows and improve team velocity.

• Collaborate closely with Brand & Creative teams on identity, illustration, and campaign elements, and with Web Development Engineers on technical implementation and performance.

• Partner with Marketing Campaigns and Demand Generation teams to design landing pages, conversion-focused experiences, and product launch assets.

• Own the full design lifecycle for web initiatives, from brief interpretation and concept development to system implications, build, measurement, and iteration.

• Present design concepts, strategies, and outcomes to leadership and cross-functional partners, advocating for design choices and their business impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly emphasize a hybrid role that blends high-level strategic thinking with hands-on execution, particularly in the areas of AI integration and component-based development. The "end-to-end ownership" and "design and build" aspects are critical differentiators for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is generally expected for a Staff-level position.

Experience:

• 5+ years of dedicated web design experience, with a proven track record of senior-level ownership over complex websites or digital properties.

• Demonstrated experience leading the development of design systems or substantial component libraries.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional visual design instincts with broad creative range, including illustration, motion graphics, layout, and typography.

• Strong command of Figma as a primary design tool, with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite for specific tasks.

• Working fluency in Tailwind CSS and modern React component patterns, with a demonstrated ability to write production-ready code.

• Deep understanding and practical application of web accessibility standards, specifically WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.

• Proven curiosity and hands-on experience with AI-assisted design and build workflows, including an informed perspective on their effective use.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design decisions and strategies clearly to diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Direct experience working with enterprise CMS platforms, such as Drupal.

• Background in designing for AI-native or agentic digital experiences.

• Front-end engineering experience extending beyond Tailwind/React, including build tools, design tokens, and component testing methodologies.

• A history of evolving and enhancing a brand's web expression rather than solely executing against existing brand guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of advanced design craft, technical development skills (specifically in React/Tailwind), a strong commitment to accessibility, and a pioneering approach to AI integration in design. The portfolio requirement is also a key indicator of the expected caliber of candidate.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A substantial shipped B2B SaaS or enterprise web project demonstrating end-to-end ownership and impact.

• Evidence of contribution to a design system or a significant component library, showcasing system thinking and documentation.

• A clear point of view on the future of web design, particularly in the context of AI and evolving user expectations.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies illustrating the process of translating a brief into a fully shipped web experience, detailing conceptualization, design iterations, and development.

• Documentation of how a design system was built, implemented, and adopted, including component specifications and usage guidelines.

• Examples of how AI tools were integrated into the design and build process, with a focus on efficiency gains and novel outcomes.

• Demonstrations of how accessibility standards were integrated from the outset of the design and development process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, requiring not just visual output but also evidence of process, system thinking, technical capability (coding), and strategic foresight regarding AI. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their contribution and the impact of their work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the "Staff" title, 5-10 years of experience, and the remote nature in Costa Rica, a competitive salary range within the upper quartile for senior web design roles in Latin America would be expected. Based on market data for comparable senior remote design roles in tech, the estimated range is $70,000 - $100,000 USD annually. This estimate is derived from analyzing senior designer salaries across similar tech companies with remote workforces, adjusted for the Costa Rican market's cost of living and the demand for specialized skills like AI integration and component-based development.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision) with potential international coverage options.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays, respecting local Costa Rican regulations and company policy.

• Retirement savings plan or equivalent contribution.

• Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and certifications, particularly in emerging areas like AI design tools.

• Home office stipend or equipment provision for remote work enablement.

• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement within a leading DXP company.

• Access to cutting-edge AI tools and technologies for professional use.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. Flexibility is implied given the remote nature and the expectation of self-direction, allowing for adaptation to personal productivity peaks, while still ensuring availability for core team collaboration and meetings within reasonable overlap with Acquia's primary operating regions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on the "Staff" level, extensive experience requirement, remote nature, and the specialized skills in demand (AI, React/Tailwind). Benefits are standard for a global tech company with a remote workforce, with an emphasis on professional development relevant to the role's cutting-edge aspects.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Experience Platforms (DXP), Open Source Software (Drupal), Cloud Services, B2B SaaS. Acquia operates in a highly competitive market, enabling enterprise clients to build and manage sophisticated digital experiences.

Company Size: Acquia is a significant player in the DXP market, indicated by its global presence and employee count, suggesting a well-established yet agile corporate structure. Typically, companies of this stature (likely 1000+ employees) offer robust processes and opportunities for impact.

Founded: Acquia was founded in 2007, giving it over 15 years of experience in the Drupal and DXP space. This longevity implies stability, deep domain expertise, and a mature understanding of the market and customer needs.

Team Structure:

• The role reports into the Digital Experience (ADX) leadership team, likely within a broader Marketing or Go-To-Market function.

• Collaboration is expected with Brand & Creative, Web Development Engineers, Marketing Campaigns, Demand Generation, and broader ADX leadership.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making for web performance and user experience optimization.

• Agile methodologies for iterative development and deployment of web features and content.

• Emphasis on component-based architecture and design systems for scalability and consistency.

• Embracing innovation, particularly in AI, to enhance customer experiences and internal processes.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Acquia's positioning as a market leader in DXP, with Drupal at its core, suggests a culture that values open-source principles, innovation, and customer success. The emphasis on AI integration points to a forward-looking and adaptive company culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Staff" level position, signifying a senior individual contributor role. It implies a high degree of autonomy, technical expertise, and the ability to influence strategy and mentor junior team members. The scope extends beyond execution to include system ownership and forward-looking vision (AI-era design).

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the ADX (Acquia Digital Experience) leadership team. This suggests a direct line of sight to strategic decision-making for Acquia.com and its digital presence. Collaboration will be extensive with cross-functional teams such as Brand & Creative, Marketing, and Engineering.

Operations Impact: The Staff Web Designer will have a direct and significant impact on Acquia's brand perception, lead generation, customer engagement, and overall digital presence. By owning Acquia.com, this role influences how potential customers, partners, and the market perceive the company's innovation, technical capabilities, and commitment to digital experience excellence, especially concerning AI.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, advanced front-end development (React, Tailwind), and enterprise CMS architecture.

• Design Leadership: Transition into a Design Lead or Manager role, overseeing a team or specific product areas within Acquia's digital properties.

• Strategic Influence: Gain greater influence on the digital product roadmap and the integration of AI across the company's web presence.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to thought leadership in AI-driven web design and design systems through internal initiatives and external platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" designation is key here, indicating a path for highly skilled individual contributors to maintain technical focus while wielding significant influence. Growth is framed around deepening expertise and expanding strategic impact rather than solely management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role is designed for a distributed workforce, with no requirement for physical office presence.

Office Location(s): Remote - Costa Rica. While the role is remote, the explicit mention of Costa Rica suggests that the company has a strong presence or hiring focus in this region, potentially with local payroll and HR support.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote, the emphasis on collaboration with Brand, Marketing, and Engineering teams implies a need for active participation in virtual meetings, design critiques, and shared digital workspaces.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design and development tools (Figma, Adobe Suite, code editors) and potentially internal platforms for communication and project management.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with a senior team, encouraging knowledge sharing, peer feedback, and collective problem-solving through digital channels.

Work Schedule: While full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), the remote and self-directed nature allows for flexibility. Candidates are expected to manage their time effectively to meet project deadlines and collaborate with team members across different time zones, with a focus on delivering results.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote aspect, specifically within Costa Rica, combined with the "self-directed" expectation, suggests a mature remote work culture that prioritizes output and autonomy over rigid schedules.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Recruiter Screen: Initial assessment of qualifications, experience, and cultural fit. Focus on verifying core requirements and ensuring alignment with the role's strategic and technical demands.

• Hiring Manager Conversation: Deeper dive into experience, motivations, and understanding of Acquia's mission. Discussion around leadership style and approach to complex design challenges.

• Portfolio Deep-Dive with the ADX Team: A crucial stage where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on specific projects that demonstrate B2B SaaS design, design systems, and creative range. Expect detailed questions about design decisions, process, and outcomes.

• Practical Design Exercise: A hands-on challenge assessing creative range, system thinking, and AI tool integration. This will likely involve a design problem that requires both conceptualization and execution, potentially including some code output or system-level thinking. The focus is on process and AI utility, not just pixel-perfect final visuals.

• Final Round with Cross-Functional Partners: Meeting with key stakeholders from Brand, Marketing, and Engineering to assess collaboration skills, strategic alignment, and ability to work effectively across disciplines.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase End-to-End Ownership: Clearly articulate your role and contributions from initial brief to final launch, including your design process, technical implementation, and impact measurement.

• Highlight Design System Contributions: Detail your involvement in building or evolving design systems, including documentation, component definition, and adoption strategies.

• Demonstrate AI Integration: Present specific examples of how you've used AI tools in your workflow, explaining the benefits, challenges, and outcomes achieved.

• Emphasize B2B SaaS Relevance: Select projects that best represent your experience with complex, enterprise-level web properties and your understanding of B2B user journeys and conversion goals.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your work (e.g., improved engagement, conversion rates, reduced development time).

• Accessibility First: Be prepared to discuss your approach to accessibility and showcase how WCAG standards were integrated into your projects.

Challenge Preparation:

• Think Systemically: Understand how your design decisions impact the broader design system and development workflow.

• Embrace AI: Be ready to demonstrate how you'd leverage AI tools to solve the design problem efficiently and innovatively.

• Communicate Your Process: Clearly articulate your thought process, design rationale, and how you arrive at your solutions, especially when explaining trade-offs or system constraints.

• Consider the B2B Context: Frame your solutions within the goals and user needs of a B2B SaaS company like Acquia.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is robust, with a strong emphasis on the portfolio and a practical exercise that tests both design and development skills, particularly in the context of AI. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate their ability to "design and build" and their strategic thinking around AI.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Daily driver for UI/UX design, prototyping, and design system management.

• Tailwind CSS: Core framework for building responsive and utility-first component styles.

• React: Primary JavaScript library for building interactive user interfaces and components.

• HTML/CSS: Foundational web technologies for structure and styling.

• JavaScript (lightweight): For custom interactions and functionalities where needed.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics): For tracking user behavior, engagement, and conversion metrics on Acquia.com.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially used for internal reporting and presenting performance insights.

CRM & Automation:

• Enterprise CMS (Drupal): While not a primary design tool, familiarity with Drupal's authoring and content management capabilities is beneficial.

• Integration Tools: Understanding how front-end components integrate with backend systems and APIs.

Other Relevant Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: For graphic design, image editing, and motion graphics where Figma might not be sufficient.

• AI Design & Build Tools: Figma AI, v0, Cursor, Claude, Lovable, and other emerging AI assistants for design and development.

• Version Control Systems (e.g., Git): Essential for collaborative development workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily weighted towards modern front-end development practices, with a strong emphasis on component-based architecture and AI tooling. Fluency in this stack is non-negotiable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: A strong emphasis on exploring and adopting new technologies, especially AI, to push the boundaries of digital experiences.

• Customer-Centricity: A commitment to building digital experiences that matter for Acquia's ambitious brand clients and its own audience.

• Open Source Ethos: Valuing collaboration, transparency, and community contributions, stemming from its Drupal roots.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using analytics and performance metrics to inform design choices and optimize user journeys.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A dedication to high-quality design and development, with a focus on user experience, visual appeal, and technical excellence.

• Efficiency & Velocity: A drive to optimize processes and leverage tools (including AI) to deliver impactful results faster.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Actively engaging with Brand, Marketing, and Engineering to ensure cohesive and integrated digital experiences.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Openness to sharing work-in-progress and providing/receiving feedback to elevate the quality of outcomes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the dissemination of best practices, learnings from AI tool adoption, and system updates across teams.

• Proactive Communication: Maintaining clear and consistent communication, especially in a remote setting, to align on goals and progress.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be a blend of innovative tech, B2B client focus, and open-source values, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and continuous improvement, particularly around AI adoption.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating AI Integration: Defining best practices for AI-assisted design and AI-generated content in a B2B context, maintaining brand integrity while embracing new technologies.

• Balancing Innovation and Stability: Introducing cutting-edge AI features and design approaches while ensuring the stability, performance, and accessibility of a flagship enterprise website.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively communicating complex technical and design concepts to diverse stakeholders and gaining buy-in for new strategies and system updates.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and effective communication in a fully remote environment, ensuring seamless collaboration on design and development.

• Evolving Design Systems: Continuously updating and expanding the design system to accommodate new components, patterns, and AI-driven functionalities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Mastery: Becoming a go-to expert within Acquia on leveraging AI for design and development workflows, potentially leading workshops or training sessions.

• Advanced Front-End Architecture: Deepening expertise in React, Tailwind, and modern JavaScript frameworks, contributing to the evolution of the web design system's technical foundation.

• Strategic Design Influence: Growing influence on the digital product roadmap for Acquia.com and potentially other digital assets.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and developers, sharing knowledge on design systems, AI tools, and front-end best practices.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to represent Acquia at industry events or contribute to open-source communities related to design systems or web technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the innovative nature of the role, particularly its focus on AI and system-level design. Growth opportunities are framed around deepening technical expertise and expanding strategic influence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a key section of a B2B website for an AI-first audience. How would you balance personalization with brand consistency?" (Focus on AI strategy, user journey mapping, and design system application.)

• "How would you approach building and advocating for a new component within a design system? What are the key considerations for adoption by marketing, brand, and development teams?" (Focus on system thinking, collaboration, and technical feasibility.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Acquia's focus on Drupal and open-source principles? How does this align with your design philosophy?" (Demonstrate understanding of Acquia's core identity.)

• "How do you see AI transforming B2B web design in the next 2-3 years, and how would you position Acquia.com to lead in this space?" (Assess strategic foresight and passion for AI.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the process, the solution (with visual examples and code snippets if relevant), and the measurable impact.

• Showcase AI Integration: Dedicate slides or sections to demonstrate how you've used AI tools, highlighting specific workflows, outputs, and benefits.

• Highlight Design System Work: Present your design system contributions with clear documentation examples, component breakdowns, and discussions on its impact on efficiency and consistency.

• Emphasize Full-Stack Capability: Be ready to discuss the code you've written, the technical challenges you overcame, and how your design decisions translate into functional web experiences.

• Connect to Acquia's Needs: Frame your experience and portfolio highlights in the context of Acquia's goals for Acquia.com and its AI initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, technical proficiency, a strong understanding of design systems, and a forward-looking perspective on AI in web design. The portfolio is the primary evidence, and the practical exercise will test these skills in action.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Web Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key projects that strongly showcase your B2B SaaS design experience, design system contributions, and any AI-assisted design work. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your role, process, and impact, with a focus on visual design, system thinking, and front-end development capabilities.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description, such as "Web Design," "Tailwind CSS," "React," "Figma," "Design Systems," "WCAG 2.1 AA," and "AI-Assisted Design." Quantify your achievements with metrics where possible, and emphasize your experience in end-to-end design and development.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio with a focus on your design process, technical contributions (especially code), and strategic thinking regarding AI integration. Be ready to discuss specific design decisions and their rationale.

• Research Acquia: Understand Acquia's mission, products (especially Drupal), market position, and their stated commitment to AI. Familiarize yourself with Acquia.com to form initial thoughts on potential improvements.

⚠️ 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.