Principal Product Designer, Design Systems

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal Product Designer, Design Systems

Company: Kin Insurance

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Design Systems / Product Design

Date Posted: July 27, 2026

Experience Level: 7+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the evolution and adoption of Kin's design system, ensuring cohesive, multi-product experiences across the entire homeowner platform.

• Drive the architecture and implementation of the design token layer, establishing a single source of truth for design and code.

• Establish and maintain Figma-to-code parity, partnering closely with engineering to streamline component development and delivery.

• Define and implement robust contribution models and governance for the design system, fostering scalability and preventing fragmentation.

• Leverage AI tools to audit existing systems, identify inconsistencies, and accelerate the design-to-code feedback loop.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a Principal-level individual contributor focused on the strategic development and implementation of a design system. The emphasis on "multi-product, cohesive experiences" and "token layer" suggests a critical need for someone who can architect a scalable system that underpins Kin's expansion into various homeowner services beyond insurance. The mention of "federated, domain-based org" implies a need for strong influencing skills and the ability to drive adoption across multiple teams.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Audit existing component libraries and live product experiences using AI tools (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor) to identify gaps, drift, and inconsistencies, formulating a data-backed plan for unification.

• Own and architect Kin's design token system (primitive, semantic, component) to serve as the definitive source of truth for color, typography, spacing, and motion.

• Design and implement a scalable token architecture that can flex across various contexts, including customer-facing applications, internal tools, and potential multi-brand surfaces, without introducing fragmentation.

• Establish and meticulously maintain Figma-to-code parity, collaborating with engineering on the pipeline from design tokens to implemented and documented components.

• Strategically introduce new components and patterns to the design system as Kin expands into new product domains, ensuring intentional growth rather than uncontrolled sprawl.

• Define, document, and implement the design system's contribution model and governance framework, including versioning, changelogs, intake processes, and quality standards.

• Develop automated guardrails and processes that empower teams to extend the design system effectively and consistently.

• Act as the central point of truth for Kin's design patterns, replacing disparate tools and documentation with a unified, canonical reference.

• Champion accessibility best practices within the design system, utilizing automated testing and AI-assisted audits to proactively identify and address compliance gaps.

• Foster strong partnerships across Product, Engineering, and embedded domain designers to ensure the design system is the most efficient and intuitive path to a cohesive, on-brand user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on, strategic approach to design system ownership. The emphasis on AI tools for auditing and the need to establish a "single source of truth" for tokens and components indicate a mature but evolving design system landscape. The responsibility to "define the contribution model and governance" is crucial for a principal role, signaling a need for leadership in process and standards.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience and expertise in design systems is expected.

Experience: A minimum of 7+ years of significant visual and product design experience, with a substantial portion dedicated to design systems work.

Required Skills:

• Proven track record of successfully taking a design system from audit through architecture to widespread adoption, treating the system as a product.

• Deep fluency in design token architecture, understanding primitive, semantic, and component token structures.

• Mastery of Figma as a systems tool, including advanced use of variables, libraries, and modes.

• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code) for tasks such as accelerating manual work, automating documentation, and improving the design-to-code feedback loop.

• Exceptional ability to influence without authority, setting direction and gaining buy-in across a federated organizational structure.

• Comfort operating in ambiguity and 0-to-1 environments, with a proactive approach to building structure and processes where none exist.

• Strong visual and product design fundamentals.

• Experience advocating for and implementing accessibility standards within design systems. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the insurance, fintech, or other complex, regulated, high-consideration product domains.

• Familiarity with the design-to-code toolchain, including tools like Storybook, Chromatic, and token transformers such as Style Dictionary.

• Understanding of how design tokens integrate into front-end development stacks (e.g., Angular, Rails).

• Comfort reading or contributing to component code.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is clearly defined as 7+ years with a "meaningful stretch focused specifically on design systems work," indicating a need for deep specialization rather than general design experience. The emphasis on "influence without authority" and "operating in ambiguity" are key indicators of a principal-level role within a growing, potentially complex organization.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A dedicated section or case study showcasing the development, architecture, and impact of a design system you have significantly contributed to or led.

• Demonstrations of your expertise in design token architecture, including how you've structured primitive, semantic, and component tokens.

• Examples of how you've achieved and maintained Figma-to-code parity, detailing the processes and tools used.

• Evidence of your ability to define and implement design system governance, contribution models, and versioning strategies.

• Case studies highlighting your experience in auditing existing systems, identifying inconsistencies, and developing a roadmap for unification.

• Examples of how you've integrated accessibility standards into a design system.

• Proof of your ability to use AI tools to enhance design system workflows or documentation. Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation of your process for designing and scaling token architecture across different product contexts.

• Workflows illustrating your collaboration with engineering to establish and maintain Figma-to-code parity.

• Examples of your contribution model and governance framework, showing how teams interact with and extend the system.

• Documentation outlining your approach to introducing new components and patterns with intentionality.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Principal Product Designer role focused on design systems, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to demonstrate not just design output but also strategic thinking, system architecture, process definition, and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on "treating the system as a product" means the portfolio should reflect product management principles applied to design systems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $190,000 - $210,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and company equity through Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).

• Eligibility for an annual Kin Leadership Incentive Plan.

• 401(k) with a company match up to 4% of eligible earnings.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage options.

• Company-funded Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions (plan-dependent).

• Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability.

• Employee referral bonuses.

• A variety of supplemental benefits including long-term disability, critical illness, accident, legal, and pet insurance.

• Access to mental health support and confidential counseling resources.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) for exempt employees, with most taking 15-20 days annually.

• 8 company-observed holidays.

• Generous paid parental leave (up to 14 weeks at 100% pay for birthing parents, 8 weeks at 100% pay for non-birthing parents).

• Career mobility and internal growth opportunities.

• Professional development budgets for certifications, conferences, and learning (subject to management approval).

Working Hours: The role is structured around a standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility expected for a fully remote position.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is clearly defined. The benefits package is extensive, with specific mentions of equity (RSUs), a leadership incentive plan, and robust health and wellness offerings, which are attractive to senior-level professionals. The inclusion of professional development budgets directly supports the growth and learning aspect crucial for a principal role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Insurance (Insurtech), Fintech. Kin is disrupting the traditional insurance market by leveraging technology, data, and a customer-centric approach to offer more affordable and efficient homeowners insurance and related services.

Company Size: Kin is a growing company, indicated by being recognized as a "Midsize Company" by Built In Chicago and appearing on the Inc. 5000 list. This suggests a dynamic environment with established processes but still retaining agility.

Founded: 2016. Kin has a history of innovation and growth, expanding beyond its initial insurance offering into a broader homeowner platform.

Team Structure:

• The design team operates within a "federated, domain-based org," meaning designers are likely embedded within specific product domains or business units.

• The Principal Product Designer for Design Systems will work across these domains, influencing and collaborating with embedded designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Reporting structure is likely to be within a design leadership hierarchy, with a focus on driving system adoption through influence rather than direct management of embedded teams. Methodology:

• Kin emphasizes a data-driven approach, using technology and AI to improve processes and customer experiences.

• The company culture values high performance, collaboration ("Run through walls, together"), ownership ("Act like an owner"), efficiency ("Operate lean. Deliver more"), and continuous learning/curiosity ("Keep asking ‘What if?’").

• A strong focus on user experience and making complex processes simpler for homeowners is central to their mission.

Company Website: kin.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Kin's positioning as a tech-forward insurtech company is crucial. The "remote-first" culture, combined with physical offices for collaboration, indicates a hybrid approach to work environment. The company's values are clearly articulated and should be a key consideration for candidates, particularly the emphasis on collaboration, ownership, and efficiency, which directly tie into the design system role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Principal Individual Contributor (IC) role. At this level, the expectation is deep expertise, strategic influence, and the ability to define and lead complex initiatives with significant impact on the organization's scalability and product consistency. The role requires operating at a strategic level, shaping the future of Kin's product experience.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, this role likely reports into a Head of Design, VP of Product, or a similar senior leadership position. The Principal Designer will work closely with engineering leads and product managers across various domains.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is profound. A well-defined and adopted design system directly impacts:

• Speed to Market: Enabling product and engineering teams to build new features and products faster by providing reusable components and established patterns.

• Product Consistency & Cohesion: Ensuring that Kin's expanding suite of services feels like a unified platform, enhancing user trust and reducing cognitive load.

• Scalability: Providing a robust foundation for future product development and team growth.

• Efficiency: Reducing redundant design and development effort, freeing up resources for innovation.

• Brand Integrity: Maintaining a consistent and high-quality brand experience across all touchpoints.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deep Specialization: Becoming the recognized expert and leader for Kin's design system and its evolution.

• Strategic Influence: Shaping the future direction of product design and development at Kin through system architecture and adoption strategies.

• Leadership in Process: Defining and refining processes for design system contribution, governance, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Mentorship: Guiding and mentoring other designers and engineers in the effective use and contribution to the design system.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining deep insights into various product domains (insurance, financing, home intelligence) and working closely with diverse engineering and product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Principal" title signifies a high level of autonomy and strategic responsibility. The impact is tied directly to Kin's ability to scale its product offerings cohesively, making this role critical for the company's long-term vision. Growth opportunities are centered on strategic impact, leadership in process, and deep technical/systemic expertise.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Kin is a "remote-first" company. While they have physical offices in Chicago, IL, and St. Petersburg, FL, for optional collaboration, the primary work environment is remote. This means the company is structured to support and optimize remote operations and communication.

Office Location(s):

• Physical offices are located in Chicago, IL, and St. Petersburg, FL. These may serve as hubs for in-person collaboration sessions, team offsites, or optional co-working.

• For remote technical positions, the company has specific state requirements for the United States (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI) and Ontario, Canada. Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect a high reliance on digital collaboration tools (Slack, Zoom, Figma, etc.) for communication, design reviews, and project management.

• Asynchronous Communication: Given the distributed nature, strong asynchronous communication skills are vital.

• Focus on Impact: The remote-first model likely emphasizes output and impact over physical presence, aligning with the company value "Operate lean. Deliver more."

• Technology Stack: Access to robust design and development tools, including AI-powered tools, will be standard.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility inherent to a remote role. The focus will be on delivering results and meeting project timelines rather than adhering to strict office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" designation is key. Candidates should be comfortable with and effective in a distributed work environment, relying heavily on digital tools and asynchronous communication. The specific state requirements for remote work are important for eligibility.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit through the provided link (AshbyHQ).

• Initial Screening: AI tools may assist in initial resume screening, but human recruiters conduct evaluations.

• Recruiter Screen: A conversation with a recruiter to assess general fit, motivation, and alignment with Kin's values.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Deeper dive into experience, design system philosophy, and strategic thinking with the hiring manager.

• Skills Assessment/Portfolio Review: This is likely a critical stage. Candidates will present their portfolio, focusing on design system case studies, architecture, and impact. This may involve a "take-home" challenge or a live design exercise focused on system thinking.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Discussions with engineering leads, product managers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and influence.

• Final Interview/Hiring Team Review: A final discussion to confirm fit and make a hiring decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design System Leadership: Clearly articulate your role and impact in previous design system initiatives. Treat your design system as a product you've managed.

• Showcase Token Architecture: Provide detailed examples of your token structures (primitive, semantic, component) and explain the rationale behind your choices.

• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Include examples of how you've leveraged Figma variables, component properties, and libraries for system design.

• Detail Process and Governance: Explain your approach to contribution models, versioning, and how you've managed system evolution.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics and case studies to demonstrate the tangible benefits your design system work has delivered (e.g., reduction in design debt, faster development cycles, improved consistency).

• Address AI Integration: If applicable, showcase how you've used AI tools to enhance efficiency or analysis within your design system work.

• Accessibility Focus: Ensure your portfolio examples demonstrate a commitment to accessibility standards.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as narratives – the problem, your approach, the solution, and the outcome.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would audit and evolve Kin's existing design system.

• Anticipate questions about your experience with federated organizations and driving adoption.

• Practice articulating complex system concepts clearly and concisely.

• Understand Kin's business (insurtech) and how a strong design system supports their growth and mission.

• Prepare to discuss how you would balance consistency with the need for product-specific personality and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a human touch despite AI's role in efficiency. The portfolio review is clearly a cornerstone, requiring candidates to present their design system expertise effectively. The advice focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking, technical depth, and quantifiable impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for design system creation, management, and collaboration. Proficiency with variables, component properties, and libraries is critical.

• Design System Management Tools: Experience with tools for versioning, documentation, and distribution (e.g., Storybook, Chromatic) is highly beneficial.

• Token Transformation Tools: Familiarity with tools like Style Dictionary for managing and transforming design tokens is a plus.

• AI Tools: Explicitly mentioned are Claude Code and Cursor for auditing, documentation, and accelerating workflows. Proficiency in leveraging AI for design tasks is a key requirement.

Analytics & Reporting: While not directly specified for this role, understanding how design system adoption and impact are measured might involve analytics tools. However, the core focus is on design and engineering toolchains.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to this design role, but understanding how design systems integrate with broader product development workflows is important.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on design tools, specifically Figma, and the surrounding design system ecosystem. The explicit mention of AI tools is a significant differentiator, indicating their integration into the design workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Run through walls, together: Emphasizes high performance, respect, and collaborative problem-solving. This means being a proactive team player who supports colleagues and contributes to a positive, high-achieving environment.

• Raise the bar. Drop the ego: Focuses on continuous improvement and intellectual humility. Be open to feedback, strive for excellence, and collaborate respectfully without letting personal ego hinder progress or team cohesion.

• Act like an owner: Promotes accountability, proactive thinking, and a commitment to Kin's mission. Take initiative, make sound decisions, and consider the broader impact of your work on the company and its customers.

• Operate lean. Deliver more: Values efficiency, prioritization, and leveraging technology (including AI) to maximize impact. Be mindful of resource utilization and focus on delivering significant value.

• Keep asking ‘What if?’: Encourages curiosity, experimentation, data-driven decision-making, and a growth mindset. Embrace learning, challenge assumptions, and seek innovative solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers (Frontend, potentially backend), and embedded domain designers.

• Influence and Partnership: The role requires driving adoption and alignment through influence, clear communication, and building strong relationships.

• Feedback Loops: A culture that values continuous feedback for both design outputs and process improvements.

• Shared Ownership: A sense that the design system is a shared asset, with clear pathways for contribution and feedback from various stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are central to Kin's identity and expected behavior. For this role, "Run through walls, together" and "Act like an owner" imply taking initiative in building and evangelizing the design system, while "Operate lean. Deliver more" and "Keep asking ‘What if?’" speak to the innovative and efficient approach expected in leveraging systems and AI.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Driving Adoption in a Federated Org: Convincing multiple, potentially independent product teams to adopt and consistently use the design system can be challenging without direct authority.

• Balancing Consistency with Innovation: Ensuring the design system supports a cohesive experience while still allowing for product-specific innovation and personality.

• Maintaining Figma-to-Code Parity: This is a technically complex challenge that requires ongoing effort and strong collaboration with engineering.

• Managing System Sprawl: As Kin grows and launches new products, preventing the design system from becoming bloated or fragmented requires disciplined governance.

• Legacy Systems Audit: Auditing and unifying potentially disparate component libraries and design patterns from previous, less centralized efforts.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepening Design System Expertise: Becoming a thought leader in design systems, token architecture, and AI's role in design.

• Strategic Impact: Gaining experience in shaping the product strategy and scalability of a rapidly growing tech company.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Developing skills in influencing and collaborating with diverse engineering and product teams in a remote-first environment.

• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of design system best practices, accessibility, and AI applications in design and development.

• Potential for Future Leadership: As the design function matures, opportunities to lead larger initiatives or teams may arise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges are rooted in organizational dynamics and technical complexity. The growth opportunities are significant for someone looking to make a strategic impact and deepen their expertise in a high-demand area.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach auditing Kin's current design system and component libraries to identify inconsistencies and opportunities for unification, particularly leveraging AI tools?"

• "Describe your philosophy on design token architecture (primitive, semantic, component) and how you'd establish a single source of truth that scales across multiple product domains."

• "How would you build and implement a contribution model and governance framework for a design system in a federated organization, and what strategies would you use to drive adoption?"

• "Walk us through a time you had to influence stakeholders without direct authority to adopt a new design system or process. What was the outcome?"

• "Describe your process for ensuring Figma-to-code parity and how you would collaborate with engineering to achieve and maintain it." Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Kin's mission and values (e.g., 'Operate lean. Deliver more.', 'Keep asking ‘What if?’'), how would you apply these to your role in building and evolving our design system?"

• "How do you see the role of a Principal Product Designer contributing to Kin's goal of becoming the most trusted platform for homeownership?"

• "What is your experience working in a remote-first environment, and how do you foster collaboration and communication in such a setting?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of your design system philosophy and approach. Then, dive into 2-3 detailed case studies that best represent your capabilities in architecture, governance, and impact.

• Token Deep Dive: Dedicate a segment to clearly explaining your token architecture, showing examples of primitive, semantic, and component tokens and their relationships.

• Figma & Tools Showcase: Demonstrate your Figma proficiency, including variables and component structures. If possible, show how you've integrated AI tools or other automation.

• Metrics & Impact: Quantify the success of your design system projects using metrics related to efficiency, consistency, adoption rates, or reduction in design/dev debt.

• Process & Governance: Clearly articulate the processes you've established for contribution, versioning, and communication.

• Storytelling: Frame each case study as a problem, your solution, and the measurable results. Explain the "why" behind your design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking, technical depth in design systems and tokens, and strong influencing skills, all within the context of Kin's specific business and culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal Product Designer, Design Systems position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on AshbyHQ.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your extensive experience in design systems, token architecture, Figma mastery, AI tool utilization, and cross-functional influence. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features detailed case studies on design system development, architecture, governance, and quantifiable impact. Specifically showcase your work on token systems and Figma-to-code parity.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio, focusing on clear explanations of your design system strategy, processes, and achievements. Be ready to discuss how you'd tackle Kin's specific challenges.

• Research Kin: Understand Kin's business model (insurtech), company values, and their vision for becoming a homeowner platform. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your engagement and strategic thinking.

⚠️ 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.