Product Designer (Design Systems)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (Design Systems)

Company: TEKsystems

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Design Operations / Product Design

Date Posted: April 29, 2026

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

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on Production Design within a Design Systems framework, emphasizing scalability and efficiency for a global tech platform.

• Key responsibilities include maintaining and organizing design assets, component libraries, and design documentation to ensure high craft and consistency.

• The position requires advanced proficiency in Figma for file organization, component library management, and prototyping.

• Collaboration with cross-functional teams, including product designers, content strategists, and art directors, is crucial for successful asset preparation and handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer (Design Systems)," the core responsibilities and required skills heavily lean into production design and design operations. The role is less about conceptual product design and more about ensuring design assets are production-ready, scalable, and integrated within a design system. This is a crucial distinction for operations-focused candidates.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Prepare, organize, and maintain high-quality design assets for internal and external use, ensuring adherence to established design standards and guidelines.

• Clean up and structure Figma files, creating and meticulously maintaining component libraries and design systems for reusability and scalability.

• Produce polished product mockups, interactive prototypes, and compelling presentation decks for design reviews, workshops, and global presentations.

• Develop and maintain clear, engaging deck templates and comprehensive design documentation to serve as a single source of truth for design specifications.

• Translate and adapt designs across multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and web, ensuring platform-specific considerations are met.

• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to file structure, organization, asset management, and design-to-development handoff processes.

• Collaborate closely with product designers, content designers, art directors, and design program managers to ensure design consistency and production efficiency.

• Support the integration and utilization of AI-enabled features within product surfaces by preparing relevant design assets and documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize meticulous execution, system maintenance, and cross-functional support, aligning with typical design operations or production design roles. The need to "clean up and structure Figma files" and "maintain component libraries" highlights a strong focus on operational efficiency within the design workflow.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: [Not specified in the raw data. Based on industry standards for a mid-level designer, a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, or a related field is often preferred, though equivalent practical experience is highly valued.]

Experience: 4+ years of relevant design experience, with a demonstrated strong emphasis on production design, design systems, or dedicated design support work.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Figma, with a deep understanding of component libraries, variants, auto layout, and file organization best practices.

• Proven experience in production design, focusing on preparing, scaling, and maintaining design assets for complex products.

• Expertise in working with and contributing to established design systems and reusable component frameworks.

• Strong prototyping skills using Figma or similar tools to effectively communicate interaction and user flows.

• Experience in creating high-quality presentation decks and visual communication materials for various stakeholders.

• Familiarity and practical experience designing for multiple platforms, including web, Android, and iOS, with an understanding of platform-specific design patterns and guidelines.

• Comfort and experience working with AI-related product surfaces or AI-enabled features.

• Proficiency with Google Workspace tools (Drive, Slides, Docs, Sheets) for collaboration and documentation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in mobile and web product design that extends beyond pure production support, offering a broader UX perspective.

• Familiarity with the unique challenges and requirements of designing for large-scale consumer platforms.

• Prior experience supporting AI-native products or features, demonstrating an understanding of emerging technology integration.

• Exposure to system-driven, horizontal design teams and the operational workflows they employ.

• Experience using prototyping tools such as Origami Studio, in addition to Figma prototyping.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "production design experience with a strong focus on systems and scalability" and "Advanced proficiency in Figma, including component libraries and file organization" strongly suggests this role is heavily weighted towards design operations and system maintenance rather than pure product innovation. The requirement for experience with AI-related surfaces is a forward-looking aspect.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase of projects demonstrating a strong understanding and application of design systems principles.

• Examples of meticulously organized Figma files, component libraries, and design system documentation.

• Case studies highlighting production design work, illustrating the process of preparing and scaling assets for launch.

• Demonstrations of effective prototyping and the ability to translate designs across different platforms (web, iOS, Android).

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have documented design specifications, system guidelines, and asset usage to ensure consistency and clarity for development teams.

• Demonstrations of workflow optimization within design processes, particularly concerning asset management, file organization, and handoff procedures.

• Case studies that detail troubleshooting and problem-solving within design file structures and system implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated as a "portfolio requirement," the description's emphasis on Figma file organization, component libraries, and documentation implies that a portfolio demonstrating these capabilities will be crucial. Candidates should highlight projects where they've been instrumental in building, maintaining, or scaling design systems and production assets.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $50.00 - $90.00 per hour. This range is competitive for contract roles in the New York City area, reflecting the specialized skills and experience required for a Design Systems Production Designer. The upper end of the range is indicative of significant experience and expertise in Figma and design systems.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital insurance.

• 401(k) Retirement Plan with pre-tax and Roth post-tax contribution options.

• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for employee and dependents).

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.

• Health Spending Account (HSA).

• Transportation benefits.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation, or Sick Leave).

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

The role is fully remote, offering flexibility in how the 40 hours are structured, though consistent availability for collaboration during core business hours is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided for a contract role, which typically differs from full-time salaried positions. The benefits listed are standard for contract roles through staffing agencies like TEKsystems, which often partner with clients to provide benefits packages.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Services / Staffing & Consulting (TEKsystems is a leading provider of business and technology services). The role is within a "Top Global Tech Company" client of TEKsystems.

Company Size: TEKsystems is part of Allegis Group, a large global organization with 80,000 employees. The client company is likely a large-scale tech organization, given the mention of "billions of people" and "high-visibility surfaces."

Founded: TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company, which was founded in 1994. The client company's founding date is not specified but is implied to be a mature, large-scale tech entity.

Team Structure:

• The role supports a "broad portfolio of social experiences," indicating a large product surface area.

• The team operates "horizontally across products," suggesting a cross-functional structure that supports multiple product lines or features.

• A "strong systems-thinking mindset" is emphasized, indicating a focus on interconnectedness and scalable solutions.

Methodology:

• Focus on maintaining "high craft, consistency, and efficiency" through production design and systems.

• Emphasis on "design documentation as a source of truth" and detailed "design specifications."

• "Systems-thinking mindset" applied to design, ensuring scalability and interconnectedness.

• Agile or fast-paced development environment, requiring adaptability and speed.

Company Website: https://careers.teksystems.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: While TEKsystems is the recruiting agency, the role is for a "Top Global Tech Company." The description of the team and its work pertains to this client company, not TEKsystems itself. The culture described is that of a large, fast-paced tech organization with a strong emphasis on scalable design systems and production efficiency.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Production Designer with a specialization in Design Systems. It's a crucial support function that enables higher-level design strategy and creative work by ensuring operational excellence in asset production and system maintenance.

Reporting Structure: The designer will partner closely with product designers, content designers, art directors, and design program managers. They likely report into a Design Program Manager or a Senior Design Manager overseeing the design systems or production design function.

Operations Impact: The impact is significant in terms of enabling scale and efficiency. By ensuring design assets are polished, scalable, and production-ready, this role directly contributes to:

• Faster Design Velocity: Allowing product designers to focus on strategy and innovation rather than asset preparation.

• Consistent User Experience: Maintaining high craft and adherence to established standards across billions of users.

• Reduced Development Friction: Providing clear, well-organized specifications and assets for engineering teams.

• Scalable Design Solutions: Building and maintaining robust component libraries that support product evolution.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in design systems, component architecture, and production design workflows.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain experience working with various product teams and understanding their unique design challenges.

• AI/Emerging Tech: Develop experience in designing for AI-powered features, a growing area in tech.

• Mentorship: Potentially mentor junior production designers or contribute to training materials on design system best practices.

• Transition to Design Strategy: With a solid understanding of system limitations and possibilities, potentially transition into roles focused on design strategy or broader UX design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within the design operations and design systems specialization. It's ideal for individuals who excel at meticulous execution, system thinking, and enabling other designers, rather than leading strategic product vision.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote (within the US). This indicates a distributed team environment.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the contract is based out of New York, NY. This might imply a primary client presence or administrative hub in that location.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires close collaboration with various design and program management functions, necessitating strong communication and teamwork skills in a remote setting.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to and proficiency with Figma, Google Workspace, and Adobe Creative Cloud are essential. The company likely utilizes robust project management and communication tools (e.g., Slack, Asana, Jira) to support remote collaboration.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular interaction with design teams, program managers, and potentially engineering liaisons to ensure smooth asset handoff and integration.

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week. The remote nature allows for flexibility in structuring the workday, but requires discipline and proactive communication to manage tasks and meet deadlines effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "fast-paced, constantly evolving environment" and "comfort with change" are key indicators of the work rhythm. Remote work demands strong self-management and proactive communication.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely with a TEKsystems recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit for a contract role.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A deeper dive into technical skills, design system experience, Figma proficiency, and production design workflow. This stage will likely involve portfolio review.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will be expected to present specific projects, detailing their role, process, challenges, and outcomes, with a strong emphasis on design systems and production execution.

• Skills Assessment/Take-home Exercise: Potentially a task related to Figma file organization, component creation, or asset preparation to evaluate practical skills.

• Final Interview: May involve a broader discussion on collaboration, problem-solving, and alignment with the client company's culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design Systems Contributions: Clearly showcase projects where you built, maintained, or significantly contributed to a design system. Detail your role in creating and managing component libraries.

• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Include examples of complex Figma files, well-structured component sets, and effective use of features like variants, auto layout, and prototyping.

• Showcase Production Workflow: Present case studies that illustrate your process for preparing, organizing, and handing off design assets to development. Emphasize efficiency and quality.

• Platform Translation Examples: Include examples where you've adapted designs for iOS, Android, and web, explaining your approach to platform-specific considerations.

• AI/Emerging Tech: If possible, include any relevant experience with AI-enabled features or new technology integration in design.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., "reduced asset creation time by X%", "increased design consistency by Y%").

Challenge Preparation:

• Figma File Organization: Be prepared to discuss best practices for organizing large Figma files, managing component libraries, and establishing clear naming conventions.

• Design System Principles: Understand the core principles of design systems (e.g., scalability, consistency, reusability, documentation) and how to apply them in a production environment.

• Asset Handoff: Be ready to explain your process for providing detailed specifications and assets to developers, ensuring a smooth handoff.

• Problem-Solving: Anticipate questions about how you would handle common production design challenges, such as inconsistent assets, scope creep, or tight deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's production and systems focus, the interview will heavily scrutinize practical skills in Figma and design system implementation. A portfolio that clearly articulates contributions to system efficiency and asset quality will be paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for design creation, component library management, prototyping, and file organization. Advanced proficiency is a must.

• Google Workspace: Essential for collaborative document creation, presentations, and communication (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Drive).

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for asset manipulation, vector editing, and potentially print or complex graphic work.

Analytics & Reporting: [Not explicitly mentioned, but likely used indirectly through collaboration with product teams. Candidates might use tools to gather insights for design improvements.]

CRM & Automation: [Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how design systems integrate with broader product development pipelines is key.]

Other Potential Tools:

• Prototyping Tools: Origami Studio (preferred), InVision.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams.

• Project Management Tools: Asana, Jira, Trello.

• Design System Platforms: Zeroheight, Storybook (for documentation, though Figma is primary for creation).

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the central tool. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate deep expertise in its features relevant to design systems and production workflows. Familiarity with the broader Adobe suite and Google Workspace is also critical for day-to-day operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Detail-Oriented Execution: A strong emphasis on precision, organization, and meticulousness in all design production tasks.

• Efficiency and Scalability: Commitment to creating reusable components and streamlined processes that support rapid product development and global reach.

• Collaboration and Communication: Valuing clear, proactive communication and teamwork to ensure seamless integration with product, content, and engineering teams.

• Quality and Craftsmanship: Upholding high standards for visual design and user experience, even in production-focused tasks.

• Adaptability: Embracing a fast-paced, evolving environment and being comfortable with change and ambiguity.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with diverse roles (product, content, art direction, program management) to achieve shared goals.

• Systems-Thinking Approach: Contributing to a collective understanding of how individual components and designs fit into the larger product ecosystem.

• Feedback Exchange: Openness to receiving and providing constructive feedback to ensure quality and continuous improvement of design assets and systems.

• Proactive Support: Anticipating the needs of other designers and developers by providing timely, accurate, and well-organized design deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes operational excellence within design. The team values individuals who can execute with precision, maintain systems, and collaborate effectively to drive efficiency and quality at scale in a dynamic environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Maintaining Consistency at Scale: Ensuring that design system components and assets remain consistent across a vast portfolio of products and are adopted uniformly by numerous design teams.

• Pace of Change: Keeping up with the rapid evolution of product features, AI integrations, and design trends while maintaining system integrity.

• Balancing Production Needs with System Evolution: Effectively managing immediate production demands while also contributing to the long-term health and scalability of the design system.

• Remote Collaboration Complexity: Navigating communication and workflow challenges inherent in a fully remote, distributed team environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design System Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge in complex component architecture, design tokens, and system governance.

• AI/Emerging Technology Integration: Developing practical experience in designing for and with AI features, a rapidly growing field.

• Cross-Product Collaboration: Broadening understanding of diverse product needs and how a unified design system can support them.

• Production Workflow Optimization: Refining skills in asset management, version control, and design-to-development handoff processes.

• Potential for Mentorship: As an experienced member of the team, opportunities may arise to guide junior designers or contribute to internal training initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a focused path for growth within design operations and systems. Challenges are tied to the complexities of large-scale design system management and the fast-paced tech environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you significantly contributed to a design system. What was your role, and what were the key outcomes?" (Focus on component creation, documentation, and system adoption.)

• "How do you approach organizing a large and complex Figma file to ensure efficiency for yourself and other collaborators?" (Highlight best practices for file structure, naming conventions, and component organization.)

• "Walk us through your process for preparing and handing off design assets to engineering for a new feature. What potential issues do you anticipate and how do you mitigate them?" (Emphasize detailed specifications, prototyping, and clear communication.)

• "How do you ensure design consistency across different platforms (iOS, Android, Web) when working with a design system?" (Discuss platform-specific considerations and how the system addresses them.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working on social experiences and AI-enabled features?" (Connect your skills to the product domain.)

• "How do you thrive in a fast-paced, remote, and evolving work environment?" (Highlight adaptability, self-management, and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of the project and your role. Then, dive into specific examples of your contributions to the design system, production assets, and file organization.

• Focus on Systems: Clearly articulate how your work supported or advanced the design system. Showcase reusable components and their benefits.

• Demonstrate Figma Skills: Show examples of your Figma file structure, component libraries, and any advanced techniques used.

• Detail the Production Process: Explain your workflow for asset preparation, versioning, and handoff, highlighting efficiency and attention to detail.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics where possible to demonstrate the value of your contributions (e.g., time saved, consistency improved).

• Be Ready for Technical Deep Dives: Expect questions about specific Figma features, component states, and design system principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus heavily on demonstrating practical expertise in Figma, design system implementation, and production workflows, rather than high-level strategic product thinking.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the TEKsystems careers portal via the provided link.

• Tailor your resume: Emphasize keywords from the job description such as "Production Design," "Design Systems," "Figma," "component libraries," "scalability," "asset management," and "cross-functional collaboration." Highlight achievements related to efficiency and consistency.

• Prepare your portfolio: Curate specific projects that showcase your Figma proficiency, design system contributions, and production design workflow. Ensure clear case studies demonstrating your process and impact.

• Practice your presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on your role in design systems and production, and be ready to discuss your problem-solving approach.

• Research the client company: Understand the types of "social experiences" they offer and any publicly available information about their design philosophy or technology stack.

⚠️ 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 (TEKsystems) before making application decisions.