Staff Design Technologist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Design Technologist

Company: Kong

Location: United States (Remote)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Design Engineering / Design Systems

Date Posted: June 02, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (US & Canada)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in bridging the gap between product design and frontend engineering, focusing on the strategic implementation of design systems and AI-enabled workflows.

• You will be instrumental in driving UI cohesion and reducing implementation drift across Kong's technical product experiences, ensuring a unified and high-quality user interface.

• The position involves a hybrid approach, dedicating approximately half your time to design tools and the other half to code, tooling, and cross-functional collaboration.

• You will play a key role in exploring and establishing design patterns for emerging AI-native and agent-driven experiences, pushing the boundaries of product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the title "Staff Design Technologist" and the emphasis on both design and technical implementation, this role sits at a senior individual contributor level. It requires a blend of strong design sensibilities and deep technical understanding, specifically within frontend development and design system architecture. The focus on AI and agentic experiences indicates a forward-thinking product organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the development and maintenance of AI prototyping starter kits, repositories, and design conventions to accelerate product design workflows.

• Author internal scripts, tools, and workflows to enhance the efficiency and output of the Product Design team.

• Experiment with MCP Apps (ext-apps) and innovative agent UI patterns to define how Kong designs for AI-native and agent-driven experiences.

• Actively research and disseminate best practices for emerging AI tooling, enabling the design team to leverage the latest advancements.

• Foster trusted, long-term relationships with frontend engineers to ensure seamless collaboration and knowledge transfer.

• Minimize discrepancies between design specifications and implementation by optimizing design-to-code workflows and shared systems.

• Collaborate with design systems colleagues, designers, and engineers to identify, revamp, and standardize reusable UI patterns.

• Conduct audits to identify opportunities for reducing redundant one-off patterns and improving cross-product UI cohesion.

• Develop and contribute to comprehensive documentation, usage guidelines, and governance frameworks for design systems.

• Uphold and elevate the standard for visual quality, interaction design, and usability across all technical product experiences.

• Exercise strong judgment in balancing established conventions with the need for innovation and advancement.

• Partner with designers to enhance consistency, polish, and accessibility in user interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: advancing the design system and tooling capabilities while also pioneering new design approaches for AI-driven products. The emphasis on "driving platform UI cohesion" and "reducing drift" points to a need for rigorous process adherence and excellent cross-functional communication.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 8+ years of experience in Design Engineering, Product Design, Design Systems, or similar hybrid roles, with a strong foundation in design principles.

Required Skills:

• Proven product and visual design instincts, with a specialization in technical or developer-focused products.

• High technical fluency with modern frontend development systems (e.g., React, Vue, Angular) enabling deep collaboration with engineers and contribution to shared systems.

• Hands-on experience with AI tooling, prototyping workflows, or building design-adjacent scripts and automations.

• Familiarity with Figma ↔ code workflows, including concepts like CodeConnect, design tokens, component APIs, and integration with tools like Storybook.

• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with both designers and frontend engineers.

• Genuine enthusiasm for the evolution of AI in product development and a proactive approach to team enablement.

• Excellent collaboration, communication, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to build trust across diverse disciplines.

• Strong systems thinking capabilities, with the ability to balance immediate needs with long-term scalability and maintainability.

• Experience in contributing to or maintaining design systems, including pattern definition, documentation, and governance. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-native and agent-driven experience design patterns.

• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) for automation and tooling.

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and version control systems (e.g., Git).

• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and their implementation.

• Experience in a high-growth technology company or SaaS environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 8+ years and the specific mention of "Staff" level indicate a need for candidates who can operate with a high degree of autonomy, demonstrate strategic thinking, and mentor others. The blend of design craft and technical implementation is key, with a specific emphasis on AI and modern frontend practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio, website, or public repository demonstrating strong visual and interaction design craft.

• Evidence of AI prototyping, technical experimentation, and the development of design-adjacent tooling.

• Case studies showcasing design systems work and successful collaboration with frontend engineering teams.

• Multiple examples of driving meaningful impact through effective design and implementation processes, with clear articulation of the process used.

• Demonstrations of how you've leveraged or contributed to design tokens, component libraries, and code integration (e.g., Storybook). Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have documented workflows, design system components, and technical implementation guides.

• Artifacts that illustrate your approach to identifying and standardizing reusable patterns within a complex product ecosystem.

• Case studies detailing how you've improved the efficiency or quality of design-to-development handoffs.

• Demonstrations of your involvement in the governance and evolution of design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Staff" level role, the portfolio should not just showcase finished work but also the candidate's thought process, problem-solving abilities, and the impact of their contributions. Emphasize projects that demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive change within design and engineering teams.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $205,000 USD per year. This range is competitive for a Staff-level Design Technologist in the US market, reflecting the required experience and specialized skill set.

Benefits:

• Equity (Stock Options/RSUs)

• Bonus Plan

• Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)

• 401(k) Retirement Plan

• Short-term and Long-term Disability Benefits

• Basic Life Insurance

• Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance

Working Hours: This is a full-time role, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. Given the remote nature, there's an expectation of flexibility to accommodate cross-functional collaboration across different time zones within the US and Canada.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided and appears competitive for a senior individual contributor role in the tech industry, especially in a remote capacity. The benefits package is standard for a full-time position at a growing tech company, offering a good balance of financial, health, and long-term security benefits.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: API and AI Connectivity Technologies. Kong operates in a B2B SaaS market, providing critical infrastructure for businesses managing APIs and, increasingly, AI models. This implies a culture that values technical expertise, developer experience, and robust solutions.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated in the provided data, a "Staff" level role in a ~20-person Product Design team suggests Kong is likely a mid-to-large sized technology company, possibly Series C or later stage, with established engineering and product departments.

Founded: Kong was founded in 2010. This longevity suggests a stable company with a mature product offering and a deep understanding of its market.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team consists of approximately 20 individuals, with this role being the second specialist focused on design systems.

• The role reports to the VP of Design, indicating a senior leadership connection and strategic influence.

• Collaboration is expected to be tight with frontend engineers and other designers across product teams. Methodology:

• Emphasis on AI-enabled design workflows, indicating a proactive adoption of new technologies to improve design processes.

• Focus on deeper design ↔ engineering convergence, suggesting a strong commitment to efficient and collaborative development cycles.

• Exploration of agent-driven experiences, pointing towards a forward-looking approach to product innovation and user interaction.

• A strong existing design systems practice will be built upon, rather than starting from scratch.

Company Website: https://konghq.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Kong's focus on API and AI connectivity suggests a company culture that likely prioritizes technical excellence, innovation, and developer experience. The "Staff" role's reporting structure to the VP of Design underscores the strategic importance of design systems and technical design contributions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Design Technologist. This is a senior individual contributor role, typically the second or third highest level within a design or engineering track before principal or distinguished levels. It signifies a high degree of technical expertise, strategic influence, and the ability to drive complex initiatives independently.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the VP of Design. This provides direct access to senior leadership and an opportunity to influence design strategy at a high level.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is significant, directly influencing how design and engineering teams collaborate, the efficiency of product development cycles, and the overall quality and consistency of Kong's technical product experiences, including its cutting-edge AI offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-enabled design tooling, advanced design systems architecture, and emerging agentic UI patterns.

• Leadership: Potential to become the go-to expert for design systems and technical design, mentoring junior team members and leading strategic initiatives.

• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence across product and engineering leadership by demonstrating the value of design-engineering convergence and innovative design practices.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to open-source design systems or tooling, or present at industry conferences, enhancing personal and company brand.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" designation implies that this role is not just about execution but also about strategic contribution, problem-solving, and potentially mentoring. Growth opportunities lie in deepening expertise, expanding influence, and potentially moving into leadership or principal-level individual contributor roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote role, allowing employees to work from home or a co-working space. The company's approach to remote work suggests a trust-based culture that values output over physical presence.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the company may have physical offices. The specified remote locations are United States and Canada, indicating a need for candidates to be legally authorized to work in these countries.

Workspace Context:

• A remote-first or remote-friendly environment, requiring strong self-management and communication skills.

• Access to modern collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Figma) is essential for effective teamwork.

• The role involves working with cutting-edge AI and design technologies, providing an environment for continuous learning and experimentation.

• Close collaboration with distributed teams requires proficiency in asynchronous communication and clear documentation.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with flexibility to accommodate collaboration across different time zones within the US and Canada. This allows for balancing work with personal life while ensuring team alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role emphasizes the need for strong communication, self-discipline, and proficiency with collaboration tools. The focus on AI and cutting-edge technology suggests an environment that encourages innovation and continuous learning.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the VP of Design to delve deeper into experience, motivations, and strategic thinking related to design systems and AI.

• Portfolio Presentation & Technical Deep Dive: A session where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on case studies that demonstrate their design craft, technical skills, AI tooling experience, and impact. This will likely involve detailed discussions about their process and decision-making.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with frontend engineers and potentially other designers to assess collaboration skills, technical fluency, and ability to bridge design and engineering.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: Possibly a conversation with a senior leader to confirm cultural alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your solution, the process, and the measurable impact of your work. Use data and metrics where possible.

• Highlight Hybrid Skills: Ensure your portfolio demonstrates both strong visual/interaction design capabilities and technical implementation/tooling contributions.

• AI & Tooling Focus: Include specific projects related to AI prototyping, scripting, automation, or advanced Figma-to-code workflows.

• Design Systems Depth: Detail your contributions to design systems – pattern definition, token management, component development, and governance.

• Collaboration Stories: Use examples to show how you effectively partnered with engineers and designers.

• Concise Presentation: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio efficiently, focusing on the most relevant projects for this role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Technical Scenario: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific design-to-code challenge or how to integrate an AI tool into a design workflow.

• Design System Audit: Prepare to discuss how you would audit an existing interface to identify design system violations or opportunities for improvement.

• AI Tooling Proposal: Consider how you might propose or build a new AI-powered tool for the design team.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you handle disagreements or challenges when working with engineers or designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is expected to be rigorous, focusing heavily on the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate their contributions and thought processes. Practical demonstrations of skills, especially in AI tooling and design-engineering collaboration, will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design: Figma (essential), potentially Sketch or Adobe Creative Suite.

• Prototyping: Figma's built-in prototyping, Principle, Framer, or similar.

• Design Systems: Figma, Storybook, Zeroheight, or similar documentation platforms.

• Frontend Development: Familiarity with modern JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, Angular), HTML, CSS.

• Code Integration: Understanding of design tokens, component APIs, and potentially tools like CodeConnect.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned for this role, familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) could be beneficial for understanding user behavior and impact.

• Experience with data visualization tools for presenting design system usage or impact metrics. CRM & Automation:

• Proficiency with communication and project management tools such as Slack, Jira, Asana, Trello.

• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) for building internal tools and automations.

• Familiarity with AI prototyping tools and platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: Deep expertise in Figma and modern frontend development practices is critical. The role also requires hands-on experience with AI tooling and the ability to build custom scripts and automations, indicating a need for a versatile technical skillset beyond traditional design tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation: A drive to explore and implement cutting-edge technologies like AI in design and development.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working effectively across disciplines, particularly between design and engineering.

• Craftsmanship: A commitment to high standards of visual design, interaction design, and technical implementation.

• Efficiency: Focus on streamlining workflows, reducing friction, and maximizing team output through automation and well-defined systems.

• Impact: A results-oriented approach, valuing contributions that measurably improve products and processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working as a trusted partner with both designers and engineers, fostering mutual respect and understanding.

• Proactive Communication: Engaging in open, honest, and frequent communication, especially in a remote setting.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing insights, best practices, and learnings related to design systems, AI tooling, and technical implementation.

• Feedback Loop: Embracing a culture of continuous feedback for iterative improvement of designs, systems, and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely values individuals who are proactive, technically adept, collaborative, and passionate about pushing the boundaries of product development through design and technology.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pioneering AI Design: Navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI tooling and agentic experiences requires continuous learning and experimentation.

• Balancing Design & Code: Effectively managing time and focus between design tasks and technical implementation/tooling development.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent adoption of design systems and streamlined workflows across diverse engineering teams.

• Scaling Design Systems: Evolving the design system to meet the needs of a growing product suite and new technological paradigms like AI.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Specialization: Opportunity to become a leading expert in AI-driven design workflows and agentic user experiences.

• Technical Depth: Enhance skills in frontend development, API integrations, and custom tooling development.

• Design Systems Leadership: Grow into a key figure in shaping Kong's design system strategy and implementation.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to contribute to industry discussions, open-source projects, or conferences related to design technology and AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for growth by tackling complex, forward-looking challenges in AI and design systems, allowing the candidate to shape the future of product development at Kong.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building an AI prototyping starter kit for a design team?" (Focus on process, tools, and iteration)

• "Describe a time you significantly reduced design-to-implementation drift. What was your process, and what was the impact?" (Highlight collaboration, tooling, and problem-solving)

• "How do you balance the need for design system consistency with the desire to innovate and explore new UI patterns for emerging technologies like AI agents?" (Showcase strategic thinking and judgment)

• "Imagine you need to convince a skeptical engineering team to adopt a new design system component. How would you approach that conversation?" (Demonstrate communication and influence skills) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Kong's mission in API and AI connectivity?" (Show research and genuine interest)

• "How do you see your role contributing to Kong's culture of innovation and technical excellence?" (Connect your skills to company values)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration dynamic with frontend engineers." (Highlight partnership and communication)

• "How do you stay current with advancements in AI, design tooling, and frontend development?" (Demonstrate proactivity and continuous learning) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of your career and key strengths, then dive into 2-3 detailed case studies that best represent your hybrid design/tech skills, AI experience, and design systems contributions.

• Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role and approach, the solutions you implemented (both design and technical), the challenges faced, and the measurable impact.

• Visuals & Code: Showcase compelling visuals of your design work alongside relevant code snippets or explanations of technical implementations.

• AI Focus: Ensure at least one case study highlights your experience with AI tooling, scripting, or AI-native design patterns.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; practice your presentation to be clear, impactful, and within the allotted timeframe. Be prepared for deep dives into any aspect of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of both design principles and technical execution, with a clear emphasis on how the candidate can drive innovation in AI-enabled design and contribute to robust design systems.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Technologist position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description, emphasizing your experience in Design Engineering, Design Systems, frontend development, AI tooling, and cross-functional collaboration. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects showcasing your visual design skills, technical contributions, AI experimentation, and design systems work. Prioritize examples that demonstrate impact and your ability to bridge design and engineering.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your experience and portfolio projects, focusing on your problem-solving approach, technical proficiency, and collaborative abilities. Be ready to discuss your process for AI tooling and design system implementation.

• Research Kong: Understand Kong's products, mission, and recent developments, particularly in the AI space. Prepare thoughtful questions about the role, the team, and the company's vision for design and technology.

⚠️ 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.

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