Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: Lilly

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-24

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the full product design lifecycle, from research and problem framing to interaction and visual execution, within a patient-centric healthcare environment.

• Elevate design standards and maintain visual quality across digital products and patient-facing experiences, with a strong emphasis on typography, motion, and composition.

• Partner closely with product management and engineering teams to shape strategic solutions, not just execute screens, ensuring a holistic approach to user experience.

• Contribute to and evolve a component-based design system, understanding when to leverage existing patterns and when to innovate for improved usability and clarity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for the LillyDirect design team, focusing on a direct-to-patient platform. The emphasis on "hybrid product designer" with strong UI craft and UX judgment indicates a need for versatility beyond pure visual design, requiring candidates to demonstrate proficiency in both areas. The "Staff" title suggests a senior individual contributor role with potential for mentorship and influence on team culture and design standards.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design process for digital products and patient-facing experiences, ensuring high standards of visual execution, interaction detail, and overall product polish.

• Champion and maintain design standards across various outputs, including typography, motion, copy, composition, and art direction.

• Understand, contribute to, and evolve component-based design systems, identifying opportunities to leverage existing patterns or introduce new ones to enhance consistency and usability.

• Present design rationale persuasively to stakeholders at all levels, incorporating feedback constructively to build trust and alignment across product, engineering, and other cross-functional teams.

• Drive cross-functional alignment on design direction for specific product areas, ensuring cohesive user experiences.

• Set the craft standard for the design team by producing sophisticated work that serves as a reference and foundation for others.

• Shape team culture through leadership in critique sessions, mentorship of junior designers, and active contribution to Design@Lilly practices.

• Operate as a hybrid product designer, blending strong UI craft with solid UX judgment across flows, interaction patterns, and end-to-end user journeys.

• Deliver polished, production-ready design assets for web, mobile, and other digital formats.

• Partner with product and engineering to define and shape solutions, demonstrating strength in problem framing and final execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level individual contributor role that is deeply involved in strategic problem-solving and execution. The emphasis on "setting the craft standard," "critique leadership," and "mentorship" indicates expectations for leadership and influence within the design team, even without direct management responsibilities. The focus on "LillyDirect" and "patient-facing experiences" underscores the critical nature of the work and the need for empathy and precision in design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design (Digital Design, Interaction Design, Visual Communication, Human-Computer Interaction, or related field).

• Or a high school diploma/GED with 5+ years of equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in product design, UX design, or visual design for digital products and experiences. Required Skills:

• Exceptional portfolio showcasing design work across multiple projects and mediums, with a strong focus on interface or screen-based experiences.

• Deep understanding of design principles including typography, grid systems, composition, and color.

• Proficiency in interaction design patterns and user flow development.

• Experience working with and contributing to component-based design systems.

• Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and incorporate feedback constructively.

• Demonstrated accountability, flexibility, and initiative with the ability to prioritize and deliver results efficiently.

• A learning and growth mindset, with a commitment to staying current on industry trends and tools. Preferred Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills coupled with intellectual curiosity and a passion for innovation in digital health.

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, capable of making complex ideas clear and actionable for diverse collaborators.

• Collaborative spirit with the ability to build strong working relationships and navigate conflict constructively.

• Experience in healthcare or digital health product design.

• Motion design skills.

• Experience with user research methodologies and translating insights into design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "exceptional portfolio" is a critical requirement, suggesting it will be heavily scrutinized for depth, breadth, and quality across UI, interaction, and problem-solving. The preference for analytical skills and digital health innovation points towards a forward-thinking candidate who can contribute to strategic product development in a regulated industry. The hybrid nature of the role means candidates should ideally showcase examples of both strong visual design execution and well-reasoned UX strategy.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of digital products and patient-facing experiences, demonstrating end-to-end design ownership from concept to production.

• Include detailed case studies that articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, design process, challenges faced, and measurable outcomes.

• Highlight examples of contributing to or evolving design systems, including component design, pattern definition, and adherence to system standards.

• Present work that demonstrates a strong command of visual design principles (typography, color, composition, motion) and interaction design craft.

• Provide examples of cross-functional collaboration, illustrating how you partnered with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to bring designs to life. Process Documentation:

• For each case study, clearly outline the design process followed, including any user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration phases.

• Demonstrate how you incorporated feedback from stakeholders and users to refine designs and ensure alignment with product goals.

• Detail your approach to problem framing and how you translated complex user needs and business requirements into elegant design solutions.

• Show evidence of your ability to set and maintain high craft standards, detailing your attention to detail in areas like typography, spacing, and visual hierarchy.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Staff" title and emphasis on craft, the portfolio is expected to be highly polished and demonstrate senior-level thinking. Candidates should be prepared to discuss not only the final output but the rationale behind their decisions, their collaboration methods, and how they contributed to or leveraged existing design systems. The focus on patient-facing experiences implies a need for designs that are clear, accessible, and empathetic.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $126,000 - $202,400 per year

Explanation of Range: This salary range reflects Lilly's compensation practices for a Staff Product Designer, considering the experience level (5-10 years), the senior nature of the role, and the Indianapolis, Indiana location. The broader range accounts for variations in candidate experience, specific skill sets, and internal pay equity considerations. Industry benchmarks for senior product designers in major metropolitan areas and leading pharmaceutical companies typically fall within this spectrum.

Benefits:

• Company bonus eligibility (dependent on company and individual performance).

• Comprehensive 401(k) plan.

• Pension plan.

• Vacation benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.

• Prescription drug benefits.

• Flexible benefits, including healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts.

• Life insurance and death benefits.

• Certain time off and leave of absence benefits.

• Well-being benefits, such as an employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs/activities.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (full-time equivalent).

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Staff Product Designer role, especially within the pharmaceutical industry, and reflects a senior individual contributor position. The comprehensive benefits package is standard for a large, established corporation like Lilly, offering robust support for employees' financial, health, and overall well-being.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Pharmaceutical & Healthcare. Lilly is a global leader focused on uniting caring with discovery to create life-changing medicines. This industry context means a strong emphasis on patient well-being, regulatory compliance, and ethical considerations in all product development.

Company Size: Over 50,000 employees globally. This signifies a large, established organization with structured processes, significant resources, and numerous opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Eli Lilly and Company was founded in 1876. This long history indicates a stable, experienced company with a deep-rooted culture and a proven track record in the life sciences.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the LillyDirect design team, which focuses on building an ambitious direct-to-patient platform. This suggests a dedicated, potentially smaller, agile team working at the intersection of healthcare, commerce, and patient support.

• As a Staff Product Designer, you will likely report to a Design Lead or Director of Product Design and collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and potentially Marketing and Brand teams.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with expected interactions across product development, engineering, and potentially other business units to ensure seamless patient experiences. Methodology:

• Design at Lilly is patient-centric, aiming to improve treatment outcomes and patient experiences through innovative platforms and connected devices.

• The design process emphasizes a blend of research, problem framing, interaction design, visual execution, and rigorous attention to detail.

• There's a focus on leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative platforms, suggesting an openness to exploring new tools and approaches.

• A strong emphasis is placed on design systems for consistency and scalability across various digital touchpoints.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture at Lilly is deeply rooted in its mission to improve patient lives, which translates into a rigorous, detail-oriented, and empathetic approach to product development. The "Design@Lilly" culture specifically encourages critique, collaboration, and continuous learning, fostering an environment where designers can grow and influence. The scale of Lilly offers stability and resources, while the LillyDirect team likely operates with a degree of agility to drive innovation in a specific area.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, typically positioned above a standard Product Designer and below a Principal or Director level. It signifies a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and the ability to influence design strategy and execution, often mentoring less experienced designers.

Reporting Structure: You will report to Design leadership within the LillyDirect team. This structure implies direct access to senior design decision-makers and opportunities to influence product strategy through design. You will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads, forming a core product triad.

Operations Impact: The work directly impacts patient experiences with Lilly's medicines, care programs, and support services. By designing seamless, clear, and accessible platforms, this role has a significant influence on patient adherence, satisfaction, and overall health outcomes. The "direct-to-patient" nature of LillyDirect amplifies this impact, making the design of these interfaces critical.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in healthcare product design, direct-to-patient platforms, or specific areas like connected devices and data integration.

• Leadership: Progress into Principal Product Designer roles, leading larger initiatives, or potentially moving into design management if desired, though the primary path for "Staff" is senior IC.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence across product areas, contribute to broader design strategy, and take on more complex problem-framing challenges.

• Mentorship: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers, leading critique sessions, and contributing to design team processes and best practices.

• Industry Expertise: Become a subject matter expert in digital health design, contributing to Lilly's innovation in this space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title is key here, indicating a role designed for experienced professionals who can operate independently, mentor others, and contribute strategically. The growth path is likely focused on increasing scope, complexity, and strategic impact within the design function, rather than necessarily moving into people management, although that can be a secondary option. The direct-to-patient platform context offers unique opportunities for impact and specialization within the healthcare sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in Indianapolis, Indiana. This suggests a traditional office environment where in-person collaboration with colleagues is expected.

Office Location(s): Indianapolis, Indiana. This is Lilly's global headquarters, implying a well-resourced and central operational hub.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is likely collaborative, with designers working closely with product managers, engineers, and researchers.

• Access to modern design tools and technology is expected, supporting the creation of sophisticated digital experiences.

• Opportunities for informal interactions and knowledge sharing with a large community of designers across Lilly will be available.

• The focus on patient well-being and life-changing medicines creates a work environment that is purposeful and driven by a strong mission.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week. While the role is on-site, the nature of design work often allows for focused individual work periods, balanced with collaborative sessions. The emphasis on "accountability, flexibility, and initiative" suggests that while hours are defined, there may be some flexibility in how work is managed day-to-day to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Indianapolis means candidates should be prepared for a traditional office setting. The emphasis on collaboration suggests an open-plan or team-based workspace designed to foster interaction. For operations professionals, this means understanding the rhythm of in-office work, including team meetings, design reviews, and spontaneous problem-solving sessions with colleagues.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, focusing on experience and portfolio relevance.

2. Portfolio Review & Presentation: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, walking through 2-3 key case studies. This is a critical stage where you'll demonstrate your design process, problem-solving skills, visual craft, and collaboration approach. Be prepared to discuss your role, the challenges, and the impact of your work.

3. Design Challenge/Exercise: A practical design exercise may be given, either take-home or timed in-session, to assess your approach to a specific problem, your design thinking, and your execution capabilities.

4. Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with potential peers (other designers, product managers, engineers) to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and technical acumen.

5. Final Round: Interviews with senior leadership to discuss strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with the team and company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your hybrid design skills (UI craft, UX judgment), problem-solving abilities, and experience relevant to patient-facing digital products.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your unique contribution, the design process, key decisions, challenges, and the quantifiable impact or learnings. Use visuals effectively to support your narrative.

• Highlight Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. Show instances where you influenced product direction or navigated complex feedback.

• Showcase Craft: Ensure your presentation visually reflects high standards of typography, layout, color, and interaction detail.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle constraints, your approach to design systems, and how you measure success.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly research LillyDirect and its mission to inform your approach.

• Focus on Process: Even with time constraints, demonstrate a clear thought process. Articulate your assumptions, the trade-offs you made, and why.

• Prioritize: With limited time, focus on delivering a high-quality solution for a core aspect of the problem, rather than trying to solve everything superficially.

• Presentation: Prepare a concise presentation of your solution, highlighting your rationale and key design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily lean on evaluating your portfolio and your ability to articulate your design thinking and craft. The "Staff" level implies they will probe deeply into your strategic contributions, problem-framing abilities, and how you influence others. Demonstrating a strong understanding of the healthcare context and patient needs will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, standard for modern design teams), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello (or similar tools used by product and engineering teams).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for analyzing user behavior on digital platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) will be relevant for understanding user engagement and identifying areas for design improvement.

• Data visualization tools might be used for reporting on design impact. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct tool for designers, an understanding of CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms could be beneficial for understanding the broader ecosystem of patient engagement and support.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't explicitly list tools, Figma is the industry standard for collaborative design and prototyping in modern product teams. Candidates should be proficient in it. Familiarity with tools like Jira for tracking design tasks within development sprints is also highly beneficial. The company's focus on data and analytics suggests that designers are expected to work with data to inform their decisions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Caring: A foundational value at Lilly, translating to empathy for patients and a commitment to improving their lives through thoughtful design.

• Discovery: A drive for innovation and finding new solutions, encouraging designers to explore cutting-edge technologies and approaches.

• Integrity: Upholding high ethical standards in all design work, particularly crucial in the healthcare industry.

• Excellence: A commitment to high quality in all aspects of work, from detailed visual execution to strategic problem-solving.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working together across disciplines to achieve common goals and deliver impactful products.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to be integral members of product teams, working hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Design Critique Culture: A culture of constructive feedback and honest reflection ("Design@Lilly") is actively promoted to elevate the quality of design work.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement to share learnings, best practices, and insights across the design community within Lilly.

• Partnership: A collaborative approach where designers act as partners in shaping solutions, not just order-takers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values of "Caring" and "Discovery" are central to Lilly's mission and will heavily influence the design team's priorities and approach. A candidate who can demonstrate empathy for users and a drive for innovative solutions will align well with this culture. The emphasis on critique and collaboration suggests an environment where designers are expected to be both contributors and recipients of feedback, fostering continuous improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Craft and Speed: Delivering high-quality, polished designs within demanding project timelines and in a fast-paced environment.

• Navigating Complexity: Designing for intricate healthcare workflows, regulatory considerations, and diverse patient needs within the LillyDirect platform.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Achieving consensus and driving design vision across multiple stakeholders with potentially differing priorities.

• Maintaining Design System Integrity: Evolving a design system effectively to support innovation while ensuring consistency and scalability across a growing platform.

• Advocating for Design: Continuously demonstrating the value of design and user experience to business outcomes in a large, established organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to training in digital health design, UX research methodologies, and advanced design tools.

• Industry Exposure: Opportunities to attend conferences, workshops, and engage with industry best practices in UX/UI and digital health.

• Mentorship Programs: Formal and informal mentorship opportunities with senior designers and leaders within Lilly.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Exposure to product strategy, engineering principles, and healthcare domain knowledge through close collaboration.

• Contribution to Design Systems: Opportunities to shape and contribute to the evolution of Lilly's design system, a high-impact area for senior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges often stem from the intersection of a large, established company, a critical industry (healthcare), and the need for agile innovation. The growth opportunities are significant, particularly for a senior designer looking to deepen their expertise in healthcare UX, influence product strategy, and contribute to design system development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to frame a complex problem. What was your process, and how did you arrive at a solution?" (Focus on problem-solving methodology, user-centricity, and strategic thinking.)

• "How do you approach balancing user needs with business objectives and technical constraints in your designs?" (Demonstrate strategic trade-offs and holistic product thinking.)

• "Walk us through your process for evolving or contributing to a design system. What are the key considerations?" (Highlight understanding of scalability, consistency, and component-based design.)

• "How do you incorporate feedback from stakeholders, especially when it conflicts with your initial design direction?" (Showcase collaboration, communication, and adaptability.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working in the healthcare/pharmaceutical industry, specifically at Lilly and on the LillyDirect platform?" (Research Lilly's mission, values, and the goals of LillyDirect.)

• "Describe your experience working in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment. What is your role in fostering positive team dynamics?" (Highlight teamwork, communication, and cultural fit.)

• "How do you stay current with design trends and emerging technologies, and how have you applied them in your work?" (Showcase a growth mindset and passion for innovation.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, present: Problem Statement -> Your Role & Responsibilities -> Research & Insights -> Design Process (Ideation, Wireframing, Prototyping, Testing) -> Key Design Decisions & Rationale -> Visual Execution & UI Craft -> Outcomes & Learnings.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, interactive prototypes (if possible), and clear diagrams to illustrate your process and final designs. Ensure visual consistency with your own design standards.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story. Speak to the "why" behind your decisions. Be confident but humble, and prepare to answer detailed questions about your work.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, task completion times). If not quantifiable, focus on the qualitative impact and learnings.

• Tailor to Lilly: Emphasize projects that demonstrate empathy for users, attention to detail, and experience with complex digital products, ideally with healthcare or patient-facing elements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss not just what you designed, but why. For a Staff role, they will probe deeply into your strategic thinking, your ability to influence, and your leadership potential within the design craft. Demonstrating a clear understanding of Lilly's mission and the specific goals of LillyDirect will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lilly Careers website.

• Curate and polish your portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your hybrid UI/UX skills, problem-solving capabilities, and experience with complex digital products. Ensure each case study clearly articulates the problem, your role, process, challenges, and outcomes.

• Optimize your resume: Highlight your 5+ years of relevant experience, focusing on achievements in product design, UX, and visual design. Use keywords from the job description such as "Product Design," "UX Design," "Visual Design," "Design Systems," and "Patient Experiences."

• Prepare your portfolio presentation: Practice walking through your selected case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, strong visual communication, and articulating your design rationale and impact. Be ready to discuss your collaborative process and how you've navigated challenges.

• Research Lilly and LillyDirect: Understand the company's mission, values, and the specific objectives of the LillyDirect platform. This will help you tailor your application and speak knowledgeably during interviews about how your skills align with their goals.

⚠️ 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.