Staff Product Designer (Visual + Systems)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer (Visual + Systems)

Company: Garner Health

Location: New York City, New York

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX Design / Design Systems

Date Posted: April 30, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ years (with AI suggesting 10+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic evolution and implementation of Garner's app architecture and core systems, ensuring a cohesive and scalable user experience across all product touchpoints.

• Own and champion the company-wide design system, driving its adoption, continuous improvement, and ensuring brand consistency for all consumer-facing products.

• Spearhead UX initiatives for the Growth team, focusing on critical user journeys such as acquisition, onboarding, and engagement to maximize user adoption and retention.

• Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering to translate user needs and business objectives into intuitive, delightful, and technically feasible design solutions.

• Contribute to Garner's mission of transforming the healthcare economy by designing seamless and high-quality user experiences for members seeking care.

📝 Enhancement Note: The AI suggests an experience level of 10+ years, which is more senior than the stated 8+ years. This indicates the role might lean towards a more senior individual contributor or potential lead capacity within the design function, especially given the ownership of app architecture and design systems.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• App Architecture & Core Systems Ownership: Take full ownership of the user experience for Garner’s foundational app architecture, including the home screen, global navigation, notification system, and user permissions, ensuring a robust and intuitive user journey.

• Design System Leadership: Develop, maintain, and evolve Garner's design system, establishing best practices, guidelines, and components to ensure visual and interactive consistency across all product surfaces and platforms.

• Cross-Functional Design System Adoption: Collaborate with various product and engineering teams to facilitate the adoption and effective utilization of the design system, providing support and guidance to maintain design integrity.

• Growth Team UX Strategy & Execution: Lead the end-to-end UX design process for growth-focused projects, from user research and concept ideation through to final implementation and post-launch analysis, with a focus on member acquisition and engagement.

• Product Strategy Partnership: Act as a key design partner to Product Management, contributing to strategic planning, defining product roadmaps, and scoping new initiatives with a user-centric perspective.

• Engineering Collaboration for Quality: Work in close partnership with engineering teams to ensure the accurate implementation of the design system and overall product quality, bridging the gap between design intent and technical execution.

• Sales & Marketing Design Support: Own the design relationship with the commercial organization, delivering high-quality screenshots, concepts, and visual assets to support sales and marketing efforts.

• User Empathy & Insight Integration: Cultivate a deep understanding of member needs, motivations, and pain points through user research and data analysis, translating these insights into user-centered design solutions that enhance healthcare navigation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic ownership (app architecture, design system) and execution (growth projects, sales support). This suggests the role requires both a strong visionary perspective and hands-on design craft. The emphasis on "owning" the design system and app architecture implies a significant level of autonomy and decision-making authority.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, HCI, or a related field is typically expected for a Staff level designer. A strong portfolio can often substitute for formal education.

Experience:

• 8+ years of professional experience in product design, with a significant focus on shipping consumer-facing products, particularly mobile applications (iOS and/or Android).

Required Skills:

• Visual Design Excellence: A highly refined aesthetic sense with a preference for clean, simple, and delightful user interfaces, capable of creating engaging and memorable user experiences.

• Design System Expertise: Demonstrated ability to build, maintain, and evangelize a comprehensive design system, including component libraries, style guides, and documentation.

• UX Design & Strategy: Strong command of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, and the ability to translate complex problems into intuitive user flows and interactions.

• Mobile Product Design: Extensive experience designing for native mobile platforms (iOS and Android), understanding platform-specific conventions and best practices.

• User Research & Metrics-Driven Design: A humble, user-focused approach, with a strong reliance on user research, data analysis, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional ability to articulate design rationale, present concepts clearly to diverse stakeholders, and provide candid, constructive feedback to peers.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail, ensuring a high level of polish and quality in all design deliverables.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the healthcare technology sector, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within this industry.

• Proficiency with animation and micro-interactions, utilizing tools like Lottie to enhance user delight and feedback.

• Experience working within a fast-growing startup environment, demonstrating adaptability and a proactive approach.

• Familiarity with growth hacking principles and strategies for user acquisition and engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "ideal candidate has" section implies a high bar for both technical design skills and soft skills. The emphasis on "sweating the details" and holding peers accountable suggests a strong quality advocate. The mention of "intense urgency, strong sense of individual accountability, and commitment to authentic feedback" points towards a demanding but rewarding high-performance culture.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 in-depth case studies demonstrating ownership of product design from concept to launch, with a clear emphasis on visual design, systems thinking, and user experience.

• Design System Artifacts: Include examples of design system components, style guides, and documentation that illustrate your approach to creating scalable and consistent design patterns.

• Mobile Product Examples: Feature specific examples of consumer-facing mobile applications (iOS/Android) you have designed, highlighting complex interaction patterns and UI solutions.

• Growth Initiatives: Present case studies that specifically address user acquisition, onboarding, or engagement challenges, detailing the problem, your design process, and measurable outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey Mapping & Flow Diagrams: Demonstrate your ability to map out complex user journeys and create clear, logical flow diagrams for core product features.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Showcase examples of wireframes and interactive prototypes that effectively communicate design concepts and user interactions, utilizing tools like Figma.

• Design System Evolution Documentation: Illustrate how you would document changes, updates, and new additions to a design system, including rationale and impact assessment.

• Usability Testing & Iteration Reports: Include examples of how you have planned, conducted, and reported on usability testing, detailing the insights gained and subsequent design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Designer role, especially one owning a design system and app architecture, the portfolio must go beyond just pretty screens. It needs to demonstrate strategic thinking, an understanding of system scalability, and the ability to impact business metrics through design. The inclusion of "Chromatic" and "Lottie" in the technology stack suggests an expectation for a high level of polish and potentially interactive elements or animated UI.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $239,000 - $270,000 per year.

• Methodology: This range is explicitly provided in the job description. For a Staff Product Designer role in New York City, this range is competitive and aligns with industry benchmarks for senior-level design positions in high-growth tech companies, particularly those in the competitive healthcare technology sector.

Benefits:

• Equity Incentive: Opportunity to participate in the company's equity incentive plan, aligning personal success with company growth.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision plan options providing robust coverage for employees and their families.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan to support long-term financial planning.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous PTO policy allowing for work-life balance and personal time.

• Telehealth Services: Access to Teladoc Health, offering convenient remote medical consultations.

• Additional Perks: Other benefits may include professional development opportunities, team events, and a supportive work environment.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard 40-hour work week is typical for full-time roles. The hybrid model implies flexibility in scheduling, with core office days required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is at the higher end, reflecting the seniority of the Staff Designer role and the cost of living in New York City. The inclusion of equity incentive is a common and significant component of compensation for senior roles in growth-stage companies.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Technology. Garner Health operates within a rapidly evolving and highly impactful sector, aiming to disrupt traditional healthcare benefit models through technology and data-driven insights. This means a focus on innovation, patient outcomes, and cost-efficiency is paramount.

Company Size: Garner Health is described as one of the fastest-growing healthcare technology companies. While an exact number isn't provided, this suggests a dynamic, scaling environment where processes are likely being refined, and individual contributions have a significant impact.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the description of rapid growth implies it is a relatively young, venture-backed company focused on scaling its innovative model.

Team Structure:

• Growth Team Focus: The role is within the Growth team, which is responsible for member acquisition, onboarding, and engagement, as well as app architecture and the design system. This implies a highly strategic and user-centric function.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role necessitates close collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, and the Commercial organization, indicating a matrixed team structure where communication and partnership are key.

• Mission-Driven Environment: The company emphasizes a mission to transform healthcare, suggesting a culture where employees are driven by purpose and impact.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: Garner leverages data extensively to guide its approach, both in healthcare delivery and product development. Expect design decisions to be informed by user research and performance metrics.

• User-Centric Design: The core of the role involves understanding member needs and motivations to create seamless healthcare experiences.

• Agile Development: While not explicitly stated, fast-growing tech companies typically operate with agile methodologies, requiring adaptability and iterative development cycles.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission and growth stage are critical context. A fast-growing healthcare tech startup will likely have a fast-paced, demanding, yet potentially very rewarding environment. The emphasis on data and user needs suggests a mature approach to product development despite its growth phase.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, often considered one step below Principal or Director level. It signifies a high degree of expertise, autonomy, and influence, particularly in specialized areas like design systems and app architecture. The role is expected to lead significant product initiatives and mentor junior designers.

Reporting Structure: While not specified, a Staff Product Designer typically reports to a Head of Product Design, Design Director, or VP of Product. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads, forming a core triad for product development.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on Garner's success by:

• Driving User Acquisition & Engagement: Designing effective onboarding and engagement flows directly contributes to user growth and retention, key metrics for a growth-stage company.

• Ensuring Product Quality & Consistency: Owning the design system ensures a scalable, high-quality, and cohesive user experience across all product touchpoints, which is critical for brand perception and user trust.

• Shaping Product Strategy: Contributing to strategy and scoping means design decisions influence the direction and priorities of the product roadmap.

• Enhancing Healthcare Affordability & Quality: By designing better user experiences, the role indirectly supports Garner's mission to guide users to higher-quality, lower-cost care.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design Systems: Potential to become the de facto leader or expert for Garner's design system, influencing its long-term direction and adoption.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team.

• Strategic Product Influence: Deeper involvement in product strategy and roadmap planning, potentially leading to more senior product design roles (e.g., Principal Designer, Design Lead).

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in growth product design, mobile UX, or complex system design within the healthcare domain.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Develop strong collaborative leadership skills by working closely with product and engineering leaders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title implies a significant level of autonomy and expectation for leadership, even as an individual contributor. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise and influence within the design function and the broader product organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role requires a hybrid work arrangement, with 3 mandatory in-office days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) in their New York City office. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed to foster in-person interaction and teamwork.

Office Location(s): New York City, New York. This is a major hub for technology and healthcare innovation, offering access to a vibrant professional community.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The in-office days are likely designed for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, design critiques, and cross-functional alignment, supporting a dynamic and interactive work environment.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma, Chromatic, Lottie) and other necessary technological resources to perform design tasks effectively.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with designers, product managers, engineers, and potentially commercial teams during in-office days, fostering strong working relationships and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied, with the hybrid model offering some flexibility. The core office days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, suggesting a structure that balances remote work with in-person collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with specific in-office days indicates a company that values in-person collaboration but also recognizes the benefits of remote flexibility. This setup is common in tech companies looking to balance team cohesion with employee autonomy.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A conversation with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in Garner's mission.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Deep Dive: A session where you present your portfolio, focusing on relevant case studies. Expect in-depth questions about your design process, decision-making, and problem-solving approach, particularly concerning visual design, systems thinking, and growth initiatives.

• Systems Thinking / Design System Focus: A dedicated interview or section likely focusing on your experience with design systems, app architecture, and how you ensure consistency and scalability.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineering leads to assess your ability to collaborate effectively, communicate design rationale, and work through technical constraints.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit: Questions designed to understand your work style, how you handle feedback, your approach to team dynamics, and your alignment with Garner's mission and values.

• Final Round: Potentially with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product, Head of Design) to discuss strategic impact and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select 3-5 case studies that best highlight your experience with consumer-facing mobile products, design systems, app architecture, and growth initiatives.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, challenges faced, and the measurable impact or outcome. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Explicitly showcase how you approach building and maintaining scalable design systems and complex app architectures. Demonstrate your understanding of componentization, consistency, and documentation.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved engagement, reduced design debt).

• Showcase Visual Polish: Ensure your portfolio itself reflects a high level of aesthetic quality and attention to detail, mirroring the expectations for the role.

• Prepare for Technical Questions: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma, Chromatic, Lottie, and how you collaborate with engineers on implementation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design System Exercise: You might be asked to critique an existing system, propose improvements, or design a new component within a hypothetical system.

• Growth Problem Scenario: Be prepared to brainstorm solutions for a growth-related challenge (e.g., improving onboarding completion, increasing feature adoption) and outline your design approach.

• System Design Question: A question about how you would approach designing or evolving a core system component (e.g., a notification center, a permissions model).

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff Designer is rigorous, emphasizing deep expertise, strategic thinking, and collaborative skills. The portfolio is paramount, and candidates should tailor it meticulously to showcase the specific requirements of this role, especially the blend of visual design, systems, and growth.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Expect proficiency in advanced features, component management, and auto-layout.

• Chromatic: Likely used for visual regression testing and managing the design system's component library, ensuring consistency and catching bugs.

• Lottie: Used for implementing complex animations and micro-interactions in mobile applications, enhancing user experience and delight.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Maze, or internal research tools for gathering qualitative and quantitative user feedback.

• Analytics Dashboards: Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, or internal dashboards to track user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion rates.

• A/B Testing Tools: Experience with A/B testing frameworks to iterate on designs based on performance data.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks and collaborating with engineering on development sprints.

• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Google Workspace, or similar for day-to-day communication and team collaboration.

• Design Handoff Tools: Zeplin or Figma's built-in inspect features for seamless handoff to engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specified tools (Figma, Chromatic, Lottie) indicate a focus on modern, efficient design workflows that prioritize visual quality, animation, and robust design system management. Chromatic, in particular, points to a mature approach to design system quality assurance.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven Impact: A strong commitment to improving healthcare outcomes and making care more affordable and accessible for all. This value will likely drive decision-making and prioritization.

• User-Centricity & Empathy: A deep focus on understanding and serving the needs of Garner's members, ensuring designs are intuitive, helpful, and delightful.

• High Performance & Urgency: A culture that values intense focus, rapid execution, and a strong sense of individual accountability to achieve ambitious goals.

• Authentic Feedback & Collaboration: An environment that encourages open, honest, and constructive feedback among team members to foster continuous improvement and strong working relationships.

• Attention to Detail & Quality: A commitment to delivering polished, refined products with meticulous attention to detail, holding oneself and peers to high standards.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect close, integrated collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers, functioning as a cohesive unit to deliver product value.

• Design Critiques: Regular design reviews and feedback sessions are likely integral to the process, fostering a culture of shared learning and improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing best practices, insights, and learnings across the design and product teams.

• Iterative Process: A willingness to experiment, gather feedback, and iterate quickly on designs based on user data and team input.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "intense urgency," "individual accountability," and "authentic feedback" suggests a high-energy, results-oriented environment. Candidates should be comfortable with direct communication and a fast-paced, demanding culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design Systems: As Garner grows, maintaining and evolving a design system to meet the needs of multiple product teams and new features will be an ongoing challenge.

• Balancing Growth & Quality: Driving aggressive growth metrics while maintaining a high bar for user experience and design quality requires careful prioritization and strategic design.

• Healthcare Complexity: Designing for the healthcare industry involves navigating complex regulations, diverse user needs (patients, providers), and sensitive data, presenting unique design challenges.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent adoption and effective use of the design system and core architecture across diverse teams with varying priorities can be challenging.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design System Leadership: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in design system strategy and implementation within a rapidly scaling company.

• Growth Product Specialization: Deepen expertise in driving user acquisition, onboarding, and engagement through data-informed design.

• Healthcare Industry Insight: Gain invaluable experience and understanding of the healthcare technology landscape and its user needs.

• Mentorship & Influence: Develop leadership skills through mentoring junior designers and influencing product strategy at a senior level.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Potential for attending relevant design and healthcare technology conferences or workshops to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a Staff-level designer in a growth-stage company, particularly in a complex industry like healthcare. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to make a significant impact and advance their career in design leadership and specialized domains.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design System Strategy: "How would you approach evolving our design system to support new product lines or emerging device types? What metrics would you track to measure its success and adoption?"

• Growth Initiative Design: "Describe a time you designed an onboarding flow. What were the key considerations, what metrics did you focus on, and what was the outcome?"

• Complex System Design: "Imagine we need to redesign our notification system. How would you approach this from a UX and systems perspective, considering user preferences and technical constraints?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Mission Alignment: "What interests you most about Garner's mission to transform healthcare, and how do you see your design work contributing to it?"

• Feedback & Collaboration: "Describe a situation where you received difficult feedback on your design. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?"

• Design Impact: "How do you measure the impact of your design work? Can you provide an example of how you used data to drive a significant design decision?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process (research, ideation, iteration), key decisions and rationale, and the measurable results.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: When presenting, explicitly call out how your work contributes to or evolves a design system, or how you applied systems thinking to solve a problem. Use diagrams or examples of components.

• Showcase Visual Craftsmanship: Ensure your presentation itself is visually polished and reflects the high standards of detail expected in the role.

• Quantify Outcomes: Use data and metrics to back up claims of success. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss projected impact or qualitative feedback.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your decision-making process, alternative solutions considered, and how you collaborated with engineers and PMs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and a deep understanding of systems and user growth, all within the context of Garner's mission and culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link on https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/garnerhealth/jobs/5985995004.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select and refine 3-5 case studies that directly showcase your experience with consumer-facing mobile products, design systems, app architecture, and growth initiatives. Ensure each case study clearly articulates the problem, your process, your specific contributions, and measurable outcomes.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight the 8+ years of experience, specific achievements in visual design, systems design, and driving user growth. Use keywords from the job description such as "design system," "app architecture," "consumer-facing," "mobile UX," "Figma," and "growth."

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating your design rationale, and demonstrating your systems thinking. Be ready to discuss your experience with Figma, Chromatic, and Lottie, and how you collaborate with engineering.

• Research Garner Health: Understand their mission, product, target audience, and company culture. Be prepared to articulate why you are passionate about improving healthcare and how your skills align with Garner's 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.