Principal Product Designer | Founding Role – NYC | $200K-$250K + Equity

About

Most design roles are iteration. This isn’t. This is one of those rare roles where you're not improving a product…you're defining an entirely new category from scratch.
We're working with a well‑funded, early‑stage startup building something radically different in the world of human connection.

• No swiping.
• No recycled patterns.
• No “another dating app”.

This is a first‑principles rethink of how people meet, powered by AI and built around trust, intention, and real human behaviour.

Why This Role Is Different

• You'll be the founding design hire.
• You'll own everything end‑to‑end (UX + UI).
• You'll design a product from 0 to 1.
• You'll work directly with a founder who has already built & scaled.
• You'll help shape something people use in deeply personal, emotional moments.

Responsibilities

• Design the entire product experience from scratch.
• Turn complex, human problems into simple, intuitive flows.
• Create a product that feels safe, thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent.
• Define the visual language – typography, layout, motion, interaction.
• Work closely with engineering to ship high‑quality, polished experiences.
• Challenge assumptions and help shape product direction at the highest level.

Requirements

• 5+ years designing consumer mobile products.
• Proven experience building 0 → 1 products.
• Strong background in high‑trust environments (dating, mental health, fintech, etc.).
• Deep expertise in Figma.
• Someone who can take messy, complex journeys → clean, simple UX.
• Experience in early‑stage startups.
• Strong product thinking and taste (this matters a lot).

What We’re Not Looking For

• People managers who don't want to be hands‑on.
• Designers who've ONLY worked in big, rigid systems.
• Candidates who've ONLY done iteration, not creation.

Details

• Location: New York (5 days onsite)
• Salary: $200K – $250K base
• Equity: Meaningful, early‑stage upside
• Funding: Strong backing + serious runway
• Team: Small, high‑calibre, founder‑led

Why Join

• You'll be building something from scratch, not tweaking features.
• You'll work with a founder who has already built one of the most successful consumer products in this space.
• You'll have real ownership and influence over product direction.
• You'll be part of a team that actually cares about craft, taste, and detail.

If this sounds like the kind of role you've been waiting for, apply now!