Lean In

Design Engineer

Posted 9 Days Ago

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San Francisco, CA, USA

In-Office

130K-200K Annually

Mid level

Other

The Role

Design and build end-to-end web and mobile experiences: lead research, concepts, and prototypes; create and maintain design systems; implement responsive, accessible front-end features and back-end APIs; partner with product and data teams to optimize performance, accessibility, and security; shape engineering and design standards.

Summary Generated by Built In

About Lean In & The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation (SGBFF) works to build a more equal and resilient world. We bring people together to support each other through four initiatives: LeanIn.Org, LeanInGirls.Org, OptionB.Org, and the Dave Goldberg Scholarship Program.

Through our community, research-based content, and programs, we help women and allies build the skills, confidence, and networks they need to reach their full potential. We believe a more equal world is possible - and that it will take us working together to create it. While the majority of your work will focus on Lean In, this role offers the opportunity to drive impact across multiple mission-driven initiatives.

THE ROLE

We're hiring a Design Engineer - a rare hybrid who both designs and builds. You'll own experiences end to end: research and design the interface, then write the code that brings it to life. As AI collapses the distance between idea and implementation, the most valuable people are those who move fluidly across the whole arc of a product - taste and craft on one side, engineering rigor on the other. You'll have real autonomy, direct influence on the experiences we put in front of our community, and room to grow alongside the team and platforms you help shape.

What You'll Do

Design the experience

Lead the end-to-end design process — research, concept, and prototypes for web and mobile.

Build and evolve design systems and patterns that stay consistent and scale across products.

Spot opportunities to make the user experience better and proactively propose thoughtful solutions.

Build the product

Take features from design concept to production release.

Develop responsive, accessible front-end experiences using modern JavaScript frameworks.

Write clean, maintainable, well-tested code, and troubleshoot and debug across the stack.

Own the craft

Partner with product, data, and leadership to translate user needs into shipped solutions.

Optimize performance, accessibility, and security across everything you build.

Help shape engineering and design standards as the team grows.

What You Will Bring

3+ years across design and engineering — or deep experience in one with demonstrated ability in the other.

A portfolio that shows user-centered thinking and strong execution.

Expert proficiency in Figma, including components, variants, auto-layout, and design systems.

Strong front-end skills: modern JavaScript frameworks, HTML5, and CSS3.

Working back-end proficiency (Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, etc.) and comfort building RESTful APIs.

A strong foundation in interaction design, visual design, and information architecture.

Deep understanding of responsive design, accessibility standards, and inclusive design principles.

Fluency with — or strong curiosity about — AI-assisted design and development tools.

A self-starter who thrives with autonomy and drives projects forward with minimal direction.

Strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to collaborate across a small team.

A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

A deep commitment to Lean In's mission to inspire and equip women to lead.

Alignment with the Sandberg Bernthal Family Foundation's initiatives, including building resilience and driving social impact.

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity without regard to age, race, ethnicity, gender, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion.

It's important to us that people of all identities and backgrounds see themselves represented and included in our work, so we actively encourage people of all identities and experiences to apply.

Skills Required

3+ years across design and engineering (or deep experience in one with demonstrated ability in the other)
Portfolio demonstrating user-centered thinking and strong execution
Expert proficiency in Figma (components, variants, auto-layout, design systems)
Strong front-end skills: modern JavaScript frameworks, HTML5, CSS3
Working back-end proficiency (Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, etc.) and comfort building RESTful APIs
Strong foundation in interaction design, visual design, and information architecture
Deep understanding of responsive design, accessibility standards, and inclusive design principles
Fluency with or strong curiosity about AI-assisted design and development tools
Self-starter who thrives with autonomy and drives projects forward with minimal direction
Strong communication and presentation skills; ability to collaborate across a small team
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design, a related field, or equivalent practical experience
Commitment to Lean In's mission and alignment with the Sandberg Bernthal Family Foundation initiatives