Product Designer, Design Systems

Etsy is seeking a Staff Product Designer to join its Design Systems team within UX Platform. In this role, you will help shape the growth and architecture of Collage, Etsy’s design system, which supports product experiences across web, iOS, Android, and Flutter. You will focus on component architecture, design patterns, token structures, and the processes that guide how components are proposed, developed, documented, adopted, and retired.

The role involves working closely with product designers and engineering teams to make Collage more consistent, adaptable, and effective at scale. You will also help establish design standards, improve how the system operates, and guide its long-term direction. This is a full-time position reporting to the Senior Product Design Manager for Design Systems and UX AI Enablement., * Architect and refine component structures, APIs, composition models, variant strategies, and token systems across web, iOS, Android, and Flutter.

• Determine where design consistency is essential and where platform-specific conventions should take priority.
• Anticipate the evolving needs of product teams and develop system patterns that address them.
• Define and improve the component lifecycle, including proposal, prioritization, design, documentation, graduation, and deprecation.
• Create a clear process for turning one-off product requests into lasting design system improvements.
• Structure tokens, component metadata, and documentation for programmatic use and long-term scalability.
• Use agentic tools such as Cursor and Claude to prototype architecture, validate decisions, and reduce manual work.
• Document design decisions, share reasoning, and involve team members in architecture discussions and critiques.
• Partner with teams using Collage to identify system gaps, address underlying issues, and improve adoption.
• Collaborate with web and native engineering leads to ensure design decisions are practical, implementable, token-backed, and performant.
• Champion accessibility, precision, and completeness across design system components.
• Establish quality standards that account for component states, edge cases, content dimensions, localization, and motion.
• Lead cross-squad design objectives and provide strategic direction aligned with UX Platform’s overall strategy.
• Set visual and interaction standards that address complex problems across multiple platforms and product surfaces.
• Drive adoption of new components and patterns while helping designers work within established system conventions.
• Build prototypes to clarify design direction and support organizational alignment.
• Influence project priorities and roadmaps while balancing immediate delivery with the long-term design system vision.
• Give and apply feedback that improves the quality of work across the design organization.
• Improve team workflows, intake processes, and documentation practices.

• A portfolio demonstrating design systems experience at scale, including component architecture, token systems, and delivery across web, iOS, and Android.
• Strong judgment in deciding where a design system should establish clear standards and where it should allow flexibility.
• Ability to design through composition and reusable primitives rather than creating separate components for every use case.
• Understanding of the coded medium and infrastructure behind the systems being designed.
• Ability to read component implementations and discuss technical constraints with engineers.
• Strong visual design skills, including typography, color, spacing, and density.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and the ability to incorporate them into design decisions.
• Ability to work through ambiguity, define unclear problems, align stakeholders, and execute without a detailed brief.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, including the ability to explain design decisions to leadership and technical teams.
• A transparent approach to collaboration, including documenting decisions, sharing reasoning, and making problems visible to the team.
• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, influence priorities, and connect design decisions to broader organizational strategy.

• Geo-1 locations (New York City metropolitan area, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle metropolitan area): $187,000-$253,000 USD annually.
• Geo-2 locations (all other U.S. locations): $168,000-$228,000 USD annually.
• Eligible for an equity package and annual performance bonus.
• Benefits designed to support employees and their families.
• Base salary is determined by location, skills, and experience.

Work Location & Schedule

Etsy prioritizes candidates within commuting distance of its Brooklyn office.

Depending on proximity, employees are expected to work from the office once or twice per week.

Remote candidates outside commuting distance may be considered on a case-by-case basis, with occasional travel to the office expected.

Etsy is a global marketplace for unique and creative goods, connecting millions of entrepreneurs with buyers around the world. Founded in 2005, the company provides tools and services that support creative entrepreneurs and helps strengthen communities through commerce. Etsy’s mission is to keep commerce human by creating meaningful experiences for buyers and sellers.