Product Designer

About the Role

Butter is committed to creating a platform that celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of friendships. The company's mission is built on the belief that the most significant interactions happen within smaller, close-knit groups, and it aims to provide a digital space that mirrors these real-world connections. As a Product Designer, you will be integral to this mission, ensuring that every aspect of the platform, from its visual design to its interaction patterns, reflects this vision.

The role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, but Butter is open to remote work arrangements for the right candidate. This flexibility, combined with the company's commitment to trust, ownership, and high standards, makes for a dynamic and supportive work environment.

What You Will Do

• Design product experiences from concept through execution, focusing on simplicity, elegance, and user delight.
• Develop and maintain the design systems, ensuring consistency and high-quality visuals across all product interfaces.
• Collaborate with the founding team to define the product strategy and make foundational decisions about the platform's direction.
• Conduct user research and gather insights to inform design decisions and improve the overall user experience.
• Design and iterate on key product features, including group spaces, mini-apps, creation tools, onboarding, and discovery.
• Work closely with the engineering team to ensure seamless execution of design concepts.
• Participate in design reviews, providing constructive feedback to peers and receiving feedback to continuously improve your work.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest design trends, technologies, and methodologies, applying this knowledge to enhance Butter's product.
• Develop and maintain design documentation to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing across the team.
• Partner with the product team to develop and refine product requirements and user stories.
• Contribute to the growth and development of the design team, helping to establish Butter as a leader in product design.

What We Are Looking For

• A minimum of 3 years of experience in designing consumer products, with a strong portfolio that showcases exceptional craft and attention to detail.
• Strong visual design, interaction design, and product thinking skills, with the ability to simplify complex workflows into intuitive experiences.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the capability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Strong taste and a deep understanding of internet culture, communication, and modern social products.
• Comfort working in ambiguity and creating clarity, with a proven ability to execute quickly without sacrificing quality.
• Experience with design tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Passion for startup environments and founder-level ownership, with a willingness to take on new challenges.
• Availability to work Monday through Friday during regular work hours, with flexibility to adjust according to project needs.
• Strong understanding of human-centered design principles and their application in real-world scenarios.

Nice to Have

• Experience working at a consumer startup or on a 0-1 product, with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in these contexts.
• Skills in motion design, prototyping, or creative coding, which can enhance the user experience and provide innovative solutions.
• Experience designing social products, creator tools, gaming products, or AI-powered experiences, which can inform the development of Butter's platform.
• Based in San Francisco or interested in working hybrid, with the ability to occasionally meet in person with the team.
• Familiarity with Excel, for data analysis and visualization.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive hourly compensation during the contract period, with the opportunity to transition into a full-time role with salary, equity, and benefits.
• Flexible schedule and remote flexibility, allowing you to work from anywhere and at times that suit you best.
• A small team with high trust, high ownership, and high standards, providing a supportive and challenging work environment.
• The chance to help define a product from the earliest stages, giving you the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the company and its users.
• Access to the latest design tools and technologies, ensuring you have everything you need to excel in your role.
• Professional development opportunities, including workshops, conferences, and training sessions, to help you grow as a designer.
• A fun and dynamic work environment, with a team that values creativity, inclusivity, and friendship.

• Ensure your portfolio showcases a variety of design projects, highlighting your ability to work on complex interaction problems and simplify them into intuitive experiences.
• When applying, emphasize your experience with design systems, your understanding of human-centered design, and your passion for creating products that foster meaningful connections.
• Prepare to talk about specific design challenges you've faced in the past and how you overcame them, demonstrating your problem-solving skills and design thinking.
• Show a genuine interest in the company's mission and values, and be ready to discuss how your design philosophy aligns with Butter's vision for redefining social media.
• Be prepared to discuss your experience working in ambiguity and creating clarity, as well as your ability to execute quickly without sacrificing quality.
• Highlight any experience you have with emerging technologies or trends in design, and explain how you see them impacting the future of social products.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions about the company culture, the design team's workflow, and the opportunities for growth and professional development within the company.