Open position · Design leadership

Design Lead /
Head of Design

Help people understand and use complex AI research through thoughtful interfaces and data visualization.

At a glance

Remote, full-time; flexible hours.
Based in North/South American time zones.
Professional English; English-language applications.
Ongoing applications. Travel preferred: three retreats annually.
USD 150,000–220,000 annually, depending on location/experience.

The kind of work we’re looking for

We’re particularly interested in work that combines product design, data visualization and editorial judgment: deciding what people need to understand, how to organize it, and how to present it accurately.

Your portfolio might include interactive charts, data explorers, research websites or other products that make complex information easier to use. Experience in journalism, scientific communication, education, finance or analytics could be relevant.

Show us how you bring together thoughtful visual design, collaboration with subject-matter experts and the ability to guide a design team from an early idea to a finished product.

Your responsibilities

Report to COO; manage 3–4 designers and part-time contributors.
Partner with leadership, communications, developers and researchers.
Own website/dashboard strategy, processes, standards and end-to-end delivery.
Create responsive interfaces/charts, specifications, mockups, prototypes and library contributions.
Research audience needs and usage.

What you bring

5+ years designing interactive products, including project leadership.
Designer management; UI/UX and data-visualization portfolio.
Statistical/chart interpretation for non-specialists; independent prioritization in a fast-moving environment.
Typography, color, layout; Figma auto-layout/components; design systems.
Familiarity with the hiring organization’s research.

Ops Across will introduce the organization before discussing your familiarity with its work.

Useful extras

Scientific communication; illustration/branding; HTML/CSS/JavaScript; Matplotlib/Plotly or similar; strong writing.

Benefits

Usually local-currency contracts/pay using annual-average exchange rates.
Country-dependent medical/supplemental coverage, life insurance and pension.
Uncapped PTO, 30 protected days annually; unlimited personal/sick leave.
Permanent staff: four months’ paid parental leave after 12 months’ tenure; prorated earlier.
Equipment, productivity and learning expenses, subject to regulations/manager approval.
Berkeley office with meals/gym, or optional coworking reimbursement.

Application notes

Omit cover letters, photos and irrelevant personal details.

Partial skill matches welcome.

Your introduction

Show us how you work.

Allow around 15 minutes. Please answer in English. We’re interested in specific examples and your reasoning; clear bullet points are welcome.

Four short answers · No cover letter · No new design task

01 About you

Full nameEmail

Location and time zone

Current or most recent roleProfessional English

LinkedIn or CV link (optional)Use a link you are comfortable sharing with Ops Across.When could you start?

02 Your work and leadershipHow can we review your work?Portfolio or case-study linkChoose work that shows UI/UX, data visualization or complex information. Share only material you have permission to share.Walk us through one relevant project.Who used it, what problem did it solve, and what did you personally contribute? Describe one design decision and the evidence you have about the outcome. If it wasn’t measured, say so.0 / 150 wordsHow have you led design work?Use one example. Describe the team, your responsibilities and a decision you helped the team make. Include how you worked with designers and other specialists. Project leadership counts; make clear whether you also managed people.0 / 120 words

03 A short design scenario

Hypothetical exercise

A research team is preparing an interactive chart comparing AI systems. The data comes from several sources, coverage varies, and the ranking changes depending on the metric. One stakeholder wants a simple ranking and a strong headline; a researcher is worried that readers will miss the limitations.

How would you approach this situation?What would you clarify first, what would you show readers, and how would you check that they understand it? Explain one trade-off. A few concrete bullet points are enough; no mockups or new design work are needed.0 / 180 wordsWhat interests you about this role?Tell us what draws you to designing for AI research and what you would need to learn.0 / 80 words

Anything else we should know? (optional)

How we use your information

Your answers and links are stored privately for review by Ops Across. They are not visible to other applicants. We do not automatically score or reject applications. Please leave out sensitive personal information and confidential work.

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