Founding Design Lead

We're looking for a Founding Design Lead to own the entire visual and interaction layer of our platform, an instant, on-demand microtutoring marketplace that maps how humans learn in real-time.

As design lead, you will work directly with the founders to turn a functional prototype into a world-class product. You are designing the psychology of trust and the mechanics of a frictionless marketplace.

Expected Responsibilities

• End-to-End Product Design: Own the UX/UI for the core student and tutor experience, specifically optimizing the WebRTC live session interface.
• Visual Identity & Brand: Establish Athira’s design system, brand guidelines, and visual language from scratch.
• Growth & Marketing: Design high-converting landing pages, pitch decks, and social ad creatives to scale our waitlist and tutor supply.
• Rapid Prototyping: Work in a tight feedback loop with engineering to ship features, iterate based on user data, and refine the product daily.
• Strategic Ownership: Participate in high-level product strategy, helping define the roadmap through a design and user-psychology lens.
   

Specific Skills & Qualities

• Marketplace Intuition: You understand how to design for two-sided marketplaces, focusing on reducing friction and building "instant" trust.
• Visual Craft: Exceptional UI skills with a modern aesthetic and a proficient command of Figma.
• Technical Fluency: You understand the constraints of web development (HTML/CSS/JS) and can collaborate effectively with developers.

Minimum Requirements

• Shipped Product Portfolio: A proven track record of designing and launching digital products (from 0 to 1).
• Startup Mindset: Highly responsive, comfortable with ambiguity, and motivated by equity and long-term impact.
• Full-Time Commitment: This is a founding-level role requiring deep focus and ownership; not suitable for part-time or agency work.
• Communication: Ability to articulate design decisions clearly and receive feedback without ego.