Principal Product Designer

Introduction:

The Zebra is revolutionizing how consumers research and shop for insurance. We intentionally strive to build diverse teams that feel inclusive for all. Our motto is "All Stripes Welcome," and we put that into practice by valuing both traditional and non-conventional backgrounds and perspectives. Our Zeebs are passionate about learning, growing, & working together to tackle exciting problems.

The product team's vision is to make buying insurance a simple and enjoyable user experience. We’re looking for a Principal Product Designer to join our growing design team. In this role, you’ll lead design initiatives across complex problem spaces, shape our product strategy through a design lens, and mentor fellow designers. As a key design leader, you'll partner with product, engineering, research, and data to drive exceptional user experiences and measurable business outcomes.

Location:

Our employees can choose to work remotely in the U.S. Join us in our Austin, Texas office, or opt for a hybrid setup. Whether you prefer the structure of an office, the convenience of remote work, or a mix of both, we support what works best for you!

Please note - At this time we are not able to hire in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York.

What You’ll Do:

• Own the end-to-end design strategy for complex product areas, ensuring a cohesive and delightful user experience across platforms.
• Work closely with product managers, engineers, data scientists, and stakeholders to shape product vision and strategy.
• Conduct and advocate for user research, usability testing, and data-informed decisions to identify pain points and opportunities.
• Translate business objectives into scalable design solutions. Anticipate future product and user needs to inform roadmaps.
• Deliver high-fidelity designs, prototypes, and detailed specifications. Ensure pixel-perfect execution and interaction design.
• Champion design excellence and the value of user experience within the organization.
• Provide guidance to other designers, offering critique, feedback, and support to raise the quality of the team’s output.

What We're Looking For:

We look for folks who have a strong sense of ownership, excellent communication and collaboration skills, and a dedication to continuous improvement.

• 10+ years of experience in product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing complex systems or consumer-facing applications.
• Experience leading design in cross-functional product teams, ideally at a growth-stage or mature tech company.
• Expertise in design tools such as Figma, Sketch, and prototyping tools.
• Strong understanding of user research methodologies and ability to synthesize insights into action.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills. You're able to clearly articulate design decisions to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience mentoring other designers and elevating team performance. Prior people Leadership experience preferred.
• Ability to operate strategically while being hands-on with design execution.

Interview Process:

We aim to make our interview process thoughtful, efficient, and transparent. Here’s what you can expect:

• Recruiter Screen (30 minutes): You'll connect with our recruiting team to learn more about the role and share your background and interests.
• Portfolio Review with Hiring Manager (45 minutes): You'll meet via Zoom with our COO, who also serves as the hiring manager, to walk through your portfolio and discuss your design thinking, impact, and approach.
• Final Interview Panel: You'll join a session with several members of our team, including folks from Design, Product, and Engineering. This is a collaborative conversation where we explore how you approach complex problems, communicate across disciplines, and fit into our design-forward culture.

Benefits & Perks:

Inclusive and healthy environments are crafted intentionally. All of our employees can join and participate in (or create your own!) Employee Resource Groups. Here are some other wonderful perks of working here:

• Competitive Compensation & Stock Option Offering
• Health, Dental, Vision & Disability Coverages
• End early Fridays (wrap up work at 2pm CST on Fridays!)
• Sabbatical program for tenured employees
• HSA offering + employer contribution
• Fertility support through Carrot
• $100 monthly wellness perk
• $300 pet reimbursement program
• 401k with match
• Unlimited PTO (paid time off)+ flexibility to enjoy it
• Paid Parental Leave Program
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Join a team that truly lives their values (outside of the office. Cliche, we know… but we really mean it)

The salary range for this position is $165,000-$190,000 per year. The final salary amount will be determined based on a variety of factors, including experience, skills, internal equity, and insights gained throughout the interview process.

About The Zebra:

The Zebra is the nation’s leading, independent insurance comparison site. With our dynamic, real-time quote comparison tool, consumers can identify insurance companies with the coverage, service level, and pricing to suit their unique needs. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, The Zebra has sought to bring transparency and simplicity to insurance shopping since 2012 -- it's “insurance in black and white.”

We've garnered attention and investment of some of the nation’s top venture capitalists. Check out all of our awards & recognition!

Our core mantra is "All Stripes Welcome." As part of our dedication to maintaining an inclusive and diverse workforce, we provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform core job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation!