Principal Product Designer

Headspace•San Francisco, CA

2d•$180,000 - $230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Headspace's mission is to create a world where mental health is never an obstacle. We combine evidence-based content, clinical care, and innovative technology to help millions of members around the world get support that’s effective, personalized, and truly accessible, whenever and wherever they need it. Design is central to how that mission becomes real. We are seeking a Principal Product Designer to set the design direction for our most complex, high-stakes product surfaces, someone who operates at the intersection of strategic vision, deep craft, AI-forward thinking, and rigorous design research. You’ll be part of a collaborative team of designers and researchers, working closely with engineers, product managers, content creators, brand designers, and clinical experts to bring ideas to life. We’re looking for someone passionate about making a positive impact on both individuals and the world. If you’re into solving meaningful challenges, love behavioral design, and enjoy creating features that delight and support members, this could be the perfect fit. This role blends big-picture design thinking with hands-on creation. You’ll seamlessly move between talking to members to ideation and building intuitive flows and screens that make a real difference in the lives of people.

Requirements

8+ years of experience designing thoughtful, human-centered products—ideally with exposure to emerging technologies or innovative problem spaces.
Exceptional visual design expertise with a strong portfolio showcasing high-impact, polished designs and a deep understanding of motion design principles.
Demonstrated AI fluency, actively uses AI tools (e.g. Claude, Figma Make, Cursor, generative prototyping tools, LLM-assisted research workflows) to accelerate and elevate design work, and can design AI-powered product experiences that feel natural, trustworthy, and human-centered.
Strong knowledge of iOS and Android patterns, behaviors, and interface design standards.
Proficiency in Figma and prototyping tools to create and communicate complex design ideas with clarity.
Experience designing interfaces for digital products, with a focus on crafting seamless, engaging, and accessible experiences.
A curious, strategic mindset with the ability to break down ambiguous challenges into actionable design solutions.
Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional collaboration and clarify how design decisions align with broader team and company goals.
Proven ability to mentor, inspire, and cultivate a culture of design excellence while promoting a growth-oriented mindset.

Nice To Haves

2+ years working in emerging technologies, AI-driven experiences, or other innovative product spaces.
Demonstrated design research competency, experience independently planning and executing generative and evaluative research methods (user interviews, usability testing, diary studies, concept testing) and translating findings into product-shaping insights is highly preferred.
Proven ability to lead engaging workshops and foster creativity across interdisciplinary teams.
Skilled in motion design and interaction design, creating dynamic and seamless user experiences.
Strong ability to explore, iterate, and refine ideas through prototyping, user testing, and experimentation.
Experience contributing to or working within design systems to ensure consistency and scalability.
Experience in healthcare or digital health is a plus, particularly where design work touched health behavior change, sensitive member journeys, or collaboration with clinical teams.

Responsibilities

Lead design strategy and execution for Headspace's most complex product areas, setting a high bar for interaction quality, visual craft, and member experience across consumer and B2B surfaces.
Define and drive design vision across multi-quarter workstreams, partnering closely with Product, Engineering, Research, and Clinical teams to ensure design thinking is embedded early and often in the product lifecycle.
Influence roadmap decisions and product strategy with evidence-based design rationale, representing the design perspective in cross-functional planning conversations.
Lead and conduct design research including generative studies, contextual inquiry, concept testing, and usability evaluations, to deeply understand member needs, behaviors, and mental models.
Partner with dedicated Research team members to define research agendas for your workstreams, and operate independently when research support is not available.
Apply behavioral design principles to create experiences that support habit formation, reduce friction, and drive meaningful engagement with mental health content and care.
Bring AI fluency to every stage of the design process, using AI-powered tools for prototyping, research synthesis, and rapid iteration to accelerate and elevate the quality of design work.
Mentor and elevate designers across levels, leading critique, sharing craft expertise in both design execution and research practice, and creating the conditions for others to do the best work of their careers.