Design Systems Designer

Our client, a leading smart home and energy technology company, is seeking a contract to hire Lead Design Systems Designer for Web and iOS to join their Brand and Digital Design team. This is a senior individual contributor role for a hands-on design systems practitioner who wants to remain deeply embedded in the craft. You will personally create and evolve the design systems that power customer-facing websites and iOS products across a family of consumer brands — building a new Adobe Experience Manager design system from the ground up while improving shared foundations across platforms.

This is a contract to hire role (full-time hours), 3 days a week in Long Island City. Pay rate range $60-80/hour.

Responsibilities

Design System Creation and Maintenance

Design, build, and maintain reusable components, patterns, foundations, templates, and libraries across web and iOS platforms

Work directly in Figma to create production-ready components using variables, tokens, properties, variants, Auto Layout, and responsive behavior

Translate recurring customer and product needs into flexible, scalable system capabilities

Create and refine typography, color, spacing, elevation, motion, iconography, grid systems, and interaction foundations

Design components for realistic content, responsive layouts, localization, accessibility, error conditions, and edge cases

Prototype complex interactions so designers and engineers can evaluate component behavior — not just appearance

Audit existing systems to surface duplication, inconsistency, accessibility gaps, missing states, and consolidation opportunities

Review implemented work and partner with engineers until production output meets the intended quality standard

AEM Design System Build

Lead the hands-on design of components, patterns, foundations, and templates supporting consumer web experiences in Adobe Experience Manager

Connect Figma components and design tokens to scalable AEM implementation strategies

Design component variants and styling options implementable through the AEM Style System

Create editable templates and template policies that balance content-author flexibility with experience quality

Define what should be fixed, configurable, pre-populated, or open for authoring

Partner with content strategy to connect components to Content Fragments, Experience Fragments, taxonomy, and structured content

Provide detailed specifications, prototypes, content examples, and acceptance criteria for AEM engineers

Identify and resolve drift among Figma, Storybook, AEM configuration, and production

Multi-Brand Systems

Design shared foundations and components that can support multiple consumer brands under one parent organization

Define semantic token and theming structures that allow common components to express distinct brand identities

Personally create and test brand themes rather than relying solely on governance documentation

Determine when a brand should use an existing component, contribute an improvement, or create a justified extension

iOS Design Systems

Design and maintain components, foundations, patterns, and Figma libraries used across iOS experiences

Create native patterns that respect Apple platform conventions while expressing the appropriate brand identity

Design complete component states, behaviors, content rules, accessibility requirements, and responsive adaptations

Partner with iOS engineers on SwiftUI or UIKit component implementation

Design for VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, adaptable layouts, reduced motion, and other native accessibility capabilities

AI-Assisted Workflows

Leverage AI-assisted design and development tools as a regular part of creating, auditing, documenting, and evolving systems

Use AI to analyze existing libraries and surface duplicated components, inconsistent properties, missing states, and token drift

Prototype components in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SwiftUI, or other relevant formats to test feasibility

Critically evaluate generated output for accessibility, brand alignment, technical feasibility, and design quality

Document where AI improves the process, where it introduces risk, and where human judgment remains essential

Share effective AI workflows with designers and engineers to elevate capability across teams

Required Qualifications

10 or more years of experience in product, experience, or digital design

At least 5 years directly creating, maintaining, and evolving design systems — not solely overseeing or governing them

Portfolio demonstrating components, tokens, libraries, patterns, documentation, prototypes, and shipped implementations you personally built

Strong, hands-on experience designing for Adobe Experience Manager in a complex production environment

Practical knowledge of the AEM Style System, editable templates, template policies, Content Fragments, and Experience Fragments

Experience working directly with AEM architects and engineers from component definition through production

Experience creating or substantially contributing to native mobile design systems, preferably iOS

Knowledge of Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, native component behavior, and iOS accessibility practices

Advanced Figma expertise including libraries, components, variants, variables, semantic tokens, Auto Layout, and prototyping

Deep experience with token architecture, theming, multi-brand systems, and cross-platform design foundations

Familiarity with Storybook and component-based front-end development

Working knowledge of HTML and CSS, with enough JavaScript or native component knowledge to prototype and review implementations

Demonstrated experience using AI-assisted design or development tools for substantive design systems work

Strong knowledge of WCAG standards, inclusive design, and native-platform accessibility

Experience creating governance, contribution, release, deprecation, and adoption practices

Ability to influence senior partners while remaining close to the craft and implementation

The Solomon Page Distinction

Solomon Page offers a comprehensive benefits program for hourly, temporary, and contract employees. We pride ourselves on offering medical, dental, 401(k), are offered where eligible, and commuter benefits to our employees, including freelancers — which sets us apart in the industries we serve.

About Solomon Page

Founded in 1990, Solomon Page is a specialty niche provider of staffing and executive search solutions across a wide array of functions and industries. The success of Solomon Page reflects an organic growth strategy supported by a highly entrepreneurial culture. Acting as a strategic partner to our clients and candidates, we focus on providing customized solutions and building long-term relationships based on trust, respect, and the consistent delivery of excellent results. For more information and additional opportunities, visit: solomonpage.com and connect with us on Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Opportunity Awaits. #LI-GZ1