Product Design Contractor

PRODUCT DESIGN CONTRACTOR ABOUT THE ROLE Spherical is a transdisciplinary research and design studio working to regenerate the health and integrity of Earth's living systems. We are looking for a mid-level Product Design Contractor to join our team for a six-month engagement. This designer will work closely with Spherical's Design Director and Senior Designer on the Living Infrastructure Field Kit, contributing UI design, interaction design, and component documentation that directly shapes how communities across Greater Los Angeles plan and propose living infrastructure projects. This is a 32-40-hour/week remote contract position reporting directly to the Design Director. ABOUT THE LIVING INFRASTRUCTURE FIELD KIT The Living Infrastructure Field Kit is a free platform for the Greater LA region. It provides map-based planning tools, local data, and learning materials for anyone designing or proposing living infrastructure projects in their neighborhood. The Field Kit serves a diverse range of users, from community organizers and environmental advocates to government agencies and educators, and is funded by Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles (ARLA). The product team works in three-week sprints, with design and engineering running in parallel. This designer will work in a research-informed environment, collaborating closely with product designers, a researcher, and engineers. SCOPE OF WORK CORE RESPONSIBILITIES The primary focus of this role is to deliver UI design and documented components for the Field Kit. Specifics will be refined and agreed upon at the start of the engagement. Key outcomes include: - Simplify key flows to make the platform easier to navigate and use - Improve visual consistency and component coverage across the UI kit - Ground design decisions in validated user needs and technical feasibility - Deliver clear specs and prototypes that support smooth engineering handoff - Contribute to accessibility improvements across the platform ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES - Collaborate with the product team on short discovery cycles to validate user needs, synthesize findings into design requirements, and establish guardrails before high-fidelity work begins - Partner with engineers throughout implementation to review production builds and ensure design quality - Support Design leadership in creating presentations and executive-ready visuals for leadership and client reviews, as needed and within allocated hours DELIVERABLES 1. User flows and journey maps for priority features and flows 2. Annotated wireframes and interaction specs, including empty, loading, error, and success states that detail end-to-end flows 3. High-fidelity UI screens and interactive prototypes 4. Design system maintenance including component revisions and documentation 5. Handoff package for engineering, including specs, annotations, and assets REQUIREMENTS EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION - Formal education in graphic design, interaction design, or a related field is a plus, though equivalent professional experience and a strong portfolio are equally valued - Demonstrated professional experience designing digital products across web and mobile - A strong portfolio showing product design work; please include your portfolio link with your application SKILLS - Strong foundation in visual design fundamentals: typography, color, layout, and composition - Solid interaction design skills with experience designing complex flows, edge cases, and responsive interfaces - Experience working with and contributing to design systems - Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design practices - Proficiency in Figma, familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite is a plus - Healthy balance of comfort, curiosity and discernment in the use of AI-assisted tools and workflows WAYS OF WORKING - Able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously and keep the Design Director informed of any issues in real time - High standards of craft with a consistent ability to meet deadlines - A thorough, exploratory approach to design and a willingness to push ideas before landing on the right solution - Collaborative, with a calm and solutions-oriented approach under pressure - Comfortable taking direction and iterating quickly and accurately - Able to work effectively in a sprint cadence alongside engineers and researchers CONTRACT DETAILS - Duration: 6 months - Hours: 32-40 hours - Rate: $120/hr - Location: Remote - Start date: As soon as possible - Reporting to: Michael Yap, Design Director HOW TO APPLY Spherical is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We are happy to provide accommodations throughout the hiring process. Please let us know what you need. Please send your resume, portfolio, and a brief note about why this role interests you.