Design engineer (senior)

We're looking for a Senior Design Engineer to help shape the next generation of our maritime domain awareness platform.

Spear AI builds the data management and AI systems behind real-world maritime missions. Our sonobuoy sensors collect edge data in the water; our software helps the U.S. Navy turn that data into decisions. The work is technical, the problem space is dense, and the stakes are real. We ship in months, not years, and the people using what we build are operators, analysts, and warfighters.

We operate with a flat structure - you'll work directly with leadership, set technical direction on the surfaces you own, and help shape how Design Engineering operates at Spear AI as the team grows.

Design Engineers at Spear work across the company, contributing to branding, marketing, product development, and our internal design system.

What you'll do:

We’re a small team wearing many hats, and you’d have a wide variety of responsibilities that include:

• Design and implement complex, data-rich product surfaces on Horizon, our maritime acoustic data platform, from first sketch to production.
• Spot opportunities to redesign or refine key features and flows, as well as smaller quality issues and “paper cuts”.
• Sit in kickoffs, understand the product and the audience, and propose how it should look and feel. You're not waiting for a spec - you're helping write it.
• Champion performance, accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA), and maintainability as first-class concerns, not afterthoughts.
• Set the bar through review and mentorship. Run design audits and pull request reviews that level up the people around you.
• Have a voice in how Design Engineering scales at Spear AI.

Who you are:

We care more about depth and taste than years on a resume, but successful candidates typically have 7+ years of design engineering (design/front of frontend) experience, including time spent operating at a senior IC level on a high-bar team.

You have a deep understanding of design workflows and the technical constraints that surround them.

You sweat the small stuff: animation, loading states, typography rhythm, accessibility, responsiveness, and performance.

You've substantially shaped or maintained a design system at scale, not just consumed one. You think hard about component API design, token architecture, accessibility primitives, and how a system holds up under pressure across many teams and applications.

You have the courage to ask questions, experiment, and advocate for what you feel is right.

You've mentored other designers and/or frontend engineers, set patterns others adopted, and made teammates better through your reviews and your work.

You thrive in ambiguity. Mission-critical work in defense isn't always tidy. Priorities shift. You stay calm, adjust, and iterate.

You make the team better. On a team of two, every hire shapes how we work. You bring your own strengths but check your ego at the door. You give honest feedback, take it just as well, and treat your teammates' wins as your own. The work we ship is a reflection of how we work together.

Important skills:

• Expertise with Tailwind CSS and deep understanding of modern CSS fundamentals and layouts (container queries, cascade, specificity, OKLCH, view transitions, flex, grid, etc.).
• Strong grasp of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2) and performance metrics (Core Web Vitals, Lighthouse).
• Experience with frontend technologies like React, Next.js, and TypeScript.
• Excellent communication skills. You can explain a technical decision, a design rationale, or a trade-off in writing in a way that lands with the audience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and building design systems/component libraries used by other engineering teams.
• A solid background in Product/UI Design with a strong sense of layout, color theory, typography, and visual hierarchy.
• Fluency in Figma — including variables, modes, auto layout, and component architecture that mirrors code.
• Comfort designing data-dense interfaces — tables, charts, dashboards, real-time displays.

Bonus points if you have:

• Geospatial / mapping experience (Mapbox, MapLibre, deck.gl, Cesium).
• Experience shipping in regulated or secure environments (defense, finance, healthcare).

Why work with us:

Craft is a real value, not a slogan. You won't have to fight for time to get the details right.

The work matters. You'll work on real-world projects that directly impact warfighter capabilities and mission success. The feedback loop is short and the impact is concrete.

You'll have ownership. Flat structure, real autonomy, direct access to leadership.

We're remote-first. Work from where you work best.

We're profitable and growing responsibly. We have the resources to grow, and we're hiring carefully — we'd rather stay small and sharp than scale headcount for its own sake.

We don't take ourselves too seriously. Our work makes the world safer. That doesn't mean we have to be self-important about it.

The people are the best part. We're a group of chill, low-ego people who are genuinely kind, super smart, and exceptionally curious.

What we offer:

• Unlimited PTO — Take the time you need to recharge and maintain work-life balance.
• Dedicated sick time — Your health and well-being come first.
• Comprehensive health and benefits – Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your family protected.
• 11 Paid Holidays — Enjoy time off throughout the year to celebrate and spend time with loved ones.
• Professional development — Educational opportunities and resources to help you grow your skills and advance your career.
• Collaborative environment — Work directly with leadership in our flat organizational structure, where your ideas and contributions matter.
• Mission-driven work — Contribute to projects that directly support national security and make a real-world impact.
• Growth opportunities — Join us during an exciting expansion phase where you can help shape our future.

Additional benefits:

• 401(k) with company match.
• Onsite / Remote / Flexible work arrangements or hybrid options (position dependent).
• Referral bonuses.
• Performance bonuses.
• Life insurance and disability coverage.
• Technology home office setup stipend.
• Professional certification reimbursement (position dependent).

We offer competitive compensation tailored to your experience, location, and the impact you’ll make. We’re committed to equitable pay and will share a range aligned to your level and geography during the hiring process. In accordance with state law, candidates in jurisdictions such as CA, CO, WA, NY, and others, where applicable, will be provided a good-faith salary range upon request and throughout the hiring process. This is a full-time, exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is not eligible for overtime pay.

Compensation for this position is provided on a salaried basis and is not subject to reduction based on hours worked. At Spear AI, you’ll find more than just a job; you’ll join a mission-driven team where your work directly contributes to national security. Our flat organizational structure means your voice matters, your ideas reach leadership, and your impact is visible. As we grow, we’re committed to building robust processes and infrastructure that support both our mission and our people. We value collaboration, continuous improvement, and the expertise each team member brings to the table. If you’re looking for a place to grow professionally while working on projects that truly matter, we’d love to hear from you.