Design Engineer

Role

As a Design Engineer at Circle you will work closely with product designers to convert Figma concepts into working, deployable prototypes quickly. The role emphasizes AI-first development workflows (using tools like Cursor and Claude Code), visual and interaction fidelity, and building prototypes in the same technologies as production to streamline validation and handoff.

Key Responsibilities

• Pair 1:1 with a product designer to build live, multi-screen prototypes in real time.
• Implement high-fidelity, functional prototypes using the production front-end stack (React / Next.js / TypeScript / Tailwind).
• Use AI coding tools to generate fast starting points and iterate with precision.
• Translate Figma flows into working code, extracting assets and handling auto-layout and component behavior.
• Reuse the design system as a foundation; create new components only when necessary.
• Deploy prototypes to preview environments for async review and stakeholder feedback.
• Provide input on technical feasibility and complexity during flow finalization.
• Manage multiple workstreams, balancing major implementations with quick iterations and refinements.
• Collaborate closely with Design Systems and front-end engineering teams.

Requirements

AI-First Development

• Hands-on experience using AI coding tools (explicitly Cursor and Claude Code) as a primary way of building front-end prototypes.
• Comfortable using AI to generate starting points and refining them while maintaining high visual and functional quality.
• Embrace “vibe coding”: rapid AI-assisted generation plus careful refinement.

Technical Foundation

• 3+ years building web interfaces with React and modern JavaScript.
• Strong experience with React, TypeScript, Next.js, and Tailwind (or a very similar modern front-end stack).
• Solid grasp of React fundamentals (functional components, hooks, props/state) and layout systems (Flexbox, Grid).
• Experience with Tailwind CSS and component libraries such as Radix, Headless UI, or shadcn/ui.
• Comfortable working in production-style codebases and with Git workflows; familiarity with preview deployments (e.g., Vercel).

Design–Engineering Bridge

• Experience translating polished design specs into functional code and high visual fidelity.
• Comfortable navigating complex Figma files and understanding component behavior and auto-layout.
• High attention to detail for pixels, interactions, and UX polish.

Working Style & Profile

• Exceptional written and verbal communication; able to present work and collaborate across disciplines.
• Comfortable working asynchronously and in real-time across time zones.
• Collaborative, open to critique, and capable of balancing design priorities with technical input.
• Preferably started with a visual/design background and grown into front-end engineering; actively experiments with new libraries and workflows.

Bonus

• Experience with animation libraries (Framer Motion, CSS transitions).
• Understanding of accessibility fundamentals (semantic HTML, ARIA, keyboard navigation).
• Familiarity with other AI-assisted development workflows and tools.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $90,000 - $100,000 USD per year.
• Fully remote (work from anywhere).
• 35 days PTO annually; paid sabbatical after 5 years.
• U.S.-benchmarked compensation and equity.
• Medical coverage (100% coverage for you and your family, or reimbursement where applicable).
• Parental leave.
• Home office stipend and learning & development stipend.
• Annual bonus potential for eligible roles.
• Twice-yearly fully paid company retreats.