The posting
Who We Are
Lightning AI is the company behind PyTorch Lightning. Founded in 2019, we build an end-to-end platform for developing, training, and deploying AI systems—designed to take ideas from research to production with less friction.
Through our merger with Voltage Park, a neocloud and AI Factory, Lightning AI combines developer-first software with cost-efficient, large-scale compute. Teams get the tools they need for experimentation, training, and production inference, with security, observability, and control built in.
We serve solo researchers, startups, and large enterprises. Lightning AI operates globally with offices in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and London, and is backed by Coatue, Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Firstminute.
The Way We Work
The people who thrive here are builders who move fast, communicate openly, take ownership, and continuously improve themselves, their teams, and our company. Here's what that looks like in practice:
- Move with Urgency: We move quickly, make thoughtful decisions, and keep momentum. We value action over perfection and learn by shipping.
- Take Ownership: We own outcomes, not just our individual work. We make decisions that move the company forward and follow through.
- Communicate Openly: We communicate directly, seek to understand, and create clarity for others. Honest conversations help us move faster together.
- Build Great Teams: We lead by example, empower others, and create healthy teams where people can do their best work.
- Raise the Bar: We're always improving ourselves. We learn from feedback, consistently challenge ourselves to grow, and focus on the work that matters most.
- Think Long-Term: We design for what's next. We create scalable systems, simplify complexity, and use AI and automation to amplify our impact.
What We're Looking For
We are looking for a senior product designer to help us design groundbreaking technology that will transform the machine learning ecosystem and fundamentally change how the world experiences software. With a diverse skill set spanning product, interaction, and visual design, you are able to create products that are a joy to use and add tangible value to our users.
You will collaborate across product and engineering to bring user flows and designs to life while working closely with users to test new ideas, conduct research, and gather feedback. You thrive in a fast-paced, start-up environment with a focus on speed, quality, and iteration from proof of concept to release.
You will be joining the Design Team and report to our Chief Creative Officer. This is a hybrid role based in our New York City office with in-office requirements of 2 days per week. We are open to San Francisco but NYC is the preferred location. The salary range for this role is $160,000-$200,000.
What You’ll Do
- Collaborate with product and engineering teams to shape the user experience, interface, interactions, and visual design of new and existing features. Act as a key design partner in defining product strategy throughout the end-to-end development process.
- Craft user journeys, flows, prototypes, and designs—sometimes starting from scratch, other times by refining early engineering prototypes or providing design enhancements and guidance as products evolve.
- Proactively identify design opportunities and drive continuous improvement based on business objectives, user requirements, and customer requests.
- Engage with the open source AI community and enterprise AI researchers and builders to understand real-world needs, workflows, and challenges—bringing those insights directly into the product design process.
- Discover creative ways to eliminate friction and reduce papercuts through design, making it easier for users to onboard and utilize our platform from day one.
- Advocate for scalable, user-centered design systems and processes that improve design velocity, consistency, and impact across the product.
What You’ll Need
- 5+ years of experience designing B2C software or technical platforms, preferably in developer tools, AI/ML, or SaaS environments
- Strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product thinking across UX, interaction, and visual design
- Experience working with product managers, engineers, and researchers to iterate quickly and ship thoughtfully
- Curiosity and initiative in engaging with the open source AI ecosystem, and a desire to understand the needs of both individual contributors and enterprise AI teams
- Comfort working in ambiguity and across multiple product maturity levels—from early-stage prototypes to production features
- Proficiency in Figma and modern design tools
- Familiarity with technical concepts like machine learning, APIs, or cloud infrastructure (not required, but a plus)
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present design rationale clearly and influence cross-functional teams
- A mindset of continuous learning, user advocacy, and pragmatic design execution
- Experience coding front-end is not required but a big plus!
We are committed to offering competitive compensation that reflects the value each team member brings to our mission. Final offers are based on factors such as experience, skills, geographic location, and role expectations. In addition to base salary, our total rewards package for eligible roles includes a discretionary bonus, a meaningful equity component, and comprehensive benefits.
The anticipated annual base salary range for this role is:
$160,000—$200,000 USD
Benefits and Perks
We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support our employees’ health, well-being, and long-term success:
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
- Meaningful Equity: RSUs that give employees a stake in the company's long-term success.
- Retirement Savings: 401(k) matching (U.S.) and pension contributions (U.K.).
- Flexible Time Off: Unlimited PTO, company holidays, and floating holidays to support work-life balance.
- Company-Wide Winter Break: Two weeks of company closure each winter to disconnect and recharge.
- Paid Parental & Family Leave: Paid leave to support you and your family through life's important moments.
- Professional Development: Annual learning and development allowance to support your professional growth.
- Wellness Benefits: Wellness and work-from-home stipends to support your physical and mental well-being.
- Sabbatical Program: Four weeks of paid sabbatical leave after four years of service.
- Flexible Work: Flexible schedules and a hybrid work model for our office-based teams.
- In-Office Meals: Complimentary meals at our office hubs.
Benefits may vary by location, team, and role.
At Lightning AI, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diverse teams drive innovation and create better products. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We are dedicated to building a culture where everyone can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential.
