Design Director, Product Design

Instrument is a design and technology company. We build brands, products, and experiences that move businesses forward—by making the complex simple.

For over 20 years, we’ve partnered with companies like Google, ServiceNow, Uber, Eventbrite, and ŌURA, helping them navigate change, launch new ideas, and grow with intention.

Our work spans Brand, Marketing, and Product, but what defines us is how we work. We bring strategy, design, and engineering together from the start, moving quickly from idea to execution and refining as we go. We aim to do great work and be great to work with, because both matter.

We’re a collaborative, hands-on team with roots in Portland and New York and a distributed presence across the U.S. and Europe. We build teams around the needs of the work, staying nimble without sacrificing craft.

We value curiosity, perspective, and continuous learning, and we’re committed to building an inclusive environment where people can do their best work.

If that sounds like you, we’d love to meet you.

At Instrument, Design Directors are senior creative leaders who bridge strategy, systems thinking, and design craft to create meaningful digital experiences. They lead multidisciplinary teams through ambiguity, guide clients through complex challenges, and elevate the quality of work across every stage of a project.

We're looking for a Design Director with a strong product design background who thrives at the intersection of vision, systems thinking, and execution. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys tackling complex digital challenges—from shaping future product concepts and emerging technologies to designing large-scale platforms and connected ecosystems. Working within a dedicated, long-term client partnership, you'll have the opportunity to develop deep domain expertise while helping define and evolve products and experiences that reach millions of users.

You'll partner closely with strategists, designers, technologists, producers, and clients to define opportunities, guide creative direction, and deliver exceptional outcomes. Some engagements may involve small, highly confidential innovation initiatives, while others may require leading large multidisciplinary teams through complex platform, product, and service design work.

If you're passionate about craft leadership, product thinking, emerging technologies, and helping teams do their best work, we'd love to hear from you.

• 8+ years of experience leading the design of complex digital products, platforms, services, or interactive experiences.
• Strong product design expertise, with the ability to connect user needs, business goals, and technical realities.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and collaborating closely with strategy, technology, and production partners.
• Systems-thinking mindset with experience navigating large-scale, interconnected experiences.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to lead multiple projects and priorities while maintaining a high standard of craft and execution.
• Confidence working directly with clients, building trust, and guiding complex conversations.
• Curiosity about emerging technologies, including AI, and enthusiasm for exploring how they can enhance products, experiences, and workflows.
• A collaborative, humble approach to leadership and problem-solving.