Head Of Product Design Jobs in California
Head Of Product Design jobs in California represent one of the most active markets for senior design leadership in the country, concentrated heavily in consumer technology, enterprise software, and fintech, with demand at every level from principal designers stepping into leadership through seasoned executives overseeing design organizations. The largest hiring metros are San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Adobe, and Salesforce anchor sustained demand for this role. California employers most consistently seek heads of product design with depth in design systems, cross-functional product strategy, and user research operations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Head of Product Design/ Director
About the Role: You will define and own the physical product experience for a breakthrough stealth-stage neurotechnology and brain-computer interface (BCI) startup building an AI-powered neural interface platform. This role will shape how the wearable looks, feels, and integrates naturally into everyday life. The first-generation product is a highly integrated, sensor-rich textile beanie that combines cameras, microphones, open-ear speakers, EEG sensors, flexible electronics, and battery systems into a soft, elegant form factor designed to be worn comfortably for extended periods of time.
Role Overview:
- Own ID and ME for the wearable end-to-end: sketch through CAD, prototype, tooling, and DfM with overseas CMs.
- Lead the integration of electronics into soft goods: flex PCB packaging, rigid-island placement, textile-to-rigid transitions, weight distribution, thermal management, serviceability.
- Define and enforce comfort engineering: pressure mapping, weight balance, skin-contact thermal limits, breathability, fit across head sizes and hair types, long-wear validation.
- Drive the design language and material story for our brand's physical products: fabrics, seams, transitions, how the device announces itself or fades into the background.
- Partner with the EE lead on rigid-island layout, antenna keep-outs, and electrode contact pressure; with audio and camera leads on acoustic ports, mic mesh, lens windows, and pod integration.
- Partner with the reliability lead on drop, ingress, thermal, and ergonomic robustness.
- Ship the product by end of year and build and lead the product design function as ID and ME capability scales.
Responsibilities:
- 10+ years of industrial design and/or mechanical engineering, with multiple shipped consumer wearables or comparable body-worn products.
- Demonstrated experience integrating electronics into soft goods or textile products (apparel, headwear, garments, or wearables with significant fabric content).
- Deep CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Rhino, or equivalent) and rendering (Keyshot or comparable).
- Strong instinct for comfort engineering: pressure points, weight, thermal, fit across diverse users, backed by structured wear testing and iteration.
- Experience driving DfM, tooling, and quality with overseas CMs.
Preferred Skills:
- High-density biocompatible interfaces, dry electrode arrays, or other dense sensor-to-skin integrations.
- Soft goods sourcing and textile engineering: knit beanies, technical apparel, woven goods.
- Optical windows, acoustic ports, or sensor windows in consumer products.
- Biocompatibility, skin contact, and dermatological testing for body-worn products.
- A point of view about what makes a wearable beautiful rather than gadget-y.
Submit resume to jobs@OSIengineering.com
No 3rd party agencies or no C2C
Abel Lara
408.550.2800 x119
Type: Fulltime
Location: Palo Alto, CA (Hybrid Schedule)
Salary Range: $300k - $350k/y (DOE)
Offers equity + bonus
Head of Product Design/ Director
About the Role: You will define and own the physical product experience for a breakthrough stealth-stage neurotechnology and brain-computer interface (BCI) startup building an AI-powered neural interface platform. This role will shape how the wearable looks, feels, and integrates naturally into everyday life. The first-generation product is a highly integrated, sensor-rich textile beanie that combines cameras, microphones, open-ear speakers, EEG sensors, flexible electronics, and battery systems into a soft, elegant form factor designed to be worn comfortably for extended periods of time.
Role Overview:
- Own ID and ME for the wearable end-to-end: sketch through CAD, prototype, tooling, and DfM with overseas CMs.
- Lead the integration of electronics into soft goods: flex PCB packaging, rigid-island placement, textile-to-rigid transitions, weight distribution, thermal management, serviceability.
- Define and enforce comfort engineering: pressure mapping, weight balance, skin-contact thermal limits, breathability, fit across head sizes and hair types, long-wear validation.
- Drive the design language and material story for our brand's physical products: fabrics, seams, transitions, how the device announces itself or fades into the background.
- Partner with the EE lead on rigid-island layout, antenna keep-outs, and electrode contact pressure; with audio and camera leads on acoustic ports, mic mesh, lens windows, and pod integration.
- Partner with the reliability lead on drop, ingress, thermal, and ergonomic robustness.
- Ship the product by end of year and build and lead the product design function as ID and ME capability scales.
Responsibilities:
- 10+ years of industrial design and/or mechanical engineering, with multiple shipped consumer wearables or comparable body-worn products.
- Demonstrated experience integrating electronics into soft goods or textile products (apparel, headwear, garments, or wearables with significant fabric content).
- Deep CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Rhino, or equivalent) and rendering (Keyshot or comparable).
- Strong instinct for comfort engineering: pressure points, weight, thermal, fit across diverse users, backed by structured wear testing and iteration.
- Experience driving DfM, tooling, and quality with overseas CMs.
Preferred Skills:
- High-density biocompatible interfaces, dry electrode arrays, or other dense sensor-to-skin integrations.
- Soft goods sourcing and textile engineering: knit beanies, technical apparel, woven goods.
- Optical windows, acoustic ports, or sensor windows in consumer products.
- Biocompatibility, skin contact, and dermatological testing for body-worn products.
- A point of view about what makes a wearable beautiful rather than gadget-y.
Submit resume to jobs@OSIengineering.com
No 3rd party agencies or no C2C
Abel Lara
408.550.2800 x119
Type: Fulltime
Location: Palo Alto, CA (Hybrid Schedule)
Salary Range: $300k - $350k/y (DOE)
Offers equity + bonus
See All 6 Head Of Product Design Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Head Of Product Design JobsHead Of Product Design Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Head Of Product Design Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Kikoff2
- OSI Engineering1
- Suno1
- Tools for Humanity1
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software4
- Aerospace & Defense1
- Consulting & Professional Services1
- Non-Profit & Social Services1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in head of product design jobs across California.
- Portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design leadership and measurable business outcomes
- Seven or more years of product design experience with at least three in a people-management role
- Proven ability to build and scale design teams inside high-growth California technology organizations
- Deep expertise in Figma, design systems architecture, and cross-functional product development workflows
- Experience partnering with product management and engineering at the director or VP level
- Bachelor's degree in interaction design, human-computer interaction, or a closely related field preferred
Head Of Product Design Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a head of product design in California?
The role requires no state-issued license in California, so the path runs through experience and portfolio strength. Most California employers expect a foundation in interaction design or human-computer interaction, followed by progressive leadership roles managing designers and influencing product direction. Building a portfolio that shows design organization growth, measurable outcomes, and cross-functional influence at scale is what moves candidates into serious consideration at California technology and enterprise software companies.
How much do head of product designs make in California?
Head of product designs in California earn a median of about $137,780 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $81,500 for the lowest 10% to over $249,210 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire head of product designs in California?
Employers hiring head of product designs in California right now include Kikoff, Kikoff, and OSI Engineering, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's density of consumer technology, enterprise software, and fintech headquarters means sustained demand from both established public companies and well-funded growth-stage startups concentrated in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Which California cities have the most head of product design jobs?
San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Palo Alto have the most head of product design openings in California. San Francisco and its surrounding Bay Area cities drive the largest share of postings due to the concentration of major technology headquarters, while Los Angeles reflects growing demand from entertainment technology, media platforms, and a maturing startup ecosystem anchored by companies in Santa Monica and Culver City.
Are there remote head of product design jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most senior roles, since the work centers on facilitation, strategy, and digital collaboration rather than physical presence. About 33% of head of product design openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting the role's compatibility with distributed teams. The parts of the role most commonly done remotely include design critiques, stakeholder alignment, and roadmap planning, while on-site presence is more common for team culture-building and executive workshops.
How can I get hired as a head of product design in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a lead or staff product designer role at a mid-size California technology company before targeting head-of positions. Companies like Intuit, Salesforce, and Adobe run structured rotational design programs and new-grad tracks that build foundational leadership skills. Transitioning from a senior individual contributor role with cross-functional project ownership, then taking on a design manager title, gives candidates the direct management experience California employers require before considering someone for a head of design hire.
Where can I find and apply to head of product design jobs in California?
You can find and apply to head of product design jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings for this role. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 6 Head Of Product Design Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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