Principal Designer Jobs in Rhode Island
Principal Designer jobs in Rhode Island are concentrated in Providence and the greater Narragansett Bay corridor, with additional activity in Pawtucket and Newport, where firms in architecture, healthcare systems design, and consumer products draw the most consistent demand. Employers such as GTECH (IGT), Hasbro, and Lifespan Health System have maintained a lasting presence in the state and regularly seek principal designers to lead product, experience, and facility-level work. The market skews toward UX and product design leadership, architectural project leadership, and branded environment design. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Fidelity TalentSource is your destination for discovering your next temporary role at Fidelity Investments. We are currently sourcing for a UX Designer to contract in Smithfield, RI.
The Role
Fidelity Investments is looking for a User Experience Designer who is passionate about their craft and making investing approachable for all audiences. We are redefining the financial services industry by changing the way we work and putting the customer first. It’s a fast-paced environment where decisions are data-focused, collaborative, and iterative. The organization deeply values design.
The Expertise You Bring
- 6-9+ years of UX or related experience is preferred
- A degree in a related field such as interactive design, architecture, industrial design, graphic design, or human factors is preferred
- Experience working on agile teams delivering value in digital products preferred
- Experience running and/or using research to support evidence-focused design decisions preferred
- A digital portfolio we can review online is required
The Skills You Bring
- An array of design skills, which might include visual, conversational, information architecture, prototyping, strategic design methods (such as design thinking), user research, or writing
- Ability to design across all channels including web, native, and automated
- Effective communication as a writer, presenter, and facilitator; equally at ease speaking with developer partners or executives
- A foundation of development knowledge, both web and mobile
- Familiarity with the value of design systems, understanding reuse and scale, and knowing when to contribute to make them better
- Partnering with user research to understand the customer problems to tackle
- Distilling qualitative and quantitative feedback to unearth recurring themes and promote data-driven design decisions
- An unwavering curiosity to ask why
- Design brings you happiness
UX Designers typically:
- Lead the design strategy and execution on their product team, with some guidance and coaching
- Help define the design work and deliver business outcomes on the product team
- Consult with the product owner to help inform product strategy
- Contribute to the culture of the UXD group
Company Overview
Fidelity Investments is a privately held company with a mission?to strengthen the financial well-being of our clients.?We help people invest and plan for their future. We assist companies and non-profit organizations in delivering benefits to their employees. And we provide institutions and independent advisors with investment and technology solutions to help invest their own clients’ money.
Join Us
At Fidelity, you’ll find endless opportunities to build a meaningful career that positively impacts peoples’ lives, including yours. You can take advantage of flexible benefits that support you through every stage of your career, empowering you to thrive at work and at home. Honored with a?Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award(opens in a new tab), we have been recognized by our employees as a Best Place to Work in 2022. And you don’t need a finance background to succeed at Fidelity—we offer a range of opportunities for learning so you can build the career you’ve always imagined.
Many of our associates are continuing to work remotely temporarily due to COVID-19. When Fidelity employees eventually return to the office, our goal is for most people to work flexibly in a way that balances both personal and business needs with time onsite and offsite through what we’re calling “Dynamic Working(opens in a new tab).”
We invite you to?Find Your Fidelity?at?fidelitycareers.com.
Fidelity Investments is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that the most effective way to attract, develop and retain a diverse workforce is to build an enduring culture of inclusion and belonging.
Fidelity will reasonably accommodate applicants with disabilities who need adjustments to participate in the application or interview process. To initiate a request for an accommodation, contact the HR Leave of Absence/Accommodation Team by sending an email to?accommodations @fmr.com, or by calling 800-835-5099, prompt 2, option
The hourly pay rate range for this position is $55.00 – $75.00 per hour.
Placement in the range will vary based on job responsibilities and scope, geographic location, candidate’s relevant experience, and other factors
See All 14 Principal Designer Jobs in Rhode Island
Find roles in Rhode Island that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Designer JobsPrincipal Designer Jobs by City in Rhode Island
Where Rhode Island roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Designer Job Market in Rhode Island
A snapshot from current Rhode Island openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- BaMO1
- La-Z-Boy1

- AMAX1

- Orion RED1O
- Schylling1
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing1
- Media & Entertainment1
- Investment & Asset Management1
What Rhode Island Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal designer jobs across Rhode Island.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in design, architecture, or a closely related field
- Seven or more years of progressive design experience with demonstrated leadership responsibility
- Proven ability to own end-to-end design process from concept through delivery
- Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or industry-standard architecture software
- Experience mentoring junior designers and presenting work to executive stakeholders
- Strong portfolio showing systems thinking, brand cohesion, or complex user experience work
Principal Designer Jobs in Rhode Island: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal designer in Rhode Island?
The path depends on the design discipline. For architectural work in Rhode Island, candidates must hold a license issued or recognized by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation's Architecture Board, which requires an accredited professional degree, documented experience, and passage of the Architect Registration Examination. For product or UX-focused principal designer roles, Rhode Island employers typically require a relevant bachelor's or master's degree plus a portfolio demonstrating senior-level ownership of complex design problems.
Which companies hire principal designers in Rhode Island?
Companies currently hiring principal designers in Rhode Island include BaMO, La-Z-Boy, and AMAX, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Rhode Island's concentration of healthcare, gaming technology, and consumer product firms means openings tend to cluster around organizations with large in-house design functions rather than boutique studios.
Which Rhode Island cities have the most principal designer jobs?
Providence, Smithfield, and Pawtucket account for the largest share of principal designer openings in Rhode Island. Providence anchors the market as the state's economic and institutional center, drawing demand from its healthcare networks, universities, and corporate headquarters, while Pawtucket and Newport contribute openings tied to product companies and hospitality-driven design projects based in those communities.
Are there remote principal designer jobs in Rhode Island?
Yes, and they are fairly common for product and UX-focused roles. About 44% of principal designer openings tied to Rhode Island are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting how much of the strategic and screen-based design work can be done independently of a physical studio. Roles involving architectural oversight, physical environment design, or team mentorship on-site tend to require in-person presence more consistently.
How can I get hired as a principal designer in Rhode Island with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is an associate or junior designer role at a Rhode Island employer with a sizable in-house team, such as a Lifespan-affiliated hospital system for healthcare UX work or an IGT design group for digital product work, and then building toward principal-level responsibility over time. Lateral moves from adjacent roles like design researcher, product manager, or senior architect are also a credible path. For architecture, completing the ARE and earning Rhode Island licensure gives candidates a measurable credential edge when targeting firms in the Providence area.
Where can I find and apply to principal designer jobs in Rhode Island?
You can find and apply to principal designer jobs in Rhode Island on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the listings to find roles that match your discipline, experience level, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 14 Principal Designer Jobs in Rhode Island
Find roles in Rhode Island that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Designer Jobs