UX/UI Designer
Role: UX/UI Designer (a full "360" designer — UX/UI + visual/brand design )
Engagement: Part-time to start — hourly for an initial trial project, transitioning to a fixed monthly or project-based rate for ongoing work
Seniority: Senior
Location: Open to Latin America and the US; NYC preferred if US-based, in-person a plus but not required
About Rad Hires
Rad Hires connects fast-moving startups with vetted, senior offshore and hybrid talent — helping founders scale their teams without the overhead of traditional hiring.
About the Company
Our client is a pre-seed consumer tech startup based in New York City. They've built a mobile app that helps people capture, organize, and recall word-of-mouth recommendations — for movies, TV shows, books, and podcasts — that would otherwise get lost in text threads, group chats, or emails. Users can text a recommendation, forward a screenshot, or snap a photo of a book or article to add it to a list, then pull it back up later when deciding what to watch, read, or listen to. The core user base skews 45+, so the product favors a simple, warm, uncluttered feel over trend-driven, icon-heavy UI. The company has closed its first angel investment and is preparing for a larger pre-seed raise this fall — cleaning up the product's visual design is part of getting investor- and distribution-ready.
About the Role
The founder is looking for a true "360" designer — someone who can own both UI/UX and visual/brand design — to bring the app's interface up to a professional, modern standard. The engagement starts small (a single scoped task, like designing the homepage) as a way for both sides to test fit before expanding into a full page-by-page redesign of the app.
What You'll Do
Start with a scoped initial project (e.g., a feature-highlight slideshow, or aligning website/app/app-store visuals) to establish working rhythm and fit
If the trial goes well, lead a full UI/UX pass across the app, page by page
Incorporate the brand color palette and typography currently being finalized by a separate branding effort
Collaborate closely with the founder and two engineers who will implement your designs — this is an internal, non-client-facing role
Work within a small, casual, highly collaborative team of ~3 people, with real input into design decisions, not just execution
What We Look For
Strong UX/UI skills; a full "360" skillset (UX/UI + visual/brand) is a plus, not required
A strong, demonstrable Figma portfolio (Figma is the primary tool; open to whatever else the designer prefers)
Senior-level experience, ideally with consumer app design; experience valued over formal design education
Excellent collaborator and communicator — comfortable proposing ideas and receiving feedback, able to explain design decisions in plain terms to a non-designer
English strong enough for clear, natural back-and-forth conversation with the team — an accent is fine, this isn't client-facing
Meaningful working-hours overlap with a NYC-based (Eastern Time) team; the team itself keeps flexible hours, not a fixed 9-to-6
Nice to Have
Creative, out-of-the-box thinker
Genuine enthusiasm for the product, willing to invest long-term rather than treat it as a one-off gig
An eye for restrained, approachable design over flashy — fits a core user base that's 45+ and not into trend-heavy app UI
Signals We Love
Personable, easygoing, strong communicator — tight-knit team that works closely day to day
Comfortable being "a little eccentric" as long as the work speaks for itself
Excited about consumer products, and recommendations/media specifically, is a plus
This Role Might Not Be for You If
You need everything fully specified before starting — branding and process are still being worked out
You're not comfortable giving/receiving direct feedback in a small, informal team
You'd rather work at arm's length — this designer works closely with the founder day to day
Logistics
Location: Latin America or US (NYC preferred if US-based; in-person a plus, not required)
Working hours: Eastern Time overlap preferred; flexible schedule
Language: English clear enough for natural back-and-forth conversation
Compensation: Competitive pay hourly in USD
Start date: ASAP
Reports to: Founder
