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Design System Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Zscaler

Staff Product Designer, Design System

San Jose, CA · Hybrid

$221K/yr

This is a Hybrid (3 days - San Jose HQ) role, reporting to the Senior Manager, Product Design in the Product Management department. As the Staff Product Designer for the Design System, you will ...

Figma

Product Designer, Design Systems

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$222K/yr

Collaborate with product management, engineering, and other design teams to ensure consistent implementation of design components. * Create, iterate, and refine design system components, including ...

CourtAvenue

Design Director, Platform UI

San Diego, CA · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

Establish and run design critique culture, design system governance, and the rituals that scale design quality across multiple concurrent engagements. * Inspire and manage the career growth ...

CourtAvenue

Design Director, Platform UI

San Diego, CA · On-site

$164K - $202K/yr

Establish and run design critique culture, design system governance, and the rituals that scale design quality across multiple concurrent engagements. * Inspire and manage the career growth ...

Pebl

Design Systems Lead

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$129K - $169K/yr

With our AI-powered Global Work Platform™, companies can hire, pay, and manage employees in 185 ... In this role, you'll own and evolve our design system end-to-end: the component library, the token ...

Figma

Product Designer, Design Systems

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$164K - $294K/yr

Collaborate with product management, engineering, and other design teams to ensure consistent implementation of design components. * Create, iterate, and refine design system components, including ...

Descript

Lead Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$247K - $280K/yr

Your impact will be felt everywhere: on our design system, in product, and every once in a while in ... Accessibility knowledge that goes beyond color contrast - keyboard navigation, focus management ...

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All JobsDesign System JobsDesign System Manager JobsDesign System Manager Jobs in California

Design System Manager information

See California salary details

$45.4K

$100.7K

$151K

How much do design system manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for design system manager in California is $100,730.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $76,000.00 and $123,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a design system manager?

A Design System Manager is a professional responsible for creating, maintaining, and evolving an organization's design system. This role ensures consistency in visual styles, components, and user experience across all digital products. Design System Managers collaborate with designers, developers, and product teams to implement best practices, document guidelines, and manage updates to the system. Their work helps streamline workflows, improve accessibility, and foster a cohesive brand identity.

How does a design system manager typically collaborate with product teams and developers?

A Design System Manager works closely with product teams, UX/UI designers, and developers to ensure consistency and efficiency across all digital products. They facilitate cross-functional communication by gathering feedback, aligning design standards with engineering requirements, and providing clear documentation. Regular sync meetings, design reviews, and collaborative workshops are common, allowing the manager to address challenges and promote adoption of the system. This collaboration helps streamline workflows, resolve discrepancies, and maintain a cohesive user experience across platforms.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a design system manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Design System Manager, you need expertise in UI/UX design principles, front-end development, and experience managing design systems, often supported by a relevant degree in design, HCI, or computer science. Familiarity with design tools like Figma, Sketch, and version control systems, as well as knowledge of CSS frameworks and component libraries, is essential. Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills help drive adoption and collaboration across teams. These abilities ensure a consistent and scalable design language that accelerates development and delivers cohesive user experiences.

What is the difference between Design System Manager vs UX Designer?

AspectDesign System ManagerUX Designer
CredentialsBachelor's in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related field; experience with design systemsBachelor's in Design, Psychology, or related field; portfolio showcasing user-centered designs
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with product teams, developers, and designers to maintain design systemsFocuses on user research, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing
Industry UsageCommon in organizations with large design teams and complex product ecosystemsUsed across various industries to improve user experience and interface design

The Design System Manager primarily oversees the development and maintenance of design systems, ensuring consistency across products. In contrast, UX Designers focus on creating user-centered designs through research and prototyping. While both roles require design knowledge, the Design System Manager emphasizes system-wide consistency, whereas UX Designers prioritize user experience and interaction design.

What are the most commonly searched types of Design System jobs in California?

The most popular types of Design System jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Design System Manager jobs in California?

For Design System Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Design System Manager jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Design System Manager jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Design System Manager jobs?

Cities in California with the most Design System Manager job openings:

Design System Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Design System Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, and 14% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $100,730 per year, or $48.4 per hour.

Staff Product Designer, Design System

Zscaler

San Jose, CA • Hybrid

$221K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

Role 

We are looking for a Staff Product Designer, Design System to join our team. This is a Hybrid (3 days - San Jose HQ) role, reporting to the Senior Manager, Product Design in the Product Management department. As the Staff Product Designer for the Design System, you will participate in the evolution of the organization's design ecosystem, ensuring consistency, scalability, and excellence across all products. Leveraging cutting-edge tools and treating AI as a daily craft instrument, you will work closely with Design, Engineering, and cross-functional teams to set visual, interaction, and structural standards across Zscaler's product surfaces.

What You'll Do (Role Expectations)

  • Create and refine scalable components and patterns, ensuring adaptability and consistency to improve product efficiency and cohesiveness
  • Contribute to and refine the Zscaler Design System end-to-end, including tokens, components, patterns, documentation, and governance
  • Use modern, AI-powered tool stacks such as Claude Code and Cursor to generate, iterate on, and launch live prototypes and products
  • Compress the loop between idea and shipped pattern by accelerating documentation and automating design-to-code handoff

Who You Are (Success Profile)

  • You act like an owner, fueled by passion for the mission and a strong bias for action, navigating seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution to achieve impactful outcomes.
  • You are a high-trust collaborator who is ambitious for team success, thriving in a candid, feedback-rich culture where clear, respectful communication builds trust and accelerates collective impact.
  • You are a continuous learner with a growth mindset, actively seeking feedback to elevate your craft, strengthen team partnerships, and drive work with clear purpose.
  • You think at scale, connecting daily design initiatives to global company objectives and building resilient systems and processes structured for long-term growth.
  • You lead with integrity, holding yourself and others to high accountability standards while matching words with consistent, transparent action.

What We're Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

  • Demonstrated curiosity and active exploration of AI tools, with a proven history of integrating new technologies to enhance daily workflows and augment problem-solving
  • 8-10 years of Product Design experience, with 2+ years of experience in creating, scaling, and maintaining enterprise-grade Design Systems, accompanied by a portfolio showcasing component libraries, user guidelines, and successful adoption strategies
  • Experience working closely with engineering and design to align on Design System goals, provide mentorship, and advocate for design principles and best practices
  • Deep fluency in token architecture, theming, accessibility (WCAG), and responsive design
  • Deep understanding of front-end constraints and techniques, with fluency in working closely with engineering and reading code to understand implementation details
  • Extensive experience in design tools like Figma (or other design software) for component development

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

  • Ability to solve complex design challenges by developing scalable solutions that address user needs and align with technical, business, and product objectives
  • AI-powered tooling or automation built to accelerate design system workflows, generation, documentation, or handoff
  • Experience designing systems for cybersecurity, infrastructure, developer tools, or other highly technical or complex domains

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