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Design Systems Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

CAD Designer (UCC)

Alpena, MI · On-site

$23.75 - $32.75/hr

Perform design layouts and drafting on CAD systems as needed. * Select and specify purchased parts and materials as needed. * Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering ...

Design systems for secure, fault-tolerant deployment and observability * Build internal tooling to accelerate developer workflows and operations * Partner with engineers on simulation, ML, and ...

12v System Design Engineer

Auburn Hills, MI · On-site

$94K - $129K/yr

The 12V Systems Design Engineer is a key contributor within the Product Development & Technology (PDT) organization, operating in the Electrified Hardware Engineering (EHE) and Hardware Engineering ...

CAD Designer (OM 1-4)

Alpena, MI · On-site

$23.75 - $32.75/hr

Perform design layouts and drafting on CAD systems as needed. * Select and specify purchased parts and materials as needed. * Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering ...

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Showing results 1-20

Design Systems information

See Michigan salary details

$43.1K

$103.4K

$151.2K

How much do design systems jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for design systems in Michigan is $103,362.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $87,200.00 and $119,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Design Systems Specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Design Systems Specialist, you need expertise in UI/UX principles, front-end development, and a strong understanding of design patterns, usually supported by a background in design or computer science. Familiarity with tools like Figma, Sketch, Storybook, and version control systems is essential to build and maintain scalable design systems. Strong communication, collaboration, and attention to detail set outstanding professionals apart in this field. These skills and qualities ensure cohesive user experiences, efficient workflows, and consistent brand implementation across digital products.

Is UX a stressful job?

A UX designer's job can be stressful due to tight deadlines, the need for user-centered solutions, and balancing stakeholder expectations. However, many find it rewarding as it involves creative problem-solving and collaboration. Managing workload and clear communication can help reduce stress levels in this role.

What does a systems designer do?

A systems designer develops and plans the structure of complex systems, such as software, hardware, or organizational processes. They create detailed specifications, collaborate with teams, and use tools like diagrams and modeling software to ensure the system functions efficiently and meets user needs.

What is the difference between Design Systems vs UX Designer?

AspectDesign SystemsUX Designer
Primary FocusCreating and maintaining a cohesive set of design standards, components, and guidelines for productsResearching, designing, and improving user experiences through wireframes, prototypes, and user testing
Skills & CredentialsDesign principles, UI components, branding, collaboration skillsUser research, interaction design, visual design, usability testing
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with product teams, developers, and UI designersWorks closely with users, product managers, and developers
Industry UsageCommon in organizations with large product ecosystems and multiple teamsFound across tech, e-commerce, and service industries focusing on user experience

While Design Systems focus on establishing consistent design standards and reusable components, UX Designers concentrate on understanding user needs and crafting intuitive experiences. Both roles collaborate closely to ensure products are visually cohesive and user-friendly, but their core responsibilities differ significantly.

How does a Design Systems role typically collaborate with cross-functional teams, and what challenges might arise?

Professionals working in Design Systems frequently collaborate with product managers, engineers, and UX/UI designers to ensure consistency and efficiency across digital products. A key challenge is balancing the need for standardization with the creative needs of individual teams, which often requires strong communication and negotiation skills. Regular meetings, documentation, and design reviews are common practices to foster alignment and address feedback. Navigating differing priorities and integrating updates into an established system are also typical hurdles, making adaptability and problem-solving essential in this role.

What are system design jobs?

System design jobs involve creating and planning the architecture of complex software or hardware systems to ensure they are scalable, efficient, and reliable. These roles often require skills in software engineering, understanding of infrastructure, and knowledge of design principles, with professionals frequently using tools like diagrams and modeling software. They are common in technology companies and may require experience with system architecture, coding, and collaboration with development teams.

What are design systems?

Design systems are comprehensive collections of guidelines, reusable components, and standards that help teams create consistent, cohesive, and efficient user interfaces across products. They typically include visual style guides, UI components, usage documentation, and coding resources to streamline design and development processes. By using a design system, organizations can ensure brand consistency, improve collaboration between designers and developers, and accelerate product development.

What jobs can DT get you?

A career in Design Systems can lead to roles such as Design Systems Designer, UX Designer, UI Designer, or Front-End Developer. These positions typically require skills in design tools, coding, and understanding of user experience principles, often involving collaboration with product teams. Certifications in design or development tools can enhance job prospects.
What cities in Michigan are hiring for Design Systems jobs? Cities in Michigan with the most Design Systems job openings:
Infographic showing various Design Systems job openings in Michigan as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 8% Part Time, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $103,362 per year, or $49.7 per hour.
Senior Designer - Web & Mobile Apps, Governance

Senior Designer - Web & Mobile Apps, Governance

General Motors

Warren, MI • On-site, Remote

$106K - $163K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 23 days ago


General Motors rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 306 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 44 rated automakers


Job description

Job Description

Work Arrangement

  • This role is categorized as remote orhybridto Warren, MI, Austin, TX or Mountain View, CA. Remote candidates will be considered.

  • If you live within 50 miles of a GM hub location, you are expected to report to the office three times per week, or other frequency dictated by the business.

  • If you live outside a 50 mile radius of these locations, please still apply.

The Role

As a Senior Designer on the Human Interface Design (HID team), governing the Web & Mobile Apps team. In this role, you will be a steward the integrity, scalability, and long-term health of GM's web and app design system. This is a senior individual contributor role with broad organizational influence. You will operate at the intersection of design systems, governance, and cross-functional alignment, ensuring that teams across GM build with coherence, quality, and intent.

This role requires both deep systems knowledge and the confidence to navigate high-stakes conversations with senior Marketing, Product, Engineering and Agency partners when work diverges from established standards. You are not a production designer. You are a highly experienced and technically skilled agent of design quality, active at the organizational level with 5+ years of hands-on experience designing forsoftware, web, and mobile products.
You are a Figma expert and bring strong systems thinking and a passion for scalable, well-documented design processes. Your craft is rooted in clarity, structure, and functionality-not just aesthetics-and you're comfortable collaborating closely with engineers to ensure high-fidelity implementation.

What You'll Do

  • Own and evolve core elements of GM's web and app design system, including patterns, guidelines, and usage principles.

  • Define clear system boundaries and guardrails, including where flexibility is allowed and where it is not.

  • Partner with Marketing, Product, Engineering, and external agencies to ensure proper adoption and use of the design system.

  • Lead design reviews focused on system alignment, quality, and long-term scalability rather than surface-level execution.

  • Intervene when teams or agencies go off-system, guiding course correction through principled, credible design rationale.

  • Translate system intent into clear guidance, documentation, and decision frameworks that teams can use.

  • Act as a senior design representative in complex, sometimes adversarial conversations where brand, speed, or local needs conflict with system integrity.

  • Champion accessibility, inclusivity, and consistency as non-negotiable system qualities.

  • Present system strategy, decisions, and tradeoffs to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

  • Bachelor's degree in Design, Human Computer Interaction, Visual Communications, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.

  • 5+ years of professional experience in product design, systems design, or design systems roles.

  • Demonstrated experience owning or significantly contributing to large-scale design systems across multiple products, brands, or platforms.

  • Strong portfolio showing system-level thinking, decision-making frameworks, and long-term impact rather than only artifact production.

  • Proven ability to influence without direct authority and to hold firm on standards under pressure.

  • Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, including experience presenting to senior leaders and navigating contentious discussions.

  • Deep expertise in modern design tools and systems workflows, including Figma-based system management.

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

  • 7+ years of professional experience in product design, systems design, or design systems roles.

  • Experience working with global brands, complex brand architectures, or federated organizations.

  • Prior experience engaging with Marketing organizations and external agencies in governance or review contexts.

  • Background in automotive, enterprise platforms, or large-scale digital ecosystems.

  • Demonstrated success balancing standardization with brand expression and local market needs.

  • Experience defining governance models, review processes, or contribution frameworks for design systems.

  • Strong understanding of accessibility standards and their application at the system level.

GM Values & Behaviors

This role models GM's values - Customers, Excellence, Relationships, Truth - and demonstrates GM Behaviors:

  • Win with integrity

  • Innovate & embrace change

  • Move with urgency

  • Lead as one team

  • Commit to customers

  • Speak fearlessly

  • Be inclusive

  • Own the outcome

Compensation

  • The expected base compensation for this role is: ($106,600-163,400). Actual base compensation within the identified range will vary based on factors relevant to the position.

  • Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.

  • Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc). This role is based remotely, but if the selected candidate lives within a specific mile radius of a GM hub, they will be expected to report to the location three times a week {or other frequency dictated by your manager}. This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day - individually and collectively - to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well-being-at work and at home-so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us or call us at 1-800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.


What General Motors employees say

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General Motors logo

About General Motors

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

General Motors is a company with global scale and capabilities, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, with employees around the world. The company employs over 165,000 people, serves six continents, operates across 22 time zones, and has a diverse workforce speaking 75 languages1. GM’s vision is to drive the world forward by pioneering innovations that move and connect people to what matters. The company is working towards an all-electric future with its new Ultium Platform and is pushing transportation options beyond our wildest imaginations with autonomous vehicles. GM is also committed to becoming the most inclusive company in the world.

Industry

Transportation equipment manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Detroit, MI, US

Year founded

1908