... speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions • Own pre-roadmap coordination by creating the ...
... speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions • Own pre-roadmap coordination by creating the ...
Co-op, Design Researcher
Boston, MA · On-site
$20 - $32/hr
Our speculative design practice combines creativity, strategy, and rigorous research to craft products, spaces, and vivid storytelling, taking a holistic approach to design innovation. We challenge ...
Co-op, Design Researcher
Boston, MA · On-site
$20 - $32/hr
Our speculative design practice combines creativity, strategy, and rigorous research to craft products, spaces, and vivid storytelling, taking a holistic approach to design innovation. We challenge ...
Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions * Own pre ...
Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions * Own pre ...
Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions * Own pre ...
Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions * Own pre ...
Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions * Own pre ...
Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions * Own pre ...
2026 Visual Arts Temporary Lecturer
La Jolla, CA · On-site
$80K/yr
Preferred qualifications MFA and/or PhD in Studio Art, Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts, Speculative Design, Media, Art History/Criticism or other related field by the time of application.
2026 Visual Arts Temporary Lecturer
La Jolla, CA · On-site
$80K/yr
Preferred qualifications MFA and/or PhD in Studio Art, Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts, Speculative Design, Media, Art History/Criticism or other related field by the time of application.
Co-op, Designer
Boston, MA · On-site
$20 - $32/hr
Our speculative design practice combines creativity, strategy, and rigorous research to craft products, spaces, and vivid storytelling, taking a holistic approach to design innovation. We challenge ...
Co-op, Designer
Boston, MA · On-site
$20 - $32/hr
Our speculative design practice combines creativity, strategy, and rigorous research to craft products, spaces, and vivid storytelling, taking a holistic approach to design innovation. We challenge ...
Co-op, Multimedia Storyteller
Boston, MA · On-site
$20 - $32/hr
Our speculative design practice combines creativity, strategy, and rigorous research to craft products, spaces, and vivid storytelling, taking a holistic approach to design innovation. We challenge ...
Co-op, Multimedia Storyteller
Boston, MA · On-site
$20 - $32/hr
Our speculative design practice combines creativity, strategy, and rigorous research to craft products, spaces, and vivid storytelling, taking a holistic approach to design innovation. We challenge ...
Assistant Professor, Graphic Design
$85K - $90K/yr
... speculative design, computational approaches to design, and the integration of emerging technologies into design practice. Candidates should be prepared to teach design fundamentals and emerging ...
Assistant Professor, Graphic Design
$85K - $90K/yr
... speculative design, computational approaches to design, and the integration of emerging technologies into design practice. Candidates should be prepared to teach design fundamentals and emerging ...
Assistant Professor, Graphic Design
$85K - $90K/yr
... speculative design, computational approaches to design, and the integration of emerging technologies into design practice. Candidates should be prepared to teach design fundamentals and emerging ...
Assistant Professor, Graphic Design
$85K - $90K/yr
... speculative design, computational approaches to design, and the integration of emerging technologies into design practice. Candidates should be prepared to teach design fundamentals and emerging ...
Speculative applications
New York, NY · On-site
We welcome speculative applications from talented people who are keen to join the Bipsync team but ... Product Design and People Operations. Please ensure that your desired role falls within your ...
Speculative applications
New York, NY · On-site
We welcome speculative applications from talented people who are keen to join the Bipsync team but ... Product Design and People Operations. Please ensure that your desired role falls within your ...
Fields of study may include Sustainability, Digital Fabrication, Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), Physical Prototyping, UI/UX, Speculative Design and Design for Social ...
Fields of study may include Sustainability, Digital Fabrication, Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), Physical Prototyping, UI/UX, Speculative Design and Design for Social ...
Computer Aided Design (CAD) & BIM Designer
Miami, FL · On-site
$25.75 - $35.75/hr
The CAD / BIM Designer will create detailed design drawings using software such as AutoCAD, Revit ... Any speculative or unsolicited CV's will be treated as a direct application. All your information ...
Computer Aided Design (CAD) & BIM Designer
Miami, FL · On-site
$25.75 - $35.75/hr
The CAD / BIM Designer will create detailed design drawings using software such as AutoCAD, Revit ... Any speculative or unsolicited CV's will be treated as a direct application. All your information ...
Computer Aided Design (CAD) & BIM Designer
$25.75 - $35.75/hr
The CAD / BIM Designer will create detailed design drawings using software such as AutoCAD, Revit ... Any speculative or unsolicited CV's will be treated as a direct application. All your information ...
Quick apply
Computer Aided Design (CAD) & BIM Designer
$25.75 - $35.75/hr
The CAD / BIM Designer will create detailed design drawings using software such as AutoCAD, Revit ... Any speculative or unsolicited CV's will be treated as a direct application. All your information ...
Computer Aided Design (CAD) & BIM Designer
$25.75 - $35.75/hr
The CAD / BIM Designer will create detailed design drawings using software such as AutoCAD, Revit ... Any speculative or unsolicited CV's will be treated as a direct application. All your information ...
Computer Aided Design (CAD) & BIM Designer
$25.75 - $35.75/hr
The CAD / BIM Designer will create detailed design drawings using software such as AutoCAD, Revit ... Any speculative or unsolicited CV's will be treated as a direct application. All your information ...
Product Designer, Benefits
$127K - $160K/yr
A portfolio of professional (non-speculative) design work for real-world applications; and the ability to present your work in the form of case studies articulating the design problem, your process ...
Product Designer, Benefits
$127K - $160K/yr
A portfolio of professional (non-speculative) design work for real-world applications; and the ability to present your work in the form of case studies articulating the design problem, your process ...
We are very happy to receive speculative resumes if you are looking for a career change within the aerospace industry. Our flexible recruitment services will provide you with the following employment ...
We are very happy to receive speculative resumes if you are looking for a career change within the aerospace industry. Our flexible recruitment services will provide you with the following employment ...
DESIGN STUDIO MANAGER
Erlanger, KY · On-site
Work with Division Managers and Sales Managers to design speculative inventory homes utilizing research on what will be popular for a given community and home plan. * Train sales teams in product ...
DESIGN STUDIO MANAGER
Erlanger, KY · On-site
Work with Division Managers and Sales Managers to design speculative inventory homes utilizing research on what will be popular for a given community and home plan. * Train sales teams in product ...
DESIGN STUDIO MANAGER
Erlanger, KY · On-site
Work with Division Managers and Sales Managers to design speculative inventory homes utilizing research on what will be popular for a given community and home plan. * Train sales teams in product ...
DESIGN STUDIO MANAGER
Erlanger, KY · On-site
Work with Division Managers and Sales Managers to design speculative inventory homes utilizing research on what will be popular for a given community and home plan. * Train sales teams in product ...
DESIGN STUDIO MANAGER
Erlanger, KY · On-site
Work with Division Managers and Sales Managers to design speculative inventory homes utilizing research on what will be popular for a given community and home plan. * Train sales teams in product ...
DESIGN STUDIO MANAGER
Erlanger, KY · On-site
Work with Division Managers and Sales Managers to design speculative inventory homes utilizing research on what will be popular for a given community and home plan. * Train sales teams in product ...
Speculative Design information
See salary details
$42K - $56.5K
4% of jobs
$56.5K - $71K
8% of jobs
$81.6K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$71K - $85.5K
17% of jobs
The median wage is $99K / yr.
$85.5K - $100K
22% of jobs
$100K - $114.5K
15% of jobs
$114.5K - $129K
6% of jobs
$133.7K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$129K - $143.5K
7% of jobs
$143.5K - $158K
7% of jobs
$158K - $172.5K
8% of jobs
$172.5K - $187K
2% of jobs
$187K - $201.5K
2% of jobs
$42K
$114.5K
$201.5K
How much do speculative design jobs pay per year?
As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for speculative design in the United States is $114,491.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,500.00 and $144,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Speculative Design position, and why are they important?
To thrive in Speculative Design, you need a strong background in design thinking, critical research, and future scenario development, often supported by a degree in design, innovation, or related fields. Familiarity with prototyping tools, visual storytelling software like Adobe Creative Suite, and speculative design frameworks is highly beneficial. Outstanding creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong communication skills set exceptional candidates apart. These abilities enable designers to imagine and articulate visionary concepts that provoke discussion and inform real-world innovation.
What is a Speculative Design job?
A Speculative Design job involves exploring possible futures by creating concepts, prototypes, and narratives that challenge assumptions and inspire new ways of thinking. Designers in this field use research, technology, and storytelling to investigate social, ethical, and environmental implications of emerging trends. Rather than solving immediate problems, speculative designers provoke discussion and envision alternative possibilities. These roles are common in innovation labs, academic institutions, and research-driven design studios.
What are some typical projects or challenges faced by professionals in Speculative Design roles?
Professionals in Speculative Design often work on projects that envision alternative futures, develop conceptual products or services, or explore the potential impact of emerging technologies on society. They are frequently tasked with creating prototypes, visual narratives, or immersive experiences that provoke dialogue and critical thinking among diverse stakeholders. Challenges may include grappling with uncertainty, balancing imagination with practical feasibility, and effectively communicating speculative ideas to non-expert audiences. Collaboration is key, as speculative designers regularly work with researchers, technologists, and policy experts to address complex, ambiguous problems.
More about Speculative Design jobs
What cities are hiring for Speculative Design jobs? Cities with the most Speculative Design job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Speculative Design jobs? The most popular types of Speculative Design jobs are:
What states have the most Speculative Design jobs? States with the most job openings for Speculative Design jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Speculative Design jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Speculative Design jobs are:
Job description
Job Summary:
Adobe is seeking a Staff Design Program Manager to join the Firefly Design team within Adobe Design. This role involves establishing and leading innovation operations practices to support design leaders and enhance early-stage creative exploration across globally distributed teams.
Responsibilities:
• Establish and lead the innovation operations practice for the Firefly Design team, including frameworks, rituals, and tools that enable consistent early-stage design exploration across a globally distributed organization
• Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions
• Own pre-roadmap coordination by creating the operational connective tissue between research, design, and product in the space before features are formally scoped
• Build repeatable intake, scoping, and synthesis processes for 0-to-1 programs so innovation work can be tracked, evaluated, and communicated to leadership without losing its exploratory nature
• Partner with design leadership to define what innovation success looks like for Firefly, and establish the metrics and documentation practices to measure and report it
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to design leads, helping them translate early-stage creative thinking into program structures that can move through the organization
• Create alignment across design, product, engineering, and research by building shared language and process for how innovation work gets prioritized, staffed, and progressed
• Represent and advocate for the Firefly design team's innovation portfolio to senior leadership, connecting exploratory work to broader organizational goals
• Apply AI tooling to innovation workflows, from research synthesis to facilitation support to executive reporting, and help the design team build fluency in working this way
• Partner with product and engineering leadership to map the full product development lifecycle for Firefly, and identify where design innovation input is needed at each stage to influence outcomes before decisions are locked
Qualifications:
Required:
• 10+ years of experience in design operations, program management, or innovation strategy within a design and technology environment
• Demonstrated experience building innovation operations from the ground up, not inheriting a practice, but establishing one
• Deep fluency in innovation methodologies including design sprints, speculative design, futures thinking, and rapid prototyping, with the judgment to know when each is the right tool
• Demonstrated experience navigating the tension between product maturation and ongoing innovation, helping organizations balance the demands of scale with continued evolution and growth
• Experience coordinating across globally distributed design and product teams, with strong instincts for async-first communication and cross-timezone collaboration
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to translate exploratory creative work into language that resonates with senior leadership without flattening its nuance
• Ability to build trust quickly with design leadership and act as a genuine thought partner, not just an operational executor
• Comfort with and curiosity about AI tools, including experience applying them to design or program management workflows
• A portfolio of innovation programs or frameworks you have built, facilitated, and iterated on over time
• Deep understanding of the product development lifecycle, including how design work moves through discovery, definition, and delivery, and where innovation processes must connect to ship-ready work without losing creative ambition
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
Company:
Adobe is a software company that provides its users with digital marketing and media solutions. Founded in 1982, the company is headquartered in San Jose, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.
Adobe is seeking a Staff Design Program Manager to join the Firefly Design team within Adobe Design. This role involves establishing and leading innovation operations practices to support design leaders and enhance early-stage creative exploration across globally distributed teams.
Responsibilities:
• Establish and lead the innovation operations practice for the Firefly Design team, including frameworks, rituals, and tools that enable consistent early-stage design exploration across a globally distributed organization
• Design and facilitate design sprints, speculative design sessions, and futures thinking workshops that help the team move from ambiguous problem spaces to actionable design directions
• Own pre-roadmap coordination by creating the operational connective tissue between research, design, and product in the space before features are formally scoped
• Build repeatable intake, scoping, and synthesis processes for 0-to-1 programs so innovation work can be tracked, evaluated, and communicated to leadership without losing its exploratory nature
• Partner with design leadership to define what innovation success looks like for Firefly, and establish the metrics and documentation practices to measure and report it
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to design leads, helping them translate early-stage creative thinking into program structures that can move through the organization
• Create alignment across design, product, engineering, and research by building shared language and process for how innovation work gets prioritized, staffed, and progressed
• Represent and advocate for the Firefly design team's innovation portfolio to senior leadership, connecting exploratory work to broader organizational goals
• Apply AI tooling to innovation workflows, from research synthesis to facilitation support to executive reporting, and help the design team build fluency in working this way
• Partner with product and engineering leadership to map the full product development lifecycle for Firefly, and identify where design innovation input is needed at each stage to influence outcomes before decisions are locked
Qualifications:
Required:
• 10+ years of experience in design operations, program management, or innovation strategy within a design and technology environment
• Demonstrated experience building innovation operations from the ground up, not inheriting a practice, but establishing one
• Deep fluency in innovation methodologies including design sprints, speculative design, futures thinking, and rapid prototyping, with the judgment to know when each is the right tool
• Demonstrated experience navigating the tension between product maturation and ongoing innovation, helping organizations balance the demands of scale with continued evolution and growth
• Experience coordinating across globally distributed design and product teams, with strong instincts for async-first communication and cross-timezone collaboration
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to translate exploratory creative work into language that resonates with senior leadership without flattening its nuance
• Ability to build trust quickly with design leadership and act as a genuine thought partner, not just an operational executor
• Comfort with and curiosity about AI tools, including experience applying them to design or program management workflows
• A portfolio of innovation programs or frameworks you have built, facilitated, and iterated on over time
• Deep understanding of the product development lifecycle, including how design work moves through discovery, definition, and delivery, and where innovation processes must connect to ship-ready work without losing creative ambition
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
Company:
Adobe is a software company that provides its users with digital marketing and media solutions. Founded in 1982, the company is headquartered in San Jose, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.
About Adobe
Sourced by ZipRecruiter
Adobe for All is our vision to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across our company and in our communities. We’re focused on creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce; unleashing the full potential of every employee; and driving meaningful impact for Adobe, our industry, and society at large. Creativity has the power to unite us and inspire us to change the world. Through a vision we call Creativity for All, we’re empowering millions of people of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves, reach their full potential, and share their diverse perspectives with the world. We’re committed to advancing the responsible use of technology and driving a positive environmental impact through sustainability and climate action. Our innovations are making a significant impact across AI ethics, security, privacy, trust and safety, accessibility, and sustainability.
Industry
Computer and computer peripheral equipment and software wholesalers
Company size
10,000+ Employees
Headquarters location
San Jose, CA, US
Year founded
1982