Principal Visual Designer, Software Applications - Cricut

Cricut® makes smart cutting machines that work with an easy-to-use app, an ever-growing collection of materials, and crafting essentials to help you design and personalize almost anything — custom cards, unique apparel, everyday items, and so much more.

Let’s make.

Overview

We believe everyone is born creative. We’re a diverse tapestry of thinkers, dreamers, givers, DIYers, handi-workers, artisans, and forever and always architects of things.

At Cricut, we place the power of handmade into the hands of all. We give you beautiful, easy-to-master tools so you can make something unique, remarkable, perfect. We surround you with ideas, community, inspiration, and encouragement to take your creativity further than you ever imagined. And as a community, we celebrate the exhilarating act of making every single day.

So, make that handcrafted card that feels like a hug. Design a shirt for fun, for family, or for a full-blown business. Craft with a passion or for a purpose. Make something big and bold, itsy-bitsy, amazingly ambitious, or just plain silly. Whatever you make, just make your heart out. Because here’s the remarkable truth: When we all make together, we make all things possible.

Let’s make.

This role is within the UX team at Cricut. The group is responsible for user research, interaction design and visual design of software applications across desktop and mobile platforms. We design intuitive, easy-to-use software that inspires our customers, and helps them design and make unique, personalized projects.  

The team is uniquely positioned – with direct connections to the executive team and CEO - and we collaborate across the organization to ensure hardware, content, materials, and software all work together to deliver awesome experiences. Our UX team members come from varied backgrounds and experience; all of us were drawn to the mission of empowering every person to be creative.  

If you are interested in helping others realize their creativity and enjoy working on consumer-facing hardware / software, Cricut may have the dream job for you! 
We are looking for top-notch, seasoned UX visual design leaders who have vision, communicate it well and love deep problem solving. 

This position is not about skinning software; it is about artfully applying visual communication to create compelling user experiences. Applicants must have significant experience designing the visual appearance of software applications. This is a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity – the right person will have incredible impact on the look and feel of Cricut’s software across the board. 
 
You’ll focus on the design of delightful software experiences that clearly communicate functionality and interactivity, while maintaining and extending Cricut’s brand. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in the entire user-centered UX design process – from concept through execution, incorporating customer feedback throughout the process. Your work will happen in a highly collaborative environment, where you partner with interaction designers, researchers, product managers, software developers, industrial designers, and colleagues from the Marketing and Creative teams. 

Responsibilities: 

• Create visual designs that support compelling user experiences on a variety of software platforms (including desktop and mobile) that integrate with our branded ecosystem of machines, materials and accessories. 

• Deliver work that translates complex ideas into simple and useful designs. 

• Collaborate with UX researchers, interaction designers, product managers, software developers and QA to deliver high quality visual designs that communicate clearly and effectively. 

• Help drive development of a visual design system that will empower the UX team and developers to move more quickly, with consistency. 

• Participate in every stage of the user-centered design process – visualize possibilities early in the design process to facilitate communication, create graphics to support user-testable prototypes, and deliver pixel-perfect visual designs that are implementation-ready. 

• Clearly articulate how and why your design directions address the challenge at hand and be ready to consider tradeoffs and alternatives to meet new requirements as they arise. 

• Leverage, extend and maintain the integrity of the Cricut brand in collaboration with our Creative Team (who are responsible for packaging, marketing, etc.) 

• Balance work on several design projects simultaneously, bringing system’s thinking and a clear understanding of relationships between different aspects of the software to ensure visual coherence. 

• Execute to the quality of top consumer brands such as Apple and Google Nest, stay abreast of visual product design trends, and communicate them to the entire UX team to ensure our work and process are state-of-the-art. 

• 4+ years of experience as a UI / visual designer working on consumer-facing software applications on more than one platform (e.g., Mac, Windows, iOS, Android). Applicants must include portfolio pieces that demonstrate expertise in designing visuals for software applications. 

• Exceptional portfolio, demonstrating software application visual design executed to a high level of impact and refinement. 

• Excellent visual design skills, including a strong understanding of typography, color theory, composition, and branded experiences. 

• Deep experience with user interface design patterns and User Centered Design methods. 

• Mastery of standard design tools such as Figma, Sketch or Adobe Creative Suite and a willingness to learn new tools.  

• A willingness to jump into design work at multiple stages of development, with a keen eye towards weaving it all together coherently. 

• Strong conceptual thinker who has a passion for visual design problem solving. 

• Keen attention to detail and a passion for simplifying complicated systems. 

• Excellent written and spoken communication; ability to clearly defend design choices with clear rationale. 

• Egoless, with a clear focus on collaboration over individual accolades. 

• Strong organizational, multi-tasking, and time management skills and the ability to work independently. 

• Interest in DIY / crafting experiences and a keen interest in gaining an understanding of and empathy for Cricut’s users. 

• Proven ability to partner with UX designers, UX researchers, software developers and QA to ensure user needs are met and designs are implemented correctly. 

• Experience working in an Agile environment. 

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, information design, fine art, or relevant field. Graduate degree is a plus. 

• Able to work Mountain Time hours. 

What to Do Next: 

Please attach your resume including links to your portfolio where applicable. If you want to show your super powers in other ways – include that information too. You can be sure that Cricut® is an employer who values individuality, equality and diversity, so tell us what you’re all about. If you are a Maker or a DIY enthusiast, whether you think you are a good one or not, we would love to hear about it when you send us your information!

At Cricut®, we celebrate inclusion and diversity. Cricut is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit. Cricut prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual identity, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, nationality, citizenship, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, or any other unlawful consideration. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Cricut participates in E-Verify.