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Visual Design Lead

Job ID
69645
Location
Palo Alto, California
Category
PD Operations and Quality

Overview

At Ford, you’ll work on ideas that matter, alongside passionate people who want to make a global impact. Together, we’re shaping the next era of transportation—grounded in purpose, driven by progress. Make your move.

  • Job Type: Full time
  • Work Type: Hybrid

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

Digital Product Design (DPD) at Ford is committed to envisioning and creating simple, thoughtful, enjoyable, and compelling product experiences that our customers need and love. We work in close partnership with product and engineering to deliver best-in-class interaction experiences. Our team includes product designers, researchers, visual designers, industrial designers, modelers, and project managers.

In this position...

As a leader on Ford's Digital Product Design team, the Visual Design Lead sits within our Design DNA team and is responsible for the visual craft behind how people interface with Ford vehicles through the visual design of the in-vehicle experience, connected devices, and mobile applications. This role shapes the look, feel, and visual consistency of Ford and Lincoln's digital ecosystem at scale, across millions of touchpoints worldwide.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be in office four or more days per week.

What you'll do... Visual Craft & Systems

  • Establish and codify the visual “look and feel” of Ford and Lincoln digital experiences, in-vehicle and beyond
  • Define and evolve visual and motion design standards — typography, color systems, iconography, imagery, layout/grid, and GUI components — into a cohesive design language for DPD
  • Lead the creation of “exemplar” visual design work that sets the bar for quality and craft across the team
  • Guide design teams in up-leveling presentation and prototyping through stronger visual and motion execution
  • Use consumer research, competitive benchmarking, and automotive-industry knowledge to inform and evolve the visual design language

What you'll do... Collaboration & Execution

  • Partner with UX designers to solve problems and deliver high-quality, on-brand experiences
  • Work with engineering teams to guide visual execution to the highest standard, with consistency across implementation
  • Participate in design reviews, providing clear, constructive visual design feedback
  • Manage communication with internal colleagues and stakeholders

You'll have...

  • Bachelor's degree in graphic design, UI/UX design, digital product design, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
  • Strong, demonstrable visual design skills, with experience building and extending complex digital design languages/systems
  • A portfolio showing exceptional command of layout, hierarchy, typography, color theory, and iconography in interactive/digital contexts (portfolio required for consideration)
  • 6+ years of dedicated experience in visual UI/UX design for complex digital products and consumer-facing brands
  • 6+ years of experience working within highly collaborative creative teams (product-side or consultancy)
  • A positive, inspiring presence on a team, paired with the ability to give clear, actionable design feedback


Even better, you may have...

  • Experience working closely with multi-disciplinary teams of researchers, designers, product managers, and engineers
  • Proficiency with modern visual design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Protopie, Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects, Rive, or 3D animation tools)
  • Deep passion for brand and digital product design
  • Experience designing visual systems across key touchpoints in the customer journey
  • Experience developing brand guidelines/standards for user interfaces — color, typography, iconography, imagery, and GUI elements
  • Experience bringing digital products or services to market
  • Experience mentoring or managing others in the visual design field
  • Passion for the automotive and transportation industry
  • Strong verbal, written, and visual presentation skills


You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.


For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week. 

#LI-Hybrid #DesignTeam #LI-LS1

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Change the world with your ideas.

Speak up. We’re listening. At Ford, we believe the right ideas, and the people behind them, can move an entire industry. Here, you'll work with teams who value your voice, push bold ideas forward, and leave a mark that lasts.

An office lobby with people in various activities.

Support designed to go the distance.

From day one, Ford invests in you with medical benefits built to help you plan for what’s next. You’ll also get support for you and your family that meets you at every step, so you can move forward with confidence.

  • Health and Wellness

    Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, mental health, and unique wellness perks keep you and your family supported every step of the way.

  • Financial and Retirement Programs

    Build a strong financial future with robust retirement contributions, savings programs, and free personalized financial planning tools.

  • Flexible Vacation and Holidays

    Enjoy your time away from work with generous vacation, holidays, and flexible family leave designed to help you balance life and work with ease.

  • Vehicle Discount Program

    The best thing about building great products is driving them! The second-best thing: sharing your discount with family and friends so they can drive them, too.

  • Family Growth and Support

    Grow your family confidently with fertility, surrogacy, and adoption assistance, paid parental leave, and a supportive new-parent ramp-up program.

  • Additional Programs

    Enjoy unexpected extras like pet insurance, legal services, identity protection, and access to convenient health and wellness services.

Testimonial

Ford gives me the space to innovate, to lead, and to serve — all while staying true to who I am as an engineer, educator, and parent. It’s not just a career; it’s a community that drives change.

  • Built on one bold idea and the passion to define sustainable transportation for generations to come, Ford is a story about people with a vision that’s still being written.

    What We Do
  • Ford’s culture fuels the kind of momentum where ideas flow, progress is unstoppable, and our people keep redefining what it means to innovate.

    Our People and Culture
  • At Ford, your work matters, your life matters and we’re here to back the whole you—from growth to well-being—so you show up ready to realize your full potential.

    Your Benefits

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