Product Design Lead

Job Description
We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we're all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

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 interactions experiences that meet the needs of people today, and in the future. Our team is comprised of a dynamic group of product designers, researchers, visual designers, industrial designers, modelers, and project managers.

In this position…
We're looking for an inspiring
Product Design Lead
to help develop experiences for the "first EV that anyone can understand", and well as help mentor our talented team of product designers in our Digital Product Design organization. You'll be a key strategic partner, working closely with product management, engineering, research, and other leaders across the company to define the future of our vehicles and services.

You'll champion user-centered design principles, elevate the craft of design within the team, and foster a collaborative and innovative design culture. If you're passionate about building and leading high-performing teams, setting design strategy, and ensuring we consistently deliver beautiful, intuitive, and impactful experiences, we'd love to talk to you

This role is located in Palo Alto, CA with an in-office expectation of 4 days/week.
Responsibilities
What you'll do…

• Lead High-Impact Design Work: Own the design of key digital products and experiences from discovery through delivery. Apply user-centered design principles to create intuitive, delightful, and accessible interfaces.
• Inspire and Guide Designers: Support a small group of designers through informal mentorship and design direction. Help elevate the quality of the team's work through thoughtful critique and collaboration.
• Shape Product Direction: Work closely with cross-functional partners in product, engineering, research, and data to define problem spaces, explore solutions, and contribute to product strategy.
• Champion Craft & Consistency: Push for design excellence at every stage. Help evolve our design system and ensure consistency across platforms and vehicle experiences.
• Collaborate Across Teams: Communicate clearly and proactively with stakeholders. Advocate for the user experience while balancing technical and business needs.
• Advocate for Users: Participate in user research and testing efforts to deeply understand customer needs—and turn those insights into thoughtful, impactful design solutions.

Qualifications
You'll have…

• Bachelors Degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• 8+ years of experience in product design, with a strong portfolio of user-centered digital work across web, mobile, or embedded platforms.
• Experience working closely with cross-functional product and engineering teams in agile environments.
• Ability to lead end-to-end design efforts on complex projects—from concept through execution.
• Passion for systems thinking and interaction design across digital and physical touchpoints.
• Familiarity with design systems and component-based UI frameworks.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to advocate for design with clarity and confidence.
• A collaborative mindset and a desire to mentor and inspire others around you.

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 child care 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.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here:

Visa sponsorship is 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

Onsite work of up to four days per week may be required for candidates within commuting distance of a Ford hub location. #DPDJOB