About this Design Engineer role at Retell AI
ABOUT RETELL AI
Retell AI is using first-principles thinking to reimagine the call center with cutting-edge voice AI. Thousands of companies now use Retell's AI voice agents to handle sales, support, and logistics calls that once required large teams of human agents. Backed by Y Combinator, Alt Capital, and other leading investors, we've scaled to $80M in ARR with a team of 50, up from $5M at the start of 2025, and are now valued at over $1.5B.
Our vision for 2026 is to build a modern CX platform where entire contact centers are powered by AI. Instead of basic automation that needs constant human tuning, we're creating intelligent AI “workers” that act as frontline agents, QA analysts, and managers, continuously executing, monitoring, and improving every customer interaction.
We're growing fast and looking for ambitious builders who want to tackle hard technical problems, move quickly, and have a real impact on one of the fastest-growing voice AI companies in the world.
Let's build the future together.
Recent recognition:
No. 1 Best Places to Work in the Bay Area, San Francisco Business Times 2026
#3 Fastest-Growing Software Company, G2 Best Software Awards 2026
ABOUT THE ROLE
Retell AI transforms customer experience with voice AI for enterprises, including customers like CVS/Aetna, American Airlines, Lenovo, and Grab. We have more customer stories than we can tell!
Retell is hiring a Design Engineer to own the bridge between design and code.
You will build and maintain our design system, prototype in code, implement UI primitives, and ensure that what ships looks exactly like what was designed. AI tools are a first-class part of how you work, not a side experiment. You will collaborate closely with our product designer and work across the engineering team to raise the quality bar on every product surface.
This is a role for someone who cares as much about the craft as the output. You ship real components to a real product used by thousands of companies running AI voice agents at scale.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Work AI-first: use Cursor and Claude Code as your starting point for component work, with your own judgment refining quality
Build and own the Retell design system: component library, Storybook, design tokens, and Figma variables
Prototype in React and TypeScript and test with real users before full systemization
Translate Figma designs into production-grade components with pixel-level accuracy
Own design-code parity across Retell's core product: dashboard, agent config, CRM views
Review frontend PRs for visual quality, not just functionality
Document and share AI-native prompts and workflows with the design and engineering team
Partner with the product designer to evolve the visual language as the product scales
YOU MIGHT THRIVE IF
You have built or significantly contributed to a design system at a real product
You are fluent in Figma and know how to maintain a component library at scale
You write clean React + TypeScript and care about component API design
You actively use Cursor, Claude Code, or similar tools and have clear opinions on how to get good output
You prototype in code rather than waiting for pixel-perfect specs
You notice when spacing is off and can't leave it alone
Designers and engineers both love working with you
You thrive in fast-moving products where specs evolve mid-build
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Must have
Strong Figma skills: component library, variables, auto layout
Solid frontend: HTML, CSS, React, TypeScript
Experience building and maintaining UI component libraries
Design systems knowledge: tokens, spacing, visual consistency at scale
Active use of AI coding tools with clear opinions on where they help and where they don't
Has shipped real components to production products
Nice to have
Experience with Storybook
Motion and interaction design sensibility
Familiarity with accessibility standards
Background at a design-forward SaaS company
Interest in mentoring others on AI-native workflows
HOW WE EVALUATE
We care less about where you went to school and more about:
Whether you have actually owned a design system, not just contributed to one
Whether your components are clean, reusable, and visually accurate
Whether you use AI tools fluently and can show us how
Whether designers and engineers both want to work with you
Whether you sweat the details that make products feel polished
JOB DETAILS
Cash: 180k - 300k
Equity: Equity Provided
Location: Redwood City, CA, US
US Visas: Retell AI is open to sponsoring work authorization for qualified candidates, including H1B/H-1B, TN, L-1, E-3, F-1 (OPT/CPT), and O-1 visas.
OTHER BENEFITS
100% coverage for medical, dental, and vision insurance
$70/day DoorDash credit for unlimited breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
$200/month wellness reimbursement (gym, fitness classes, etc.)
$300/month commuter reimbursement (gas, Caltrain, etc.)
$75/month phone bill reimbursement
$50/month internet reimbursement
COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY
Best Offer Upfront: Choose from three cash-equity balance options; no negotiation needed.
Top 1% Talent: Above-market pay (top 5 percentile) to attract exceptional builders.
High Ownership: Small teams, >$1M revenue/employee, and significant equity.
Performance-Based: Offers tied to interview performance, not experience or past salaries.
INTERVIEW PROCESS
Stage 1: Recruiter intro call (30 min)
Stage 2: Hiring manager experience screening + portfolio review (45 min)
Stage 3: Live technical exercise, component build and walkthrough (60 min)
Stage 4: Final onsite with cross-functional team (2 hours)
