How to apply for Design Lead / Head of Design

About Epoch AI

Epoch AI is a research team that studies and forecasts the future development of advanced AI. The work is aimed at researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders who need to understand where AI is heading. A designer here shapes how that research is seen and used, not just how it looks.

About the role

This is a Design Lead or Head of Design role covering UI/UX and data visualization. You manage a team of 3–4 designers plus part-time contributors, report to the COO, and own strategy across the website and data products. You build dashboards and the website, and you set the direction for how Epoch's research is perceived.

A typical day

A typical day likely includes reviewing design work from your team, meeting with research, communications, and web development partners, and working on website or dashboard direction. You report to the COO and set design strategy across the website and data products. Exact routines are not described in the posting, so ask about team meetings, tools, and review cycles in the interview.

Who Epoch AI is looking for

• Senior designer with experience leading UI/UX and data visualization work, including dashboards.
• Has managed a design team of roughly 3–4 people and coordinated part-time contributors.
• Can translate complex research into intuitive, engaging designs for researchers and policymakers.
• Comfortable owning design strategy across a website and data products and partnering with leadership, communications, web development, and research teams.
• Based in a North or South American timezone; remote work is supported.

Tips for this application

• Do not include a cover letter. Epoch AI explicitly asks applicants not to send one.
• Do not include a photograph, headshot, or personal information not relevant to the role, such as marital status, age, or identity traits.
• Show data visualization and dashboard work in your portfolio, since that is a core part of this role.
• Show website work where you owned the strategy, not just execution, because the role covers strategy across the website and data products.
• Apply as soon as possible. Applications are rolling, so there is no fixed deadline and earlier applications are reviewed sooner.

What to cover in your cover letter

Epoch AI asks applicants not to include a cover letter. If you include one anyway, focus on your experience managing 3–4 designers, your data visualization and dashboard portfolio, your website strategy ownership, and how you translate complex research for researchers and policymakers. Note that the instructions say not to send one, so the safer choice is to omit it.

Research before applying

• Read Epoch AI's research and forecasts to understand the content the design work must communicate.
• Review the Epoch AI website and any dashboards or data products to assess current design and identify gaps.
• Look at how Epoch AI communicates with researchers and policymakers to understand the audience for the design work.
• Check Epoch AI's public materials for how the design team is structured and what the current design work covers.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would set design direction for a research organization's website and data products.
• Examples of dashboards or data visualizations you built and how they were used.
• How you manage a team of 3–4 designers and part-time contributors, including prioritization and feedback.
• How you translate complex research into designs for researchers and policymakers.
• How you partner with leadership, communications, web development, and research teams, and how you report to a COO.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sending a cover letter when the posting explicitly says not to include one.
• Including a photograph, headshot, or personal details like marital status, age, or identity traits.
• Applying from outside North or South American timezones, since the posting says only those timezones are considered.