Principal Brand Designer

📋 Description

• We are open to remote candidates located within PST to BRT time zones.

• At Metalab, we design some of the world’s most beloved products. Founders at early-stage startups hire us to help build businesses from scratch, and leaders at global enterprises hire us to help launch new products.

• As a Principal Brand Designer, you will set the creative vision for brands, driving excellence in brand identity, marketing, and storytelling.

• You’ll guide clients and internal teams through the brand design process, ensuring our work is both visually stunning and strategically impactful.

• You’ll play a key role in shaping how Metalab and our clients' brands come to life across digital experiences, bringing a systems-thinking approach to branding that integrates seamlessly with product design.

• You’ll act as a brand leader, advocating for design excellence while collaborating across disciplines to build brands that don’t just look great—they enhance user experiences and drive business impact.

• What you’ll do:

• Lead the brand design process from concept to execution, setting the creative and strategic vision for brands.

• Develop inspiring, relevant, and scalable brand identities that strengthen digital products and businesses.

• Act as a trusted partner to clients and internal teams, educating them on brand best practices and guiding them through a rigorous but agile branding process.

• Work closely with Product Designers, Product Managers, and Client Partners to ensure brand identity aligns seamlessly with product experiences.

• Advocate for brand thinking across the organization, increasing brand literacy within our teams and clients.

• Deliver polished, well-documented brand systems that serve as an enduring source of truth for internal and external teams.

• Push creative boundaries, exploring motion, 3D, and interactive elements to elevate brand experiences.

• Present, sell, and defend creative work to stakeholders, ensuring buy-in and alignment at every stage of the process.

🎯 Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in brand design, marketing, or visual identity, with a portfolio showcasing brand identities that live in digital environments.

• Proven expertise in translating brand strategy into compelling visual identities, design systems, and marketing materials.

• Strong presentation skills—you can confidently articulate design rationale to large stakeholder groups.

• Experience working in collaborative, highly iterative environments, sharing work frequently and refining based on feedback.

• Proficiency in Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop, and a deep understanding of brand documentation and systematization.

• A passion for storytelling and the ability to create narratives that drive brand engagement.

• Comfortable leading workshops, brand exercises, and sprints with both internal and external teams.

• A deep understanding of product design principles and how brand design integrates with digital experiences.

• Nice-to-haves:

• Experience in motion, 3D, or interactive design to enhance brand expression.

• Strong writing skills—whether it’s creative copy, brand guidelines, or strategic positioning.