Lead Product & UX Designer

The posting, as Think of Us wrote it

About Think of Us

Think of Us (TOU) is transforming the child welfare system into one where young people and families can heal, develop, and thrive. We drive purpose-driven work aligned with meaningful systems change, powered by data and the insights of lived experience. Our focus is on prevention, keeping families strong before crisis, and on building kinship-first systems so children grow up with people they know and trust. Through bold collaborations with leaders and innovators across the public and private sectors — from Presidential Administrations to local providers — we identify leverage points and co-create solutions that re-architect child welfare for the future.

Here’s what this looks like

• Built the Lived Experience Engine into the largest dataset of its kind (51,000+ voices), powering AI tools and shaping reforms
• Partnered with California to launch the Kinship Accelerator in 8 counties, backed by $150M and a budget increase from $317M → $896M
• Drove a national kin-first shift: 39 states (plus 5 tribes) adopting kinship standards, unlocking $3B for families
• Operate one of the largest direct resource networks, connecting 1,827 families to $28M+ in support

Our team members share a commitment to driving systems change through creative problem-solving, obsessive curiosity, and a love of quickly driving innovative, measurable, and impactful results.

Position Overview

Department: Technology & Innovation

Reports to: Chief Technology & Innovation Officer

Direct Reports: N/A

Location: Hybrid; Washington, DC (min. 3 days in the office)

Category: Full Time/Exempt

This is the senior design role across Think of Us’ emerging product portfolio. You bring deep product and UX expertise alongside a strong service-design practice, and you lead and do the design work across interaction design, research, prototyping, service modeling, and experience quality.

Your primary focus will initially be ConnectMe, a reimagining of our resource navigation warmline that connects young people and families involved with the child welfare system to the resources and support they need. You will also contribute to the discovery and design of other Think of Us products and initiatives as new opportunities emerge.

You will not have direct reports at the outset, but you will have genuine authority over the quality and integrity of the end-to-end experience. You will go deep yourself where it matters most and help identify where additional internal or external design and research support is needed.

This is not primarily a visual-design role, and it is not a research-only role. You will understand the full journey of young people, families, caregivers, and the staff who support them, across both software and service. You will help ensure that what we build is understandable, trustworthy, useful, and grounded in how people actually experience the child welfare system.

Program leadership retains accountability for program outcomes, service operation
[…]
evelopment support and meaningful time off, our benefits reflect our commitment to nurturing a workplace where people can thrive, both personally and professionally.

Health & Insurance

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% for dependents.
• Access to Talkspace for confidential therapy and mental health support.
• Short-Term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance included.
• Optional Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance.
• Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs available.

Financial Benefits

• 401(k) Plan for pre-tax retirement contributions.
• Work-from-home setup stipend to optimize your workspace.

Paid Time Off

• Flexible PTO policy, plus sick leave and paid leaves of absence.
• 8 company holidays, plus two organization-wide seasonal breaks.

Learning & Development

• TOU values continuous learning and invests in the professional development of its employees in alignment with organizational needs based on role, performance, business needs, and Company policies.
• Regular organization-wide learning sessions on relevant and reflective topics.

Application Instructions

As part of your application, please submit a resume outlining your skills and experiences relevant to this role.

Please note: We do not accept phone inquiries about this position in order to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process for all applicants.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Think of Us is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and value applicants of all backgrounds, knowing that diverse perspectives strengthen our work with children, youth, and families. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and for applicants’ religious practices as required by law.