About Upstart
Upstart is a leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart's AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than two-thirds of Upstart loans are approved instantly and are fully automated.
Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas.
Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from you!
The Team
As a small-but-mighty Creative team, we touch every corner of the growing Upstart business. We sit within Growth, writing and designing for impact across all channels and verticals, elevating the brand, and seeking to be thought-leaders in our industry and beyond. We are currently working hard and fast to meet the company’s needs while building a culture of creativity that will empower the continued evolution of our work. In short, we’re darn good but we’re looking for teammates to help us rise to greatness!
As the Lead Web & Experience Designer, you will co-own and define how Upstart’s website engages users, converts visitors, and communicates our brand story. You’ll combine design excellence with strategic thinking, ensuring our site is not just aesthetically engaging but also structured for SEO, content clarity, and performance-driven conversion.
You’ll be hands-on with designing, prototyping, and optimizing the site, but also play a critical strategic role in how we scale and evolve our web experience. Working in a high-impact tiger team, you’ll help identify new opportunity spaces, push creative boundaries, and rethink how Upstart’s website can be a powerful tool for both brand storytelling and business growth.
Position Location - This role is available in the following locations: Remote, USA
Travel Requirements - As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
How you’ll make an impact:
- Own & Evolve Upstart’s Website – Lead the design, structure, and experience of our website, ensuring it is high-performing, conversion-optimized, and aligned with our brand
- Blend Strategy & Execution – Shape the site architecture, content hierarchy, and UX flows, balancing design excellence with SEO and performance marketing needs.
- Be Hands-On with Design – Execute high-quality web design, UI, and interaction design, bringing our brand to life through compelling layouts, motion, and storytelling.
- Optimize for Conversion & Growth – Use data, testing, and UX best practices to ensure every page serves a purpose and drives business impact.
- Navigate Ambiguity & Identify Opportunities – Work autonomously to uncover gaps and opportunities within our web experience, proposing and executing solutions proactively.
- Collaborate Cross-Functionally – Partner closely with Product, Marketing, SEO / Content, and Engineering teams to execute initiatives that drive meaningful impact.
- Push Creative Boundaries – Think beyond traditional web experiences, exploring new ways to use interaction, motion, and emerging web technologies to elevate our storytelling
What we’re looking for:
- Minimum qualifications:
- 8+ years of experience in Design, preferably in-house
- 5+ years focused specifically on digital experiences (marketing sites, brand sites, or conversion-driven experiences)
- Expert in Figma, Webflow (or equivalent CMS), and modern web design best-practices
- Strong understanding of SEO, content strategy, page hierarchy, and UX flows
- Experience optimizing sites for conversion (A/B testing, CRO, data-informed decisions)
- Ability to work independently in ambiguous environments, identifying opportunities and executing against them without needing explicit direction
- Preferred qualifications:
- Background in designing for both brand and performance marketing needs
- Experience working closely with growth marketing teams on conversion-driven pages
- Strong motion/interaction design skills (using tools like Lottie, GSAP, or Framer Motion)
- Familiarity with front-end development principles and how design translates into code
- Experience with user research, analytics, and behavioral data to inform design
What you'll love:
- Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart
- 401(k) with 100% company match up to $4,500 and immediate vesting and after-tax savings
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
- Life and disability insurance
- Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave
- Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs
- Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs
- Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering
- Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices
#LI-REMOTE
#LI-MidSenior
At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).
United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range
$130,800—$181,100 USD
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. We are dedicated to ensuring that underrepresented classes receive better access to affordable credit, and are just as committed to embracing diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices. We celebrate all cultures, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, and know that we can only become better together.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [email protected]
https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy
Top Skills
What the Team is Saying
What We Do
Upstart is the leading AI lending marketplace, connecting millions of consumers to more than 100 banks and credit unions that leverage Upstart’s AI models and cloud applications to deliver superior credit products. With Upstart's AI, lenders can approve more borrowers at lower rates across races, ages, and genders, while delivering the exceptional digital-first experience customers demand. More than 80% of borrowers are approved instantly, with zero documentation to upload. Founded in 2012, Upstart’s platform includes personal loans, automotive retail and refinance loans, home equity lines of credit, and small-dollar “relief” loans.
If you are energized by the impact you think you could make at Upstart, we'd love to hear from you!
Why Work With Us
Connection to our mission creates a special environment where people feel passionately about the impact they make in the world. Upstart is fast-paced, and we encourage ownership at all levels of the organization. As a result, culture at Upstart is driven by Upstarters. Upstarters are proactive, talented, multi-dimensional and collaborative.
Gallery
Upstart Offices
Remote Workspace
Employees work remotely.
Upstart has a digital-first model enabling most Upstarters can live and work anywhere in the U.S. We also offer in-person options from our office locations in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas.
