If this is of interest, reach out to [email protected] with a short intro and a resumé. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

About Pendulum

Pendulum is an immersive language learning company. Language is the instrument of culture. When we learn to speak a new language, we learn to see a bigger world. But the way we learn new languages is broken. We don’t learn to speak by memorizing vocabulary, drilling conjugation lists, or playing daily games with a green owl. We learn by immersing ourselves in the language—by hearing it, seeing it, and using it as a vessel for connection. Pendulum brings this to life for the first time in a digital format by leveraging the latest in conversational voice AI and autonomous LLM agents. We create immersive, personalized, and ever-evolving digital worlds for language learning where users step into dynamic narratives and conversational role-play tailored to their interests, personality, and fluency level. Instead of rote grammar drills or generic dialogues, learners engage in evolving, open-ended scenarios where they actively shape their journey through language.

Role and Qualifications

As the first and only Founding Product Designer at Pendulum, you will be instrumental in shaping the overall product vision. You will design intuitive and simple interfaces on top of an agentic system for voice, image, and text AI — transforming technical complexity into simplicity. You will steer design decisions informed by a comprehensive understanding of customers' needs. You will have the autonomy to push design principles forward based on new capabilities made possible by generative AI, but in a way that remains unwaveringly human-centered.

This is an individual contributor role. While there may be room for growth of the team as we scale, this will be the only full-time design role for the foreseeable future.

Who you are.

• You’re a builder. You have a track record of shipping consumer products in a fast-paced environment.
• You consistently seek out and experiment with the latest generative tools for creativity.
• You have a bias toward product. You want (and know how) to translate backend capabilities to frontend UIs that solve real-world problems.
• You thrive in a startup environment. You’re excited to solve user problems through quick iterations, you’re okay with priorities changing, and you’re comfortable with risk.
• You value working with people who are low ego, ambitious, and pragmatic.
• You are excited to design things that haven’t existed before.

What you’ll need.

• Extensive experience with the end-to-end design process, from discovery to execution.
• An ability to move lightning fast, a willingness to experiment, and complete openness to getting things wrong.
• A solid portfolio of case studies of products that consumers love. Ideally this includes works informed by generative modalities.
• At least 5+ years of professional experience designing consumer-focused tech products at a 0-1 startup, design studio, or platform company known for user-centric design.