Head of Design

About Hilo By Aktiia

High blood pressure is the world's most common disease, causing 18M deaths each year. At Hilo by Aktiia, our vision is a world where no lives are lost or damaged from the effects of high blood pressure. Our mission is to make this a reality by developing tech to help people control their blood pressure. We are a venture‑backed scale‑up company, having raised over $96M from investors in Europe and the United States. Our technology – rooted in 18 years of research at the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) – is the world's only medically accurate, continuous blood‑pressure monitor that is cuff‑less in daily life in the consumer space. Validated through extensive clinical trials and CE‑Marked as a Class IIa medical device, our solution is now available in 12 countries. We are a hybrid/remote‑first company, with Headquarters in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, united by our passion for impact and innovation.

Role Overview

We are looking for an exceptional Head of Design to define how Hilo works, feels, and delights across every product touchpoint. This is a senior, strategic role: you will own the end‑to‑end design vision, craft, and quality for both digital and physical experiences, setting the design standard for the entire company. You will guide and inspire our product designers, shaping the hardware, app, and digital experiences while establishing a culture of excellence and attention to detail. This role is about how our products function, interact, and resonate with users – from motion and interaction design to materials, form, and tactile experience. As the guardian of Hilo's design integrity, you will translate complex product challenges into elegant, cohesive, and human‑centered solutions. You will ensure that every touchpoint, from wearable devices to digital interfaces, is thoughtful, intuitive, and a delight to use, making design a key driver of our mission to improve cardiovascular health worldwide. This is a role for a designer who balances strategic vision with a meticulous eye for craft, elevates the work of others, and leaves a visible imprint on everything the company creates.

Core Responsibilities

• End‑to‑End Experience Design
  • Shape the look, feel, and behaviour of our digital and physical product experiences
  • Ensure a seamless and cohesive experience across app, web, device, and all customer interactions
  • Obsess over detail – from motion and interaction design to layout, typography, and visual systems
  • Partner closely with product and engineering to bring high‑quality experiences to life
• Hardware & Physical Product Sensibility
  • Contribute to the design direction of physical products, including materials, form factor, and finishes
  • Ensure consistency between hardware design and broader product and brand experiences
  • Bring a strong point of view on how physical and digital experiences come together
• Design Leadership & Quality Bar
  • Act as the primary owner of design decisions across the company
  • Provide clear creative direction and feedback to designers and cross‑functional teams
  • Raise the overall standard of design through strong taste, critique, and hands‑on guidance
  • Step in hands‑on when needed to ensure critical work meets the highest quality standards
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with product, engineering, marketing, and leadership teams
  • Ensure design is fully integrated into product development and company decision‑making
  • Work in tandem with our Brand Manager to ensure execution is robust across all endpoints, marketing materials, and outward‑facing products
• Building the Design Function
  • Shape how design operates as a function within the company
  • Establish clear principles, processes, and ways of working that support high‑quality output
  • Foster a culture of craft, attention to detail, and continuous improvement

Requirements

• Experience
  • 8‑12+ years of experience in design, with strong exposure to digital and physical product design
  • Experience working across both digital and physical touchpoints
  • Strong understanding of design systems, interaction design, and product experience
  • Experience operating in fast‑moving environments such as startups or scale‑ups with broad ownership
• Leadership & Mindset
  • Exceptional eye for design, with a strong sense of taste, craft, and detail
  • Strong creative leadership with the ability to set direction and make clear decisions
  • Hands‑on when needed, but primarily focused on direction and elevating others
  • Collaborative, with the ability to work closely across disciplines
  • High ownership mindset with a drive to create outstanding, cohesive experiences
• Design & Product Thinking
  • Deep understanding of product experience, motion, and hardware considerations
  • Ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling, and elegant design solutions
  • Comfort working across disciplines, from digital interfaces to physical product experiences

What Success Looks Like

• Products deliver refined, thoughtful, and seamless experiences
• Design quality and attention to detail are visibly elevated across the organisation
• Design becomes a defining strength and differentiator for Hilo
• Strategic design decisions consistently drive product innovation and user delight
• Cross‑functional teams deeply understand and adopt design principles, resulting in cohesive and impactful experiences

What Makes You A Great Fit

At Hilo by Aktiia, our values guide everything we do:

• Move the Needle
  • You focus on what truly drives impact for our customers and company
  • You use clarity and judgement to prioritise what matters most
  • You push for bold, thoughtful work and hold a high bar for quality and outcomes
• Move Fast, Learn, Refine
  • You work with urgency and intention, balancing speed with craft
  • You iterate, refine, and continuously raise the standard of what great looks like
  • You take ownership and constantly look for better ways to improve the work
• Team First
  • You build strong relationships through trust and openness
  • You give clear, honest feedback and value strong collaboration
  • You contribute to a culture where great work and great teamwork go hand in hand

Benefits

Why Join Us? Hilo by Aktiia is becoming one of the most important med‑tech companies, and you can be part of this exciting story. Work on a mission that matters: transforming cardiovascular health at global scale. Be part of a high‑impact, fast‑growing, and venture‑backed scale‑up company. Collaborate with a diverse, passionate, and talented team. Competitive compensation and other benefits (depending on location).