Design System Engineer (12-month FTC)

Design System Engineer (12-month FTC)

Full-Time 50000 - 60000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
loveholidays

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Elevate product quality by operationalising and evolving our design system.
  • Company: Join loveholidays, a trailblazer in the travel industry with a mission to innovate.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, pension contributions, training budget, and discounted holidays.
  • Other info: 12-month FTC with opportunities for personal growth and a collaborative culture.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of travel tech while working with cutting-edge AI and design.
  • Qualifications: Expertise in React, TypeScript, and building multi-platform design systems required.

The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.

At loveholidays – we trailblaze together. We’re on a mission to open the world to everyone, giving our customers’ unlimited choice, unmatched ease and unmissable value for their next getaway. Our team is the driving force behind our role as our customers’ personal holiday expert – the smart way to get away. Technology at loveholidays underpins our vision to become the global leader in packaged holidays. We drive cutting-edge innovation and technical excellence to futureproof the business. Our systems process trillions of daily holiday offers, we deploy over a thousand times a month, serving thousands of requests per second. This is where you can accelerate your growth by solving complex challenges and broadening your skillset. Join us to create impact for our future in an exciting new chapter, owning your success and contributing to shared goals.

About the team: Our product teams work across the customer journey to unlock opportunities that enable commercial growth and build value for our customers. In order to maximise the impact of these teams we need to further invest in our design system to enhance its potential as a critical platform for growth. We are evolving our ways of working and investing heavily in AI. This makes it a critical period for our design system to mature into the intelligence layer we need it to be to drive quality output and outcomes, helping us realise our ambition of becoming the global leader in packaged holidays.

The impact you’ll have: As Design System Engineer, you’ll play a pivotal role in elevating product quality and consistency across loveholidays’ customer-facing experience. Working with design and tech leaders you'll own the evolution of our design system – bridging design intent and frontend implementation – while helping our teams move faster and ship more consistently, especially as AI‑assisted development becomes central to how we build. This is a rare opportunity to shape the visual and interactive foundation of a product used by millions of travellers, working at the intersection of design craft, frontend engineering, and developer experience.

Your day-to-day:

  • Operationalise the design system.
  • Co‑lead its evolution and governance, build and maintain a robust component library in React/TypeScript, and establish clear adoption standards across product teams – enabling the operational loop between Figma, code, and multi‑brand delivery.
  • Help define how our design system supports AI‑generated frontend code (Claude Code, Cursor and similar tooling), reducing rework and improving consistency of AI output, whilst enabling innovation and experimentation at scale.
  • Bridge design and engineering, working closely with product designers and engineers to translate design decisions into reusable, production‑ready components.
  • Review design system features before release to ensure they meet high UX and consistency standards; make targeted visual and interaction refinements aligned with design system guidelines.
  • Improve developer experience by partnering with engineers to make the system intuitive to use, well‑documented, and a genuine accelerant.
  • Collaborate with design leadership, product managers, and engineering to ensure the system reflects evolving product priorities.

Your skillset:

  • Proven experience building and evolving multi‑platform design systems (Web, iOS, Android).
  • You are an expert in React, TypeScript, and modern CSS, with a focus on token architecture and scalable component libraries.
  • You are a true systems thinker who understands versioning, governance, and adoption strategies.
  • A collaborative communicator with strong design sensibility.
  • You use usage analytics, adoption metrics, and research to guide decisions.
  • A deep commitment to web performance.
  • You treat accessibility as a core requirement, not a 'nice‑to‑have.'

Desirable:

  • Knowledge and understanding of the travel sector or other D2C e-commerce environments.
  • Experience building design system foundations that support multi‑brand/white‑label architecture and internationalisation at scale.

The interview journey:

  • TA screening – 30 mins
  • 1st stage interview with the Hiring Manager – 45 mins
  • Tech challenge – you can choose between a live and take home option.
  • Final stage – consisting of discussions around three key areas.

Perks of joining us:

  • Company pension contributions at 5%.
  • Individualised training budget for you to learn on the job and level yourself up.
  • Discounted holidays for you, your family and friends.
  • 25 days of holidays per annum (plus 8 public holidays) increases by 1 day for every second year of service, up to a maximum 30 days per annum.
  • Ability to buy and sell annual leave.
  • Cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan and eye care vouchers.

At loveholidays, we focus on developing an inclusive culture and environment that encourages personal growth and collective success. Each individual offers unique perspectives and ideas that increase the diversity and effectiveness of our teams. And we value the insight and potential you could bring on our continued journey.

Design System Engineer (12-month FTC) employer: loveholidays

At loveholidays, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions innovation and personal growth. Our inclusive work culture fosters collaboration and creativity, allowing you to make a meaningful impact while enjoying benefits like a generous holiday allowance, individualised training budgets, and discounted travel for you and your loved ones. Join us in our mission to revolutionise the travel industry and be part of a team that values your unique contributions as we expand across Europe.

loveholidays

Contact Details:

loveholidays Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Design System Engineer (12-month FTC)

Tip Number 1

Get to know the company inside out! Research loveholidays, their mission, and their tech stack. This way, you can tailor your conversations during interviews to show how your skills align with their goals.

Tip Number 2

Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider tips or even a referral, which can give you a leg up in the hiring process.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for the tech challenge! Brush up on your React, TypeScript, and CSS skills. Practise coding challenges that focus on building components, as this will help you shine during the technical assessment.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to showcase your collaborative spirit! During interviews, share examples of how you've worked with designers and engineers in the past. Highlighting your teamwork skills can set you apart from other candidates.

We think you need these skills to ace Design System Engineer (12-month FTC)

React
TypeScript
Modern CSS
Design System Development
Component Library Management
Versioning Strategies
Governance and Adoption Strategies

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with design systems, React, and TypeScript. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at loveholidays!

Showcase Your Projects:Include examples of your previous work that demonstrate your ability to build and evolve design systems. We love seeing real-world applications of your skills, so don’t hold back!

Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your key achievements and experiences shine through without unnecessary fluff.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!

How to prepare for a job interview at loveholidays

Know Your Design System Inside Out

Before the interview, make sure you’re well-versed in design systems, especially those built with React and TypeScript. Familiarise yourself with the principles of versioning, governance, and adoption strategies. This will help you articulate how your experience aligns with loveholidays' goals.

Showcase Your Collaborative Spirit

Prepare examples that highlight your ability to work closely with designers and engineers. Discuss how you've contributed to visual and interaction decisions in past projects. Loveholidays values collaboration, so demonstrating your teamwork skills will set you apart.

Be Ready for Technical Challenges

Since there’s a tech challenge involved, brush up on your coding skills, particularly in building reusable components. Whether you choose a live or take-home option, ensure you can demonstrate your technical prowess while keeping user experience at the forefront.

Understand the Bigger Picture

Research loveholidays and its mission to become a leader in packaged holidays. Be prepared to discuss how your role as a Design System Engineer can contribute to this vision, especially in terms of enhancing product quality and consistency across customer experiences.