Full-Time
Design Director
Confirmed live in the last 24 hours
VRChat
51-200 employees
User-driven social platform for VR experiences
Senior, Expert
Remote in USA
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field or equivalent work experience
- Proven experience (5+ years) in a senior design leadership role (with management experience), in a high growth consumer facing company, preferably in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing design teams.
- Strong portfolio showcasing a range of design leadership, including product design, branding, and user interfaces.
- In-depth knowledge of design principles, trends, and emerging technologies.
- Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate and evangelize design concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Ideally can demonstrate experience and proficiency in leading/designing for cross-platform products, including spatial and 3D environments and tools.
- Ideally has driven creation, maintenance, and governance of robust design systems and UI frameworks.
- Lead design operations, partnering closely with the VP of Design and Head of Production to make sure the team is operating efficiently and maintaining a high quality bar.
- Oversee design reviews, crits and sprints for the wider team helping to maintain a consistent process for a high functioning team.
- Mentor and inspire a high-performing design function, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
- Collaborate on strategic direction and design vision, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, design methodologies, and emerging technologies to chart the course for industry-leading design excellence.
- Collaborate closely with product management and engineering teams to drive the delivery of delightful and intuitive user interfaces.
- Champion the importance of design thinking throughout the organization.
VRChat provides a platform for users to create, share, and engage in virtual reality environments. Users can access the platform without needing a VR headset, making it more accessible to a broader audience. The platform emphasizes user-generated content, allowing individuals to design their own VR worlds and avatars using a Unity SDK. This encourages community involvement and ongoing interaction. Key features include full-body avatars with lip sync and eye tracking, 3-D spatialized audio, and various games and activities that enhance the immersive experience. VRChat operates on a freemium model, offering basic access for free while charging for premium features like exclusive worlds and priority server access. The goal of VRChat is to foster a vibrant community where users can explore and connect in a dynamic virtual space.
Company Stage
Series D
Total Funding
$95.2M
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
Founded
2014
6 month growth
↑ 11%1 year growth
↑ 27%2 year growth
↑ 108%
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- The recent $80M Series D funding from Anthos Capital provides significant financial resources to expand and enhance the platform.
- The freemium model allows for a broad user base while monetizing premium features, offering a balanced revenue stream.
- Continuous user engagement through user-generated content can lead to a vibrant and loyal community, driving long-term growth.
What critics are saying
- The VR and social networking market is highly competitive, with major players like Facebook's Horizon Worlds posing significant threats.
- Dependence on user-generated content means that the quality and appeal of the platform are largely out of the company's direct control.
What makes VRChat unique
- VRChat's platform does not require a VR headset, making it more accessible compared to other VR platforms that mandate specialized hardware.
- The focus on user-generated content through a Unity SDK fosters a strong community and continuous engagement, setting it apart from competitors with more static content offerings.
- Features like full-body avatars with lip sync, eye tracking, and 3-D spatialized audio provide a highly immersive experience that is superior to many other social VR platforms.