📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Content Designer
🔹 Company: Upstart
🔹 Location: United States (Remote)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Design
🔹 Date Posted: April 22, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: Mid-Senior level
🔹 Remote Status: Remote (with occasional onsite collaboration)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Owning the content strategy and product voice across various product experiences
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to create intuitive, high-trust user experiences through thoughtful language and content design
- Developing scalable systems for voice and tone, terminology, content patterns, and UX writing guidelines
- Working with brand and creative partners to reflect Upstart’s mission and values in-product and evolve a distinctive, human-centered voice
- Writing clear, concise, and useful product content, including microcopy, error messages, empty states, calls to action, onboarding flows, and beyond
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of UX principles, accessibility best practices, and the ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Own the content strategy and product voice across our product experiences, from acquisition flows to application journeys and account management
✅ Partner closely with Product, Design, and Engineering teams to co-create intuitive, high-trust user experiences through thoughtful language
✅ Develop scalable systems for voice and tone, terminology, content patterns, and UX writing guidelines
✅ Collaborate with Brand and Creative partners to reflect Upstart’s mission and values in-product — and evolve a distinctive, human-centered voice
✅ Write clear, concise, and useful product content — including microcopy, error messages, empty states, calls to action, onboarding flows, and beyond
✅ Plan and facilitate content-first workshops and co-creation sessions that help teams think holistically about the end-to-end customer journey
✅ Bring user insights and research into the content design process, helping teams understand how language impacts trust, comprehension, and decision-making
✅ Advocate for accessibility and inclusivity in product language, ensuring our content supports users across different contexts and abilities
✅ Serve as a thought leader and educator for content design — mentoring peers, elevating the discipline, and contributing to a culture of excellence in product development
ASSUMPTION: This role may require occasional travel to attend onsite collaboration sessions, typically twice per quarter.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent experience
Experience: 7+ years of experience as a content designer, UX writer, or content strategist in a product design environment
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to create clear, concise, and engaging product content
- Strong understanding of UX principles and accessibility best practices
- Experience working with cross-functional teams to influence product outcomes through content
- Familiarity with tools like Figma, FigJam, Google Docs, and content testing platforms (e.g., Maze, Usertesting)
- Mission-driven, customer-obsessed, and eager to help people navigate financial challenges with dignity and confidence
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working in fintech or other highly regulated industries
- Familiarity with product ecosystems that involve complex decision-making, high-stakes workflows, or sensitive user data
- Proven ability to capture content-related metrics and use them to inform strategy
- Experience designing for diverse audiences, and an interest in the financial needs of underserved or high-risk populations
- Previous work on products influenced by machine learning or automation, especially where trust and transparency are critical
ASSUMPTION: While a degree is preferred, relevant experience and a strong portfolio will be considered in lieu of formal education.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $162,100 - $224,500 USD per year (anticipated base salary range for remote employees)
Benefits:
- 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, and ergonomic reimbursement programs
- Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups
- Catered lunches + snacks and drinks when working in offices
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week) with flexible hours and occasional onsite collaboration sessions
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for similar roles and may vary depending on the candidate's location and experience.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Upstart operates in the financial services industry, specifically in AI-driven lending marketplaces. They partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit.
Company Size: Upstart is a mid-sized company with 1,001-5,000 employees, providing a structured yet agile work environment.
Founded: Upstart was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with additional offices in Columbus, Ohio, and Austin, Texas.
Company Description:
- Upstart is a leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit.
- Their AI-driven platform enables higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders while delivering an exceptional digital-first lending experience.
- Upstart is committed to embracing diversity and inclusion in its hiring practices and ensuring that underrepresented classes receive better access to affordable credit.
Company Specialties:
- AI-driven lending marketplace
- Personal loans
- Auto lending
- Home equity lines of credit
- Small-dollar “relief” loans
- Machine learning and artificial intelligence
Company Website: http://www.upstart.com/about
ASSUMPTION: Upstart's mission-driven approach and commitment to diversity and inclusion make it an attractive place for candidates who want to make a positive impact on people's lives through financial services.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the mid-senior level, requiring a significant amount of experience and expertise in content design.
Reporting Structure: The Senior Content Designer will report directly to the Head of Content Design and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product, Design, and Engineering.
Work Arrangement: This role is remote-friendly, with occasional onsite collaboration sessions typically held twice per quarter.
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to grow into a leadership role within the content design team
- Opportunities to work on various product experiences and impact a wide range of users
- Chance to contribute to Upstart's mission and make a real difference in people's lives
ASSUMPTION: Upstart's commitment to employee growth and development provides ample opportunities for career advancement within the company.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Upstart has offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas, but this role is available remotely.
Office Location(s): 2950 S Delaware Street, Ste. 410, San Mateo, CA 94403, US; 711 N. High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215, US; 811 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, Texas 78704, US
Geographic Context:
- The United States offers a wide range of cultural, recreational, and professional opportunities.
- Upstart's remote-friendly work arrangement allows employees to live and work anywhere in the country.
- Occasional onsite collaboration sessions may require travel to one of Upstart's offices.
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week) with flexible hours and occasional onsite collaboration sessions
ASSUMPTION: The remote-friendly work arrangement provides flexibility and work-life balance, while occasional onsite collaboration sessions foster team building and knowledge sharing.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
- Take-home content design challenge
- Final onsite or video interview with cross-functional team members
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Portfolio review and content design skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with Upstart's mission and values
- Problem-solving and critical thinking abilities
- Collaboration and communication skills
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant content design experience and skills
- Prepare a strong portfolio showcasing your best content design work
- Be ready to discuss your design process, user research, and content strategy
- Research Upstart's mission, values, and products to demonstrate your enthusiasm and fit for the role
ATS Keywords: Content Strategy, UX Writing, Content Design, Collaboration, Accessibility, User Research, Workshop Facilitation, Content Systems, Figma, Google Docs, Content Testing, Mentoring, Customer Focus, Financial Literacy, Machine Learning, Trust Building
ASSUMPTION: Upstart's hiring process is designed to assess candidates' technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with the company's mission and values.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Figma
- FigJam
- Google Docs
- Maze
- Usertesting
- Slack
- Google Workspace
ASSUMPTION: Upstart uses a variety of tools and technologies to facilitate collaboration and streamline workflows. Familiarity with these tools is preferred but not required.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Mission-driven: Upstart is committed to expanding access to affordable credit and improving financial health for its customers
- Customer-obsessed: Upstart prioritizes the needs and preferences of its customers in all aspects of its business
- Data-driven: Upstart uses data and analytics to inform its decision-making and continuously improve its products and services
- Inclusive: Upstart values diversity and fosters an inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive
Work Style:
- Collaborative: Upstart encourages cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Agile: Upstart operates in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and values adaptability and flexibility
- Customer-focused: Upstart prioritizes the needs and preferences of its customers in all aspects of its business
- Data-driven: Upstart uses data and analytics to inform its decision-making and continuously improve its products and services
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you share Upstart's commitment to expanding access to affordable credit and improving financial health for its customers?
- Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapting to change?
- Do you thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional team setting?
- Are you passionate about creating intuitive, high-trust user experiences through thoughtful language and content design?
ASSUMPTION: Upstart's values and work style provide a framework for assessing cultural fit and ensuring that new hires align with the company's mission and goals.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Occasional onsite collaboration sessions may require travel and time away from home
- Working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including product, design, and engineering teams, may present communication and collaboration challenges
- Balancing the need for clear, concise content with the desire to provide comprehensive information to users may be challenging
- Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in product language may require additional research and iteration
ASSUMPTION: Upstart's commitment to employee support and work-life balance helps mitigate these potential challenges.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Unlike traditional content design roles, this position requires a deep understanding of UX principles, accessibility best practices, and the role of content in shaping user behavior
- Upstart's focus on AI-driven lending marketplaces and financial services sets this role apart from content design positions in other industries
- Career paths in content design may vary depending on the industry and the specific role, but opportunities for growth and advancement are abundant in the field
ASSUMPTION: This role offers unique challenges and opportunities compared to similar content design positions in other industries.
📝 Sample Projects
- Redesigning the onboarding flow for a personal loan product to improve user comprehension and engagement
- Creating a comprehensive content style guide for an auto lending platform to ensure consistency and accessibility across all user touchpoints
- Developing a content strategy for a home equity line of credit product that balances clear, concise language with detailed, informative content
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the range of content design work required for this role and the impact it can have on users and the business.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the content design process you use to create intuitive, high-trust user experiences?
- How do you approach accessibility and inclusivity in product language, and what tools or resources do you use to ensure our content supports users across different contexts and abilities?
- Can you provide an example of a content design challenge you faced in a previous role and how you overcame it?
- How do you collaborate with cross-functional teams, and what strategies do you use to influence product outcomes through content?
- What aspects of Upstart's mission and values resonate with you, and how do you see yourself contributing to our goals?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions will help you better understand the role, the team, and Upstart's culture, and demonstrate your interest in the position.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant content design experience and skills
- Prepare a strong portfolio showcasing your best content design work
- Be ready to discuss your design process, user research, and content strategy
- Research Upstart's mission, values, and products to demonstrate your enthusiasm and fit for the role
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your interest in the position
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
