Head of Design | Maps Platform (Remote in Europe)

Contract type
Freelance
Work mode
Remote · Europe
Experience
Senior · 8+ years

Job description

Head of Design at MapTiler, a new role leading the design team and design practice across products and customer experience. The role owns design craft, quality standards, the design roadmap, and the team's transition to an AI-accelerated way of working.

At a glance

Employment
Contract · Independent contractor
Work mode
Remote · Europe
Pay
EUR 29 – 45 / hour
Apply before
November 25, 2026

What you'll do

  • Lead the design team of 5 and make the people decisions that come with it: hiring, performance, wellbeing, career progression and education of designers.
  • Work closely with product managers, developers and marketing, and represent design in discussions with the executive team.
  • Measurably increase the user-centric mindset and UX maturity of the company: define how we measure it, report it to leadership and act on what you find.
  • Lead design's transition to an AI-accelerated way of working and help to decide how designers use AI in their daily practice, in line with the company's overall direction.
  • Own design craft, quality standards, and the coherence of the experience across all MapTiler products and services.
  • Own the design roadmap, which runs in parallel to the product and marketing roadmaps.
  • Make company-wide design decisions, set standards and quality, and speak up when they are not met.

What we're looking for

  • At least 8 years of experience in UX, UI, or product design, including 3+ years in a design leadership role.
  • Experience building and leading a design team, including hiring, performance management, and career development.
  • Strong design craft, shown by a portfolio or a case study of projects you led, and the ability to set and defend quality standards.
  • Hands-on experience using AI tools in design work, and a well-argued view of where they help and where they do not.
  • Ability to align with or lead Developer Experience (DX), ensuring B2B / B2D products work effectively for both human users and AI agents.
  • The ability to explain design decisions with concrete arguments based on qualitative and quantitative user research.
  • The ability to influence and negotiate at the executive level.
  • An understanding that good design serves a deeper purpose than looking good.
  • A strong drive for self-improvement, learning, sharing knowledge, and trying new approaches.

Nice to have

  • Interest in maps or cartography.
  • Knowledge of the GIS or map industry.
  • Experience with Agile methodology.

Your team

Design

Design team of 5 designers.

Benefits

Grow your career with dedicated support for continuous learning, attending conferences, and building your personal brand.

  • Competitive financial compensation (€29 – €45 / hour) based on your experience & annual performance bonus.
  • Widescreen LCD, a laptop of your choice, and all the resources you need for your work.
  • Flexible working hours to help you easily balance your personal and professional life.
  • Work remotely from anywhere in Europe, or hang out with us at our hubs in Unterägeri (Switzerland) or Brno (Czechia).
  • Collaborate with the best from major global brands.
  • A friendly, connected team and regular team-building events across Europe.

Apply

About MapTiler

We make maps easy so that everyone can understand the world better.

MapTiler's platform powers everything from global weather forecasting and humanitarian crisis management to flight trackers and the Swiss railways. Our maps are viewed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide every month. We are deeply rooted in the developer and open-source communities.

Key facts

  • Zug, Switzerland
  • Our maps are viewed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide every month.
  • Deeply rooted in the developer and open-source communities.
  • Users and customers are primarily developers, engineers, and geo-experts.
  • Hubs in Unterägeri (Switzerland) and Brno (Czechia).