Design Engineer

About the Role

We're looking for Design Engineers who own feature delivery end-to-end - from problem framing to shipped production code.

You’ll bridge design and engineering by building production-ready Flutter features within our Barracuda design system. You’ll use AI-native workflows to compress the design → prototype → build → test loop into days, not weeks.

This isn’t about producing Figma files or inventing new patterns. It’s about shipping high-quality, real-world solutions using a strong component foundation.

You’ll work “on rails” with our design system — focusing on solving problems and delivering outcomes rather than reinventing UI primitives.

What You'll Do

• Understand the problem deeply - clarify user needs, edge cases, and constraints before building
• Build production-ready Flutter applications across iOS, Android, and web
• Prototype quickly using AI-native tools (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) to explore flows and validate ideas
• Own features end-to-end: From rough prototype to production deployment
• Work within the Barracuda design system: Compose and extend components appropriately (core system maintained separately)
• Make design decisions in code: Balance UX quality with pragmatism and velocity
• Collaborate with backend engineers: Implement mock data early, integrate APIs, iterate together
• Test, measure, and refine: Learn from real usage and improve continuously

How We Work (AI-Native Expectations)

We expect you to use AI as a force multiplier, not as a shortcut.

That means:

• Generating scaffolding and exploratory prototypes rapidly
• Iterating on flows and UX decisions directly in code
• Using AI to accelerate thinking, not replace judgement
• Reducing handoff cycles by collapsing design and implementation

AI-assisted development is expected and encouraged — but ownership and critical thinking remain yours.

What This Role Isn't

• Not a traditional designer role focused on Figma deliverables
• Not a pixel-perfect handoff role
• Not a blank-canvas pattern creation role
• Not a core design system maintenance role
• Not a role where engineers implement your work — you implement it yourself

Why This Role Exists

ANNA is evolving.

We’re building with AI-native tools and a comprehensive cross-platform design system (Barracuda). That changes the shape of both design and engineering.

We need builders who:

• Move fast
• Think like designers
• Ship like engineers
• Own outcomes, not artefacts

What You’ll Get

• Significant autonomy over feature areas
• Direct access to product teams, backend engineers, and users
• Modern tools that amplify your capability (Barracuda, AI-native workflows, strong team culture)
• Support adopting AI-native workflows if you’re still learning
• Real, high-impact problems affecting UK small businesses

Your Background Might Look Like

We know this is a unique role, so your path here might be unconventional. You might be:

• A Flutter developer who’s developed strong design sensibilities
• A designer who learned to code and wants to ship independently
• A front-end engineer with strong UX instincts
• Someone already bridging design and engineering informally
• A mobile developer frustrated by handoffs

What matters most is your ability to think like a designer whilst building like an engineer, and your hunger to own shipped features rather than just deliverables.

Team Context

• Small, lean team (4 people currently) in the Formations product area
• Backend developers currently handling front-end work
• Australian front-end developer timezone makes real-time collaboration challenging
• You'll be working closely with the Formations team initially
• Cross-functional collaboration with product and engineering
• Barracuda design system provides your component foundation (maintained by core team)

Tools & Stack

• Primary: Flutter/Dart
• Design System: Barracuda (you'll use and extend, not maintain core)
• AI Tools: Claude Code, Cursor, or similar AI-native development tools
• Version Control: Git/GitHub
• State Management: Riverpod, Bloc, Provider (or demonstrate equivalent experience)
• Design Tools: As needed, but building > designing

Process

• Prototype first
• Implement mock data early
• Integrate APIs collaboratively
• Ship working code
• Iterate based on real usage
• Minimise handoffs
• Own the feature lifecycle

Requirements

Must-haves:

• Strong Flutter/Dart experience with shipped work to show
• Solid UX fundamentals (information architecture, user flows, interaction patterns)
• Already using AI tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, v0) in your development workflow
• State management proficiency (Riverpod, Bloc, Provider, or similar)
• Design system literacy — ability to work within constraints and extend appropriately
• Component thinking and understanding of atomic design principles
• Ability to make confident aesthetic and UX decisions independently
• Understanding of accessibility and platform conventions (Material, Cupertino)
• Comfortable with ambiguity — you can fill gaps without perfect requirements
• Proactive and outcome-oriented
• Git and version control workflows
• Comfortable working in AI-assisted development environments

Nice-to-haves:

• Experience with JavaScript/TypeScript
• Background contributing to component libraries or design systems
• Experience in fintech, tax, or compliance products
• Strong visual design sensibility
• Experience in lean, fast-moving start-ups

Benefits

What We Offer

At ANNA, we celebrate a flat organisational structure. You might be wondering what that means! Well, it’s all about empowering our team by sharing power and decision-making responsibilities, so everyone can feel a sense of ownership.

🏡 Life at ANNA (flexible by design)

🤸 Flexible working — focused on trust, autonomy and outcomes

☕ Hybrid or Remote working, depending on role

🌍 Work from anywhere for up to 3 months

🧑‍💻 Support towards home working equipment

🤎 Flexible hours for caregiving responsibilities

⏳ Temporary reduced hours / phased returns when life needs it

🏫 Time off for your child’s first day of school (non-negotiable 🥹)

📈 Employee Growth Share options — because when ANNA grows, you grow too

💛 Wellbeing (because you’re a human first)

⛑️ Trained Mental Health First Aiders
🥼 Perkbox EAP + counselling support
💊 Online GP access & prescription service
⭐️ Bupa private medical insurance
🧘 On-demand wellness content
😌 Menopause support (policy + practical adjustments that actually help)

💰 Financial Wellbeing (money matters — we’re ANNA after all)

📊 Salary sacrifice pension contributions
👶 Workplace nursery salary sacrifice
🏷️ Perkbox discounts & reward points
🚲 Cycle to Work scheme
💻 Salary sacrifice for Home & Tech (coming April ’26)

🚀 Growth & Self-Direction (invest in you)

✈️ £1k annual personal travel allowance
📚 £1k annual personal learning allowance (including non-work learning — yes, really)

🌿 Time Off & Life Moments (the important stuff)

🧑‍🍼 Enhanced parental leave
✨ Adoption leave
🤍 Pregnancy loss & compassionate family leave
🏥 Emergency dependent leave

🤝 Belonging & Connection (we actually like each other)

🍓 Monthly team brunches
👏 Regular team-building events
🥤 Free drinks & snacks in the office

Please note that due to a high level of demand in candidates for this role, we're unable to respond to individual emails or questions about the position. We hope that we've been thorough and transparent regarding the requirements and expectations of this role.