The editor is where developers spend most of their time thinking, writing, and evolving complex systems. We're building an environment where humans and AI work together in that space, directly in the codebase.
Zed combines high-performance local editing, real-time collaboration, and AI agents that work directly in the codebase. Central to this vision is DeltaDB, a system that captures the operational history of software development. It records edits, discussions, and AI interactions as they happen, creating a foundation for AI systems that reason about how code evolves over time.
As a Product Design Engineer, you'll shape how developers and AI systems interact within this environment. Designers at Zed work closely with engineers, prototype ideas directly in the product, and often implement parts of the interface themselves. Design is tightly integrated with engineering.
What you'll work on
The editor sits at the center of how developers read, understand, and evolve complex systems. Small interaction decisions can meaningfully shape that process.
You might work on:
- Collaborative programming workflows
- Interaction models for AI agents that read and modify code
- Navigating and understanding large codebases
- Keyboard-driven workflows and command systems
- Interfaces for Git, debugging, and code exploration
- Zed’s design system and interaction patterns
- Prototyping and implementing UI in the product
Many of the interaction patterns we're exploring don't yet have established precedents. Designers often pair with engineers, exploring ideas directly in the product. Many interactions start as small experiments in the codebase rather than static mockups.
What we're looking for
- Strong product design experience
- Deep care for interaction design
- Experience working on technical products
- Ability to prototype ideas in code
- Comfort with ambiguity and shipping early iterations
- Willingness to learn Rust and create interfaces in Zed's custom UI framework, GPUI
Strongly Preferred Experience
- Developer tools or IDEs
- Code editors or programming environments
- Technical productivity software
- AI-assisted tools or developer platforms
- Complex productivity products
About Zed
Zed is open source and built in public by the team behind Atom and Tree-sitter. Much of our work happens through pair programming, with engineers collaborating directly inside the editor. We ship improvements weekly and work closely with a community that cares deeply about the craft of developer tools.
Join us in revolutionizing the development experience. Your expertise could drive Zed's next game-changing feature!
Strong product design experience, deep care for interaction design, experience with technical products, ability to prototype in code, comfort with ambiguity, willingness to learn Rust and GPUI.
Key Responsibilities
- prototyping interfaces
- designing interactions
- implementing UI
Skills & Tools
Rust, GPUI
Job Details
- Category: Design
- Seniority: Mid Level
- Commitment: Full Time
- Workplace: Remote — North America or Europe
- Languages: English
About Zed Industries
An open-source software company building a high-performance code editor with AI integration. — Industry: Information Technology