Whatnot is hiring : Lead Illustrator (3D + 2D) in San Jose

Join the Future of Commerce with Whatnot!

Whatnot is the largest live shopping platform in North America and Europe to buy, sell, and discover the things you love. We’re re-defining e-commerce by blending community, shopping, and entertainment into a community just for you. As a remote co-located team, we’re inspired by innovation and anchored in our values . With hubs in the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, and Poland, we’re building the future of online marketplaces –together.

From fashion, beauty, and electronics to collectibles like trading cards, comic books, and even live plants, our live auctions have something for everyone.

And we’re just getting started! As one of the fastest growing marketplaces , we’re looking for bold, forward-thinking problem solvers across all functional areas. Check out the latest Whatnot updates on our news and engineering blogs and join us as we enable anyone to turn their passion into a business, and bring people together through commerce.

Role

We are looking for a Lead Illustrator (3D + 2D) to join the creative team at Whatnot! Our small but mighty team is responsible for building the Whatnot brand and crafting best-in-class creative across physical and digital experiences. As a core member of the team, you’ll establish and scale our illustration system, crafting standout work that spans both 3D and 2D, static and motion, collaborating across marketing and product to bring our brand to life in ways that resonate deeply with our communities.

This is a foundational role, equal parts hands-on craft and system-building. You’ll produce and establish scalable guidelines and libraries, experiment with new techniques and media, and continue to elevate Whatnot’s visual identity into something iconic and ownable.

In this role, you will :

Lead the development of Whatnot’s illustration system with a primary focus on 3D, complemented by strong 2D capabilities and execution.

Create high-impact illustrations that flex across brand systems, product experiences, and physical and digital campaigns and activations.

Build and maintain illustration libraries, templates, and guidelines for consistency and efficiency.

Partner with cross-functional teams to integrate illustration seamlessly across product and marketing.

Stay ahead of the latest creative, cultural, and technological trends to keep Whatnot’s brand identity fresh and distinctive.

Provide mentorship and direction for agencies and freelancers, team members, cross-functional partners, or future hires, helping scale the discipline.

You

Curious about who thrives at Whatnot? We’ve found that low ego, a growth mindset, a multi-disciplinary background, and high-impact drive go a long way here.

As our first Illustration Lead, you should have 7+ years of experience in illustration, with a clear specialization in 3D and proven 2D capabilities, plus :

A portfolio showcasing world-class 3D work and strong 2D design craft.

Expertise in 3D tools (Cinema 4D preferred) and proficiency in 2D software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Procreate).

Experience creating and scaling illustration systems across brand and product, from in-app to in-person activations.

Strong conceptual thinking with the ability to translate abstract brand ideas into visual execution.

A collaborative mindset and proactive approach to working across diverse teams.

Comfort in a fast-paced environment with the ability to adapt and deliver at scale.

Nice to have :

Motion or animation experience.

Creative team leadership experience.

High-growth startup or creative studio background.

A strong cultural perspective, drawing inspiration from the categories that make up Whatnot.

Compensation

$175,000-$225,000 / year + benefits + equity.

The salary range may be inclusive of several levels that would be applicable to the position. Final salary will be based on a number of factors including, level, relevant prior experience, skills and expertise. This range is only inclusive of base salary, not benefits (more details below) or equity.

Benefits

Flexible Time off Policy and Company-wide Holidays (including a spring and winter break)

Health Insurance options including Medical, Dental, Vision

Work From Home Support

Home office setup allowance

Monthly allowance for cell phone and internet

Care benefits

Monthly allowance on both food and wellness

Annual allowance towards Childcare

Lifetime benefit for family planning, such as adoption or fertility expenses

Retirement; 401k offering for Traditional and Roth accounts in the US (employer match up to 4% of base salary) and Pension plans internationally

Monthly allowance to dogfood the app

Parental Leave

16 weeks of paid parental leave + one month gradual return to work

• company leave allowances run concurrently with country leave requirements which take precedence.

EOE

Whatnot is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by local law. We believe that our work is better and our company culture is improved when we encourage, support, and respect the different skills and experiences represented within our workforce.

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