Lead Illustrator (3D + 2D)

Whatnot is the largest livestream shopping platform in North America and Europe to buy, sell, and discover the things you love. Whether it's trading cards, fashion, electronics, or live plants, our sellers are building real businesses across hundreds of categories. We're building live commerce at a scale that's never been done in the West, and there's no playbook to copy. The people here are shaping how an entirely new industry develops.

As a remote co-located team, we're inspired by our values and anchored in hubs across the US, UK, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Australia. We move fast, stay close to our users, and focus on the work that drives the most impact.

We're one of the fastest growing marketplaces and were recently named the #1 Best Startup Employer in America by Forbes. 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.

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.

We offer flexibility to work from home or from one of our global office hubs, and we value in-person time for planning, problem-solving, and connection. Team members in this role must live within commuting distance of our San Francisco, New York, or Los Angeles hubs.

People who do well at Whatnot tend to be comfortable figuring things out as they go, biased toward action, and genuinely curious about what they're building. They care more about outcomes than credit and stay close to the product and the people using it.

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.

$155,000/year to $200,000/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.

• 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.

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.