Hey! I'm Jay.

Let's
Together

I transform ideas into exceptional digital experiences through thoughtful design and engineering leadership.

An illustrated portrait of Jay Ciruolo with a beard and wearing glasses.

I'm a design engineering leader with decades of startup experience, helping visionaries bring their ideas to life.

DoodlesHubSpotPathAICarGurus

Starting my career in design has shaped my unique approach to problem-solving by always keeping the human element in mind. The intersection of design and technology has always captivated me, driving me to pursue roles where I could merge both disciplines to craft exceptional user experiences.

Throughout my career, I've sought out challenges that push boundaries and demand innovative solutions. From pioneering UX engineering at CarGurus to launching new applications as a founding designer/engineer, I've focused on turning complex human problems into elegant solutions. Some highlights:

  • Transformed how small businesses manage their web presence at HubSpot with real-time content editing, drag-and-drop design tools, and visitor-specific content personalization.
  • Created an interactive Rive-powered interactive animation system, used to power a RFID-powered kiosk game at CAMP Chicago, allowing visitors to design their own Doodles character and explore a themed playspace with randomized items to collect for repeat visits.
  • Built an accessibility-first web app and Chrome extension for DARTSuite that uses AI to help blind accessibility testers identify and log violations beyond what traditional screen readers can detect.

While my career spans various domains, my commitment to good design and engineering principles remains the same. I've had the privilege of working with and learning from exceptional teams building world-class products, and I'm excited to share these insights with you.

Whether you're looking to enhance existing products or launch something entirely new, I'd love to discuss how my technical design leadership can help bring your vision to life.

Recent projects

TownWire logo

TownWire

Private Beta

A local-first business directory platform connecting local communities and small business owners.

DARTSuite logo

DARTSuite

Launched

A suite of applications designed from the ground up for blind users to audit and improve the accessibility of websites, assisted by AI.

Rovu logo

Rovu

Pre-seed

A personalized AI assistant helping travelers and weekend warriors find the best places to accomodate their special needs.

Taverns logo

Taverns

Pre-seed

A community platform for web3 game developers to build community and engagement around the development of their games.

Doodles logo

Doodles

Series A

From animated interactive avatar builders to realtime physical collecting experiences, Doodles is all about blending the digital and physical in its unique branded universe from the mind of famed ilustrator Burnt Toast.

startup skills that I can bring to your project

Launch Your MVP

  • Full-stack web application development
  • Rapid prototyping & design
  • Production-ready systems
  • UX feedback & testing optimization

Improve Your Process

  • Technical roadmap & strategy
  • Design system development
  • Development process & pipelines
  • UX testing and analysis

Fundraise & Scale

  • Pitch deck creation
  • Pricing & acquisition strategy
  • Investor relations
  • Due diligence prep

Grow Your Team

  • Hiring pipeline management
  • Team design & management
  • Collaborative culture building
  • Mentorship & sponsorship

Innovate & Scale

  • Experimentation & iteration cycles
  • Scaling & monetization strategy
  • Digital transformation strategy
  • Budget & resource allocation