Founding Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer

Company: Sandstone

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI (with GTM & Operations implications)

Date Posted: 2026-06-02

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the product design vision and execution for an AI-native LegalTech platform, focusing on user experience and strategic business impact.

• Establish and scale the company's design systems, processes, and culture from the ground up in a greenfield, early-stage environment.

• Collaborate closely with co-founders and engineering to design, build, and iterate on core product features, driving user adoption and business value.

• Integrate customer feedback loops and data-driven insights to continuously improve product offerings and user satisfaction.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the company by translating complex legal workflows into intuitive and efficient user interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the context of Sandstone's mission to elevate in-house legal and its focus on AI-native solutions positions this role as having significant implications for Go-To-Market (GTM) and Revenue Operations. The design directly impacts user adoption, sales enablement, and the overall efficiency of legal departments, which are core concerns for operations teams. The emphasis on "strategic partner" and "measurable business value" highlights the operational impact of design decisions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design process for core product features, from problem definition and concept exploration to solution validation, prototyping, and final implementation, ensuring a seamless user experience.

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive design system, setting high standards for visual consistency, usability, and accessibility across the entire Sandstone platform.

• Collaborate deeply with engineering and co-founders to translate business requirements and user needs into innovative and technically feasible product solutions.

• Champion the integration of customer feedback, user research, and data analytics to inform design decisions and drive iterative product improvements that align with GTM strategies.

• Define and establish design best practices, workflows, and documentation standards that foster a collaborative and high-performing design culture within an early-stage startup.

• Partner with product management and marketing teams to ensure design initiatives support GTM strategies, product-led growth, and overall business objectives.

• Contribute to the development of user personas, journey maps, and use cases that articulate the value proposition of Sandstone to in-house legal professionals and their organizations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize ownership ("Own product work end-to-end") and foundational work ("set the standards, establish our design system and processes"). This implies a strategic role that influences not just the UI/UX but also the operational efficiency and adoption of the platform, which is critical for Revenue Operations and GTM teams. The mention of "move key metrics" points towards a results-oriented approach that aligns with operational goals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating a deep understanding of design principles, user-centered design methodologies, and B2B SaaS product development is paramount.

Experience: 6+ years of experience as a Product Designer, or in a closely related role, with a proven track record in high-growth B2B SaaS environments.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in product design, user experience (UX) research, and user interface (UI) design for B2B SaaS applications.

• Proven ability to lead design initiatives end-to-end, from discovery and ideation through to detailed design, prototyping, and collaboration with engineering for implementation.

• Strong proficiency in establishing and scaling design systems, component libraries, and style guides to ensure product consistency and efficiency.

• Demonstrated experience in collaborating cross-functionally with product management, engineering, and GTM teams to define problems and deliver impactful solutions.

• Experience in incorporating customer feedback and data analytics into the design process to drive product improvements and business outcomes.

• A track record of success in unstructured, early-stage environments, demonstrating initiative, autonomy, and a "builder" mentality.

• Empathy for users and the ability to translate complex user needs and workflows into intuitive and natural-feeling product experiences. Preferred Skills:

• Front-end development experience (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or a strong willingness and aptitude to code using AI tools for rapid prototyping and development.

• Experience in the LegalTech industry or with complex enterprise software solutions.

• Familiarity with AI-powered design tools and workflows, and a vision for how AI will shape the future of product design.

• Experience in building and mentoring design teams and fostering a positive design culture.

• Skills in user research methodologies, including interviews, usability testing, and surveys.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "willingness to code with AI tools" is a significant differentiator, suggesting an operations-minded approach to efficiency and rapid iteration, which is highly valued in GTM and RevOps. The emphasis on entrepreneurship and success in unstructured environments indicates the need for a candidate who can bring operational discipline and strategic thinking to a nascent design function.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, with a strong emphasis on B2B SaaS.

• Case studies demonstrating the ability to identify user pain points, define problems, and design innovative solutions that drive measurable business impact.

• Examples of established or contributed-to design systems, illustrating principles of consistency, scalability, and reusability.

• Prototypes and mockups that clearly articulate design decisions, user flows, and interaction patterns.

• Evidence of collaboration with engineering and product teams, highlighting your role in the development lifecycle beyond initial design handoff.

• Documentation of how customer feedback and data were integrated into the design process to iterate and improve product outcomes. Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of defined design processes, including user research methodologies, ideation frameworks, and validation techniques.

• Demonstrate experience in establishing and refining workflows for design system implementation and maintenance.

• Illustrate how you have improved the efficiency of design-to-development handoffs and cross-functional collaboration.

• Provide insights into how you've facilitated the collection and incorporation of customer feedback into product development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Founding" role, the portfolio needs to demonstrate not just design execution but also the ability to build the design function. This means showcasing experience in defining processes, establishing systems, and influencing product strategy, which are key operational skills relevant to GTM and RevOps. The emphasis on "measurable business impact" and "moving key metrics" is crucial for demonstrating operational alignment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $175,000 - $300,000 USD per year. This range reflects the seniority of a Founding Product Designer role in a high-growth, early-stage B2B SaaS company located in a major tech hub like New York City. It accounts for the significant impact and autonomy expected, as well as the potential for equity in a rapidly scaling organization.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance: Ensuring well-being for you and your dependents.

• 401K: Retirement savings plan to support long-term financial security.

• 12 weeks paid parental leave: Generous policy to support new parents.

• Flexible time off (20+ days PTO): Encouraging a healthy work-life balance and personal well-being.

• Annual learning & development stipend: Investment in your continuous professional growth and skill enhancement.

• Technology stipend: Support for necessary hardware and software.

• Unlimited spend on AI tooling: A unique benefit reflecting the company's focus on AI innovation and empowering employees with cutting-edge tools.

• Daily lunch for in-office team members: Fostering team connection and convenience.

• Equity: Opportunity to share in the company's success as a foundational team member.

Working Hours: Full-time, with an expected 40-hour work week. Given the early-stage nature and founding role, flexibility and a commitment to shipping are expected, but a focus on sustainable work practices and work-life balance is also promoted through generous PTO and stipends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The unlimited AI tooling stipend is a significant benefit that aligns with the company's AI-native focus and could be a key selling point for operations professionals interested in leveraging advanced technologies for efficiency. The equity component underscores the "founding" aspect and the potential for significant financial upside, which often appeals to individuals with an entrepreneurial and growth-oriented mindset common in operations roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: LegalTech, B2B SaaS, Artificial Intelligence. Sandstone operates at the intersection of these rapidly evolving sectors, aiming to transform how in-house legal teams function. The company is positioned to disrupt a traditionally conservative industry by adopting AI-first methodologies and focusing on strategic value creation.

Company Size: Early-stage startup (implied from "Founding Product Designer" and "building from the ground up"). This signifies a lean, agile environment where individual contributions have a significant impact on the company's trajectory. For operations professionals, this means opportunities for broad exposure and rapid learning.

Founded: The company's founding date is not explicitly stated, but the presence of co-founders (Liam Germain - CTO, Jarryd Strydom - COO) and the "founding" nature of this role suggest a recent inception or early growth phase. This implies an opportunity to shape foundational processes and culture.

Team Structure:

• The core team includes co-founders with technical (CTO) and operational (COO) expertise, indicating a balanced leadership structure.

• The engineering team is described as "elite" and "ship code every day," suggesting a high-performance, execution-focused engineering culture.

• This role is the first dedicated design hire, meaning the design function will be built collaboratively, reporting closely to co-founders and working hand-in-hand with engineering.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with close partnerships expected between design, engineering, product, and GTM (implied by the nature of a B2B SaaS startup). Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on "rigorous problem-solving" and "obsessive attention to detail" suggests a culture that values data and analytical approaches to product development.

• Agile & Iterative Development: The core value "Ship relentlessly" points to an agile methodology, with a focus on rapid iteration, quick feedback loops, and continuous improvement.

• AI-Native Approach: The company's mission and product strategy are centered around AI, implying a forward-thinking approach to technology and workflow automation.

• Customer-Centricity: The need to "improve how we solicit and incorporate customer feedback" highlights a commitment to understanding and serving user needs.

Company Website: https://sandstone.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on transforming legal departments into "strategic partners" using AI means that the operations of the legal function itself are being re-imagined. This role's success is tied to enabling that transformation, making it highly relevant to GTM and RevOps who are focused on driving efficiency and strategic value through technology.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a foundational, senior individual contributor level, with significant leadership potential in shaping the design function. As the first dedicated designer, there's an opportunity to grow into a Design Lead or Head of Design role as the company scales. The responsibilities extend beyond pure design execution to include strategic input, process definition, and culture building, which are hallmarks of senior operational roles.

Reporting Structure: The Founding Product Designer will report directly to the co-founders, likely with close collaboration with the CTO (Liam Germain) and COO (Jarryd Strydom). This close proximity to leadership provides direct visibility and influence on strategic decisions.

Operations Impact: The design of the Sandstone platform directly impacts the efficiency, adoption, and perceived value of the product by in-house legal teams. Effective design can streamline legal workflows, reduce manual effort, improve data accessibility, and ultimately enhance the strategic contribution of legal departments to the business. This directly correlates with revenue enablement and operational efficiency goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to build and lead the design team from its inception, establishing best practices, hiring talent, and defining the future of design at Sandstone.

• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in shaping the product roadmap and company strategy, with the ability to influence key business decisions through design insights and user advocacy.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, LegalTech solutions, and building scalable design systems within a high-growth B2B SaaS context.

• Technical Acumen: Opportunity to develop or refine front-end development skills, particularly with AI coding tools, enhancing versatility and collaborative potential with engineering.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain invaluable experience in a fast-paced, early-stage startup environment, contributing to building a company from the ground up.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Founding" nature of this role means that career growth is less about climbing a predefined ladder and more about shaping the path. For individuals with an operations mindset, this offers a chance to build the infrastructure (design systems, processes) that enables future growth, a highly sought-after capability in operational leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. The job description explicitly states "Daily lunch for in-office team members," indicating a preference for in-person collaboration and a physical office presence.

Office Location(s): New York City, New York. This location offers access to a vibrant tech ecosystem, talent pool, and networking opportunities relevant to B2B SaaS and AI innovation.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on close collaboration with co-founders, engineers, and cross-functional teams suggests a dynamic and interactive workspace. Expect frequent design reviews, brainstorming sessions, and joint problem-solving.

• Tools & Technology: Access to a "Technology stipend, including unlimited spend on AI tooling" indicates a commitment to providing cutting-edge resources. The workspace will likely be equipped with modern design software and development tools.

• Team Interaction: As the first designer, you'll be instrumental in shaping how the design team interacts. Expect a mix of focused individual work and highly collaborative sessions with other departments.

Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, with an on-site expectation. While a standard schedule is implied, the early-stage nature of Sandstone means that flexibility and a proactive approach to meeting deadlines ("Ship relentlessly") are expected. The company values "high ownership" and "flexibility," suggesting a balance between structured work and the ability to adapt to project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major tech hub like NYC is typical for founding roles where rapid iteration and close collaboration are paramount. For operations professionals, understanding the emphasis on in-office collaboration is key to assessing cultural fit and the potential for knowledge transfer and mentorship in a fast-paced environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess foundational skills, experience, and cultural fit. Be prepared to articulate your design philosophy and approach to problem-solving.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: A session with co-founders (likely Liam Germain, CTO, and Jarryd Strydom, COO) to walk through your portfolio. Focus on 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end design capabilities, strategic thinking, and impact on business metrics within a B2B SaaS context.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: You may be given a take-home assignment or an in-interview design exercise focused on a specific product problem Sandstone is facing. This will assess your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to think strategically under pressure.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with engineering leads and potentially other early team members to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and technical understanding.

• Final Round: Discussions with co-founders to assess overall fit, vision for the design function, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Instead of just saying "designed a new feature," explain what the feature was, why it was designed that way, and what the outcome was (e.g., "Increased user engagement by X%", "Reduced support tickets by Y%", "Streamlined workflow, saving Z hours per user"). This is crucial for demonstrating operational value.

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate your thought process, research methods, design decisions, and iterations. Explain the rationale behind your choices, especially how they address user needs and business objectives.

• Highlight Design Systems: If you have experience building or contributing to design systems, showcase this prominently. Explain its structure, benefits, and how it fostered consistency and efficiency.

• Tailor to Sandstone: Research Sandstone's mission, target audience (in-house legal teams), and product. Frame your portfolio examples to highlight relevant skills and experiences that align with their AI-native LegalTech vision.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Include examples or descriptions of how you've worked with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem Space: Deeply research LegalTech, AI in legal, and the challenges faced by in-house legal teams. Understand Sandstone's product and value proposition.

• Think Operationally: Consider how your design solutions will impact user adoption, workflow efficiency, data management, and integration with other systems. How will your design contribute to revenue generation or operational cost savings for their clients?

• Structure Your Approach: For any design challenge, outline your understanding of the problem, your proposed solution, the key design decisions, potential trade-offs, and how you would measure success.

• Be Ready to Justify: Be prepared to defend your design choices and explain the trade-offs you made, particularly in relation to feasibility, impact, and alignment with Sandstone's goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "moving key metrics" and "operational efficiency" in the portfolio review tips is critical. For a role that bridges design and business impact, demonstrating how your design work contributes to revenue, efficiency, or strategic goals is paramount for impressing hiring managers in a startup environment, especially those with operational backgrounds like the COO.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), and prototyping tools like InVision or Principle. Figma is often preferred for its collaborative features.

• Design System Management: Experience with tools and methodologies for building, maintaining, and scaling design systems (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, or custom-built frameworks).

• User Research & Testing Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, and gathering feedback (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Exposure to tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, Pendo, or Google Analytics to understand user behavior, track key metrics, and inform design decisions.

• Data Visualization: Ability to interpret data and translate insights into design improvements, potentially using dashboards or reporting tools.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM (Exposure): While not a direct CRM role, understanding how product design impacts CRM data, lead generation, and customer success workflows in a B2B SaaS context is beneficial.

• AI Tooling: Explicitly mentioned is an unlimited budget for AI tooling. This suggests an openness to and expectation of leveraging AI for design assistance, code generation, workflow automation, and rapid prototyping. Candidates should be eager to explore and adopt new AI-powered design and development tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of an "unlimited spend on AI tooling" is a significant indicator of the company's tech stack focus. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience or willingness to explore AI tools for design, prototyping, and potentially front-end development, which is a key operational advantage for a startup.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Ownership: Employees are expected to take initiative, be accountable for their work, and drive projects to completion with minimal oversight. This aligns with an operational mindset focused on accountability and results.

• Flexibility: The ability to adapt to changing priorities, embrace new challenges, and work effectively in a dynamic startup environment is highly valued.

• Curiosity: A deep desire to learn, explore new ideas, and understand user needs and market trends is essential for innovation and continuous improvement.

• Collaboration: Sandstone emphasizes working closely with colleagues across departments to achieve common goals, fostering a team-oriented atmosphere.

• Rigorous Problem-Solving: A commitment to analytical thinking, data-informed decision-making, and meticulous attention to detail when tackling complex challenges.

• Relentless Iteration: The "Ship relentlessly" ethos means a commitment to continuous improvement, rapid deployment, and learning from user feedback.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Design is not siloed but deeply integrated with engineering, product, and GTM teams. Expect constant communication and joint problem-solving.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages open and constructive feedback to improve both the product and individual contributions.

• Builder Mentality: Everyone is a builder, contributing to the product and company's growth. This fosters a proactive and hands-on approach to work.

• AI-Augmented Workflow: Expect to collaborate with AI tools and potentially with engineers who are leveraging AI for development, creating a unique collaborative dynamic.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "High Ownership" and "Rigorous Problem-Solving" directly resonates with the core tenets of Revenue Operations and Sales Operations, which are about driving predictable revenue through efficient processes and data-driven insights. This role requires a similar operational mindset applied to the design function.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch: As the first dedicated designer, you'll face the challenge of establishing design infrastructure (systems, processes, culture) in a nascent organization, requiring significant initiative and strategic foresight.

• Defining a New Category: Sandstone aims to redefine LegalTech with an AI-native approach. Translating this novel concept into an intuitive and compelling user experience for a traditionally conservative audience is a significant design challenge.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: The "Ship relentlessly" culture requires balancing rapid iteration with the need for high-quality, user-centric design, especially in a complex domain like legal.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring design vision is understood and effectively implemented across engineering and other departments, especially in an early-stage environment with evolving priorities.

• AI Integration: Staying ahead of the curve with evolving AI tools and methodologies to leverage them effectively for design and development, while also managing potential ethical or user experience considerations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Opportunity to define and build a design team and culture from the ground up, offering unparalleled leadership experience.

• Strategic Product Impact: Direct influence on product strategy and business outcomes in a high-growth B2B SaaS startup.

• AI & LegalTech Expertise: Deep dive into the application of AI in enterprise software and the specific challenges and opportunities within the LegalTech sector.

• Entrepreneurial Skillset: Develop a robust understanding of startup operations, product development lifecycle, and GTM strategies.

• Technical Skill Enhancement: Potential to significantly advance front-end development skills, particularly with AI coding tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are directly relevant to operations professionals who thrive in dynamic environments and enjoy building processes. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for significant career advancement and skill development that go beyond traditional design roles, aligning with an operations-focused career trajectory.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you established a design system or process from scratch. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?" (Assesses your ability to build operational infrastructure).

• "How do you balance the need for rapid iteration with maintaining design quality and user experience in a fast-paced startup environment?" (Probes your understanding of operational trade-offs and agile methodologies).

• "Walk us through a complex B2B SaaS product you designed. How did you ensure it met the needs of diverse user roles and contributed to business objectives?" (Evaluates your strategic design thinking and ability to connect design to business impact).

• "How do you envision AI transforming product design in the next 3-5 years, and how would you leverage AI tools at Sandstone?" (Tests your forward-thinking, technical aptitude, and alignment with the company's AI-native vision). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Sandstone and our mission to transform in-house legal departments?" (Gauges your understanding of the market and your passion for the problem space).

• "What does 'high ownership' mean to you, and how have you demonstrated it in your previous roles?" (Assesses your alignment with core company values and operational accountability).

• "How would you contribute to building Sandstone's design culture as the first dedicated designer?" (Probes your leadership potential and understanding of team dynamics).

• "Describe your experience working with engineering and product teams. How do you ensure effective collaboration and alignment?" (Evaluates your cross-functional collaboration skills, crucial for operations). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process you followed, your key design decisions, and the measurable outcomes. Aim for a narrative that highlights your strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.

• Quantify Everything: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your design work. Focus on metrics relevant to user adoption, efficiency gains, conversion rates, or revenue impact.

• Showcase Collaboration: Explain how you worked with stakeholders, engineers, and product managers. Highlight instances where your design solutions facilitated smoother workflows or improved communication.

• Emphasize Process Ownership: Since this is a founding role, highlight instances where you've defined processes, improved workflows, or established best practices that others could follow. This demonstrates operational leadership potential.

• Be Ready for Technical Questions: Given the emphasis on front-end development and AI tools, be prepared to discuss your technical capabilities and your approach to integrating design with development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The strategy questions are designed to elicit responses that demonstrate operational thinking, process orientation, and a clear understanding of how design contributes to business objectives. Candidates should prepare to frame their design experience through an operational lens, emphasizing efficiency, scalability, and measurable impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-aligned design position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Curate Your Portfolio for Impact: Select 2-3 of your strongest B2B SaaS projects that best showcase end-to-end design ownership, strategic problem-solving, and quantifiable business outcomes. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates the problem, your process, your specific contributions, and the results achieved, with a focus on efficiency and user adoption.

• Optimize Your Resume for Operations Keywords: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in B2B SaaS, product design leadership, design system implementation, cross-functional collaboration, and any experience with AI tools or complex workflows. Use action verbs that demonstrate ownership and impact.

• Prepare Your Presentation Narrative: Practice walking through your selected portfolio projects. Focus on telling a compelling story that emphasizes the "why" behind your design decisions and the "what" of the impact, connecting your work directly to business value and operational efficiency. Be ready to discuss how you would build the design function at Sandstone.

• Research Sandstone's Mission and AI Strategy: Thoroughly understand Sandstone's goals in the LegalTech space, their AI-native approach, and the challenges in-house legal teams face. Prepare to articulate how your design philosophy and skills align with their mission and culture of "shipping relentlessly."

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.