Founding Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer

Company: Parallelz

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Contract (Potential for Full-Time)

Category: Product Design

Date Posted: June 4, 2025

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in-office)

🎨 Design Role Summary

• Shape the user experience of a new digital paradigm, drawing on social platforms and inventing new interaction models.
• Define key design principles and culture as the company grows, working directly with the Founder & CEO.
• Bring sharp craft, creative thinking, and a strong aesthetic eye to the role.
• Demonstrate experience in designing across mobile and web, with a hunger to create new patterns.
• Comfortable working in early-stage, fast-moving environments with ambiguity.

🖼️ Primary Design Responsibilities

• Invent new interaction models and patterns for a unique digital experience.
• Define key design principles and culture as the company grows.
• Collaborate with the founding team to create a seamless, instant-access user experience across devices.
• Integrate AI into the platform, enabling new ways to power discovery, interaction, and experience.
• Work with the CEO to shape how users first experience this new paradigm.

🎓 Design Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.

Experience: 2-5 years of experience in product design, with a focus on consumer-facing products where UX is a key differentiator.

Required Design Skills:

• Proven experience in product design, with a strong portfolio demonstrating visual polish and inventive interaction design.
• Experience designing across mobile and web platforms.
• Background in social, viral, or platform-based experiences.
• Comfortable working in early-stage, fast-moving environments with ambiguity.
• Driven to shape a new product and company's design direction.

Preferred Design Skills:

• Experience with games, social, or discovery-driven products.
• Interest in how AI can augment discovery and interaction design.
• Experience with consumer-facing products where UX is a key differentiator.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case studies showcasing your ability to create innovative interaction designs across mobile and web platforms.
• Examples of your visual design skills and aesthetic eye.
• Demonstration of your ability to define design principles and shape design culture.
• Evidence of your experience working in early-stage, fast-moving environments.

Design Process Documentation:

• Documentation of your design thinking process, including research, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
• Examples of your ability to integrate user feedback and iterate on your designs.
• Demonstration of your ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: CAD 80,000 - 120,000 per year (Based on experience and market research for Toronto-based product designers)

Benefits:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance (for full-time employees)
• Flexible work hours and remote work options
• Opportunities for professional development and growth
• Equity compensation (for full-time employees)

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with regular in-person work together in Toronto. The role is a hybrid, with 2 days in-office per week.

🎯 Design Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Mobile Computing Software Products

Company Size: 11-50 employees

Founded: 2021

Design Team Structure:

• The design team is currently composed of one founding product designer (this role).
• The design team reports directly to the Founder & CEO.
• As the company grows, the design team is expected to expand and take on a leadership role in shaping the product and company culture.

Design Methodology:

• Parallelz uses a user-centered design approach, focusing on creating seamless, instant-access experiences across devices.
• The design process involves research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and user feedback.
• The company values creativity, innovation, and a strong aesthetic eye in its design process.

Company Website: parallelz.com

📈 Design Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role is a foundational, early-stage design position with significant growth potential as the company expands.

Reporting Structure: The founding product designer will report directly to the Founder & CEO. As the design team grows, this role may evolve into a leadership position.

Design Impact: The founding product designer will have a significant impact on the user experience of Parallelz's new digital paradigm, shaping how users first experience the platform and defining key design principles and culture.

Growth Opportunities:

• As the company grows, there will be opportunities to expand the design team and take on a leadership role in shaping the product and company culture.
• There will be opportunities for professional development and growth, including mentorship and leadership training.
• As the company expands its platform and user base, there will be opportunities to specialize in specific areas of design or take on broader product responsibilities.

🌐 Design Work Environment

Studio Type: Parallelz has a hybrid work environment, with regular in-person work together in its Toronto office.

Office Location(s): Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Design Workspace Context:

• The design workspace is collaborative and creative, with a strong emphasis on innovation and user-centered design.
• The design team has access to the latest design tools and software, as well as any necessary hardware and resources.
• The design workspace is designed to facilitate collaboration and communication between designers, developers, and other stakeholders.

Work Schedule: The work schedule is flexible, with a focus on delivering high-quality design work and meeting project deadlines. The role is a hybrid, with 2 days in-office per week.

📄 Design Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• The interview process will involve a portfolio review, design challenge, and behavioral interviews.
• The portfolio review will focus on the candidate's ability to create innovative interaction designs across mobile and web platforms, as well as their visual design skills and aesthetic eye.
• The design challenge will involve creating a new interaction model or pattern for the Parallelz platform, with a focus on creativity, innovation, and user-centered design.
• The behavioral interviews will assess the candidate's ability to work in early-stage, fast-moving environments with ambiguity, as well as their cultural fit with the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight case studies that demonstrate your ability to create innovative interaction designs across mobile and web platforms.
• Include examples of your visual design skills and aesthetic eye.
• Demonstrate your ability to define design principles and shape design culture.
• Showcase your experience working in early-stage, fast-moving environments with ambiguity.

Design Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with the Parallelz platform and its unique digital paradigm.
• Prepare for a design challenge that involves creating a new interaction model or pattern for the platform, with a focus on creativity, innovation, and user-centered design.
• Be prepared to discuss your design thinking process, including research, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

Design ATS Keywords:

• Design Skills: Product Design, User Experience, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Mobile Design, Web Design, Social Experience Design, Creative Thinking, AI Integration, Fast-Paced Environment, Consumer-Facing Products, Game Design, Discovery-Driven Products, Design Principles, Collaboration, Aesthetic Eye
• Design Tools: Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, InVision, Zeplin, etc.
• Design Methodologies: User-Centered Design, Design Thinking, Agile, Lean UX, etc.
• Soft Skills: Collaboration, Communication, Problem-Solving, Adaptability, Creativity, Innovation, etc.
• Industry Terms: UX/UI Design, Product Design, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Mobile Design, Web Design, Social Experience Design, AI Integration, etc.

🛠 Design Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Sketch: Used for initial ideation and wireframing, with a focus on creativity and innovation.
• Figma: Used for collaborative design and prototyping, with a focus on user-centered design and iteration.
• Adobe XD: Used for visual design and design system creation, with a focus on consistency and scalability.
• InVision: Used for interactive prototyping and user testing, with a focus on usability and user experience.

Design Collaboration & Handoff:

• Zeplin: Used for design handoff and collaboration with developers, with a focus on efficiency and accuracy.
• Figma: Used for collaborative design and real-time feedback, with a focus on iteration and improvement.
• InVision: Used for user testing and feedback collection, with a focus on usability and user experience.

Design Research & Testing:

• UserTesting: Used for remote user testing and feedback collection, with a focus on usability and user experience.
• Google Analytics: Used for data-driven design and optimization, with a focus on user behavior and performance.
• Hotjar: Used for heatmapping and user behavior analysis, with a focus on user experience and design improvement.

👥 Design Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Creativity: Encouraging innovation, experimentation, and risk-taking in design.
• User-Centered: Focusing on the user experience and creating intuitive, accessible designs.
• Collaboration: Working together to create the best possible designs, with a focus on feedback, iteration, and improvement.
• Innovation: Pushing the boundaries of what's possible in design, with a focus on new interaction models and patterns.
• Quality: Striving for excellence in design, with a focus on attention to detail, craftsmanship, and polish.

Design Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional: Working with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to create seamless, integrated user experiences.
• Iterative: Focusing on feedback, iteration, and improvement, with a focus on continuous learning and growth.
• Creative: Encouraging experimentation, risk-taking, and innovation in design, with a focus on pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

⚡ Design Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Creating new interaction models and patterns for a unique digital paradigm.
• Defining key design principles and culture as the company grows.
• Working in early-stage, fast-moving environments with ambiguity.
• Integrating AI into the platform to enable new ways to power discovery, interaction, and experience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• On-the-job training and mentorship from the Founder & CEO and other industry experts.
• Opportunities for professional development and growth, including workshops, conferences, and online courses.
• Collaboration with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to learn new skills and techniques.

💡 Design Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Can you walk us through your design thinking process, including research, ideation, prototyping, and testing?
• How do you approach creating new interaction models and patterns for a unique digital paradigm?
• Can you describe a time when you had to work in an early-stage, fast-moving environment with ambiguity? How did you approach this challenge, and what was the outcome?

Company & Design Culture Questions:

• How do you see yourself contributing to Parallelz's design culture and shaping the user experience of our new digital paradigm?
• Can you describe a time when you had to collaborate with a cross-functional team to create a seamless, integrated user experience? What was the outcome, and what did you learn from this experience?
• How do you approach defining key design principles and shaping the design direction of a product or company?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Highlight case studies that demonstrate your ability to create innovative interaction designs across mobile and web platforms.
• Include examples of your visual design skills and aesthetic eye.
• Demonstrate your ability to define design principles and shape design culture.
• Showcase your experience working in early-stage, fast-moving environments with ambiguity.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Customize your portfolio to highlight case studies that demonstrate your ability to create innovative interaction designs across mobile and web platforms.
• Optimize your resume for design roles, with a focus on keyword strategy and skill highlighting.
• Prepare for the design interview process, including a portfolio review, design challenge, and behavioral interviews.
• Research Parallelz's design culture and company values, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with the company's goals and objectives.