Software Engineer – Product Experience & UX (Fintech Startup) at ambi.careers

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Software Engineer – Product Experience & UX (Fintech Startup)

Company: ambi.careers (Supporting Paynest)

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Frontend Development, Product Experience, UX Engineering

Date Posted: June 13, 2025

Experience Level: Junior to Mid-Level (1-3 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

Focus on implementing user-facing features with a strong emphasis on product experience and user interface design.
Collaborate closely with Product and Design teams to translate wireframes and flows into intuitive, functional interfaces.
Identify and address user experience friction points proactively, proposing and implementing elegant solutions.
Ensure design consistency and responsiveness across the Paynest platform, handling various devices and user states effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Software Engineer," the description heavily emphasizes UX and product experience. This indicates a hybrid role where strong frontend engineering skills are essential, but a deep understanding of user-centered design principles and the ability to translate design concepts into code are paramount. The role functions as a bridge between traditional design and frontend development.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Implement user-facing features and components using modern frontend frameworks (React, Vue, etc.) ensuring clean, reusable, and maintainable code.
Collaborate effectively with Product Managers and UI/UX Designers throughout the design and development lifecycle, providing technical feasibility input and suggesting improvements.
Proactively analyze user flows and interactions to identify areas of friction or confusion, proposing and implementing user-centric enhancements.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of the company's component library and design system to ensure consistency and scalability across the platform.
Ensure the responsiveness and adaptability of the user interface across different devices, screen sizes, and browsers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong collaborative element with design and product teams, which is typical for a UX-focused engineering role. The emphasis on identifying and fixing "UX friction" underscores the need for a candidate with a keen eye for usability and a proactive approach to improving the user journey beyond just implementing specifications.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design, or a related field is typically preferred, though equivalent practical experience with a strong portfolio demonstrating frontend and UX skills may be considered.

Experience: 1-3 years of professional experience in frontend web development with a focus on user experience and interface implementation. Experience contributing to a design system or component library is a significant plus. A portfolio showcasing implemented user interfaces and contributions to product experience is highly recommended.

Required Skills:

Proficiency in modern web development technologies including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Demonstrated experience with a modern frontend framework such as React, Vue, or Angular.
Strong understanding of user experience principles and the ability to translate design concepts and wireframes into functional user interfaces.
Experience with responsive design techniques and ensuring cross-browser compatibility.
Excellent collaboration and communication skills, particularly when working with design and product teams.

Preferred Skills:

Experience working in a B2B SaaS environment, especially within the fintech, HR, or workflow automation sectors.
Familiarity with CSS frameworks like Tailwind CSS.
Experience with design and prototyping tools such as Figma.
Experience with component library documentation tools like Storybook.
Prior contributions to or experience working with a design system or internal UI component library.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a formal degree isn't explicitly mandatory, the required skills strongly suggest a need for a solid foundation in both computer science principles (for efficient code) and design principles (for effective UX implementation). The preferred skills highlight specific tools and industry experience that would make a candidate particularly valuable in this fintech startup environment.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Showcase projects where you were responsible for implementing user interfaces and improving the overall user experience.
Include examples of responsive designs and how you handled different screen sizes and devices.
Demonstrate your ability to translate design mockups and wireframes into functional code.
Highlight any contributions to component libraries or design systems.

Process Documentation:

For selected projects, briefly explain your development process, including how you collaborated with designers and product managers.
If applicable, describe any instances where you proactively identified and addressed UX issues.
Detail how you ensured design consistency and handled edge cases during implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the strong UX focus, the portfolio requirements go beyond just showcasing code. Candidates should emphasize their understanding of the design process and their ability to collaborate effectively with design counterparts. Documenting instances of proactive UX improvements will also be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on typical salary ranges for Software Engineers with 1-3 years of experience in Lisbon, Portugal, and considering the fintech startup environment, the estimated annual gross salary range is likely between €25,000 and €40,000. This estimate is based on publicly available salary data for similar roles in the region and may vary based on experience, specific skills, and negotiation. Lisbon's cost of living is moderate compared to other Western European capitals, making this range competitive for the local market.

Benefits:

Opportunities to work in a fast-paced, innovative fintech startup environment.
Collaborative team culture with a focus on product quality and user experience.
Potential for growth and impact within a growing company.
Specific benefits package (e.g., health insurance, paid time off, professional development) would typically be discussed during the interview process.

Working Hours: Full-time position, typically standard business hours with some flexibility depending on team needs and project deadlines, common in startup environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an estimate based on regional data and industry context. Fintech startups in competitive markets like Lisbon often offer competitive salaries to attract talent, though this can vary greatly. Candidates should be prepared to discuss compensation expectations during the interview process.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Fintech / Software Development. Focus on simplifying financial management for companies and employees.

Company Size: As ambi.careers is supporting Paynest, and Paynest is described as a startup, the company size is likely small to medium, typical for an early-stage fintech company. (LinkedIn data for ambi.careers suggests 11-50 employees, but this role is for their client, Paynest, which is likely within a similar range or smaller).

Founded: Information about Paynest's founding date is not explicitly provided, but being a startup implies it was founded relatively recently.

Team Structure:

The role involves working in cross-functional squads, indicating close collaboration between engineering, product, and design teams.
Emphasis on a tight feedback loop between design and code suggests a collaborative and iterative design and development process.
The candidate will be expected to contribute to a component library and design system, indicating a focus on scalability and consistency in design implementation.

Methodology:

The description mentions "fast iteration" and being "feedback-driven," suggesting an Agile or Lean development methodology.
Collaboration with Product and Design on flows, wireframes, and usability indicates a user-centered design approach integrated into the development process.

Company Website: Application URL (via ambi.careers) (Paynest's direct website is not provided in the job description).

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context suggests a dynamic startup environment where adaptability and collaboration are key. The focus on cross-functional squads and tight feedback loops is characteristic of modern product development teams, especially in fast-growing tech companies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role appears to be at the Junior to Mid-Level, focused on implementing and improving user interfaces with a strong understanding of UX principles. It's a foundational role for someone looking to deepen their skills at the intersection of frontend development and user experience.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to an Engineering Lead or Head of Engineering, working closely with Product Managers and UI/UX Designers within a cross-functional squad.

Design Impact: This role has significant direct impact on the user-facing aspects of the product, influencing how users interact with the platform and the overall perception of its quality and usability.

Growth Opportunities:

Opportunity to grow within the frontend engineering track, potentially specializing further in UI development, performance optimization, or building scalable design systems.
Potential to evolve into a more senior UX Engineering role, taking on more complex design challenges and mentoring junior team members.
Exposure to the fintech industry and AI-powered products provides valuable experience in a rapidly evolving sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a candidate focused on a design career, this role offers a unique opportunity to combine technical engineering skills with a deep understanding of user experience. Growth could involve moving towards more traditional design roles, specializing in UX research and strategy, or continuing on a technical path with a strong UX focus.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: On-site in Lisbon, Portugal. This suggests a traditional office environment with the expectation of daily presence at the company's location.

Office Location(s): Lisbon, Portugal.

Design Workspace Context:

Working on-site allows for close, in-person collaboration with design, product, and other engineering team members.
Opportunities for spontaneous discussions, whiteboard sessions, and pair programming to solve design and technical challenges.
Access to necessary hardware and software for frontend development and potentially design tools used by the team.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site. While startup culture often allows for some flexibility, the primary work will be conducted from the Lisbon office during standard business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a key aspect of the work environment. Candidates should be comfortable with daily office presence and the collaborative opportunities and potential distractions that come with it.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

Initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and interest in the role.
Technical interview focusing on frontend development skills, potentially including coding challenges or discussions of past projects.
Interview focused on product experience and UX understanding, potentially involving a discussion of your portfolio and how you approach user-centric development.
Interview(s) with the hiring manager and potentially other team members (Product, Design) to assess cultural fit and collaboration skills.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Clearly highlight projects where you were responsible for implementing user interfaces and improving the user experience.
For each relevant project, briefly explain the problem you were solving, your role, the technologies used, and the impact of your work on the user experience.
If possible, include a brief case study format for one or two key projects, detailing the design collaboration, development process, and any UX challenges overcome.
Be prepared to walk through your code and explain your technical decisions related to UI implementation and performance.

Challenge Preparation:

Be prepared for potential technical coding challenges related to frontend development and UI implementation.
Brush up on your understanding of core JavaScript concepts and your chosen frontend framework (React, Vue, etc.).
Consider how you would approach a small design-related coding task, focusing on both functionality and user experience.

ATS Keywords: Frontend Development, Software Engineer, User Experience, UX, UI, React, Vue, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Responsive Design, Component Library, Design System, Figma, Tailwind, Storybook, Fintech, SaaS, B2B, Collaboration, Usability, Wireframes, Prototyping, Iteration, Feedback, Product Experience, Frontend Engineer, Web Development, Cross-functional Teams, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess both technical frontend skills and the candidate's understanding and application of UX principles. A strong portfolio showcasing implemented designs and collaborative efforts will be crucial. Candidates should prepare to discuss their approach to user-centric development and how they bridge the gap between design and code.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

Modern frontend frameworks (React, Vue are mentioned) for building user interfaces and components. Skill level expectations are likely proficiency with at least one of these frameworks for building complex UIs.
Familiarity with CSS frameworks like Tailwind is a plus, indicating a potential preference for utility-first CSS approaches.
Knowledge of integrating frontend code with APIs and backend services to fetch and display data.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Experience collaborating with designers using tools like Figma (preferred skill), understanding how to interpret design files and specifications.
Potential use of project management and collaboration tools typical in Agile environments (e.g., Jira, Asana, Slack).
Familiarity with version control systems like Git for code management and collaboration.

Research & Testing:

While not explicitly a research role, understanding how user feedback and testing inform design and development is valuable.
Potential exposure to tools used for user testing or analytics to understand how implemented designs are performing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack heavily leans towards modern frontend development. The mention of Figma and Storybook as preferred skills reinforces the close tie between this engineering role and the design function, emphasizing the importance of implementing designs accurately and contributing to reusable components.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

Obsession over user experience and attention to detail in implementing interfaces.
Emphasis on creating simple and intuitive workflows, even for complex financial processes.
Value placed on design consistency and contributing to a cohesive user interface through component libraries and design systems.
A proactive approach to identifying and addressing UX friction points.

Collaboration Style:

Collaborative and cross-functional, working closely with product and design teams in squads.
Feedback-driven, with a focus on fast iteration and getting features in front of users quickly for testing and feedback.
Opinionated about product quality, indicating a team that values thoughtful solutions and ownership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values described highlight the importance of a user-centric mindset within the team. The emphasis on collaboration, feedback, and ownership suggests a dynamic and engaged work environment where engineers are expected to contribute beyond just writing code, actively participating in shaping the product's user experience.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

Translating complex fintech processes into simple and intuitive user interfaces, which requires a deep understanding of both the technical and user aspects.
Maintaining design consistency and scalability across a growing platform, emphasizing the need for contributions to the design system.
Balancing fast iteration and quick implementation with ensuring high product quality and addressing edge cases effectively.
Staying updated with the latest frontend technologies and best practices to build performant and maintainable user interfaces.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Opportunity to deepen expertise in a specific frontend framework (React/Vue) and related technologies.
Gain valuable experience in the rapidly growing fintech industry.
Enhance skills in collaborative product development within cross-functional teams.
Potential for mentorship and learning from experienced engineers and designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the nuanced nature of this role, requiring a blend of technical skill and a strong understanding of user experience within a specific domain (fintech). The growth opportunities are tied to both technical specialization and gaining valuable industry experience.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

Be prepared to discuss your approach to implementing user interfaces based on design specifications and how you collaborate with designers.
Think about how you identify and address potential usability issues during the development process.
Be ready to discuss a project where you contributed significantly to improving the user experience through your implementation.

Company Culture Questions:

Research Paynest (the client company) and their mission to understand their business and target users.
Prepare questions about the team structure, collaboration style, and how design and engineering work together.
Be ready to discuss how you thrive in a fast-paced, iterative environment and how you handle feedback.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Focus on 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your frontend development skills and your contribution to user experience.
For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the technologies used, and the impact on the user.
Be prepared to show live demos or walkthroughs of your implemented interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating both technical frontend proficiency and a genuine interest in and understanding of user experience. Highlighting examples of collaboration with design and product teams will be beneficial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link via ambi.careers.
Ensure your resume highlights your frontend development experience, specifically mentioning frameworks like React or Vue, and any experience with UX-focused implementation.
Prepare a portfolio or include links to projects that showcase your implemented user interfaces and contributions to product experience.
Be ready to discuss your collaboration style and experience working with design and product teams during the interview process.

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

Software Engineer – Product Experience & UX (Fintech Startup)