Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Beacon AI

Location: San Carlos, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UI/UX

Date Posted: May 07, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3+ days onsite)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the end-to-end product design lifecycle for an innovative AI platform aimed at enhancing aviation safety and efficiency.

• Develop intuitive and critical interfaces that translate complex AI-driven data into actionable insights for pilots in high-pressure cockpit environments.

• Drive user research and usability testing with aviation professionals to ensure designs meet stringent safety and operational requirements.

• Establish and maintain a scalable design system to ensure product consistency and accelerate development cycles.

• Foster close collaboration with engineering and product teams to iteratively deliver polished, user-centric experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Product Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean into UI/UX design with a strong emphasis on user research, interaction design, and system design within a safety-critical domain. The "Product" aspect comes from owning the design process end-to-end and contributing to product strategy through user insights.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the entire product design process, from initial user research and conceptualization through to wireframing, prototyping, and detailed specification hand-off to engineering teams.

• Conduct in-depth user research, including interviews and usability testing sessions with pilots and other aviation experts, to gain a comprehensive understanding of their workflows, cognitive models, and critical safety needs.

• Transform complex AI-generated data, alerts, and insights into interfaces that are exceptionally clear, concise, and immediately actionable within demanding cockpit environments.

• Design, implement, and maintain a robust and scalable design system that ensures visual and interactive consistency across all product touchpoints and facilitates rapid development.

• Collaborate closely with engineering and product management to ensure the successful, iterative delivery of high-quality, well-considered user experiences.

• Contribute to the company's brand identity and visual language, assisting with marketing materials and web presence as a secondary focus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "safety-critical" and "high-pressure cockpit environments" indicates that this role requires more than standard UI/UX skills. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of designing for high-stakes situations where errors can have severe consequences, necessitating extreme clarity, minimal cognitive load, and robust error prevention.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles of this nature. A strong portfolio can often substitute for formal education.

Experience: A minimum of 3+ years of dedicated product design experience is preferred, with a focus on complex, data-intensive, or safety-critical applications.

Required Skills:

• Proven product design instincts with the ability to navigate from research and strategy to high-fidelity execution.

• Fluency in Figma, including proficiency in creating and managing design systems from scratch.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to ask critical questions and challenge assumptions to ensure the right problems are being solved.

• Comfort and resilience in handling complex and ambiguous project requirements, a common trait in innovative tech environments.

Preferred Skills:

• 3+ years of product design experience, particularly with products in aviation, aerospace, defense, medical devices, or complex enterprise software.

• Experience designing for AI-powered products, with a deep understanding of how to build user trust and intuitive interaction with machine-generated insights.

• Familiarity with motion design principles and the creation of micro-interactions to enhance user experience.

• Basic understanding of HTML and CSS to better collaborate with engineering teams and understand implementation constraints.

• Experience conducting user research and usability testing with specialized user groups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Bonus Points" section strongly suggests a preference for candidates with direct experience in safety-critical domains or AI products. This implies a need for candidates who can quickly grasp the unique challenges and user needs within the aviation sector. The mention of "3+ years" in the bonus points section suggests that candidates with this level of experience are highly sought after, even if not strictly a "minimum requirement."

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design work, demonstrating proficiency in research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and final design execution.

• Case studies should highlight experience with complex, data-heavy, or safety-critical products, detailing the problem, your process, design decisions, and the impact of your work.

• Specific examples of contributions to or creation of design systems, illustrating their scalability and consistency benefits.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed case studies that walk through the discovery phase, including user research methodologies and insights derived from aviation professionals.

• Examples of translating complex AI output into clear, actionable user interface designs, with an explanation of the design rationale.

• Documentation of design system components, guidelines, and their application across various product features.

• Prototypes that effectively communicate user flows and interaction patterns for complex scenarios.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio should strongly emphasize the ability to design for clarity and safety under pressure, rather than just aesthetic appeal. Case studies demonstrating experience with AI interpretation and user trust are particularly valuable.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in San Carlos, California, the estimated salary range is between $110,000 to $150,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the San Francisco Bay Area, considering the company's focus on AI and aviation, which may command a premium.

Benefits:

• Healthcare: 100% of employee medical premiums covered.

• Dependent Coverage: 25% of dependent medical premiums covered.

• Time Off: 3 weeks of Paid Time Off (PTO) annually.

• Paid Company Holidays: 13+ paid holidays per year.

• Stipends: Monthly phone and wellness benefits provided.

• 401(k): Retirement savings plan offered; employer match is not currently available but planned for future enhancement.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The role is hybrid, requiring at least 3 days per week onsite in San Carlos, CA, with flexibility for remote work on the remaining days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from industry data for Product Designers in the San Francisco Bay Area, a high cost-of-living region known for tech salaries. The specific benefits are listed, with a note about future 401(k) enhancements, indicating a growing company. The "US Persons only" restriction due to export control is a critical factor for eligibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence, Aviation Technology, Aerospace, Defense. Beacon AI operates at the intersection of cutting-edge AI and the highly regulated, safety-conscious aviation industry. This dual focus requires a blend of rapid innovation and meticulous attention to detail and compliance.

Company Size: Beacon AI is a fast-moving startup, likely in the early to growth stages. While not explicitly stated, the description suggests a lean, agile environment with small, focused teams and minimal bureaucracy. This implies a high degree of autonomy and direct impact for each team member.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly provided, but the company is described as "fast-moving" and backed by "top investors," indicating it is an established startup with significant traction, likely founded within the last 5-10 years.

Team Structure:

• The operations team is likely small and integrated, with designers working in cross-functional pods alongside engineers and product managers.

• Reporting structures are probably flat, with designers reporting to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or CTO, emphasizing direct collaboration rather than hierarchical management.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Emphasizes using user research and product analytics to inform design decisions, particularly in understanding pilot behavior and AI interaction.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Focuses on streamlining complex aviation workflows and optimizing pilot performance through intuitive AI integration.

• Automation & Efficiency: Leverages AI to automate tasks and improve operational efficiency in aviation, with design playing a key role in making these automated systems usable and trustworthy.

Company Website: https://beaconai.co

📝 Enhancement Note: The "no silos or heavy processes" and "small, focused teams own what they build" statements are key indicators of a startup culture. This means candidates should expect a dynamic, hands-on environment where they can influence product direction significantly. The "mission-critical systems" and "safety critical" nature of the product means a high bar for quality and rigor.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Product Designer (2-5 years experience preferred). The designer is expected to "own the end-to-end product design process" for a core product, indicating a significant level of responsibility and autonomy. This level typically involves taking ownership of features or product areas, driving user research, and collaborating closely with engineering.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or CTO, given the startup environment. They will work closely with software engineers and product managers in a highly collaborative, cross-functional team.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work will have a direct and critical impact on the safety, efficiency, and capability of AI in aviation. Designing clear, actionable interfaces for pilots can directly affect flight outcomes, making this role highly impactful and consequential. The designer will be instrumental in shaping how users trust and interact with AI in a safety-critical domain.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in designing for AI, safety-critical systems, and aviation workflows. This could involve learning specialized UX research techniques for high-stakes environments or advanced interaction design patterns.

• Learning & Development: Exposure to cutting-edge AI technology and the complex domain of aviation. The company's growth and investor backing suggest potential for learning new tools, methodologies, and taking on larger project scopes.

• Leadership Potential: As the company scales, there will be opportunities to take on more senior design roles, mentor junior designers, and potentially lead design efforts for new product areas or the entire platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "contribute to brand and visual identity as a secondary responsibility" suggests opportunities for designers interested in expanding their scope beyond core product UI/UX into broader brand and visual design. The role is ideal for someone seeking to make a tangible impact in a high-stakes industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as hybrid, requiring a minimum of 3 days per week onsite in San Carlos, CA. This suggests a modern office environment designed to foster collaboration and innovation, with dedicated spaces for heads-down work and team interactions.

Office Location(s): San Carlos, California, United States. This location is within the San Francisco Bay Area, a hub for technology and innovation, offering access to a vibrant professional community.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and "no silos" culture indicate an emphasis on in-person collaboration for brainstorming, design reviews, and problem-solving sessions.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Expect access to standard design tools like Figma, potentially with collaborative features. The company is likely to provide necessary hardware and software for design and research activities.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact daily with engineers, product managers, and potentially aviation experts, fostering a rich learning environment and ensuring design solutions are practical and well-integrated.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with flexibility for remote work on non-onsite days. The nature of startup work may occasionally require dedication beyond standard hours, particularly during critical project phases, but the emphasis is on iterative delivery and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid arrangement balances the need for in-person collaboration with the flexibility desired by many professionals. The San Carlos location places the designer in a prime tech ecosystem.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your application and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Expect a session where you present your portfolio, discussing your design process, decision-making, and impact. This may be followed by a design challenge (take-home or live) focused on a relevant problem, likely involving AI interpretation and user experience in a safety-critical context.

• Team Interviews: Interviews with engineering leads, product managers, and potentially other designers or stakeholders to evaluate collaboration style, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A conversation with senior leadership (e.g., CTO, CEO) to discuss broader strategic fit, vision, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Safety-Critical Design: Emphasize any experience with designing for high-stakes environments, complex data, or AI where clarity and accuracy are paramount.

• Showcase Your Process: Clearly articulate your research methodologies, how you gathered insights (especially from specialized users), and how these insights drove your design decisions.

• Demonstrate Figma Proficiency: Include examples of well-structured Figma files, component libraries, and design system work.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the positive outcomes of your design work (e.g., improved usability scores, reduced errors, increased task completion speed).

• Address AI Interaction: Include case studies that specifically address designing for AI, focusing on user trust, transparency, and actionable insights.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research aviation, pilot workflows, and the challenges of integrating AI into cockpits. Familiarize yourself with safety-critical design principles.

• Focus on Clarity and Actionability: For any design challenge, prioritize making complex information immediately understandable and actionable for a pilot. Think about error states and edge cases.

• Articulate Your Rationale: Be prepared to explain every design decision, linking it back to user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

• Consider Scalability: Think about how your proposed solution would scale within a design system and across different aircraft or scenarios.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to handle complexity and safety. A portfolio that clearly demonstrates problem-solving skills in constrained or high-consequence environments will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly mentioned as a required skill and is the primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, and UI design. Proficiency in its advanced features, including collaboration and component management, is essential.

• Design System Tools: While Figma is the platform, familiarity with the principles and implementation of robust design systems is key. This might involve tools for documentation or version control integrated with Figma.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a requirement for the designer, they will likely interact with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and validate design hypotheses.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role's core responsibilities, but an understanding of how design integrates into broader product development workflows (which may involve CRM and automation tools used by sales/marketing/support) is helpful.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirement is Figma. However, a candidate's ability to work within a tech stack that includes AI platforms, potentially cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP), and data pipelines will be indirectly assessed through their understanding of how their designs integrate and function.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Safety First: A paramount value in aviation, this translates to meticulous design, rigorous testing, and a culture of accountability where design decisions directly support pilot safety.

• Innovation & Agility: The startup environment fosters rapid iteration, experimentation, and a willingness to push boundaries in AI and aviation technology.

• Collaboration & Transparency: "No silos" culture implies open communication, shared ownership, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving across disciplines.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of pilots and aviation professionals, ensuring designs are intuitive, effective, and trustworthy.

• Excellence & Precision: Given the domain, there's an expectation of high-quality work, attention to detail, and a drive for technical and design excellence.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to be embedded within engineering and product teams, working hand-in-hand to define and build features.

• Process Review & Feedback: An open culture where designs are shared early and often, with constructive feedback sought from peers, engineers, and product managers.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, research findings, and design patterns across the team to foster collective learning and improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes a blend of high-impact, safety-conscious work within an agile, collaborative startup setting. Candidates should be comfortable with both rigorous standards and rapid iteration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Trust: A significant challenge is making AI-generated insights feel trustworthy, transparent, and intuitive to users in high-stakes scenarios where misinterpretation can be dangerous.

• Complexity & Ambiguity: The inherent complexity of aviation and AI systems, coupled with the startup environment's ambiguity, requires designers to be comfortable navigating uncertainty and defining solutions from scratch.

• Safety-Critical Constraints: Designing within stringent safety regulations and operational constraints of aviation requires a deep understanding of user needs and potential failure modes.

• Rapid Iteration vs. Rigor: Balancing the need for quick iteration in a startup with the absolute necessity for thoroughness and safety in aviation design.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Domain Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge in aviation, AI in critical systems, and human factors in safety-critical environments.

• Advanced Design Skills: Developing expertise in designing for complex data visualization, AI interaction, and high-pressure user experiences.

• Product Ownership: Opportunities to take significant ownership of product areas, influence product strategy, and contribute to the company's growth trajectory.

• Mentorship: Potential to learn from experienced engineers and product leaders within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to the role and industry, offering significant growth potential for individuals who can rise to them.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing an alert system for an AI pilot assistant that needs to be instantly understood and acted upon in a critical flight situation?" (Focus on clarity, prioritization, error states, and user trust.)

• "Describe your process for conducting user research with specialized professionals like pilots. What methods would you prioritize, and how would you ensure their insights are actionable?" (Focus on research methodology, empathy, and translating findings into design.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Beacon AI's mission and the aviation industry specifically?" (Demonstrate genuine curiosity and alignment with the company's purpose.)

• "How do you handle ambiguity and shifting priorities in a startup environment?" (Highlight adaptability, proactivity, and a problem-solving mindset.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the constraints, your process, key design decisions (and why), and the outcomes/impact.

• Emphasize Your Process: Walk through your steps from research to final design, highlighting how you incorporated user feedback and addressed challenges.

• Showcase Figma Files: Be prepared to share your Figma files to demonstrate your organization, component usage, and design system implementation.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results whenever possible. If quantitative data isn't available, articulate the qualitative impact and lessons learned.

• Tailor to Beacon AI: Explicitly connect your experience and skills to the specific needs of Beacon AI, especially regarding AI interaction and safety-critical design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a combination of strong design skills, a rigorous process, an understanding of complex domains, and a cultural fit with a fast-paced, mission-driven startup.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in product design, UI/UX, user research, Figma, and any relevant experience with complex or safety-critical systems, AI, or aviation. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features end-to-end design case studies that demonstrate your process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Prioritize examples relevant to complex data, AI interfaces, or safety-critical applications.

• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your case studies, articulating your design decisions, and explaining your process clearly and concisely. Be ready to discuss your experience with Figma and design systems.

• Research Beacon AI: Understand the company's mission, product, and the aviation industry context. Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers to demonstrate your engagement and interest.

⚠️ 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.