Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: CadMakers

Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design

Date Posted: March 11, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days Work From Home)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive innovation and user experience enhancements for cmBuilder.io, a leading visual construction planning software.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with product management, engineering, and stakeholders to translate business goals and user needs into intuitive, polished designs.

• Champion user-centered design principles, conducting research and gathering insights to inform product strategy and feature development.

• Contribute to the evolution and consistency of the company's design system, ensuring high standards of UI craft and maintainability.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a Product Designer focused on a SaaS platform in the construction technology sector, emphasizing user-centered design, technical problem-solving, and AI tool integration for workflow acceleration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Shape the core user experience of cmBuilder by designing new features and continuously improving existing ones, tackling ambiguous projects in close partnership with product management.

• Conduct user research, including planning and facilitating interviews, to understand customer needs and translate real-world problems into clear, actionable design direction.

• Operate with a high degree of ownership and autonomy, proactively driving projects, asking critical questions, making informed design decisions, and clearly articulating the rationale behind them.

• Utilize a range of prototyping methods to gather iterative feedback and derive valuable user insights.

• Communicate design concepts, decisions, and rationale effectively to stakeholders, engineers, and other collaborators.

• Collaborate closely with design and engineering teammates, fostering a culture of constructive challenge and maintaining a high bar for design quality and craft.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the company's design system, ensuring consistent application and identifying opportunities for enhancement and expansion.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a proactive, research-driven approach to product design within a technical domain, requiring strong collaboration and ownership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for this level of experience.

Experience: 3+ years of experience in Product Design, UX Design, or UI Design, with a proven track record of solving complex problems in technical domains.

Required Skills:

• Strong user-centered design approach, with demonstrated experience in complex or technical problem-solving.

• Comfort with ambiguity, ability to collaborate in defining problems and requirements, and a proactive approach to design execution.

• Technical mindset and curiosity about how designs are implemented; ability to collaborate effectively with engineers.

• Hands-on experience with emerging AI tools, specifically for workflow acceleration, enhancing creativity, and gathering user feedback.

• Proficiency in working with design systems, including designing at a pattern level and creating frameworks for others to build upon.

• Strong UI craft with a keen eye for clean design and disciplined application of industry-standard and internal patterns.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder and team collaboration.

Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge or experience within the construction industry.

• Experience conducting and facilitating user research.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI tools and technical domains suggests a need for designers who are adaptable and can quickly learn new technologies and complex user workflows.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3 years of product/UX/UI design experience, with a focus on complex or technical domains.

• Include case studies that highlight your ability to translate user needs and business goals into effective, intuitive, and visually polished designs.

• Showcase examples of your work within established design systems, illustrating your understanding of pattern-level design and framework creation.

• Present projects that demonstrate your approach to user research, problem definition, and iterative feedback loops.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail the user research methodologies employed, including planning, facilitation, and synthesis of findings.

• Illustrate your prototyping process and how iterative feedback was incorporated to refine designs.

• Showcase contributions to or utilization of design systems, including how you maintained consistency and extended existing patterns.

• Explain how you collaborated with engineering and product management throughout the design lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as the company explicitly states it will be reviewed by human beings, emphasizing the need for well-documented case studies that showcase process and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $75,000 - $115,000 CAD yearly (commensurate with relevant experience).

Benefits:

• Career Growth: Opportunity to make an impact in a growth-stage company with significant upward potential, directly influencing the company's trajectory.

• Creative and Innovative Environment: Encouragement to challenge the status quo, bring ideas for automation and optimization, and participate in regular innovation/exploration days.

• Project Ownership: The chance to take ownership of projects, make decisions, and deliver high-quality work to clients.

• Fun Environment: A work hard, play hard culture focused on building a great company, collaborating with amazing customers, and enjoying the process.

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility with a hybrid arrangement, allowing for 2 days of remote work after an initial onboarding period.

• AI Tool Integration: Exposure to and potential use of emerging AI tools to enhance design workflows.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, standard full-time hours are assumed (e.g., 40 hours per week), with a hybrid flexibility option.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided, and the benefits are framed around growth, innovation, ownership, and a positive work culture, with a specific mention of AI tool utilization.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Construction and Manufacturing Technology. CadMakers is at the forefront of transforming the construction industry through advanced digital solutions.

Company Size: Based on LinkedIn data, CadMakers likely falls within the 50-200 employee range, indicating a growth-stage company with established processes but still agile enough for significant individual impact.

Founded: 2014. This history suggests a company that has moved beyond its startup phase and is now focused on scaling and refining its product and operations.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design role will be part of a product team, working closely with Product Management and Engineering.

• Expect a collaborative and cross-functional reporting structure, where designers contribute to product strategy and execution.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on user research and translating real-world problems into design solutions, suggesting a data-informed approach.

• Iterative Development: Use of prototyping and iterative feedback loops to refine designs.

• Design System Utilization: Consistent application and evolution of a design system for maintaining UI craft and efficiency.

• Innovation Focus: Regular innovation/exploration days indicate a culture that values experimentation and R&D.

Company Website: https://cadmakers.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: CadMakers positions itself as an innovative leader in construction tech, fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement, with a strong commitment to human-centric application review.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Product Designer. This role is suitable for professionals with 2-5 years of experience looking to deepen their expertise in a specialized domain and contribute significantly to a growing product.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Product Design Lead, a Head of Product, or a similar senior role within the product development team. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work will directly influence the usability, adoption, and effectiveness of cmBuilder.io, a key revenue-generating product. By improving user experience and developing new features, they will contribute to customer satisfaction, retention, and the company's overall growth and market position in the construction tech sector.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for complex technical domains, particularly in construction technology, and gain advanced skills in user research and AI tool integration.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to take ownership of significant product areas, mentor junior designers, and contribute to evolving design processes and the design system.

• Career Advancement: Potential to move into Senior Product Designer roles, lead design initiatives, or transition into related product management or UX strategy roles within CadMakers as the company scales.

• Innovation Exposure: Participation in innovation days and R&D projects provides exposure to new technologies and strategic product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within a specialized tech sector, with opportunities for both technical skill development and leadership advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in an office environment in Burnaby, BC, with a hybrid work flexibility option. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed for team interaction.

Office Location(s): Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. This location is within the Metro Vancouver area, offering access to a vibrant tech and business hub.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to be collaborative, encouraging interaction between product, design, and engineering teams.

• Access to design tools and technologies will be standard, with an emphasis on utilizing AI tools to enhance workflows.

• Opportunities for direct customer interaction will be integrated into the role, providing valuable real-world context.

Work Schedule: Hybrid model with 2 days of Work From Home after an initial 3-month onboarding period where the employee will be in the office 5 days a week. Specific in-office days will be set post-onboarding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model balances the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work, catering to modern professional expectations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Human-led review of applications, resumes, and portfolios, with no AI screening used for this stage.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, walking through case studies that demonstrate their design process, problem-solving skills, and impact.

• Skills Assessment: Potential for a design exercise or challenge, focusing on problem-solving within a technical or construction domain, or a deep dive into design system thinking.

• Behavioral Interviews: Questions assessing collaboration, ownership, communication, and cultural fit, with a focus on how candidates handle ambiguity and work with stakeholders.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers or leadership to assess technical alignment and fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-4 strong case studies that best represent your skills and experience relevant to this role (technical domains, user-centered design, AI tools, design systems).

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each project, clearly outline: The Problem, Your Role, The Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing), The Solution, and The Impact (quantifiable results if possible).

• Highlight AI Integration: If you have projects where AI tools were used to accelerate workflows or enhance outcomes, make sure to detail this.

• Showcase Design System Work: Include examples of your contributions to or use of design systems, demonstrating your understanding of consistency and scalability.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to articulate the "why" behind your design decisions and how you collaborated with cross-functional teams.

Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with common design challenges in SaaS platforms, particularly those related to complex workflows and technical data visualization.

• Research the construction industry and common pain points for construction professionals to better understand the user context for cmBuilder.io.

• Practice explaining your design process clearly and concisely, focusing on user-centricity and problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: CadMakers emphasizes a human-centric, thorough review process. Applicants should focus on quality case studies that highlight their process, impact, and specific skills relevant to technical SaaS product design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Likely candidates include Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar industry-standard tools for UI design and interactive prototyping.

• Research & Feedback Tools: Tools for user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Typeform).

• Design System Management: Tools or methodologies for managing and documenting design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned for the designer, familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) can be beneficial for understanding user behavior and informing design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role's core responsibilities, but awareness of how design integrates with CRM (e.g., Salesforce) or marketing automation tools can be helpful in understanding the broader business context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design and prototyping tools, especially Figma, is almost certainly expected. Experience with user research platforms and an understanding of how design impacts analytics are also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centricity: Strong emphasis on human review of applications and valuing the "human touch" in team building.

• Innovation & Challenge: Encouraging employees to "challenge the status quo," bring ideas, and participate in innovation/exploration days.

• Ownership & Impact: Valuing individuals who take ownership of projects and deliver great work, directly impacting clients and company growth.

• Collaboration: Fostering a collaborative environment where teammates constructively challenge each other to maintain high quality.

• Continuous Learning: Implicit in the encouragement of innovation and the fast-paced nature of the tech industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close partnership with product management and engineering is a core aspect of the role.

• Constructive Challenge: A culture that encourages open feedback and constructive debate to elevate design quality.

• Customer-Centric: Direct interaction with customers to gather insights and inform design decisions.

• Shared Ownership: Working towards common product goals and taking collective responsibility for outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company actively promotes a culture that values human interaction, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving, with a strong emphasis on individual contribution and impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Technical Complexity: Translating complex construction logistics and planning functionalities into intuitive user interfaces.

• Balancing User Needs and Business Goals: Effectively integrating user feedback with product strategy and engineering constraints.

• Working with Ambiguity: Navigating projects where requirements may not be fully defined, requiring proactive problem-solving and definition.

• Evolving Design System: Contributing to and maintaining a design system in a rapidly developing product.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Exploring and implementing AI tools in a meaningful way that enhances user workflows without overcomplicating the product.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Gain deep knowledge of the construction technology sector and its unique user needs.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Develop practical skills in leveraging emerging AI tools for design acceleration and innovation.

• Design System Leadership: Grow expertise in designing, documenting, and evolving comprehensive design systems.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Enhance collaboration skills with product managers and engineers in a fast-paced SaaS environment.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Influence product direction and strategy through user insights and design innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities to tackle complex design problems in a niche industry, with significant scope for professional development in AI integration and design system management.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex or technical domain. What was your approach, and what were the key challenges?" (Focus on user-centered process, problem definition, and technical considerations).

• "How do you approach working with ambiguous project requirements? Can you give an example of a project where you helped define the problem?" (Highlight proactive problem-solving, collaboration, and iterative definition).

• "When working with engineers, how do you ensure your designs are feasible and effectively implemented? How do you handle design disagreements?" (Emphasize communication, technical curiosity, and collaborative problem-solving).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your research, what excites you most about CadMakers and cmBuilder.io?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the product and market).

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment? How do you give and receive constructive feedback?" (Align with CadMakers' emphasis on collaboration and constructive challenge).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the problem you were solving and the user needs you were addressing for each case study.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively to illustrate your design process, wireframes, prototypes, and final UI.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, task completion times, user satisfaction scores).

• Explain Your Role: Be clear about your specific contributions to team projects.

• Discuss Trade-offs: Be prepared to talk about design decisions you made and the trade-offs involved.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong user-centered process, ability to handle technical complexity, collaborative spirit, and tangible design impact, with specific attention to AI tool usage and the company's unique culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight your 3+ years of experience in Product/UX/UI design, particularly in complex or technical domains. Ensure your portfolio showcases relevant case studies demonstrating user-centered design, AI tool integration, and design system contributions.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your responsibilities and achievements using keywords from the job description, such as "user-centered design," "prototyping," "design systems," "technical mindset," and "AI tools."

• Company Research: Investigate CadMakers, cmBuilder.io, and the construction technology industry to understand their market position, product offerings, and company culture. This will help you tailor your responses during interviews.

• Prepare for Human Review: Since CadMakers emphasizes human-led application review, ensure your application materials are polished, error-free, and clearly communicate your value proposition and fit with their culture.

⚠️ 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.

---