Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Karbon

Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: April 21, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-4+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (with remote flexibility across specified regions)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead complex, end-to-end product design initiatives for a leading AI-powered practice management software.

• Leverage AI and LLMs extensively throughout the design process, from problem framing and research to rapid prototyping and iteration.

• Collaborate deeply with Product Management and Engineering to translate customer needs into high-quality, user-centered experiences within a B2B SaaS environment.

• Contribute to the evolution of design systems and best practices, driving craft and consistency across the product.

• This role offers significant autonomy and the opportunity to influence product direction and user experience in a globally distributed, high-growth company.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the emphasis on AI integration, LLMs, and specific B2B SaaS context positions this role within a more specialized and forward-thinking design discipline. The "end-to-end" ownership and "autonomous" operation suggest a mid-level to senior individual contributor role, requiring strong self-management and strategic design thinking. The location is Sydney, but the company operates globally with remote flexibility, indicating a potential for hybrid work arrangements with opportunities for remote collaboration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Design Ownership: Lead the entire design lifecycle for complex features and product areas, from initial problem definition and user research through to final visual design and handover to engineering.

• AI-Augmented Design Workflow: Actively utilize Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI-assisted tools for tasks such as clarifying product intent, drafting design briefs, synthesizing research findings, generating initial concepts, and identifying edge cases and risks.

• Rapid Prototyping and Iteration: Employ AI-accelerated tools to quickly build and iterate on user flows and lightweight interfaces, guiding the AI's output with your design expertise to explore various solutions efficiently.

• Customer-Centric Validation: Conduct early and frequent customer validation through direct conversations, usability testing, and feedback analysis, using research insights as a catalyst for design adjustments and direction setting.

• High-Fidelity Design and System Alignment: Translate validated concepts into detailed, production-ready designs in Figma, ensuring complete state coverage, adherence to the established design system, and seamless integration with platform components.

• Platform Design and Complexity Management: Design experiences that abstract complexity, making them feel effortless for users, and contribute to encoding design judgment and principles into reusable patterns and tools for consistent application.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Product Managers and Engineers throughout the development process, fostering strong communication to ensure shared understanding and alignment on design decisions and technical feasibility.

• Elevate Design Practice: Influence and improve design standards, quality, and craft across the organization through contributions to design systems, pattern libraries, and sharing best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a significant emphasis on AI integration, which is a key differentiator. The expectation to use AI for "clarifying intent," "drafting briefs," and "pressure-testing assumptions" suggests a strategic approach to design problem-solving. The mention of "prototyping to set direction" and "letting AI accelerate generation" implies a hands-on approach where the designer guides AI tools rather than just using them as a black box.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Formal education in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is beneficial but not strictly required; equivalent practical experience will be highly valued.

Experience:

• 2-4+ years of professional experience in product design, with a strong preference for B2B SaaS or complex product environments.

Required Skills:

• End-to-End Product Design: Proven ability to manage the full design process, including user research, interaction design, visual design, and prototyping.

• Portfolio of Complex Systems: A strong portfolio showcasing successful design solutions for complex B2B SaaS products, demonstrating problem-solving, interaction design, and visual craft.

• AI and LLM Proficiency: Active, hands-on experience using AI tools and LLMs within a design workflow for problem framing, research synthesis, concept generation, and iterative design.

• Prototyping & AI-Assisted Tools: Comfortability using AI-assisted tools to build and iterate on prototypes and interfaces, even without direct coding experience.

• Customer Research & Validation: Experience conducting user interviews, usability testing, and synthesizing feedback to inform design decisions rapidly.

• Figma Expertise: Advanced proficiency in Figma for creating high-fidelity designs, managing design systems, and collaborating with teams.

• Design Systems Contribution: Experience working with, contributing to, or maintaining established design systems.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Autonomous Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to work independently on ambiguous problems, drive clarity, and take ownership of design outcomes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for vertical SaaS, professional services, or accounting-adjacent products.

• Experience designing AI-enabled product experiences.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

• Understanding of front-end development principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "active use of LLMs in your design workflow" and "comfort using AI-assisted development tools" is a critical differentiator. This isn't just about knowing AI exists, but actively integrating it into the daily design practice. The experience level is specified as "2-4+ years," suggesting a strong mid-level role requiring proven capability.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end design thinking on at least 2-3 complex projects, preferably within B2B SaaS.

• Clearly articulate the problem space, your role, the design process, and the impact of your solutions.

• Demonstrate how you leveraged AI and LLMs to enhance problem framing, research, or ideation.

• Include examples of rapid prototyping and iteration, highlighting how you used AI-assisted tools.

• Present examples of interaction design, visual craft, and system alignment (design system usage or contribution).

Process Documentation:

• Highlight your approach to user research and validation, emphasizing speed and iterative feedback loops.

• Detail your workflow for translating validated concepts into production-ready designs in Figma.

• Explain how you collaborate with Product and Engineering to ensure successful implementation.

• Illustrate how you contribute to or leverage design systems for consistency and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role emphasizing AI integration, the portfolio should explicitly demonstrate how AI tools were used to accelerate design processes, uncover insights, or generate novel solutions. This is a key differentiator and should be a prominent theme.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

For Sydney, NSW, Australia, a Product Designer with 2-4+ years of experience in B2B SaaS, especially with AI/LLM specialization, could expect a salary range of AUD $100,000 - $140,000 per annum. This estimate considers the specialization, the company's global presence and funding, and Australian market rates for mid-level tech roles.

Benefits:

• Generous Leave: 4 weeks of annual leave plus 5 additional "Karbon Days" off per year.

• Flexible Work Environment: Supports a healthy work-life balance, with hybrid options and remote flexibility.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for learning and growth, likely including access to training, conferences, and skill development relevant to AI and design.

• Global Experience: Work with teams and customers across the US, New Zealand, UK, and Canada, offering broad international exposure.

• Growth Opportunities: Be part of a fast-growing company with a strong emphasis on internal promotion and career advancement.

• Collaborative Culture: Work within a team-oriented environment that values diversity, feedback, and continuous improvement.

• Parental Leave: Generous parental leave provisions.

• Great Place to Work® Certified: Recognition of a positive and supportive workplace culture.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered in scheduling to accommodate different time zones and work-life balance needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate for Sydney based on industry benchmarks for a mid-level Product Designer in a tech company, with adjustments for the specific skills (AI/LLM) and B2B SaaS focus. The benefits list is directly extracted from the provided text and highlights key perks for potential candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology (specifically Practice Management Software for Accounting Firms)

Company Size: Growing rapidly, with a globally distributed team across the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and the Philippines. The exact employee count isn't specified, but the description indicates a significant, established, and expanding international presence.

Founded: Karbon is established and has achieved significant growth, holding recognition as a global leader. The founding date isn't provided, but its market position suggests several years of operation and product development.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: The role implies a dedicated design function, likely within a larger Product team. The designer will operate with a high degree of autonomy but will collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Design Lead or Head of Product, with direct collaboration across Product and Engineering departments.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: A core aspect of the role involves deep partnerships with Product and Engineering to define problems, explore solutions, and ensure successful implementation. Collaboration with customer support and sales teams might also occur indirectly or through feedback loops.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: The emphasis on rapid iteration, collaboration with engineering, and product-centric problem-solving suggests an agile or lean product development approach.

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and validating with customers early and often.

• AI Integration: A forward-thinking methodology that embraces AI and LLMs as core tools for design efficiency and innovation.

• Design System Driven: Commitment to building and utilizing a robust design system for consistency and scalability.

Company Website: karbonhq.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on AI-powered software for accounting firms is a key differentiator. Its global distribution and recognition (Great Place To Work®, Fortune Best Small Workplaces™) point to a mature, high-performing, and people-focused culture. The "people-first culture" and "invests in development" are crucial for understanding the work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Individual Contributor (Product Designer). This role is for someone who can operate independently on complex problems, drive initiatives end-to-end, and has a solid foundation in design principles and tools, with a significant emphasis on newer AI/LLM methodologies.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report into a design leadership role (e.g., Design Lead, Head of Product Design) and will work in close partnership with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product initiatives. This structure allows for both guidance and autonomy.

Operations Impact:

• Product Innovation: Directly influences the user experience and functionality of Karbon's AI-powered practice management software, impacting how thousands of accounting professionals work daily.

• Customer Satisfaction: Designs that improve efficiency, collaboration, and ease of use directly contribute to customer satisfaction and retention.

• Design Practice Advancement: Contributes to the evolution of design quality, standards, and the adoption of cutting-edge tools like AI within the organization.

• Business Growth: High-quality product design is critical for user adoption, competitive differentiation, and ultimately, business growth in the B2B SaaS market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in AI Design: Deepen expertise in designing AI-enabled product experiences and leveraging LLMs, a highly sought-after skill in the current tech landscape.

• Leadership in Design: Progress to Senior Product Designer, Lead Product Designer, or even Design Manager roles, mentoring junior designers and shaping design strategy.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain deeper understanding of Product Management and Engineering workflows, potentially leading to roles with broader product ownership.

• Industry Expertise: Become an expert in the accounting technology sector, a stable and critical industry.

• Global Exposure: Continue to work in a globally distributed environment, enhancing cross-cultural collaboration skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path is strongly tied to advancements in AI and complex B2B SaaS design. The "promote high performers from within" statement suggests a clear internal mobility path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Karbon operates a globally distributed model, with physical offices in various regions and a strong emphasis on remote and flexible work. For Sydney, it's likely a hybrid model where employees can work from an office location or remotely, with the expectation of collaboration regardless of location.

Office Location(s): While the role is based in Sydney, NSW, Australia, Karbon has offices and a distributed team presence in the US, New Zealand, the UK, and the Philippines. The Sydney office would be a central hub for local collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Tools: Expect a digital-first environment heavily reliant on collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Figma, Jira) to connect the distributed team.

• Design Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools like Figma, along with cutting-edge AI-assisted design platforms and LLM interfaces.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for both synchronous collaboration (meetings, pair design sessions) and asynchronous communication to accommodate different time zones and work styles.

• Flexible Work: The environment is designed to support individuals with a focus on output and results rather than strict adherence to office presence.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours are expected (approx. 40 hours/week).

• Significant flexibility is offered, allowing individuals to manage their schedules to balance personal needs with team collaboration requirements. This flexibility is crucial for a globally distributed team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "flexible working environment" and global distribution are key aspects. Candidates should be comfortable with both remote collaboration and potentially some in-office interaction if based in Sydney.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. This stage focuses on assessing your experience, skills alignment, and the quality of your portfolio.

• Hiring Manager/Design Lead Interview: A deeper dive into your experience, design philosophy, and approach to problem-solving. Expect discussions about your portfolio projects, focusing on your process, decision-making, and collaboration with Product/Engineering.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: You will likely be asked to present a case study from your portfolio, detailing a complex design project. This is where you'll showcase your end-to-end thinking, problem-solving skills, and how you've used AI/LLMs. Some roles may include a take-home design challenge or a live collaborative exercise.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product and Engineering team members to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and technical understanding.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader for cultural fit and final alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI/LLM Integration: Explicitly showcase projects where you used AI tools for research synthesis, ideation, prototyping, or problem framing. Explain the impact these tools had on your process and outcomes.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your case studies logically: Problem, Your Role, Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing), Solution, and Impact (quantified results are best).

• Demonstrate End-to-End Thinking: Show that you can take a project from initial ambiguity to a polished, production-ready design.

• Visual Craft & Interaction: Ensure your visual design is polished and your interaction design is clear and well-articulated. Show prototypes that effectively communicate the user flow and experience.

• Focus on B2B SaaS Nuances: If possible, highlight experience with complex workflows, data management, and enterprise user needs.

• Be Concise but Thorough: Aim for 3-4 strong case studies that best represent your skills and experience.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Karbon's Product: Research Karbon's practice management software, its target users (accounting firms), and its competitive landscape.

• AI/LLM Application: Be ready to discuss how you'd approach a design problem using AI tools, or how you've done so in the past.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare examples of how you've successfully partnered with Product and Engineering, especially when facing technical constraints or differing opinions.

• Design System Thinking: Be prepared to discuss your experience with design systems and how you ensure consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's practical application of AI and LLMs in their design work. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating this.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary tool for design, prototyping, and collaboration).

• AI/LLM Tools: Various AI platforms and LLMs for text generation, research synthesis, concept ideation, and potentially prompt engineering for design outputs (specific tools may vary, but the application is key).

• Collaboration: Slack (real-time communication), Zoom (video conferencing), Jira/Confluence (project management and documentation).

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the designer's core toolset, but understanding how CRM and automation tools support business processes can provide context for B2B SaaS design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly mentioned, and the emphasis on AI/LLMs implies familiarity with a range of AI-powered tools, even if specific names aren't listed. The candidate needs to demonstrate adaptability to new AI design technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of accounting professionals.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Embracing new technologies like AI and LLMs to drive product advancement and efficiency.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering a supportive, globally distributed team environment where people work together effectively.

• High Performance & Growth: Encouraging high performers, investing in development, and promoting from within.

• Quality & Craftsmanship: A dedication to delivering high-quality, well-crafted user experiences.

• Diversity & Inclusion: A commitment to building a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued.

Collaboration Style:

• Digital-First: Primarily relies on digital tools for communication and collaboration, essential for a globally distributed team.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Strong partnerships between Design, Product, and Engineering are core to the workflow, emphasizing shared ownership and clear communication.

• Feedback-Oriented: Encourages regular feedback through design reviews, testing, and team interactions to continuously improve work.

• Autonomous but Connected: Individuals are empowered to work independently but are expected to stay connected with their teams and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's explicit mention of "people-first culture," "Great Place To Work® certification," and "Fortune magazine's Best Small Workplaces™ List" indicates a strong emphasis on employee well-being and a positive work environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapid Pace of AI Development: Staying current with fast-evolving AI and LLM technologies and their application in design.

• Balancing AI Assistance with Human Craft: Effectively integrating AI tools without compromising the quality, originality, or strategic depth of human-led design.

• Designing for Complex Workflows: Understanding and simplifying intricate processes common in professional services software like accounting.

• Global Collaboration: Effectively communicating and collaborating with team members across different time zones and cultural backgrounds.

• Ambiguity in New Technologies: Navigating the inherent ambiguity when applying cutting-edge AI tools to design problems.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Specialization: Becoming a leader in designing AI-powered user experiences, a high-demand skill.

• Advanced Design System Skills: Contributing to and evolving a mature design system for a growing SaaS product.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Gaining deeper insights into product strategy and engineering constraints.

• Industry Expertise: Developing a deep understanding of the accounting technology market.

• Global Teamwork: Honing skills in remote and international collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary growth opportunity lies in mastering the intersection of AI/LLMs and product design, a significant trend in the tech industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• AI Integration: "Describe a specific instance where you used an LLM or AI tool to solve a design problem. What was the outcome, and what did you learn?" or "How would you approach designing a new feature for Karbon, leveraging AI from the outset?"

• End-to-End Process: "Walk me through a complex project from your portfolio, detailing your process from problem definition to final implementation. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?"

• Collaboration Scenarios: "Describe a time you disagreed with a Product Manager or Engineer on a design decision. How did you handle it, and what was the resolution?"

• Design System Philosophy: "How do you approach working with and contributing to design systems? What are the benefits and challenges?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Karbon and the accounting practice management software industry?"

• "How do Karbon's stated values align with your own work style and professional goals?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation as a compelling story for each project, emphasizing the problem, your journey, and the impact.

• AI Showcase: Dedicate specific slides or segments to demonstrating how AI/LLMs were integrated into your workflow and the benefits they provided. Use visual aids to show AI-generated concepts or synthesized research.

• Interaction & Visuals: Clearly articulate user flows, interaction patterns, and showcase polished visual designs. Use animations or interactive prototypes where appropriate.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, reduced errors, improved task completion time).

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; focus on the most impactful aspects of each project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates must be prepared to speak authentically and with practical examples about their experience using AI and LLMs in their design process. This is a critical differentiator for this role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application, including your resume and a link to your online portfolio, through the Karbon careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features examples of end-to-end design processes for complex B2B SaaS products. Crucially, highlight specific projects where you actively utilized AI and LLMs, detailing your methodology and the impact of these tools on your workflow and outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords such as "Product Design," "B2B SaaS," "Figma," "Prototyping," "User Research," "Design Systems," and most importantly, "AI," "LLMs," and "AI-assisted tools." Quantify achievements with metrics wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your design process, and demonstrating your collaborative approach. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI in design and how you would apply it at Karbon.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Karbon, its product, its target market (accounting firms), and its company culture (people-first, innovation, global presence). Understand how your design skills align with their mission and values.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions tailored for a Product Design role with a strong AI/LLM focus. All details, especially regarding compensation and specific interview expectations, should be verified directly with Karbon during the application process.