Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Kpler

Location: Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2025-09-23

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

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product and feature delivery for Kpler's data intelligence platforms, from initial discovery through to development-ready specifications.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams to define user needs and translate complex data into intuitive, human-centered design solutions.

• Contribute to and maintain Kpler's design system, "Atlas," ensuring visual and functional consistency across all digital products and applications.

• Specialize in designing information-dense interfaces, including charts, tables, and geospatial data, to ensure clarity, attractiveness, and actionable insights for users in the energy, commodities, and maritime sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is situated within a data-intensive SaaS environment, requiring a strong focus on information architecture, data visualization, and user experience design for complex datasets. The emphasis on "end-to-end" ownership and collaboration with Product and Engineering suggests a highly integrated and impactful design function within the product development lifecycle.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the complete product design lifecycle for new features and products, encompassing user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and the creation of detailed, development-ready specifications.

• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with Product Management and Engineering to ensure alignment on jobs-to-be-done, problem definitions, and successful feature implementation.

• Actively contribute to the enhancement and adherence of "Atlas," Kpler's design system, ensuring consistency in user interfaces, interaction patterns, and overall user experience across the product suite.

• Design and refine interfaces for information-dense applications, effectively visualizing complex data through charts, tables, and geospatial elements, making them clear, engaging, and easy to understand.

• Partner with the Data Visualization team to explore and implement innovative patterns for visual storytelling, enhancing the narrative and impact of data insights.

• Employ a data-driven approach to design iteration, leveraging customer feedback, usability testing results, and product analytics to inform design decisions and continuously improve user experiences.

• Actively participate in agile ceremonies and sprint rituals, ensuring design is a visible, integrated, and structured component of the product development process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on design role with significant ownership and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on data visualization and complex interfaces suggests a need for designers comfortable with intricate information architecture and the ability to translate data into user-friendly visual narratives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Design (e.g., Graphic Design, Interaction Design, HCI), Computer Science, or a related field, coupled with a strong portfolio, is highly valued.

Experience: Approximately 3-5 years of professional experience in digital product design, with a proven track record in web or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) environments, or with enterprise tools.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in end-to-end digital product design, from discovery and ideation to the delivery of development-ready assets.

• Strong proficiency in design and prototyping tools, with a primary focus on Figma; adaptability to learn and master other relevant tools.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of articulating design decisions, presenting compelling design narratives, and organizing information clearly.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers and Engineers, to achieve shared product goals.

• Experience in contributing to or maintaining design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability of design across products.

• Competency in user research methodologies, including usability testing and gathering customer feedback to inform design iterations.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with data-rich domains such as financial analysis, business intelligence dashboards, or editorial content platforms.

• Experience with data visualization techniques and tools, and a passion for visual storytelling through data.

• Understanding of agile development methodologies and experience working within agile teams.

• Knowledge of user experience (UX) principles and best practices for SaaS products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is for a mid-level designer, expecting a solid foundation in core product design skills and the ability to work independently on features while collaborating with a broader team. The preferred skills point towards a specialization in data-heavy applications, making candidates with this background particularly attractive.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects, demonstrating the applicant's design process from problem identification to final solution.

• Projects should highlight the ability to tackle complex user problems and translate them into elegant, intuitive digital product experiences.

• Specific emphasis on projects involving data visualization, information architecture for complex datasets, or dashboard design is highly desirable.

• Inclusion of case studies detailing user research, iteration cycles, problem-solving methodologies, and the impact of design decisions with measurable outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly document the design process, including user journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing phases.

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to work with engineering teams to ensure fidelity in handoff and implementation, providing clear specifications and assets.

• Evidence of iterative design based on user feedback and data analytics, illustrating a commitment to continuous improvement and optimization.

• Examples of how design decisions were influenced by business goals and user needs, showcasing strategic thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role. It needs to go beyond showcasing final UI mockups to detailing the "why" and "how" behind design decisions, particularly in complex, data-driven contexts. Demonstrating an understanding of the full product development lifecycle and collaboration is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 3-5 years of experience in Paris, France, the estimated annual salary range is between €45,000 and €65,000 gross per year. This is based on industry benchmarks for mid-level design roles in the tech sector in major European cities, considering Kpler's focus on SaaS and data intelligence.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage, potentially including dental and vision.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) including public holidays and vacation days.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training, conferences, and access to learning resources.

• Contribution to a retirement savings plan or pension scheme.

• Potential for stock options or equity participation as the company grows.

• Reimbursement for professional development tools or subscriptions.

• Flexible work arrangements, including remote work options.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered to accommodate different working styles and personal needs, aligning with a results-oriented work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on publicly available data for similar roles in Paris's tech market. Benefits are typical for a growing SaaS company in Europe, emphasizing professional growth and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Kpler operates within the Energy, Commodities, and Maritime sectors, providing data intelligence and analytics solutions. This industry context is crucial as it implies a need for designers to understand and represent complex, often volatile, market data.

Company Size: With over 600 employees, Kpler is a well-established scale-up. This size offers a balance between the agility of a startup and the structure and resources of a larger organization, providing opportunities for significant impact and career growth.

Founded: Founded in 2014, Kpler has a history of innovation and growth in its niche market, indicating a stable yet evolving company culture focused on providing top-tier intelligence.

Team Structure: The design team is distributed across France, the UK, Germany, and Greece, suggesting a global and collaborative remote-first or hybrid team structure. The Product Designer will report to a Design Lead or Manager and work closely with Product Managers and Engineers within specific product squads. Collaboration will be key, with designers acting as integral members of cross-functional product teams.

Methodology: Kpler emphasizes transforming intricate data into actionable strategies and leveraging cutting-edge innovation. This suggests a data-driven approach to product development, where design is informed by user analytics, market trends, and customer feedback. Design processes are likely to be agile, iterative, and focused on delivering value efficiently.

Company Website: https://www.kpler.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on data intelligence in specific global markets means designers must be comfortable with complex information and potentially niche user needs. The distributed team structure indicates a need for strong remote collaboration skills and asynchronous communication practices.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Product Designer role is positioned at a mid-level. It requires the ability to own features end-to-end with mentorship, indicating a step up from junior roles, but not yet the full strategic autonomy of a senior or lead designer. The focus is on executing excellent design within product teams.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Design, Design Manager, or a Senior Product Designer within a specific product area. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads as part of cross-functional product teams.

Operations Impact: The designer's work directly impacts Kpler's ability to simplify complex market data and provide actionable insights to clients. By creating user-friendly and visually compelling interfaces, the designer helps enhance client decision-making, improve user engagement with the platform, and contribute to the company's overall value proposition and market differentiation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Develop deep expertise in designing for data visualization, complex SaaS interfaces, and contributing to sophisticated design systems.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to Senior Product Designer, Lead Product Designer, or specialize in areas like UX Research, Design Operations, or Product Strategy.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior designers and, in turn, mentor junior designers as the team grows.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working across different product areas and collaborating deeply with Product Management, Engineering, and potentially Marketing/Sales.

• Industry Knowledge: Build specialized knowledge in the energy, commodities, and maritime sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within a specialized domain. The emphasis on design systems and data visualization provides opportunities for specialization, while the company's growth trajectory suggests potential for increased responsibility and leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the company has offices in Paris, the UK, Germany, and Greece, the "Remote OK" designation suggests that this role can be performed remotely, likely with a hybrid approach or fully remote depending on team and company policy. The focus is on outcome and collaboration rather than physical presence.

Office Location(s): Kpler has a presence in Paris, France, which serves as a key hub. Other international locations indicate a global outlook and diverse workforce. Specific office details for remote employees might include virtual collaboration tools and occasional in-person meetups.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is likely fast-paced and dynamic, reflecting the nature of the commodities and energy markets.

• Emphasis on collaboration through digital tools (e.g., Slack, Figma, Miro, video conferencing) is paramount for a distributed team.

• Designers are expected to be autonomous and proactive, taking ownership of their work within product teams.

• Access to modern design and collaboration software is standard.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is 40 hours, with flexibility in daily scheduling to accommodate different time zones and personal preferences. This aligns with modern tech company practices that prioritize results and work-life balance over strict adherence to office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote OK" status is a significant factor, indicating a company culture that supports flexible working. The designer must be comfortable working in a distributed team, relying on digital tools for communication and collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Application Review: Initial screening of resumes and portfolios for relevant experience and skills.

2. Hiring Manager/Recruiter Call: A brief introductory call to discuss the role, your background, and assess initial fit.

3. Design Screen/Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio, walk through key projects, and discuss your design process, problem-solving approach, and collaboration experience. Expect questions focused on your decision-making and handling of complex data.

4. Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to articulate design solutions.

5. Design Challenge (Optional): May involve a take-home assignment or a live design exercise focused on a specific problem relevant to Kpler's domain.

6. Final Interview: Typically with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product, CTO, or CEO) to discuss company alignment, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, with a clear introduction and distinct case studies for each project.

• Narrative: For each project, tell a story: the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the outcomes. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "improved conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%").

• Process Focus: Emphasize your thought process, research methods, iteration, and how you overcame challenges. Show wireframes, user flows, and prototypes, not just final polished screens.

• Data Context: For this role, highlight any experience with data-rich interfaces, dashboard design, or complex information visualization. Explain how you approached making complex data understandable.

• Design System Contribution: If you have experience contributing to or building design systems, showcase this clearly.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your key projects within a specified time frame (often 30-45 minutes).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Kpler's Domain: Research Kpler, its products, and the energy/commodities/maritime markets. Understand the types of data they handle and the user pain points they address.

• Data Visualization Principles: Refresh your knowledge of best practices in data visualization, chart types, and information hierarchy for complex data sets.

• Problem-Solving: Practice breaking down complex problems, empathizing with users, and generating multiple design solutions.

• Communication: Be ready to articulate your design rationale clearly and concisely, and to receive and incorporate feedback constructively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is thorough, with a strong emphasis on the portfolio's ability to demonstrate the candidate's design process and experience with complex data. Preparing a compelling narrative around your projects is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a must.

• Prototyping Tools: In-depth knowledge of Figma's prototyping capabilities, and potentially others like Principle or Framer for advanced interactions.

• Design System Management: Experience with tools or processes for managing and scaling design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude): Familiarity with how to access and interpret user behavior data to inform design decisions.

• Data Visualization Libraries/Tools: While not directly designing the visualizations, understanding the principles and capabilities of tools like D3.js, Tableau, or Power BI could be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello): Used for tracking tasks, sprints, and design progress within product teams.

• Collaboration Tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams): Essential for day-to-day communication and team interaction.

• Documentation Tools (e.g., Confluence, Notion): For storing design specifications, research findings, and design system documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. An understanding of how design integrates with analytics and project management tools within an agile framework is also important for effective collaboration and iteration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Make Things Happen: A proactive and decisive approach to work, taking initiative and going the extra mile to deliver results.

• Build Together: Emphasis on strong relationships, teamwork, and collaborative problem-solving to create innovative solutions.

• Here to Help: A culture of accessibility, support, and a friendly approach to colleagues and clients, fostering a positive and inclusive environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to be integrated members of product squads, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Open Communication: Encouragement of open dialogue, feedback exchange, and knowledge sharing to drive continuous improvement and innovation.

• Data-Driven Decisions: A culture that values data and research in informing design choices, promoting evidence-based design strategies.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that design solutions are user-centered and add tangible value.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values align with a collaborative, proactive, and supportive work environment. Designers are expected to be team players who contribute actively to discussions and problem-solving, with a strong focus on delivering value to clients through data-driven design.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: The primary challenge will be designing intuitive and effective user experiences for complex, data-rich interfaces within specialized market domains.

• Balancing Data and Usability: Ensuring that dense data is presented clearly and accessibly without overwhelming the user, while still providing depth and detail.

• Distributed Team Collaboration: Effectively collaborating and maintaining design consistency across geographically dispersed teams and time zones.

• Rapid Iteration in a Dynamic Market: Adapting designs quickly to evolving market insights, user feedback, and product requirements in a fast-paced industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Domain Expertise: Gaining in-depth knowledge of the energy, commodities, and maritime markets, which can be a significant career differentiator.

• Advanced Data Visualization Design: Developing expertise in the latest trends and best practices for visualizing complex data sets.

• Design System Mastery: Contributing to and influencing the evolution of a robust design system, enhancing skills in scalability and consistency.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhancing collaboration and communication skills by working closely with diverse product and engineering teams.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Opportunities to attend relevant design or industry-specific conferences and pursue professional development certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant learning opportunities in a specialized field, particularly in mastering the design of complex data interfaces. Overcoming the challenges will foster robust skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process: "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature from discovery to handoff. How do you ensure user needs and business goals are met?" (Focus on research, ideation, iteration, and collaboration methods).

• Handling Complexity: "Describe a time you had to design an interface for complex data. What were the challenges, and how did you approach making it understandable and actionable?" (Highlight data visualization, information architecture skills).

• Design System Contribution: "How have you contributed to or maintained a design system? What are the key principles of a successful design system?" (Showcase understanding of consistency and scalability).

• Collaboration: "How do you collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? Describe a situation where you had a disagreement on a design decision, and how you resolved it." (Emphasize communication and teamwork).

• Problem Solving: "Given a hypothetical scenario where users struggle to find key information on our platform, how would you approach identifying the root cause and designing a solution?" (Demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Kpler and our mission to simplify complex market data?" (Show research and alignment with company purpose).

• "How do your personal values align with Kpler's values of 'Make Things Happen,' 'Build Together,' and 'Here to Help'?" (Connect your approach to their stated values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with an Overview: Briefly introduce Kpler and the role, then state your portfolio's purpose.

• Project Selection: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to this role, focusing on complexity, data, and end-to-end ownership.

• Context is Key: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role and responsibilities, the target audience, and the business objectives.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, user flows, prototypes, final screens) to illustrate your process and solutions. Explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Highlight Data & Complexity: If applicable, specifically call out how you handled dense information, data visualization, or complex user flows.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., user satisfaction, task completion rates, engagement).

• Concise Delivery: Practice your presentation to ensure it fits within the allotted time, focusing on key insights rather than every detail.

• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your process, decisions, challenges, and how you'd approach Kpler's specific design challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong design process, the ability to handle complex data, effective collaboration, and alignment with Kpler's company values. Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly and back it up with portfolio examples.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Kpler careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate your experience with complex data, information architecture, and end-to-end product design. Select case studies that best illustrate your process and impact, especially those involving SaaS or enterprise tools.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 3-5 years of experience, highlighting skills in Figma, data visualization, user research, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description and quantify your achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling and articulating your design decisions. Prepare answers to common product design interview questions, especially those related to handling complex data and working in agile environments. Research Kpler's products and market positioning.

• Company Research: Gain a deep understanding of Kpler's business, its clients, and the energy/commodities/maritime sectors. Familiarize yourself with their company values and mission to demonstrate cultural fit and genuine 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.