Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Neara

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-04-16

Experience Level: Mid to Senior Level (2-5+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Flexible working arrangements with office in Redfern)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product design initiatives, from initial discovery through to final delivery, focusing on complex, data-rich SaaS platforms.

• Lead user research efforts, including interviews, usability testing, and workflow analysis, to inform design decisions and product strategy.

• Translate intricate product and technical requirements into intuitive user interfaces, seamless workflows, and effective prototypes.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineers to conceptualize and build innovative solutions that balance user needs, technical feasibility, and business objectives.

• Contribute to and evolve the company's Design System to enhance consistency and drive design efficiency across product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is explicitly open to both mid and senior-level designers, with the scope adjusted based on experience. This implies a need for a candidate who can operate autonomously while also being a strong collaborator and contributor to design maturity within a growing scale-up environment. The focus on "engineering-grade, physics enabled digital twins" and "electricity grids" suggests a highly technical B2B domain, requiring a designer comfortable with complexity and potentially data visualization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the complete design lifecycle for new and existing product features, from problem definition and user research to wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and validation.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys, usability testing, and detailed workflow analyses to uncover user needs and pain points.

• Transform complex product requirements and technical constraints into elegant, user-friendly workflows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs.

• Foster strong partnerships with Product Managers and Engineers, actively participating in solution shaping and ensuring alignment on user value, technical feasibility, and business goals.

• Proactively identify and address usability issues across the platform, initiating and driving improvements to enhance the overall user experience.

• Actively contribute to the development, maintenance, and scaling of the Nitro Design System, ensuring design consistency and maximizing efficiency for all product teams.

• Develop exploratory designs and visual concepts to articulate future product directions and strategic product initiatives to stakeholders.

• Clearly and compellingly present design work and rationale to cross-functional teams, effectively incorporating feedback while advocating for user-centric design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "increasing our ability to solve customer problems in parallel" suggests a need for a designer who can manage multiple product initiatives concurrently or contribute to a team that does, requiring strong organizational and prioritization skills. The mention of "Nitro Design System" indicates a need for experience with or a strong understanding of design system principles and contributions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 4+ years of progressive experience in UX or Product Design roles, with a strong preference for experience within SaaS or complex B2B software environments.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise across the full product design lifecycle: user research, discovery, wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity UI design, and validation.

• Proven ability to design intuitive and elegant solutions for technically complex workflows and data-rich products.

• Experience in conducting user research methodologies, including user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and workflow analysis.

• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to deconstruct ambiguous problems, identify critical unknowns, and define structured approaches to find solutions.

• Proficiency in presenting and defending design decisions using user insights, design principles, and data.

• Experience working collaboratively within cross-functional teams, particularly with Product Managers and Software Engineers.

• Adaptability and comfort navigating fast-paced startup, scale-up, or consulting-style environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing enterprise SaaS platforms, infrastructure solutions, or other technically sophisticated B2B products.

• Proven experience contributing to, scaling, or managing design systems.

• Familiarity with geospatial data, engineering software, or advanced data visualization products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "mid to senior levels" designation, coupled with the "4+ years of experience" requirement, suggests that candidates with 4-7 years of relevant experience will be well-positioned. The "Nice-to-have" section highlights specific domain knowledge that would be highly advantageous, particularly experience with complex B2B SaaS and design systems.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design projects that demonstrate a strong understanding of user-centered design principles and a proven ability to solve complex problems.

• Include case studies detailing your process from initial discovery and research through to final design delivery and validation, highlighting your contributions at each stage.

• Present examples of designing for technically complex workflows, data-rich interfaces, or B2B SaaS products.

• Demonstrate proficiency in wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design, with clear examples of interactive prototypes or polished UIs.

• Illustrate experience with user research methodologies and how insights were integrated into design solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research and discovery, outlining methods used and how findings informed design direction.

• Showcase your process for translating complex requirements into intuitive user flows and interface designs.

• Provide examples of how you collaborated with product managers and engineers throughout the design and development process.

• Document your approach to iterating on designs based on user feedback, usability testing, and stakeholder input.

• Illustrate how you measure the success of your designs and drive continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on "engineering-grade, physics enabled digital twins" and a "complex, data-rich SaaS platform," portfolios should ideally highlight projects involving intricate data visualization, complex workflows, or B2B technical applications. Demonstrating the ability to simplify complexity through design will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers in Sydney, Australia, with 4+ years of experience in a hybrid/remote SaaS environment, the estimated salary range is AUD $100,000 - $150,000 per annum. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skill set, and the final calibration of the role (mid vs. senior).

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package.

• Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP), offering ownership and participation in company growth.

• Significant career development and growth opportunities within a high-growth company.

• Fully flexible working arrangements, supporting work-life balance.

• Access to a well-stocked office in Redfern for collaboration and focused work.

• Annual company-wide offsite events for team building and strategic alignment.

• Opportunity to work on meaningful, complex products addressing real-world challenges.

• Highly meritocratic, non-bureaucratic, and no-ego work culture.

• Commitment to diversity, belonging, and equal employment opportunities.

Working Hours: Assumed to be a standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility in scheduling due to the hybrid and remote-friendly nature of the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on common compensation levels for similar roles in Sydney, Australia. The ESOP is a significant component for a scale-up company, indicating potential for high future returns. The "fully flexible working arrangements" combined with an office presence suggests a hybrid model where employees can choose their work location but are encouraged to collaborate in-person periodically.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Software (AI/ML, Digital Twins, Energy Infrastructure)

Company Size: Scale-up phase, likely between 50-200 employees, indicated by the need for rapid growth and impact.

Founded: Neara was founded in 2019, suggesting a company that has moved past the early startup phase and is now focused on scaling its proven technology and market presence.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design function likely operates within a matrixed structure, collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering.

• Designers may be embedded within specific product squads or work across multiple initiatives depending on company needs and individual experience level.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is core, leveraging AI and Machine Learning for complex simulations and analysis.

• Agile methodologies are likely employed for product development, requiring designers to be adaptable and iterative.

• A strong emphasis is placed on user-centered design, with a commitment to understanding and solving customer problems effectively.

• The development and use of a Design System (Nitro) indicates a focus on efficiency, consistency, and scalable design processes.

Company Website: https://neara.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Neara's mission to create digital twins of electricity grids for resilience against extreme weather is highly impactful and technically sophisticated. This context suggests a company culture that values deep technical expertise, problem-solving, and a drive to make a tangible difference in a critical global industry. A "no-ego" culture implies a collaborative and respectful environment where feedback is welcomed.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned for designers who are ready to take significant ownership and impact. At the mid-level, it offers a chance to hone skills in complex B2B SaaS design. At the senior level, it provides an opportunity to influence design strategy, mentor junior designers (as the team grows), and contribute to the evolution of design maturity within the company.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Product Designer typically reports into a Design Lead, Head of Product, or Head of Design. In a scale-up, they will work very closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads who may be their closest day-to-day collaborators.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will have a direct and critical impact on Neara's success by:

• Enhancing user adoption and retention through intuitive product experiences.

• Facilitating clearer understanding of complex data and simulations for utility clients, leading to better decision-making and investment optimization.

• Driving product innovation by translating complex technical capabilities into user-centric solutions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for complex B2B SaaS, data visualization, geospatial applications, or AI-driven platforms.

• Design Leadership: As Neara scales, opportunities may arise to lead design initiatives, mentor other designers, or contribute to building out the design team and its processes.

• Product Strategy Influence: Play a key role in shaping the product roadmap and future direction through user research and strategic design thinking.

• Cross-functional Development: Gain deeper insights into engineering processes, AI/ML technologies, and the energy infrastructure sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of calibrating the role to match experience (mid vs. senior) indicates a growth trajectory. A mid-level designer can expect to become a key contributor and potentially a lead on specific product areas, while a senior designer will be expected to contribute more significantly to strategy and process.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid model with a physical office presence in Redfern, Sydney. This suggests a collaborative environment where in-person interaction is valued, balanced with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): Redfern, Sydney, NSW, Australia. This location is known for its accessibility and vibrant community.

Workspace Context:

• The office is described as "well-stocked," implying a comfortable and productive workspace with necessary amenities.

• The "fully flexible working arrangements" suggest that while the office is available, employees have autonomy in choosing where they work on a given day.

• Collaboration is likely facilitated through a mix of in-person meetings, workshops, and digital tools.

• The company culture emphasizes a "no-ego" and collaborative approach, indicating a supportive and team-oriented atmosphere.

Work Schedule: While specific hours are not detailed, a standard 40-hour work week is typical for full-time roles. The emphasis on flexibility means that exact daily hours can likely be adjusted to accommodate personal needs, provided work is completed and collaboration is maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature implies a need for strong self-management and communication skills, as well as an ability to be productive both independently and as part of a team in different settings. The "well-stocked office" suggests investment in employee comfort and resources.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about your background, career aspirations, and understanding of product design principles, with a focus on how you approach complex problems.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A more in-depth session where you will present your portfolio, discussing specific case studies, your design process, and how you've tackled challenges. This may include a take-home exercise or a live design activity.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and how you integrate with development teams.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss cultural fit, strategic thinking, and long-term potential with Neara.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around 2-4 strong case studies that best represent your skills and experience, particularly for complex B2B SaaS and data-rich products.

• Process Emphasis: Clearly articulate your design process for each case study – from problem definition, user research, ideation, design iterations, to final delivery and impact. Use visuals to illustrate each stage.

• Highlight Complexity: Showcase how you simplified complex technical requirements or data into intuitive user experiences.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

• Design System Contribution: If you have experience with design systems, detail your contributions and how they improved efficiency or consistency.

• Collaboration: Explain how you partnered with PMs and Engineers, and how you navigated trade-offs.

• Presentation: Be prepared to walk through your work, articulate your rationale, and answer in-depth questions about your decisions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for questions about your design philosophy, how you approach ambiguity, and how you handle feedback.

• Practice articulating your thought process for solving design problems, especially those involving technical complexity or large datasets.

• Research Neara's product and industry to understand the context of their challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer" title combined with the company's focus suggests that candidates should be prepared to discuss not just UI/UX but also how design supports complex engineering and data analysis. A strong portfolio demonstrating the ability to handle technical depth and data visualization will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable for modern design teams), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).

• Prototyping Tools: InVision, ProtoPie, Axure (depending on complexity of interactions).

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics (for understanding user behavior and product performance).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot (if the company uses them for customer interaction tracking).

• Automation Tools: Likely integrated within the product development workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: Neara's focus on AI/ML and digital twins suggests that familiarity with tools that can handle complex data visualization and potentially integration with data science workflows would be a significant advantage. The "Nitro Design System" implies a need for designers proficient in creating and maintaining component libraries within tools like Figma or Sketch.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Oriented: A strong drive to make a tangible difference in the real world, particularly in energy resilience and infrastructure.

• Curiosity & Learning: A desire to deeply understand users and complex problems, asking thoughtful questions and seeking continuous improvement.

• Pragmatism: Balancing ideal design solutions with real-world constraints (technical feasibility, business goals).

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively in cross-functional teams, supporting each other, and winning together with a "no-ego" approach.

• User Advocacy: Championing the user's needs and experience, grounded in evidence rather than opinion.

• Initiative & Ownership: Spotting opportunities, taking initiative, and owning outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Open Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and welcomes diverse perspectives.

• Knowledge Sharing: Emphasis on sharing learnings, best practices, and contributing to collective growth.

• Iterative Process: Embracing an iterative design process, with frequent reviews and adjustments based on input.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "no-ego" and "backing each other" suggests a supportive environment where designers can feel safe to experiment and learn. The "self-directed operators" value highlights the expectation of proactivity and ownership.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Translating sophisticated AI/ML algorithms, physics simulations, and geospatial data into intuitive and usable interfaces for utility professionals.

• Balancing Ambiguity: Navigating a fast-paced startup environment where requirements can evolve, requiring adaptability and the ability to define structure.

• Technical Constraints: Working closely with engineers to understand and design within the bounds of complex technical architectures.

• Scaling Design Maturity: Contributing to the growth and refinement of design processes and the Design System as the company scales.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge in the energy infrastructure sector, AI/ML applications, and digital twin technology.

• Advanced Design Skills: Developing expertise in complex data visualization, geospatial interfaces, and enterprise SaaS design patterns.

• Product Strategy: Contributing to high-level product strategy and roadmap decisions.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or be mentored by senior product leaders as the team grows.

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of advancements in design technology, AI, and the energy sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to Neara's unique domain and technology, presenting a significant learning opportunity for designers interested in deep tech and impactful industries. The growth opportunities are intrinsically linked to the company's scaling trajectory.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a technically complex or data-intensive product. What was your process, and what were the key challenges?" (Focus on your problem-solving methodology and ability to simplify complexity.)

• "How do you approach user research when dealing with expert users or a niche B2B audience? Give an example of how user insights led to a significant design change." (Demonstrate your research rigor and ability to translate findings into actionable designs.)

• "Walk me through your process for contributing to or evolving a design system. How do you ensure consistency and adoption across teams?" (Highlight your understanding of design systems and scalability.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Neara's mission and the energy infrastructure sector?" (Research Neara's impact and articulate your genuine interest.)

• "How do you embody a 'no-ego' or collaborative work style? Describe a situation where you had to receive or give difficult feedback." (Reflect on the company's stated values and prepare examples.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative: Frame each case study as a story: the problem, your role, your process, the solution, and the impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, and prototypes. Show the evolution of your designs.

• Process: Clearly explain why you made certain design decisions and the research or rationale behind them.

• Collaboration: Mention how you worked with others (PMs, engineers, stakeholders) throughout the process.

• Impact: Quantify results where possible. If not, articulate the qualitative benefits and learnings.

• Questions: Be prepared for deep dives into specific design choices, trade-offs, and your learning from each project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss not just aesthetic design but also the strategic thinking and problem-solving required for complex B2B SaaS products, especially in a technical domain like energy infrastructure. Demonstrating an understanding of AI/ML and data visualization concepts will be beneficial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight experience with complex B2B SaaS products, data visualization, user research for technical audiences, and design system contributions.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your years of experience, key skills in UX/UI design, research methodologies, and project impact. Use keywords from the job description.

• Case Study Preparation: Select 2-3 compelling case studies for your portfolio that best demonstrate your ability to handle complex workflows, technical challenges, and deliver user-centered solutions. Practice presenting them concisely and articulately.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Neara's mission, product, target industry (energy infrastructure, utilities), and company culture. Understand their technology (AI/ML, digital twins) and how design contributes to their success.

⚠️ 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.

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