Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Rockstar

Location: Canada

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Product Design / Digital Experience Design

Date Posted: March 13, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-to-Senior Level (4-6 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote (with preference for NYC-based candidates for potential in-person collaboration)

🚀 Role Summary

• This is a freelance, contract-based role within a dynamic digital product studio focused on creating exceptional digital experiences.

• The role emphasizes strong UX thinking, sharp visual design skills, and a collaborative, user-centered approach to product development.

• Designers will contribute to a range of client-facing projects, from initial discovery and strategy to high-fidelity execution and delivery.

• The position requires autonomy, excellent time management, and the ability to take ownership of projects with minimal oversight in a remote-first environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as building a "bench of talented product designers" for upcoming client work, indicating a pipeline-driven hiring approach rather than immediate project assignment. Candidates should expect to be considered for future projects as they become available.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Digital Product Design (Web & App): Conceptualize, design, and deliver intuitive user experiences for web and mobile applications, leveraging user research, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs to enhance functionality and engagement.

• User Research & Discovery: Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to inform product strategy, feature prioritization, and ensure products are grounded in real user needs and business objectives.

• User Experience (UX) Design: Apply core UX methodologies, including journey mapping, user flow creation, and usability testing, to define and optimize seamless, strategic user journeys beyond the user interface.

• Visual Design: Lead and contribute to the visual direction of projects, producing compelling layouts, typography, and assets that translate effectively across various platforms and mediums.

• Presentation Collateral Design: Create high-impact presentation decks and visual assets to effectively communicate design concepts, strategies, and outcomes to clients and stakeholders.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with engineering and product management teams, providing detailed annotated designs, supporting quality assurance (QA) efforts, and contributing during design handoff and development phases.

• Additional Design Support: Contribute to project-related deliverables such as case studies, marketing assets, and content design for social media or internal documentation as needed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core product design tasks with broader contributions to research, strategy, and project support, typical of a lean, client-facing digital product studio. The emphasis on "additional design support" indicates a need for flexibility and a willingness to contribute across various project needs.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience and mastery of design principles is essential.

Experience: 4–6 years of dedicated experience in product and visual design, with a significant focus on digital experiences across web and/or mobile platforms.

Required Skills:

• UX Principles Mastery: Solid understanding of user research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative), usability testing, and the ability to translate research insights into actionable design decisions.

• End-to-End Design Ownership: Demonstrated ability to independently manage and execute features or entire tracks of work, from initial concept and wireframing through to high-fidelity design and final delivery.

• Discovery & Strategy Contribution: Experience in leading or actively participating in product discovery phases, contributing to the definition of product direction in collaboration with strategy and engineering teams.

• Tool Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Figma for collaborative design, prototyping, and handoff; proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.).

• Mac Environment: Comfortable and proficient working within a Mac operating system environment.

• Remote Collaboration Tools: Familiarity and experience with standard remote work tools, including Google Suite, Slack, Zoom, Jira, and Harvest for time tracking.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, a strong team-first mindset, and the ability to clearly articulate and defend design rationale to diverse stakeholders.

• Organizational Skills: Highly organized, proactive, and capable of effective self-management and time management within a fast-paced, remote work setting.

Preferred Skills:

• Client-Facing Experience: Prior experience working in agency or client-facing environments where flexibility, autonomy, and cross-functional teamwork are paramount.

• Visual Storytelling: Proven ability to communicate complex ideas and brand narratives through compelling visual design and storytelling.

• Product Strategy Acumen: Experience contributing to or shaping product strategy beyond just the UI/UX design.

• Design Systems: Familiarity with or experience in creating and maintaining design systems for scalable product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement (4-6 years) combined with the "mid-to-senior level" designation suggests they are looking for designers who can operate with significant autonomy and contribute strategically, rather than junior designers requiring extensive guidance.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 detailed case studies that illustrate your end-to-end product design process for web and/or mobile applications. Each case study should clearly define the problem, your role, the design process undertaken, key decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• UX Process Demonstration: Highlight your expertise in user research, journey mapping, user flows, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing within your case studies.

• Visual Design Execution: Include high-fidelity mockups and visual design examples that demonstrate a strong aesthetic sensibility, attention to detail, and an understanding of brand consistency.

• Problem-Solving & Impact: Clearly articulate the challenges faced and how your design solutions addressed them, ideally with quantifiable results or business impact demonstrated.

• Tool Proficiency Evidence: While not explicitly stated, ensure your portfolio implicitly or explicitly shows your use of Figma and Adobe Suite in your work.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: Portfolios should demonstrate an understanding of designing efficient workflows and optimizing user journeys to reduce friction and improve task completion rates.

• Implementation and Automation: Showcase examples where your designs facilitated smooth handoffs to development or incorporated elements that could be automated or scaled.

• Measurement and Performance Analysis: Evidence of how designs were evaluated post-launch, or how user feedback was incorporated to iterate and improve product performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: For contract roles, especially in a client-facing studio, a portfolio is paramount. It serves as the primary evidence of skills, process, and ability to deliver high-quality work independently. Candidates should curate their portfolio to align with the specific responsibilities and required skills mentioned in the job description.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a contract role with fluctuating client project needs, a specific salary range is not provided. However, based on industry standards for mid-to-senior level freelance Product Designers in Canada, with a focus on UX and visual design for digital products, compensation is estimated to be in the range of CAD $50 - $85 per hour, depending on experience, specific project scope, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Flexible Remote Work: Opportunity to work remotely from anywhere in Canada, offering significant work-life balance and autonomy.

• Project Variety: Exposure to a diverse range of client projects across different industries, providing continuous learning and skill development opportunities.

• Contract-Based Engagement: Ability to choose projects that align with your interests and availability, offering flexibility in your career path.

• Collaborative Environment: Work with a team of savvy professionals known for pushing creative boundaries and delivering high-quality work.

• Potential for Ongoing Work: Opportunity to build relationships for potential long-term contract engagements as client needs arise.

Working Hours: This is a contract role, so working hours will likely be project-dependent. However, a standard full-time commitment is typically expected for active projects, which would equate to approximately 40 hours per week. Flexibility in scheduling is generally offered, provided project deadlines and client needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The absence of a specified salary range is typical for contract roles, as compensation is often negotiated based on project scope and hourly rates. The provided estimate is based on typical freelance rates for experienced product designers in Canada. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their expected hourly rate during the interview process.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Digital Product Development, Creative Services, Consulting.

Company Size: Information not explicitly provided, but described as a "digital product studio" with a "dynamic, remote-first team of savvy professionals," suggesting a lean, agile, and potentially growing organization.

Founded: Information not explicitly provided.

Team Structure:

• Lean & Agile: The team operates with a lean, collaborative, and agile approach, emphasizing efficiency and rapid iteration.

• Cross-Functional: Designers work closely with other professionals, likely including project managers, strategists, engineers, and potentially client stakeholders.

• Remote-First: A strong emphasis on asynchronous communication, trust, and autonomy.

Methodology:

• User-Centered: A core principle is designing products grounded in real user needs and business goals.

• Collaborative & Lean: Encourages open communication, shared ownership, and efficient workflows to push creative boundaries.

• Data-Informed: User research (qualitative and quantitative) is used to inform design decisions and product strategy.

Company Website: https://jobs.workable.com/company/jbRYg9atacEJ6mcBX4diTZ/jobs-at-rockstar (Note: This links to the company's job portal, not a direct company website). The domain "rockstargames.com" is derived, but the company description suggests a digital product studio, not necessarily a game developer.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description suggests a digital product studio that partners with clients, rather than a direct product company like Rockstar Games. The derived domain "rockstargames.com" might be a misinterpretation or linked to the job board's branding. The focus should be on the "digital product studio" description for understanding the work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "mid-to-senior-level freelance designer," indicating a need for individuals who can operate with a high degree of autonomy and contribute strategically to client projects. It's a contractor position, meaning career growth is more about accumulating diverse project experience and building a strong freelance portfolio rather than climbing a traditional corporate ladder.

Reporting Structure: Designers will collaborate closely with the "Chief Creative Officer" and the broader team. In a contract setting, direct reporting lines can be fluid, with project-specific leads or managers overseeing work.

Operations Impact: As a Product Designer, the impact is directly tied to shaping user experiences that drive client business goals. This includes influencing user engagement, conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and potentially the overall success of client digital products. The role requires articulating this impact through design rationale and portfolio case studies.

Growth Opportunities:

• Diverse Project Experience: Gain exposure to a wide array of clients and industries, expanding your design portfolio and problem-solving capabilities.

• Skill Enhancement: Opportunity to refine UX, UI, research, and strategic design skills through challenging client projects.

• Freelance Network Building: Establish connections within the industry, potentially leading to more long-term or high-profile contract engagements.

• Exposure to Creative Leadership: Work alongside experienced creative leaders, learning from their approaches to strategy, client management, and design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Growth in this contract role is primarily defined by the breadth and depth of project experience and the development of a robust freelance client base. It's less about internal promotions and more about building a successful independent design career.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a "remote-first" digital product studio. There is no traditional office environment described for day-to-day work.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote and open to candidates in Canada, there is a stated prioritization for applicants based in New York City for potential in-person collaboration. This suggests that the company may have a physical presence or operate within the NYC ecosystem, facilitating occasional client meetings or team syncs in person for those located there.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomy and Trust: The remote-first culture emphasizes autonomy, trust, and open communication, requiring self-discipline and strong organizational skills.

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Reliance on tools like Slack, Zoom, Google Suite, Jira, and Harvest for communication, project management, and time tracking.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities to collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders, fostering a dynamic and engaging work environment.

Work Schedule: The role is contract-based, implying a need for flexibility to meet project deadlines and client demands. While core working hours might exist for team synchronization, the nature of freelance work allows for some degree of schedule customization, provided deliverables are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" culture is key. Candidates should be comfortable with asynchronous communication and managing their own work environment effectively. The mention of NYC prioritization suggests that while remote, there's a potential for occasional in-person interaction or a focus on clients in that region.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: An interview focused on presenting and discussing your case studies in detail. Be prepared to walk through your process, design decisions, and the impact of your work.

• Skills & Collaboration Assessment: Interviews to evaluate your UX thinking, visual design proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and how you collaborate within a team.

• Cultural Fit: Assessment of your communication style, proactivity, and alignment with the studio's remote-first, collaborative, and user-centered values.

• Client Project Matching: If deemed a strong fit, you'll be added to their contractor roster, and they will reach out when a suitable client project becomes available.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase your end-to-end product design process, focusing on web and mobile applications.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative: problem, your role, process, challenges, solutions, and outcomes. Emphasize your thought process and decision-making.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, include metrics or data that demonstrate the success or impact of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion times).

• Showcase Figma & Adobe Suite: Ensure your work clearly demonstrates proficiency in these essential tools. Annotate designs where necessary to explain UI elements or interactions.

• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, include examples or descriptions of how you collaborated with engineers, product managers, or clients.

• Be Concise and Clear: Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate and understand. Use clear language and high-quality visuals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Process Simulation: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical design challenge, from initial discovery to final design, focusing on your methodology and key considerations.

• Design Rationale Articulation: Practice clearly explaining the "why" behind your design choices. Be prepared to defend your decisions with user-centered principles and business objectives.

• Remote Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you would handle communication, feedback, and potential conflicts in a remote, cross-functional team setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given this is a contract role building a roster, the portfolio is the most critical component. It needs to strongly demonstrate the ability to work independently and deliver high-quality results. The interview process will likely be less about a formal "challenge" and more about a deep dive into your existing portfolio and how it aligns with potential client needs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative design, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity mockups. Expect to use it extensively for all design deliverables.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency required, likely including Photoshop for image editing and Illustrator for vector graphics and asset creation.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities are key, but familiarity with other tools like InVision might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Tools: Familiarity with tools for conducting surveys, interviews, and usability testing is important. Specific tools aren't listed, but understanding the methodologies is crucial.

• Data Analysis: While not a primary analyst role, understanding how to interpret user data to inform design decisions is expected. Familiarity with basic analytics concepts or tools like Google Analytics could be a plus.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management: Jira is specifically mentioned, indicating its use for task tracking, bug reporting, and workflow management.

• Communication Platforms: Slack and Zoom are standard for remote team communication and meetings.

• Time Tracking: Harvest is mentioned, which is common for contract roles to track billable hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and Adobe Suite is very strong. Candidates should ensure their experience with these tools is evident in their resume and portfolio. Familiarity with project management and communication tools common in remote environments is also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to pushing creative boundaries and delivering high-quality, user-centered digital experiences.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and shared ownership across the team and with clients.

• User-Centricity: Designing products that are grounded in real user needs and business goals.

• Autonomy & Trust: A remote-first culture that values individual responsibility, proactivity, and trust among team members.

• Continuous Improvement: Evolving processes and exploring new ideas to enhance the studio's offerings and client outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Remote & Asynchronous: Comfortable working with colleagues remotely, often asynchronously, relying on clear documentation and communication.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamlessly working with engineers, product strategists, and other team members to achieve project goals.

• Feedback Exchange: Open to giving and receiving constructive feedback to improve designs and processes.

• Client-Focused: Maintaining a professional and communicative approach when interacting with clients and presenting work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of creative ambition and professional execution within a remote, collaborative framework. Designers who thrive on autonomy, clear communication, and delivering impactful results will be a good fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Project Pipeline Variability: As a contract role, project availability can fluctuate based on client acquisition, requiring adaptability and proactive engagement with the studio.

• Remote Team Dynamics: Maintaining strong communication and collaboration within a fully remote team requires deliberate effort and effective use of digital tools.

• Diverse Client Needs: Adapting design approaches to meet the unique requirements, brand guidelines, and business objectives of various clients.

• Balancing Autonomy and Collaboration: Effectively managing personal workflow while contributing meaningfully to team objectives and client feedback loops.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Diverse Project Exposure: Gaining experience across a wide range of industries and product types.

• Skill Refinement: Deepening expertise in UX research, interaction design, visual design, and strategic product thinking through practical application.

• Client Interaction Skills: Developing stronger abilities in presenting design solutions and communicating with clients.

• Remote Work Best Practices: Enhancing skills in asynchronous communication, self-management, and leveraging digital collaboration tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary growth opportunity lies in the breadth of experience gained and the development of a strong freelance career. Candidates should view this role as a platform to build their portfolio and professional network.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process Explanation: Be prepared to walk through your entire design process for a specific project, from initial brief to final delivery. Emphasize your decision-making at each stage.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Discuss how you would approach a vague or challenging design problem, focusing on how you gather information, define requirements, and develop solutions.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Describe how you handle disagreements with stakeholders or team members regarding design decisions, and how you ensure alignment.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Remote Work Philosophy: Discuss your experience and preferences for working in a remote-first environment. How do you stay motivated and productive?

• Studio Values Alignment: Explain how your personal work values align with the studio's emphasis on user-centricity, collaboration, and quality.

• Client Project Experience: Share examples of your most impactful client-facing projects and what you learned from them.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling is Key: Frame your case studies as compelling narratives. Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, your specific contributions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Focus on "Why": For each design decision, be ready to explain the rationale behind it, linking it back to user needs, business goals, or UX principles.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Use your presentation to showcase your mastery of Figma and Adobe Suite, highlighting specific features or workflows you utilized.

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, decisions, and the results of your work. Be honest about challenges and how you overcame them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on your portfolio. Practice presenting your case studies clearly and confidently, demonstrating not just your design skills but also your strategic thinking and ability to articulate value.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this contract Product Designer position:

• Submit Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, easily accessible (via a direct link), and showcases your best work relevant to web and mobile product design.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 4-6 years of experience, specific skills in Figma and Adobe Suite, UX methodologies, and any experience in client-facing or agency roles. Use keywords from the job description.

• Craft Your Cover Letter (if applicable): Briefly express your interest, highlight your relevant experience, and explain why you are a strong candidate for a contract role with a digital product studio.

• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Be ready to discuss your case studies in detail during interviews, focusing on your process, decision-making, and the impact of your work. Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely.

• Research the Studio: Understand their approach to design, their client work (if publicly available), and their remote-first culture to demonstrate your alignment during the interview process.

⚠️ 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.