Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer
Company: Saab
Location: Solna, Stockholm County, Sweden
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Product Design / User Experience
Date Posted: 2026-02-10
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is centered on leading end-to-end product design activities for mission-critical systems, focusing on delivering high-quality and consistent user experiences across various digital platforms.
• The position involves significant contribution to the company's design system, ensuring scalability and modularity of UX patterns within a complex architectural framework.
• A key aspect of this role is fostering collaboration across product, engineering, and stakeholder teams to balance user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints while driving design adoption.
• Emphasizes upleveling design craft through defining and maintaining high standards for visual design, interaction quality, and meticulous attention to detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer given the emphasis on "leading design activities end-to-end," "contributing to scalable design systems," and the implied experience level of 5-10 years. The focus on "mission-critical systems" suggests a need for robust, reliable, and user-friendly interfaces in a high-stakes environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate design workshops and vision sessions to ensure team alignment on user-focused product outcomes and strategic direction.
• Drive the complete design lifecycle from conceptualization and prototyping to validation and the creation of high-fidelity UI for reliable, mission-critical experiences.
• Enhance and elevate the overall design craft by defining, demonstrating, and upholding rigorous standards for visual design, interaction quality, and detailed execution.
• Actively contribute to the development and maintenance of a scalable design system, focusing on modular UX patterns that support consistent user experiences within the organization's modular architecture.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, product management, and business stakeholders to effectively balance user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility, while championing design consistency across all digital products.
• Conduct user research and usability testing to gather insights and validate design decisions, ensuring the final product meets user needs and business objectives.
• Advocate for user-centered design principles throughout the product development process, acting as a champion for the end-user.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership, hands-on execution, and cross-functional collaboration, typical of a senior-level design role within a complex technology organization. The emphasis on "mission-critical systems" implies a need for meticulous design processes and a deep understanding of user context and potential failure points.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role. Experience: 5-10 years of proven experience in product design, with a strong emphasis on user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design for complex digital products.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated track record of delivering high-quality product experiences, evidenced through a robust portfolio showcasing work with design systems at scale.
• Exceptional visual and interaction design skills, with a proven ability to produce polished, high-fidelity, production-ready UI designs.
• Expert proficiency in Figma for all stages of the design process, including wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity mockups.
• Strong collaborative abilities, with a proven capacity to influence and gain buy-in from engineering, product management, and other stakeholders to drive organization-wide design adoption.
• Fluency in both Swedish and English, both written and spoken, for effective communication within a multinational team.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing complex information visualizations, particularly for maps or analytical graphs, to enhance data comprehension and situational awareness.
• Familiarity with front-end development principles and experience working with component-based frameworks such as React or Angular to facilitate seamless design-to-development handoffs.
• Experience in measuring and quantifying the impact of design decisions through usability metrics and other relevant qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Knowledge of UX principles specifically within mission-critical contexts, including designing for situational awareness and high-stakes decision-making environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for Figma expertise and fluency in both Swedish and English is critical. The preferred skills point towards a specialization in data-heavy interfaces and an understanding of the unique demands of designing for mission-critical environments, suggesting a need for candidates who can translate complex data into actionable insights for users.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory and must clearly demonstrate successful delivery of high-quality product experiences, with a specific focus on how design systems were leveraged at scale.
• Showcase end-to-end design process examples, from initial concept and user research to final high-fidelity UI and prototyping, emphasizing problem-solving and iteration.
• Include case studies that highlight complex information visualizations, map-based interfaces, or analytical graphs if applicable, detailing the design challenges and solutions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in Figma through examples of detailed UI design, interactive prototyping, and component-based design system elements.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio submissions should ideally include documentation of the design process, illustrating how user needs were identified, translated into design solutions, and validated.
• Examples of contributions to or development of design systems, including modular UX patterns and their application in achieving consistency, are highly valued.
• Case studies should articulate how technical constraints and business goals were balanced with user needs, showcasing a pragmatic approach to design implementation.
• Any examples of measuring design impact using usability metrics or other qualitative/quantitative methods should be clearly presented and explained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio for this role is paramount, as it serves as the primary evidence of a candidate's ability to deliver high-quality, scalable design solutions. The "end-to-end" nature of the responsibilities means the portfolio should reflect a holistic design approach, including research, ideation, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for experienced Product Designers (5-10 years) in Stockholm, Sweden, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between 55,000 SEK and 80,000 SEK per month. This range accounts for the specialized skills, experience level, and the high-demand nature of design roles in mission-critical sectors.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs.
• Generous paid time off (vacation and personal days).
• Opportunities for professional development, including training, workshops, and conference attendance.
• Pension scheme contributions.
• Potential for performance-based bonuses.
• Access to modern office facilities and collaborative work environments.
• Potential for flexible work arrangements within the on-site framework.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are typically around 40 hours per week, with the possibility of flexibility within the on-site framework to accommodate project needs and work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on current market data for senior design professionals in Stockholm, considering the company's industry (defense and security) which often commands competitive compensation. Benefits are standard for large, established tech companies in Sweden.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Defence and Security. Saab operates at the forefront of advanced technology, providing critical solutions for national security and defense. This industry context implies a strong emphasis on reliability, security, precision, and long-term product lifecycles. Company Size: 26,100+ employees. This indicates Saab is a large, established, and globally recognized organization, offering stability and extensive career opportunities. Founded: Saab has a long history, implying a culture that values experience, deep technical knowledge, and a commitment to innovation built on a solid foundation.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will join the Common Technology department within Product Tech. This suggests a centralized design function or a core team responsible for foundational technologies and cross-product consistency.
• The team likely comprises a mix of designers, product owners, and developers, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to product development.
• Reporting likely goes up through a design leadership or product management hierarchy, with close collaboration across various project-specific teams.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-focused product outcomes, indicating a strong commitment to user-centered design principles.
• Design activities are driven from concept through to high-fidelity UI, suggesting a structured yet iterative design process.
• Collaboration with engineering and product teams is key to balancing user needs, business goals, and technical constraints, pointing towards agile or hybrid development methodologies.
• Contribution to and utilization of scalable design systems points to a focus on efficiency, consistency, and maintainability.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Saab's industry is a significant factor, implying a culture that prioritizes rigorous processes, security, and long-term product vision. The "Common Technology" department suggests a focus on foundational elements and shared services, making design system contributions particularly impactful.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Senior Product Designer, indicating a level of expertise and responsibility beyond junior or mid-level positions. It requires a proven ability to lead design initiatives, mentor others, and influence product strategy. Reporting Structure: The designer will report within the Common Technology department, likely to a Head of Design, Design Manager, or a senior product lead. Collaboration will be extensive with product owners and engineering teams across various projects. Operations Impact: The Product Designer will have a direct impact on the usability, effectiveness, and user satisfaction of mission-critical systems. Their work will contribute to the overall quality and consistency of Saab's digital product portfolio, influencing user perception, operational efficiency, and potentially national security outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like information visualization, UX for mission-critical systems, or advanced interaction design.
• Leadership: Progress into roles such as Lead Product Designer, Design Manager, or Head of UX/Design, focusing on team leadership and strategic direction.
• Cross-functional Movement: Transition into product management, technical program management, or specialized UX research roles within Saab.
• Skill Development: Continuous learning opportunities through internal training, external conferences, and hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "mission-critical systems" and "design systems at scale" suggests that growth opportunities may lean towards complex system design, architecture, and strategic platform development, rather than solely focusing on individual product features.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based on-site at Saab's Solna location, suggesting a professional office environment designed for collaboration and focused work. Saab's facilities are likely equipped with modern technology and amenities. Office Location(s): Solna Strandväg 10, Solna, Sweden. This location is part of the Stockholm region, offering good connectivity and access to a vibrant tech and business ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to be collaborative, encouraging interaction with developers, product owners, and fellow designers to foster innovation and problem-solving.
• Access to industry-standard design tools, particularly Figma, and potentially other collaboration and project management software.
• Opportunities for informal and formal design critiques, knowledge sharing sessions, and team-building activities.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) with a degree of flexibility to accommodate project demands and personal well-being, within the constraints of an on-site role. Emphasis will be on delivering high-quality outcomes and meeting project timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Solna, Sweden, implies a structured work environment common in established European corporations, balancing focus time with collaborative team activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.
• Portfolio Presentation: An in-depth session where you present your portfolio, discussing specific projects, your design process, contributions, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to articulate your thought process for complex challenges.
• Technical/Skills Interview: Discussion focused on your proficiency with Figma, understanding of design systems, visual and interaction design principles, and experience with complex data visualizations or mission-critical systems.
• Cross-functional Interview: An interview with product owners, engineers, or other stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, communication, and ability to balance diverse requirements.
• Final Interview: Likely with a hiring manager or senior leadership to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and strategic alignment with Saab's goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your end-to-end design process, your ability to deliver high-quality UI, and your experience with design systems or complex data.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, the design process you followed (including research, ideation, prototyping, and iteration), the solutions you developed, and the impact or outcome.
• Highlight Figma Expertise: Showcase examples of complex Figma work, including well-structured components, well-defined variants, and interactive prototypes.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Include examples or descriptions of how you collaborated with engineers, product managers, and stakeholders, and how you influenced decisions.
• Address Mission-Critical Context: If you have relevant experience, explicitly highlight how you approached design challenges in high-stakes or mission-critical environments.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved usability, increased efficiency, positive user feedback).

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design challenges or case studies that might involve problem-solving for a complex system or creating a specific UI component. Practice articulating your design decisions concisely and justifying them based on user needs and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "end-to-end design," "design systems at scale," and "mission-critical systems" means the portfolio review will be highly detailed. Candidates should be ready to deep-dive into their decision-making processes and demonstrate a mature understanding of design's role in complex, high-reliability environments.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency is a mandatory requirement for all aspects of design, prototyping, and collaboration.
• Design Systems: Experience with creating, contributing to, or consistently applying modular UX patterns within a design system.
• Prototyping Tools: While Figma is primary, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be beneficial for specific use cases.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Usability Metrics Tools: Familiarity with tools and methods for measuring design impact, such as user feedback platforms, A/B testing frameworks, and analytics dashboards.
• Data Visualization Tools: Experience designing interfaces for complex data, potentially involving tools for mapping or analytical graphs.

CRM & Automation:

• Less emphasis on CRM and automation tools for this specific design role, but an understanding of how design integrates with product development workflows and potentially project management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is central to this role. The "scalable design systems" requirement implies a need for understanding component-based design and potentially how these systems are managed and versioned. Familiarity with front-end frameworks like React or Angular is also a plus, indicating a need for designers to understand the technical implementation context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity & Continuous Learning: A strong drive to explore new ideas, technologies, and design approaches, fostering a culture of ongoing professional development.
• Collaboration & Shared Initiative: Valuing teamwork, open communication, and collective ownership of product outcomes, encouraging contributions from all team members.
• Quality & Attention to Detail: A commitment to high standards in design execution, ensuring reliability, consistency, and polish in all delivered work, especially critical for mission-critical systems.
• User-Centricity: A fundamental focus on understanding and addressing the end-user's needs and perspectives in all design decisions.
• Innovation: A drive to push technological boundaries and create smart, effective solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close working relationships with engineering, product management, and business stakeholders are essential for success.
• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and honest feedback, constructive critique, and transparent discussions about design challenges and solutions.
• Process Improvement: A willingness to adapt and refine design processes based on team needs and project requirements, fostering efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: Saab's culture, as described, emphasizes a blend of pioneering spirit ("brave pioneers") with a structured, reliable approach ("enduring mission"). This suggests a team that values both innovation and meticulous execution, particularly important for a company in the defence and security sector.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Mission-Critical Systems: The primary challenge lies in creating intuitive, reliable, and effective user interfaces for systems where errors can have significant consequences. This requires a deep understanding of user context, potential failure modes, and the need for extreme precision.
• Balancing Complexity and Usability: Simplifying complex information and workflows into user-friendly experiences without compromising necessary functionality or data integrity.
• Driving Design Adoption: Influencing and gaining buy-in from diverse stakeholders (engineering, product, business) across a large organization to ensure consistent application of design standards and systems.
• Staying Ahead of Technology: Keeping pace with evolving design tools, methodologies, and technologies, especially those relevant to complex systems and data visualization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized UX Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas such as UX for complex systems, situational awareness design, advanced data visualization, or human factors engineering.
• Design System Advancement: Contribute to the evolution and strategic direction of Saab's design system, potentially leading initiatives for new pattern development or system architecture.
• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Gain insights into the technical and operational aspects of defence and security systems, enhancing the ability to design contextually relevant solutions.
• Mentorship: Access to senior design leaders and subject matter experts within Saab for guidance and career development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly linked to the nature of Saab's business. Growth opportunities should leverage these challenges, enabling designers to become experts in specialized, high-impact areas of UX design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design of a complex system from concept to launch. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on your end-to-end process, problem-solving, and collaboration.)
• "How do you ensure design consistency across multiple platforms and applications, especially when working with a design system?" (Prepare to discuss your experience with design systems, modular patterns, and governance.)
• "Walk us through a project where you had to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints. How did you arrive at your final design solution?" (Showcase your ability to make trade-offs and justify your decisions.)
• "How would you approach designing for a mission-critical system where user errors could have severe consequences? What specific considerations would you prioritize?" (Demonstrate an understanding of high-reliability design principles, situational awareness, and risk mitigation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Saab and our mission in the defence and security sector?" (Research Saab's values, current projects, and industry position.)
• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially when working with engineers and product managers who may have different priorities?" (Highlight your communication, empathy, and influence skills.)
• "How do you stay current with design trends and technologies, and how do you apply that learning to your work?" (Showcase your curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Presentation: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your specific role, the design process, the solutions, and the outcomes/impact.
• Emphasize Figma Usage: Be ready to screen-share or discuss specific Figma techniques, component structures, and prototyping methods you employed.
• Articulate Design Rationale: Be prepared to thoroughly explain why you made certain design decisions, linking them back to user needs, research insights, and project goals.
• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., "reduced task completion time by X%", "increased user satisfaction by Y%").
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Interviewers may ask detailed questions about specific design choices, technical feasibility, or user research methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills, but also strategic thinking, collaborative capability, and an understanding of the unique demands of designing for Saab's industry. The portfolio is the critical tool for showcasing this.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Saab careers portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects that demonstrate your end-to-end design process, expertise in Figma, contributions to design systems, and experience with complex or mission-critical systems. Tailor your selection to highlight the skills most relevant to this role.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 5-10 years of experience, emphasizing achievements related to product design, UX/UI, Figma proficiency, and collaboration. Use keywords from the job description naturally.
• Interview Practice: Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on storytelling, clarity of design rationale, and demonstrating impact. Prepare answers to common interview questions related to design strategy, collaboration, and problem-solving, especially in the context of complex systems.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Saab, its mission, current projects, and its position within the defence and security industry. Understand their values and how your design philosophy aligns with their culture.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description has been developed to provide comprehensive insights for operations professionals. All details, especially regarding compensation and specific requirements, should be verified directly with Saab during the application and interview process.