Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Shorthand

Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: March 10, 2026

Experience Level: 3-5 years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design and enhancement of product experiences within the Shorthand editor and broader platform, focusing on user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) to facilitate compelling digital storytelling.

• Drive innovation in AI-assisted storytelling workflows and the "Creative Companion" feature, leveraging hands-on experimentation and user feedback to refine product capabilities and user interaction patterns.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, and customer-facing teams to conceptualize, prototype, and deliver high-quality, responsive design solutions that address complex user problems.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of Shorthand's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and elegance across all product touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes a hands-on approach to design, integrating product development with creative exploration using Shorthand's own platform. The focus on "Creative Companion" and AI-assisted storytelling indicates a forward-looking design role within a SaaS product for content creation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on user interfaces and user experiences for the Shorthand editor and platform, ensuring intuitive navigation and efficient content creation workflows.

• Develop example Shorthand stories and templates to deeply explore storytelling patterns, demonstrate product capabilities, and inform future product enhancements.

• Collaborate with software engineers throughout the design and development lifecycle, from conceptualization to prototyping and final implementation, ensuring design fidelity.

• Actively experiment with the Shorthand product to identify opportunities for UX improvements, particularly within AI-assisted storytelling and the Creative Companion features.

• Translate complex user needs and storytelling use cases into actionable design insights and tangible product improvements.

• Contribute to and advocate for the Shorthand design system, ensuring adherence to established UI patterns and interaction guidelines.

• Engage in cross-functional collaboration with product managers, engineers, and customer success to gather requirements, present design concepts, and align on product strategy.

• Conduct user research and usability testing to validate design decisions and gather feedback for iterative improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: core product design and specific application of design skills to explore and enhance AI-driven content creation tools. The emphasis on "experimenting through making" suggests a proactive, iterative design process.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in Design principles, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is expected, demonstrated through a portfolio.

Experience: A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in product design, with a preference for experience on web-based SaaS products.

Required Skills:

• A compelling digital portfolio showcasing exceptional problem-solving abilities and design execution.

• Proven experience designing user-centric products and user experiences that simplify complex challenges into elegant, intuitive solutions.

• Proficiency in designing cohesive UIs and contributing to the development or maintenance of design systems.

• Demonstrated expertise in using design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD for creating interactive prototypes and design artifacts.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, with a strong ability to articulate design concepts and rationale.

• Proven experience in cross-functional collaboration and effective communication with diverse teams (product, engineering, etc.).

• A highly inquisitive mindset, with a solution-focused approach and a passion for learning through experimentation and hands-on creation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with storytelling platforms, Content Management Systems (CMS), or specialized creative tools.

• Prior experience experimenting with or designing for AI-assisted creative tools and workflows.

• Understanding of responsive design principles and best practices for web-based applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical application and a proactive, experimental design ethos. Experience with specific tools like Figma and foundational web technologies (HTML/CSS) are key indicators of a candidate's ability to contribute effectively within a lean, fast-paced product team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive digital portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a minimum of 3 years of professional design work, with a strong emphasis on web-based SaaS products.

• Demonstrate a clear problem-solving process, from identifying user needs and business goals to ideation, iteration, and final design execution.

• Include case studies that highlight the design and improvement of complex product experiences, turning challenges into elegant, user-friendly solutions.

• Showcase contributions to design systems or UI pattern libraries, illustrating an understanding of consistency, scalability, and component-based design.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio case studies should detail the design process, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, and iteration cycles.

• Clearly articulate the impact of design decisions, ideally with measurable outcomes or insights gained from user feedback and experimentation.

• Demonstrate experience in collaborating with engineering teams, showing how designs were translated into functional features and the iterative process involved.

• Highlight contributions to or understanding of AI-assisted workflows and creative tools, showcasing an ability to integrate emerging technologies into design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is crucial for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's problem-solving skills, technical proficiency, and ability to contribute to a SaaS product. Specific emphasis on experimentation and AI integration within portfolio examples will be highly beneficial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the role is based in Australia, specifically Brisbane, and requires 3+ years of experience in a specialized SaaS design role, market research suggests a competitive salary range for a Product Designer.

• Estimated Range: AUD $90,000 - $130,000 per annum, depending on experience and specific skill alignment.

• Methodology: This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers in Australia, factoring in the SaaS sector, remote work allowance, and the specific responsibilities outlined. Data from platforms like Seek, Glassdoor, and industry-specific salary surveys were considered.

Benefits:

• Employee Option Plan: Opportunity for equity participation, aligning personal success with company growth.

• Health and Wellness Fund: An allowance to support physical and mental well-being, encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

• Coaching and Counselling Services: Access to professional support for personal and professional development.

• Fully Remote Working: Flexibility and autonomy provided by a distributed work environment.

• Co-working Space Allowance: Support for those who prefer or benefit from working in a shared workspace.

• Home Office Setup Allowance: Financial support for essential equipment to create an optimal remote work setup.

• Laptop and Peripherals: Provision of necessary hardware to perform job duties effectively.

• Paid Parental Leave: Support for new parents during a significant life event.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in a remote work arrangement, adaptable to collaboration needs across time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation range is an estimate for the Australian market. The comprehensive benefits package, including an option plan and substantial remote work support, indicates a commitment to employee well-being and long-term engagement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software as a Service (SaaS), specifically within the digital publishing and content creation technology sector, focusing on immersive storytelling.

Company Size: Shorthand is described as a "growing, investor-backed company" that is "still small enough that you can make a real impact." This suggests a company size likely in the range of 50-150 employees, offering a balance between established processes and entrepreneurial agility.

Founded: While the founding date isn't specified, the company's established customer base (including global publishers like the BBC) indicates a history of product development and market traction.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is described as "small, passionate." The role involves working "closely with design team colleagues, software engineers and others." This indicates a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.

• Reporting is likely within a product or engineering department, with potential direct interaction with senior leadership, including the CEO, as mentioned in the interview process.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While not explicitly stated, the focus on "insights" and "measurable effect" suggests data analysis plays a role in informing design decisions.

• Iterative Development: The emphasis on prototyping, shipping improvements, and "experimenting through making" points to an agile and iterative product development methodology.

• User-Centricity: The goal of empowering creative teams and helping customers tell stories suggests a strong focus on user needs and workflows.

Company Website: shorthand.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Shorthand fosters a culture of innovation and impact within a growing SaaS environment. The company values hands-on contribution, cross-functional teamwork, and a user-centric approach to product development, particularly in the evolving landscape of digital storytelling and AI.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level to Senior Product Designer. With 3+ years of experience, the designer will own significant product areas outside of core storytelling, indicating substantial responsibility and autonomy. The opportunity to collaborate on core features and influence product direction further solidifies this.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or Head of Engineering, depending on the company's specific organizational structure. Collaboration will extend across engineering, product management, and customer-facing teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work will have a direct impact on Shorthand's core value proposition: enabling creative teams to produce beautiful content faster. Innovations in the editor, Creative Companion, and AI-assisted workflows will directly influence customer engagement, product adoption, and Shorthand's competitive positioning in the digital storytelling market. The role is expected to create work with a "measurable effect on our customers’ ability to engage their audiences."

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX/UI design for content creation platforms, particularly in emerging areas like AI-assisted storytelling.

• Leadership: Progress towards a Senior or Lead Product Designer role, potentially mentoring junior designers or taking ownership of larger product initiatives.

• Skill Development: Gain hands-on experience with AI tools, advanced prototyping techniques, and contributing to established design systems within a growing SaaS company.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Enhance collaboration and communication skills by working closely with engineering and product teams, gaining a holistic understanding of the product development lifecycle.

• Influence: Contribute to strategic product decisions and shape the future direction of Shorthand's platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential for a designer passionate about content creation technology. The emphasis on owning product areas and influencing strategy provides a clear path for career advancement within a dynamic SaaS company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Shorthand operates as a "100% distributed" company. Interviews are conducted virtually. The role offers "fully remote working and an allowance for a co-working space," catering to diverse work preferences.

Office Location(s): While the role is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and interviews are virtual, the company's customer base spans all continents, indicating a global operational footprint. The core team is likely spread across various locations, with a focus on Australia for this specific hire.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being distributed, the company fosters strong cross-functional collaboration through virtual tools and communication channels.

• Tools & Technology: The role requires proficiency in Figma and familiarity with HTML/CSS, indicating a modern, web-centric technology stack. The company provides necessary hardware, including a laptop and peripherals, to ensure an effective remote workspace.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for interaction exist through virtual meetings, design critiques, and collaborative design sessions, ensuring team cohesion and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate remote work and collaboration across different time zones, particularly within Australia. The emphasis on autonomy suggests that work-life balance is encouraged.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of the work, coupled with allowances for home office setup and co-working spaces, signifies a commitment to flexibility and employee well-being. This environment is well-suited for self-motivated designers who thrive on autonomy.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Zoom Screen: An informal introductory call with HR or a hiring manager to discuss your background, interest in Shorthand, and the role specifics.

2. Work Task: A take-home task requiring 2-4 hours to complete, using Shorthand's software to create example stories/templates. This serves to familiarize you with the product and assess practical design skills.

3. Interviews: Zoom interviews with the hiring panel, typically including 2-3 team members and potentially the CEO. This stage focuses on in-depth discussion of your experience, design approach, and cultural fit.

4. Final Checks: Reference and background checks for the successful candidate.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Problem-Solving: Clearly articulate the problem you were solving for each project in your portfolio. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your case studies.

• Showcase Process: Include wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and iterations. Demonstrate how you arrived at the final design solution, especially for complex problems.

• Demonstrate SaaS & Storytelling Focus: Prioritize projects that showcase experience with web-based SaaS products. If possible, include examples related to content creation, CMS, or storytelling platforms.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Discuss how you collaborated with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Mention any contributions to design systems or UI patterns.

• Integrate AI & Experimentation: If you have experience with AI-assisted creative tools or projects that involved significant experimentation, highlight these aspects, as they are key interests for this role.

• Tool Proficiency: Mention your proficiency with Figma and other relevant design tools.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Shorthand: Thoroughly explore the Shorthand platform. Understand its core features, target audience (publishers, brands, universities), and value proposition.

• Storytelling Patterns: Research current trends in digital storytelling and immersive journalism. Think about how Shorthand facilitates these.

• AI & Creative Tools: Be prepared to discuss your thoughts on AI's role in creative workflows and how design can best integrate these tools.

• Design System Thinking: Be ready to discuss your approach to design systems, component libraries, and maintaining UI consistency.

• Remote Collaboration: Prepare examples of how you effectively collaborate in a remote, distributed team environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess both practical skills and cultural fit. The take-home task is a significant component, so preparing thoroughly for it by familiarizing yourself with Shorthand's product is critical. Highlighting relevant experience in SaaS, storytelling, and AI will be advantageous.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary requirement), Sketch, Adobe XD. Candidates are expected to create interactive prototypes and design artifacts.

• Design System: Experience contributing to or working with established design systems is highly valued to ensure UI consistency and scalability.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly mentioned for this design role, understanding how design impacts user engagement and conversion metrics is beneficial. Familiarity with analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel) could be an advantage for interpreting user behavior data.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to the core design responsibilities, but understanding the SaaS customer lifecycle and how the product supports sales and marketing efforts can provide valuable context.

Web Technologies:

• HTML & CSS: Familiarity is required, indicating an understanding of web implementation and front-end capabilities.

• Responsive Design: Experience designing for various screen sizes and devices is essential for a web-based SaaS product.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. Familiarity with HTML/CSS and an understanding of responsive design principles are crucial for effective collaboration with engineers and for designing practical, implementable solutions within a web context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A focus on creating work that has a "measurable effect" on customer success and business goals.

• Innovation & Experimentation: A culture that encourages "experimenting and learning through making," particularly in exploring new technologies like AI.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork and open communication within a distributed environment.

• User-Centricity: Empowering creative teams and simplifying complex processes to enhance user capabilities.

• Autonomy & Ownership: Providing "true autonomy" and ownership of roles, fostering a sense of responsibility and initiative.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work closely with product managers and engineers from concept to delivery, fostering a shared understanding and collective problem-solving approach.

• Open Communication: Encouraged through virtual channels, ensuring transparency and efficient information exchange in a distributed setting.

• Iterative Feedback: A willingness to share work early, gather feedback, and iterate based on insights from team members and users.

📝 Enhancement Note: Shorthand appears to value a proactive, collaborative, and results-oriented culture. Designers are expected to be self-starters who can work independently while contributing actively to team goals and company-wide innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Integration: Effectively designing user experiences for emerging AI-assisted storytelling tools requires exploring new interaction paradigms and managing user expectations.

• Balancing Core Product & New Features: Owning design areas outside of core storytelling while also contributing to evolving AI features requires effective prioritization and context-switching.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong design cohesion and communication within a fully distributed team requires proactive effort and effective use of collaboration tools.

• Demonstrating ROI: Clearly articulating the measurable impact of design decisions on customer engagement and business outcomes can be challenging but is a key expectation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & Future of Storytelling: Gain hands-on experience with AI-driven creative tools and contribute to the evolving landscape of digital storytelling.

• SaaS Product Design Expertise: Deepen skills in designing for web-based SaaS platforms, focusing on user experience for creative professionals.

• Design System Mastery: Contribute to and refine a growing design system, enhancing skills in component-based design and UI consistency.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Develop a strong understanding of the entire product development lifecycle by working closely with engineering and product teams.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunities to take ownership of significant product areas and potentially mentor future team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents exciting challenges at the intersection of design, technology, and creative content. The growth opportunities are substantial for a designer looking to innovate and expand their expertise in a forward-thinking SaaS company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Vision & Strategy: "How would you approach designing improvements for our 'Creative Companion' feature, considering its role in AI-assisted storytelling?" (Focus on user needs, AI capabilities, and iterative design.)

• Problem Solving & Design Process: "Walk me through a complex design challenge you faced in a previous SaaS role. How did you use your process, including experimentation and collaboration, to arrive at a solution?" (Highlight your portfolio case study.)

• Collaboration & Communication: "Describe a time you disagreed with an engineer or product manager about a design decision. How did you navigate that situation to reach a productive outcome?" (Emphasize your cross-functional collaboration skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Shorthand's mission to empower creative teams?" (Connect your passion for design with their mission.)

• "How do you see AI impacting the future of digital storytelling, and how can product design best support this?" (Demonstrate forward-thinking and understanding of industry trends.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly state the problem, your role, the solution, and the measurable results or impact.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals – mockups, prototypes, user flows – to illustrate your design process and final outcomes.

• Narrative Flow: Structure your presentation logically, guiding the interviewers through your problem-solving journey.

• Highlight Key Skills: Emphasize projects demonstrating SaaS experience, UI design, prototyping (especially Figma), design system contributions, and any AI/storytelling-related work.

• Be Prepared for the Work Task: Understand that the take-home task is a direct assessment of your ability to use their product and translate creative concepts. Practice creating stories in Shorthand if possible.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of Shorthand's product and mission, a robust design process, and the ability to integrate emerging technologies like AI. The portfolio presentation is a critical element, so ensure it's polished and effectively communicates your value.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

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

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in web-based SaaS products, UI/UX design, prototyping (Figma), design systems, and any work related to content creation or storytelling platforms. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your digital portfolio is up-to-date, showcases relevant case studies demonstrating problem-solving and design execution, and is easily accessible. Prioritize projects that align with the role's emphasis on SaaS, user experience, and potentially AI integration.

• Research Shorthand: Thoroughly explore the Shorthand website, understand their product, target audience, and company mission. Familiarize yourself with their existing customer base and the types of content created on their platform.

• Practice Presentation: Prepare to walk through your portfolio projects, focusing on your design process, collaboration, and the impact of your work, in anticipation of interview discussions.

⚠️ 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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