Product Designer I - Hybrid
π Job Overview
Job Title: Product Designer I - Hybrid Company: CrowdStrike Location: Austin, Texas, United States Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Product Design / User Experience Date Posted: 2025-11-12 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid (2+ days in office)
π Role Summary
- Drive innovative user experience solutions as an equal partner with product management and engineering.
- Own the end-to-end design process from conception through final rollout for complex enterprise cloud-based solutions.
- Translate user needs and business goals into intuitive, accessible, and high-quality design specifications and prototypes.
- Champion the use of CrowdStrike's design system to ensure product consistency and scalability across the platform.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as Product Designer I, implying a mid-level contributor with a strong foundation in UX principles and a minimum of 4 years of experience. The emphasis on "full stack designers" who can "bring leadership from the conception phase through the final rollout" suggests a need for end-to-end ownership and proactive engagement, rather than purely execution-focused tasks. The hybrid requirement with specific days in the Austin office indicates a need for strong in-person collaboration alongside remote flexibility.
π Primary Responsibilities
- Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers to understand project goals and deliver high-quality design specifications and artifacts in a timely manner.
- Lead ideation sessions to generate creative and effective user experience solutions for complex problems within defined project scopes.
- Develop comprehensive user flows, task analyses, information architecture, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to clearly communicate design intent.
- Conduct and leverage user research, including evaluative research methods, to inform design decisions and ensure user-centered outcomes.
- Craft compelling design stories that articulate user needs, problem statements, and proposed solutions to gain stakeholder alignment.
- Organize content and information effectively, expanding existing design system components with a focus on user goals, usability, and accessibility standards.
- Actively promote and adhere to the established design system, contributing to its growth and ensuring product consistency across the CrowdStrike platform.
- Provide constructive feedback and technical guidance to team members through work reviews and documentation.
- Develop deep knowledge of CrowdStrike's features and services to drive cohesive and consistent user experiences.
- Scope project work, identifying and managing tradeoffs between immediate delivery needs and long-term product vision.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking (scoping, identifying additional use cases, leading ideation) and tactical execution (user flows, specs, prototypes, design system adherence). The emphasis on storytelling and driving innovation suggests the need for strong communication and advocacy skills beyond just visual design.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles of this nature in enterprise software. Experience: A minimum of 4 years of professional experience in product design, with a focus on designing enterprise cloud-based solutions.
Required Skills:
- Proven experience in end-to-end user experience design processes and workflows.
- Proficiency in creating user journeys, task analyses, information architecture, wireframes, and prototypes.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct and leverage evaluative research methods to inform design decisions.
- Expertise in using Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.
- Experience designing for user personas and understanding user needs.
- Strong ability to make multi-step user tasks easy to navigate and complex data intuitive to use.
- Proficiency in creating clear user flows and design specifications.
- Experience in using storytelling concepts to communicate design work effectively.
- Ability to organize content and information logically, expanding design system components.
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills, both verbal and written, for effective stakeholder engagement.
- Online portfolio showcasing relevant enterprise cloud-based design work, demonstrating end-to-end process and problem-solving capabilities.
- Some experience in enterprise SaaS products.
Preferred Skills:
- Knowledge of the cybersecurity industry and its unique design challenges.
- Experience working with established design systems and contributing to platform design efforts.
- Understanding of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG).
π Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "4+ years" for a "Product Designer I" is slightly atypical, as "I" often denotes junior to mid-level. However, the context of "enterprise cloud-based solutions" and the scope of responsibilities suggest that this is a crucial requirement. The explicit mention of Figma and enterprise SaaS experience narrows the candidate pool to those familiar with complex B2B environments.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from discovery and research through to detailed design and post-launch analysis.
- Showcase at least 2-3 distinct case studies of enterprise cloud-based solutions, highlighting complex problem-solving and user-centered design approaches.
- Clearly articulate your role and contributions within each project, emphasizing your ownership of the user experience.
- Include examples of user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final UI designs, explaining the rationale behind key decisions.
- Present how you have considered and implemented usability best practices, accessibility standards, and data-driven insights.
- Highlight experience with design systems, including how you have utilized or contributed to them to ensure consistency and efficiency.
- Quantify impact where possible, using metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the effectiveness of your design solutions.
Process Documentation:
- Ability to document design processes, including user research methodologies, ideation techniques, and testing procedures.
- Experience in creating detailed design specifications and handover documents for engineering teams.
- Capability to articulate workflow improvements and optimizations driven by your design contributions.
π Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, particularly in enterprise SaaS, a robust portfolio is paramount. The emphasis should be on demonstrating problem-solving skills, process rigor, and the ability to translate complex requirements into user-friendly interfaces, not just visual aesthetics. The "Product Designer I" title suggests that while end-to-end experience is valued, a deep, specialized focus within a particular phase of the design process might also be acceptable if well-articulated.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $90,000 - $125,000 per year (for all U.S. candidates) Benefits:
- Remote-friendly and flexible work culture.
- Market leader in compensation and equity awards.
- Comprehensive physical and mental wellness programs.
- Competitive vacation and holidays for recharge.
- Paid parental and adoption leaves.
- Professional development opportunities for all employees regardless of level or role.
- Employee Networks, geographic neighborhood groups, and volunteer opportunities to build connections.
- Vibrant office culture with world-class amenities.
- Eligibility for bonuses and equity grants.
- Comprehensive health insurance.
- 401k plan.
- Paid time off.
Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (likely 40 hours per week), with flexibility and a hybrid arrangement requiring 2+ days per week in the Austin, TX office.
π Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $90,000 - $125,000 per year for a Product Designer I with 4+ years of experience in Austin, TX, aligns with mid-level market rates for the tech industry in a major metropolitan area. The inclusion of bonuses and equity suggests a competitive total compensation package. The "remote-friendly" aspect is qualified by the mandatory 2+ days in the Austin office, defining a clear hybrid model.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Cybersecurity. CrowdStrike is a global leader in cybersecurity, leveraging an AI-native platform to protect organizations from breaches. The company processes trillions of events daily, indicating a high-volume, data-intensive environment. Company Size: CrowdStrike is a large, established technology company with a global presence. While the exact current employee count isn't provided, its status as a "global leader" and its extensive benefits package suggest a significant workforce. Founded: 2011. The company has a decade-plus history of innovation in cybersecurity.
Team Structure:
- The Product Design team is global, indicating a need for strong asynchronous communication and collaboration skills.
- Designers are considered "equal partners" with product management and engineering leads, suggesting a flat, collaborative hierarchy where design has significant influence.
- Designers are expected to "own the user experience solution for any project," implying autonomy and responsibility.
- The team comprises "full stack designers" who manage projects from conception through rollout.
Methodology:
- Emphasis on data-driven design, using research and goals to inform solutions.
- Focus on craftsmanship, attention to detail, and iterative improvement.
- Commitment to a user-centered approach, prioritizing customer experience.
- Adherence to and contribution to a robust design system for consistency and scalability.
- Storytelling is a key method for communicating design ideas and gaining buy-in.
Company Website: crowdstrike.com
π Enhancement Note: CrowdStrike's cybersecurity focus implies a high-stakes, fast-paced environment where reliability, security, and performance are paramount. The company culture appears to value innovation, customer obsession, and employee development, with a strong emphasis on design's strategic role. The global nature of the design team is a key consideration for collaboration.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role is classified as "Product Designer I," typically indicating a mid-level position. With a minimum of 4 years of experience required, it suggests a role that expects contributors to be largely independent in executing design tasks and capable of taking ownership of specific feature areas. The emphasis on "leadership from conception through rollout" also points towards developing project leadership skills. Reporting Structure: Designers are expected to be "equal partners" with product management and engineering leads. This implies a collaborative reporting structure, likely reporting into a Design Manager or Director, but working day-to-day within cross-functional product teams. Operations Impact: Product designers at CrowdStrike directly influence the user experience of their AI-native cybersecurity platform. Their work impacts customer adoption, satisfaction, operational efficiency for users, and ultimately, the perceived value and effectiveness of CrowdStrike's solutions, which in turn drives revenue and market position.
Growth Opportunities:
- Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in enterprise UX, cybersecurity design, and advanced prototyping. Potential to specialize in areas like design systems, user research, or interaction design.
- Leadership Development: Potential to grow into Senior Product Designer roles, leading larger initiatives, mentoring junior designers, and influencing product strategy more broadly.
- Cross-Functional Exposure: Exposure to complex distributed systems and large-scale data processing provides unique learning opportunities.
- Design System Contribution: Opportunity to contribute significantly to and influence the evolution of a large-scale design system.
- Industry Expertise: Developing specialized knowledge in the cybersecurity domain, a high-growth and critical industry.
π Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer I" title, combined with the 4-year experience requirement and emphasis on ownership, suggests a role that is a step beyond junior but not yet senior. Growth would likely involve taking on more complex projects, leading design for larger features, and potentially mentoring others.
π Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid. While remote-friendly, the role requires the designer to be in the Austin, TX office at least 2 days per week. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed for team interaction, brainstorming, and in-person meetings. Office Location(s): Austin, Texas, United States. This location is a major tech hub, offering access to talent and a vibrant professional community.
Workspace Context:
- Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on collaboration indicate an office space that facilitates team interaction, cross-functional meetings with Product Management and Engineering, and design critique sessions.
- Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma is explicitly mentioned) and potentially other collaboration and project management software.
- Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct mentorship, peer feedback, and spontaneous problem-solving with colleagues within the Austin office and globally.
Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours, likely Monday-Friday, with the flexibility afforded by a hybrid work arrangement. The 2+ days in the office are likely coordinated with team needs.
π Enhancement Note: The hybrid requirement is a key differentiator. While offering flexibility, it demands that candidates are comfortable with a structured in-office presence and can effectively collaborate both in person and remotely with a global team.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
- Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager focusing on experience, project examples, and understanding of the role.
- Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: This is a critical stage. Candidates will likely present their portfolio, walking through 1-2 key case studies. A design challenge (either take-home or live) may be assigned to assess problem-solving skills, design process, and Figma proficiency.
- Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration, communication, and technical understanding.
- Final Round/Leadership Interview: May involve a senior design leader or executive to assess strategic thinking and overall fit.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 of your strongest enterprise SaaS case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end process and problem-solving skills.
- Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the constraints, your process (research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing), your solutions, and the outcomes. Use visuals effectively.
- Highlight Process: Emphasize how you arrived at your solutions, not just the final designs. Show your thinking and decision-making.
- Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics or user feedback to demonstrate the success of your designs.
- Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your workflow in Figma and how you leverage its features for collaboration and efficiency.
- Address Cybersecurity Context: If you have cybersecurity experience, highlight it. If not, demonstrate how you approach designing for complex, high-security environments.
- Focus on Enterprise: Tailor your presentation to emphasize experience with complex workflows, data visualization, and B2B user needs.
Challenge Preparation:
- If a take-home challenge is assigned, carefully read all instructions, understand the scope, and allocate your time wisely. Prioritize demonstrating your core skills (problem-solving, process, Figma).
- If a live challenge is given, think aloud. Explain your thought process, ask clarifying questions, and manage your time effectively.
- Be prepared to discuss tradeoffs and justify your design decisions.
π Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is the most crucial part of the application. Candidates should meticulously prepare to showcase their ability to handle complex enterprise design challenges and articulate their process clearly. Given the "Product Designer I" title, demonstrating solid execution and a well-defined process is key, even if the projects are not massive in scale.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- Figma: Explicitly required. This is the core tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.
- Design Systems: Experience with using and potentially contributing to design systems is a strong preference, indicating a need for understanding component-based design and consistency.
- Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities are key, but familiarity with other tools like InVision or Axure might be beneficial for demonstrating breadth.
Analytics & Reporting:
- While not explicitly mentioned for designers, understanding how to interpret user analytics and performance data to inform design decisions is valuable. Familiarity with tools used for this purpose (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) could be a plus.
CRM & Automation:
- Experience with enterprise SaaS products suggests an indirect understanding of how design impacts CRM and automation workflows, even if designers don't directly use these tools for administration.
π Enhancement Note: Figma is the non-negotiable tool. The emphasis on design systems points to a mature design practice at CrowdStrike, where reusable components and patterns are actively managed.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- Customer Focus: A core value, emphasizing the need for designers to deeply understand and advocate for the customer experience.
- Innovation: The company is built on innovation, so designers are expected to bring fresh ideas and solutions.
- Collaboration: Essential for working within cross-functional teams and a global design organization.
- Craftsmanship & Attention to Detail: Crucial for delivering high-quality, reliable enterprise software.
- Efficiency: Promoting the use of design systems and efficient workflows aligns with operational excellence.
- Security Mindset: Given the industry, an implicit understanding of security considerations in design is important.
Collaboration Style:
- Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with Product Managers and Engineers, acting as equal partners.
- Global Teamwork: Requires strong asynchronous communication, clear documentation, and respect for diverse perspectives within the global design team.
- Design Critiques: The emphasis on work reviews suggests a culture that embraces feedback and iterative improvement through peer evaluation.
- Storytelling: A key method for collaboration, ensuring that design intentions are understood and championed across different disciplines.
π Enhancement Note: CrowdStrike's culture appears to value both individual contribution and strong teamwork. The emphasis on being an "equal partner" means designers are expected to be proactive communicators and collaborators who can influence product direction.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Designing for Complexity: Translating intricate cybersecurity workflows and large datasets into intuitive user experiences.
- Global Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive user experience across a global product and diverse user base, while working within a global design team.
- Balancing Short-term vs. Long-term Goals: Navigating project demands that require quick delivery versus maintaining a strategic, scalable product vision.
- Adoption of Design System: Encouraging consistent use of the design system across all product areas and potentially influencing its evolution.
- Fast-Paced Environment: Keeping pace with rapid innovation and development cycles in the cybersecurity industry.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Deepening Cybersecurity Domain Knowledge: Gaining expertise in a critical and rapidly evolving industry.
- Advanced UX for Enterprise: Mastering the nuances of designing complex enterprise software, including data visualization, workflow optimization, and B2B user needs.
- Design System Expertise: Contributing to and learning from a mature, large-scale design system.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration Skills: Enhancing ability to work effectively with engineering and product management on complex technical products.
- Storytelling and Presentation Skills: Honing abilities to communicate design vision and impact to diverse stakeholders.
π Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the inherent complexity of enterprise cybersecurity products and the operational demands of working within a large, fast-moving tech company. Growth opportunities are tied to mastering these challenges and developing specialized skills.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "Describe a time you had to design a complex workflow with multiple steps. How did you ensure usability and clarity?" (Focus on user flows, task analysis, simplification strategies).
- "How do you balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints? Provide an example from your portfolio." (Demonstrate strategic thinking and tradeoff management).
- "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature from conception to handoff. What role does research play?" (Highlight your end-to-end process, Figma usage, and data-driven approach).
- "How do you ensure accessibility in your designs, especially for enterprise applications?" (Discuss relevant standards and practical implementation).
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What interests you about CrowdStrike and the cybersecurity industry?" (Research CrowdStrike's mission, products, and recent news. Understand the importance of cybersecurity).
- "How do you approach collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers?" (Emphasize your "equal partner" mindset and communication strategies).
- "Describe your experience working with or contributing to a design system." (Align with CrowdStrike's preference for design system utilization).
- "How do you handle constructive criticism on your designs?" (Show openness to feedback and iterative improvement).
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your career and design philosophy. Then, dive into 1-2 detailed case studies. For each, clearly state the problem, your role, the process, your solutions, and the outcomes.
- Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, and flow diagrams. Annotate key decisions and challenges.
- Storytelling: Weave a narrative that highlights your problem-solving skills and user advocacy. Explain your "why" behind design choices.
- Figma Focus: Be ready to discuss specific techniques or features you used in Figma for efficiency, collaboration, or complex prototyping.
- Quantify: Present metrics or user feedback that demonstrate the impact of your work. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss how you would measure success.
- Conciseness: Respect time limits. Practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and hits all key points without rushing.
π Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the portfolio. Candidates should prepare to defend their design decisions, articulate their process with clarity, and demonstrate a strong understanding of enterprise SaaS design principles, with a particular focus on Figma and design systems.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Product Designer role:
- Submit your application through the CrowdStrike careers portal link provided.
- Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, easily navigable, and prominently features 2-3 strong case studies relevant to enterprise cloud-based solutions. Tailor your presentation to highlight your end-to-end UX process, problem-solving skills, and Figma proficiency.
- Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly state your years of experience in product design, specifically mentioning enterprise SaaS and cloud-based solutions. Incorporate keywords from the job description such as "Figma," "user flows," "information architecture," "prototyping," "design systems," and "collaboration."
- Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and presenting your portfolio case studies. Prepare answers for common UX interview questions, focusing on your experience with complex problems, collaboration, and user advocacy. Rehearse your responses to questions about CrowdStrike and the cybersecurity industry.
- Company Research: Familiarize yourself with CrowdStrike's products, mission, and company culture. Understand their position in the cybersecurity market and the types of users they serve. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.
β οΈ 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.
Application Requirements
Candidates should have a minimum of 4 years of experience designing enterprise cloud-based solutions and be skilled in end-to-end user experience processes. Proficiency in Figma and strong collaboration and communication skills are also required.