Product Designer I, Product Safety

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer I, Product Safety
Company: Pinterest
Location: Chicago, IL, US / Remote, US
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Product Design / Trust & Safety
Date Posted: August 11, 2025
Experience Level: Entry-level (0-2 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid (1-2 days/quarter in-office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on designing user-centric experiences within Pinterest's Trust & Safety domain, specifically for Product Safety features like reporting, blocking, and content advisories.
• The position requires a strong emphasis on user needs, business objectives, and compliance requirements, ensuring safe and intuitive interactions on the platform.
• The Product Designer will collaborate closely with Product Managers, Researchers, Engineers, and Content Designers to translate complex ideas into elegant and user-friendly designs.
• Success in this role relies on producing high-quality design deliverables, adhering to Pinterest's design system, and effectively communicating design rationale across cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer I" title and the 0-2 years of experience suggest an entry-level or junior position. The focus on "Product Safety" within "Trust & Safety" indicates a specialization in a critical, compliance-driven area of product development. The hybrid nature with quarterly in-office requirements for collaboration implies a distributed team model that values in-person connection for strategic alignment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design intuitive and user-friendly experiences for product safety features, including reporting tools, blocking mechanisms, and content advisories.
• Translate user needs, business goals, and compliance requirements into high-quality design deliverables such as UI flows, wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers to understand product strategy and user needs, defining requirements and design solutions.
• Partner with User Researchers to integrate user feedback and insights into the design process, ensuring user-centered outcomes.
• Work alongside Engineers to ensure feasibility and effective implementation of design solutions, providing detailed specifications and support.
• Champion the use of Pinterest's established design system and patterns to maintain consistency and quality across the platform.
• Collaborate with Content Designers to ensure clear, effective, and compliant messaging within product safety features.
• Adapt designs for multiple platforms including iOS, Android, mobile web, and desktop web, respecting platform-specific design conventions.
• Proactively identify and address potential user safety concerns through thoughtful design interventions and user flow optimizations.
• Participate actively in design critique sessions, providing and receiving constructive feedback to elevate the quality of design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core product design activities with a specific focus on the complexities of safety and compliance. Emphasis is placed on cross-functional collaboration and adherence to design systems, which are crucial for maintaining consistency and efficiency in a large-scale product environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Human-Centered Design, or equivalent practical experience.
Experience: 0-2 years of experience in product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing design process and deliverables. Experience in Trust & Safety is a plus.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A robust portfolio demonstrating a strong product design process, problem-solving skills, and delivered design work for digital products.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and Content Designers.
• Visual Design: Experience producing polished visual design work with meticulous attention to detail, adhering to design principles and systems.
• Prototyping & UI Flows: Proficiency in creating detailed UI flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to communicate design concepts and user journeys.
• User Experience (UX) Best Practices: Solid understanding and application of UX best practices, user-centered design principles, and accessibility standards.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions, rationale, and insights to diverse stakeholders.
• Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to adapt to new teams, products, and fast-changing environments, managing evolving priorities and project needs.
• Growth Mindset: A commitment to continuous learning, self-reflection, and skill development in the field of product design.
• Feedback Integration: Willingness to accept feedback, experiment with new approaches, and iterate on designs in a collaborative setting.

Preferred Skills:

• Trust & Safety Experience: Prior experience designing for Trust & Safety, content moderation, user safety, or related sensitive product areas.
• Platform Design: Experience designing for both mobile (iOS/Android) and web platforms, understanding platform-specific design patterns and constraints.
• Design Systems: Familiarity with contributing to or working within established design systems.
• User Research: Experience working closely with user researchers and incorporating research findings into design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio with process and deliverables, combined with strong communication and collaboration skills, is critical for junior designers. The preference for Trust & Safety experience highlights the specialized nature of the role, suggesting that candidates with this background will have a distinct advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Process Showcase: Clearly articulate your end-to-end design process, from initial problem definition and user research to ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
• Problem/Solution Framing: Demonstrate how you identify user problems or business needs and translate them into effective design solutions.
• Deliverable Variety: Include examples of UI flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes.
• Platform Considerations: Showcase how you adapt designs for different platforms (iOS, Android, Web) and consider platform-native patterns.
• Impact & Rationale: Clearly explain the rationale behind your design decisions and, where possible, quantify the impact of your work (e.g., user satisfaction improvements, task completion rates, reduction in safety incidents).

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Visualization: Provide examples of how you map out user flows or system workflows to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
• Iterative Design: Illustrate instances where you iterated on a design based on feedback (user research, stakeholder reviews, A/B testing) and the outcomes of those iterations.
• Collaboration Integration: Show how you've integrated feedback from engineers, product managers, and researchers into your design process and deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an entry-level role, the portfolio's primary purpose is to assess the candidate's foundational design thinking, process, and communication skills. Demonstrating a structured approach to problem-solving and collaboration is key, even if the projects are academic or personal.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The base salary range for US-based applicants is $86,329 - $177,737 USD annually.

Benefits:

• Equity: Eligibility for stock options or other equity awards, aligning employee success with company performance.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to support employee well-being.
• Retirement Savings Plan: Options for 401(k) or similar plans, often with company matching contributions.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays to promote work-life balance.
• Parental Leave: Support for new parents with paid leave policies.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for learning, training, and attending industry conferences.
• Wellness Programs: Resources and initiatives focused on physical and mental health.
• Flexible Work Model: The "PinFlex" model offers flexibility in how and where work is done, with required quarterly in-office collaboration.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time position typically involves around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in how these hours are managed, balancing remote work with essential in-office collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is broad, reflecting typical variations based on experience, location (even within remote), and specific skill sets. The inclusion of equity is a significant component for tech roles. The "PinFlex" model suggests a deliberate approach to hybrid work, balancing individual flexibility with collective connection.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Social Media / Visual Discovery Platform
Company Size: Pinterest is a large, publicly traded technology company with a significant global presence, indicating a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for impact.
Founded: Pinterest was founded in 2010, giving it a mature yet continuously evolving presence in the tech landscape. This history suggests a company that has navigated growth and innovation effectively.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team at Pinterest is likely organized by product areas or focus areas, such as "Discover," "Create," "Home Feed," and in this case, "Trust & Safety."
• The Product Designer I will report to a Design Manager or Lead within the Trust & Safety product group.
• Cross-functional collaboration is central, with designers working daily with Product Managers, Researchers, Engineers, and Content Designers to bring features to life.

Methodology:

• Pinterest likely employs a data-informed design approach, utilizing A/B testing, user research, and analytics to validate design decisions and measure impact.
• Agile methodologies are common in tech, suggesting a process that involves iterative development, regular check-ins, and adaptability to feedback.
• Design thinking principles are core, focusing on empathy for users, clear problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Pinterest's culture is often described as collaborative, creative, and focused on user inspiration. The "Trust & Safety" team operates within this broader culture but with a critical focus on user protection and compliance, which can introduce unique design challenges and collaboration dynamics.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an entry-level Product Designer role (Designer I), signifying the initial stage of a career path in product design. It focuses on learning, execution, and contribution under guidance.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer I will typically report to a Senior Designer, Design Lead, or Design Manager within the Product Safety or Trust & Safety team. They will work closely with a dedicated Product Manager and Engineering team for their specific product initiatives.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role in the sense of sales or revenue operations, this design position has a significant impact on the user experience and, by extension, user retention and platform health. Safe and trustworthy product experiences are crucial for Pinterest's long-term success and user engagement. The designer’s work directly contributes to user confidence and adherence to platform policies.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in user experience design, visual design, interaction design, and specifically in the complex domain of Trust & Safety.
• Career Progression: Potential to advance to Product Designer II, Senior Product Designer, Lead Product Designer, or Design Manager roles by demonstrating strong design craft, strategic thinking, and leadership.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working with various disciplines, enhancing understanding of the product development lifecycle and business strategy.
• Mentorship: Access to mentorship from more experienced designers and leaders within Pinterest to guide career development and skill enhancement.
• Project Ownership: Gradually take on more complex features and projects, increasing ownership and impact over time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Product Designer is typically defined by increasing complexity of projects, scope of impact, and leadership responsibilities. For an entry-level role, the focus is on building a strong foundation and demonstrating core competencies in design execution and collaboration.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Pinterest utilizes a hybrid work model ("PinFlex") that blends remote work with intentional in-office collaboration. The role requires being in the office 1-2 times per quarter for key collaboration moments. This suggests office spaces designed for focused work, team meetings, and collaborative sessions.

Office Location(s): While the role can be situated anywhere in the US, the primary office hub for this team might be in a major tech center like San Francisco, though Chicago is also listed as a location. The hybrid requirement means candidates should be willing to travel for quarterly in-office gatherings.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Office days are intended for high-impact collaboration, likely utilizing meeting rooms, brainstorming spaces, and informal areas.
• Remote Productivity: When remote, designers are expected to maintain productivity using standard collaboration tools and communication platforms.
• Team Interaction: The hybrid model aims to foster team cohesion and facilitate spontaneous interactions and knowledge sharing that are often harder to replicate remotely.

Work Schedule: The work schedule is flexible, accommodating the hybrid model. Designers are expected to manage their time effectively to meet project deadlines and collaboration needs, balancing focused individual work with scheduled team activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "PinFlex" model is a key differentiator, indicating a company that values flexibility but also recognizes the importance of in-person interaction for certain aspects of team dynamics and creative process. This requires self-discipline and strong communication skills from remote team members.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios to assess basic qualifications and fit.
• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A discussion focused on your background, experience, and portfolio. This may include behavioral questions and a deep dive into specific projects.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: You might be asked to complete a design exercise (either take-home or live) to assess your problem-solving approach, creative thinking, and design execution. This could involve a specific product safety scenario.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, or Researchers you'd be collaborating with to evaluate teamwork and communication.
• Final Round: Often with senior design leadership or the Head of Design, focusing on overall fit, strategic thinking, and leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Showcase 2-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your design process, problem-solving skills, and ability to deliver high-quality work. Prioritize projects relevant to user experience, problem-solving, and ideally, any work related to safety or complex systems.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed, key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the final outcome or impact. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Process: Emphasize your thinking – how you approached the problem, what research you conducted, how you iterated, and why you made certain design choices. This is crucial for an entry-level role.
• Showcase Deliverables: Include a range of deliverables like user flows, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes. If you have data or user feedback that supports your design, include it.
• Be Prepared to Discuss: Be ready to talk through every aspect of your portfolio projects in detail, answering questions about your contributions and design rationale.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully understand the brief, the target users, and the objectives. Ask clarifying questions.
• Define Scope: For take-home challenges, be mindful of the time constraints and scope your solution appropriately.
• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your design thinking even in a limited exercise. Clearly articulate your assumptions, approach, and rationale.
• Presentation: Practice presenting your work clearly and concisely, highlighting key decisions and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Product Designer is heavily portfolio-driven. Candidates must be ready to articulate their design process and rationale for every choice made in their showcased projects. The "Trust & Safety" aspect might mean that case studies involving ethical considerations or user protection are particularly relevant.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Principle, Framer. Figma is a strong industry standard and likely heavily used at Pinterest.
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Asana or Jira for project management.
• User Research Tools: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Hotjar, or internal research platforms.
• Design Systems: Familiarity with component-based design systems and tools for managing them.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis: SQL for data querying, Tableau or Looker for data visualization and dashboarding.
• Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics for tracking user behavior and feature adoption.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, awareness of CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for understanding the broader ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma is essential. Familiarity with analytics tools can be a significant advantage for designers who want to understand the impact of their work and contribute to data-informed decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Pinterest users.
• Collaboration: Valuing teamwork and open communication across disciplines to achieve shared goals.
• Creativity & Innovation: Encouraging new ideas and approaches to problem-solving.
• Inclusivity & Belonging: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and respected.
• Impact & Ownership: Taking responsibility for delivering meaningful results and driving positive change.
• Growth & Learning: Encouraging continuous personal and professional development.

Collaboration Style:

• Open Critiques: Regular design critique sessions where feedback is shared constructively.
• Cross-functional Alignment: Proactive communication and alignment with Product Management, Engineering, and Research to ensure a shared understanding and cohesive product development.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging a culture where designers share best practices, learnings, and inspiration.
• Data-Informed Dialogue: Using data and user insights as a basis for design discussions and decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Pinterest's culture likely emphasizes creativity and user inspiration, but within the Product Safety team, there's an added layer of responsibility, diligence, and adherence to ethical considerations and compliance. Designers need to balance creative solutions with the practical constraints of safety and policy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Safety/Compliance: Designing intuitive experiences that also effectively address complex safety issues and regulatory requirements can be challenging.
• Navigating Ambiguity: Working on Trust & Safety often involves evolving policies, new types of abuse, and a need to adapt quickly.
• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring all stakeholders (Product, Eng, Research, Legal, Policy) are aligned on design solutions for safety features.
• User Sensitivity: Designing for sensitive topics like harassment, misinformation, or harmful content requires empathy and careful consideration.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Opportunities to learn about UX for sensitive product areas, content moderation principles, and relevant legal/compliance frameworks.
• Industry Best Practices: Exposure to how leading tech companies handle Trust & Safety challenges through internal knowledge sharing and potentially external conferences.
• Mentorship Programs: Formal or informal mentorship from senior designers and leaders within Pinterest.
• Skill Workshops: Access to workshops on advanced design techniques, user research methodologies, or specific tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges in this role are significant due to the nature of Trust & Safety. The growth opportunities lie in developing specialized expertise in this critical and growing field within product design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process: "Walk me through a product you designed from start to finish. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on your process, rationale, and learnings).
• Collaboration: "Describe a time you had to work with a difficult stakeholder or resolve a design disagreement. How did you handle it?" (Highlight communication, empathy, and problem-solving).
• Problem-Solving: "Imagine a user is reporting abusive content on our platform. How would you design that experience to be efficient and provide clear feedback?" (Think about user flow, information architecture, and user states).
• Adaptability: "Tell me about a time a project's requirements changed significantly mid-way. How did you adapt your design?" (Show flexibility and resilience).
• Trust & Safety Context: "What do you think are the key considerations when designing for user safety or content moderation?" (Demonstrate an understanding of the domain's nuances).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Pinterest and this specific role in Product Safety?" (Research Pinterest's mission, values, and recent product updates).
• "How do you approach receiving and giving feedback?" (Showcase your growth mindset and collaborative spirit).
• "What are your thoughts on designing for a global, diverse user base?" (Consider accessibility, cultural nuances, and inclusivity).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Context is Key: For each project, start with a clear overview of the company/product and the specific problem you were tasked to solve.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, mockups, prototypes) generously. Explain your design decisions with accompanying visuals.
• Quantify Impact: If possible, use metrics or user feedback to demonstrate the success of your designs. For entry-level roles, qualitative feedback and clear rationale are often sufficient.
• Focus on Your Contribution: Clearly articulate what you specifically did on team projects.
• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and stays within the allotted time. Anticipate questions about your process and decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their portfolio projects in detail, focusing on their thought process, problem-solving approach, and how they incorporated user feedback and business needs. For this role, demonstrating an understanding of user safety and ethical design principles will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Pinterest Careers website.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio clearly highlights your design process, problem-solving skills, and relevant deliverables. Tailor the projects you showcase to demonstrate your ability to handle user-centric design and, if possible, any experience with safety or complex systems.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your skills and experiences, using keywords from the job description such as "Product Design," "UI Flows," "Prototyping," "User Experience," "Collaboration," and "Trust & Safety" (if applicable). Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and rationale for your portfolio projects. Prepare to discuss your approach to collaboration, feedback, and problem-solving, particularly in the context of user safety.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Pinterest's mission, values, products, and recent news, especially concerning user safety and platform integrity. Understand their "PinFlex" work model.

⚠️ 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.