Product Designer (Junior/Intermediate)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (Junior/Intermediate)

Company: Ficus Health GmbH

Location: Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Job Type: Festanstellung (Full-time)

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: May 06, 2026

Experience Level: Junior/Intermediate (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote & Office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product design, from initial discovery and user experience (UX) definition to user interface (UI) implementation and quality assurance (QA).

• Develop and maintain a lean, AI-assisted design system to ensure consistency, quality, and speed across all product development activities.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Engineering, and other stakeholders, fostering a culture of rapid iteration and shared ownership.

• Conduct user research, including site visits to clinics, to gather insights and translate them into effective product decisions and design solutions that address real-world healthcare challenges.

• Leverage AI-powered workflows and cutting-edge tools like Figma and Linear to enhance design processes and accelerate feature delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role emphasizes a hands-on approach to product design, requiring the candidate to not only conceptualize but also implement and validate designs. The integration of AI into workflows and the focus on a lean, evolving design system are key differentiators for this position within the burgeoning digital health sector.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on product features across the entire lifecycle, from ideation and user flow mapping to high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and final UI implementation.

• Contribute to the continuous evolution of the company's design system, ensuring adherence to established patterns, accessibility standards, and brand guidelines while championing its adoption across teams.

• Conduct user research, including qualitative methods like user interviews and contextual inquiries within clinical settings, to deeply understand user needs, pain points, and workflows.

• Translate research findings and product requirements into clear, intuitive, and visually appealing user interfaces and experiences that align with business objectives.

• Perform accessibility audits and ensure compliance with WCAG guidelines to create inclusive and user-friendly products for a diverse user base.

• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing detailed specifications, design assets, and ongoing support throughout the development process.

• Maintain visual consistency and brand integrity across all product touchpoints by managing and updating UI components and style guides.

• Proactively identify opportunities for design improvements and advocate for user-centered design principles within the product development process.

• Engage in regular design reviews with the Product Design Lead and cross-functional teams to gather feedback and refine design solutions.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging design technologies, and best practices in UX/UI and product design, particularly within the healthcare technology and AI space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a proactive and collaborative design role. The emphasis on "end-to-end" design, "design system development," and "user research" (including site visits) indicates a need for a designer who can operate autonomously and contribute strategically to product evolution, not just execute tasks.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating proficiency in product design, UX/UI principles, and visual design is paramount. Equivalent practical experience will be highly valued.

Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in Product Design, UX Design, or UI Design, with a proven track record of delivering user-centered digital products. Experience in a junior to intermediate capacity, demonstrating growth potential and increasing responsibility.

Required Skills:

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and component management.

• UX/UI Design Principles: Deep understanding of user-centered design methodologies, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design best practices.

• Design System Development & Maintenance: Experience in creating, managing, and scaling design systems, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

• Prototyping: Ability to create interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• User Research: Experience planning and conducting user interviews, usability testing, and contextual inquiries to gather actionable insights.

• Problem-Solving: Aptitude for dissecting complex requirements and translating them into pragmatic, user-friendly design solutions.

• Collaboration: Strong ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams, communicate design rationale clearly, and incorporate feedback.

• German Language Proficiency: At least B2 level German language skills, essential for communication with local users and internal teams.

Preferred Skills:

• AI Workflow Integration: Familiarity with AI-assisted design tools and workflows, and an understanding of how AI can augment the design process.

• Accessibility Audits: Experience conducting accessibility reviews and implementing solutions to meet accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG).

• GitHub & Linear: Familiarity with development collaboration tools like GitHub and project management tools like Linear.

• Healthcare Technology Exposure: Previous experience designing for healthcare, medical, or regulated industries.

• Agile/Scrum Methodologies: Understanding of agile development processes and experience working within such frameworks.

• Visual Design Excellence: A keen eye for detail in typography, color theory, layout, and overall aesthetic appeal.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "pragmatic decisions" and the mention of "AI-assisted workflows" and "GitHub/Linear" suggest a fast-paced, modern development environment where efficiency and collaboration are key. The B2 German requirement is crucial for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive product design case studies, detailing the end-to-end design process from problem identification to solution implementation and impact.

• Clearly articulate your role and contributions within each case study, highlighting your ability to handle discovery, UX/UI design, and collaboration with engineering.

• Demonstrate proficiency with Figma, including examples of component usage, prototyping capabilities, and design system elements.

• Illustrate your approach to user research and how insights were translated into design decisions.

Process Documentation:

• For each case study, provide documentation that outlines the problem statement, user needs, design process, key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the final outcome.

• Explain the methodologies used for user research and validation.

• Detail how you contributed to or utilized a design system, if applicable.

• If possible, include examples of how your designs led to measurable improvements in user experience or business metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it will be the primary tool for assessing design skills, process, and impact. The emphasis on end-to-end process and collaborative elements suggests that case studies should not just be visually polished but also demonstrate strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers with 2-5 years of experience in Berlin, Germany, a competitive salary range would typically be between €50,000 - €70,000 annually. This estimate accounts for the junior to intermediate experience level, the specific skill set required, and the cost of living in Berlin.

Benefits:

• Flexible Working Hours: Ability to manage your workday to accommodate personal needs while ensuring project deadlines are met.

• Hybrid Work Model: A blend of remote work and office-based collaboration, offering flexibility and fostering team connection.

• Impactful Work: Opportunity to actively contribute to the digitalization of the healthcare sector and establish a forward-thinking solution in medical facilities.

• Mentorship & Development: Close collaboration with an experienced founding team and a dedicated Design Lead providing targeted professional growth and skill development.

• Integrated Tech Environment: Access to a fully integrated, AI-supported design and development environment, enhancing productivity and innovation.

• Product Ownership: Encouragement to contribute your own ideas and actively shape the company's platform and product roadmap.

• Team Culture: Be part of a dynamic team that values initiative, clear communication, and diverse perspectives.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and skill enhancement in a rapidly evolving field.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are 40 hours per week, offering flexibility in scheduling to support a hybrid work model and work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on general market data for Berlin and the specified experience level. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific qualifications and Ficus Health GmbH's compensation policies. The benefits listed are derived from the provided text and are typical for tech startups in this region.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Technology / Digital Health. Ficus Health GmbH is operating at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and healthcare, aiming to modernize hospital operations through innovative documentation solutions. This sector is characterized by rapid technological advancement, stringent regulatory considerations, and a strong focus on user well-being and data security.

Company Size: Ficus Health GmbH was founded in 2024 and is described as expanding its team. This indicates a startup environment, likely with a lean structure, agile processes, and a high degree of individual impact. The company size is probably in the range of 10-50 employees, fostering a close-knit and collaborative atmosphere.

Founded: 2024. Being a relatively new company, Ficus Health GmbH is likely to have a dynamic, fast-paced culture driven by its founding vision and a desire to quickly establish market leadership. This implies a willingness to experiment, adapt, and innovate.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team likely works closely with Product Management and Engineering. The mention of a "Product Design Lead" suggests a dedicated leadership role within the design function.

• Collaboration is emphasized as being "close" with "short distances," indicating a flat hierarchy and direct communication channels.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with designers working directly with product managers, engineers, and other teams.

Methodology:

• AI-Assisted Workflows: The company leverages AI-powered tools and workflows in both design and development.

• Agile Product Development: Implied by the focus on short iteration cycles, close collaboration, and feature development from discovery to QA.

• User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis on understanding users through research, including site visits, to inform product decisions.

• Design System Driven: A commitment to maintaining a lean design system for consistency, quality, and speed.

Company Website: ficus-health.de

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's recent founding and market leadership claim in a specific niche (AI-powered medical documentation) suggest a high-growth, innovative environment. The culture is likely to be entrepreneurial, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and direct impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Junior to Intermediate Product Designer. It offers the opportunity to grow from executing design tasks to taking ownership of features and contributing to strategic product decisions. The progression path would likely involve increasing responsibility in design leadership, user research, and potentially specialization within UX or UI.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report to a Product Design Lead and work in close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering teams. This structure allows for direct mentorship and feedback, crucial for career development in a junior to intermediate role.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role, the Product Designer has a significant impact on the operational efficiency of healthcare institutions by creating intuitive and effective tools. Their work directly influences user adoption, system efficiency, and ultimately, the quality of patient care facilitated by the Ficus Health platform. The design of user interfaces and workflows can streamline medical documentation processes, saving valuable time for medical professionals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in UX/UI design, interaction design, and visual design through hands-on project work and mentorship.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Gain experience in product discovery, roadmap planning, and translating business goals into user-centric design solutions.

• Design System Leadership: Potential to take on more responsibility in managing and evolving the design system as the company scales.

• Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in digital health, AI applications in medicine, and the specific needs of hospital environments.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to lead design initiatives and influence product direction through strong collaboration and advocacy for user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for a Product Designer at a startup like Ficus Health is typically steep. The role offers a chance to learn a great deal about product development, design systems, and the healthcare tech industry, with potential to grow into more senior or specialized design roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers a hybrid work model, combining remote work with office-based collaboration. The office is located in Berlin, providing a central hub for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and focused work.

Office Location(s): The office is situated at Max-Urich-Straße, AI Campus 3, Berlin, 13355. This location in Berlin suggests an environment with good access to talent, networking opportunities, and a vibrant tech scene.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Space: The office environment is designed to foster close collaboration, encouraging direct communication and teamwork between designers, engineers, and product managers.

• Modern Tooling: Access to a fully integrated, AI-supported design and development environment, including tools like Figma and Linear, ensures designers have the latest technology at their fingertips.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for face-to-face interaction with colleagues, including site visits to partner clinics, provide a rich context for understanding user needs and building strong working relationships.

• Flexibility: The hybrid model allows for focused individual work in a remote setting, complemented by the benefits of in-person collaboration and team building at the office.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, with flexible working hours to accommodate the hybrid model and promote work-life balance. This flexibility is crucial for designers who may need focused blocks of time for deep work or to adapt to personal schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and flexible hours are designed to attract talent by offering autonomy and work-life balance, while the office provides a necessary space for collaboration and team cohesion. The mention of AI-supported environments highlights a commitment to modern, efficient workflows.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, focusing on your resume and portfolio to assess foundational skills and relevant experience.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where you will present 1-2 key case studies from your portfolio, detailing your process, design decisions, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your approach to UX/UI, design systems, and user research.

• Skills-Based Interview: Technical questions focusing on your proficiency with Figma, design principles, and problem-solving abilities. This may include a whiteboard exercise or a small design challenge.

• Team & Cultural Fit Interview: Discussions with the Product Design Lead and potentially other team members to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with Ficus Health's values.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a founder or senior leader, focusing on your overall fit, enthusiasm for the company's mission, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives that highlight the problem, your process, your unique contributions, and the outcomes.

• Process Transparency: Clearly explain your design methodology, research techniques, and decision-making rationale. Show your thought process, not just the final output.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, positive user feedback).

• Figma & Design System Focus: Ensure your portfolio showcases your Figma skills and any experience with design systems. Highlight how you've ensured consistency and efficiency.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with Ficus Health's mission in healthcare technology and their use of AI. Highlight any experience with similar challenges.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your portfolio efficiently, focusing on the most impactful aspects of each case study.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking: Be ready to apply design thinking principles to solve hypothetical product challenges.

• Figma Practice: Refresh your skills in Figma, particularly in areas like auto layout, component variants, and interactive prototyping.

• User Research Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would approach user research for a specific problem within the healthcare context.

• Design System Thinking: Be prepared to discuss how you would contribute to or build a design system.

• AI Integration: Think about how AI could be integrated into design workflows or product features relevant to Ficus Health.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess both technical design skills and the candidate's ability to collaborate and contribute to a fast-paced startup. A well-prepared and tailored portfolio presentation is crucial for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative design. Proficiency is essential for creating visually appealing interfaces and interactive prototypes.

• Linear: A modern project management tool used for tracking tasks, sprints, and product development workflows, facilitating efficient collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

• GitHub: A platform for version control and collaborative software development, used by engineering teams. Designers may interact with it for asset handoffs or to understand the development pipeline.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While specific tools are not listed, expect to work with product analytics tools (e.g., Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and product performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role, but understanding the overall product ecosystem and how user data flows through systems like CRMs might be beneficial for context.

• Automation is mentioned in the context of "AI-assisted workflows," suggesting integration of AI tools to streamline design tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes modern, collaborative tools favored by tech startups. Figma and Linear are central to the design and development process, highlighting an integrated workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Pragmatism: Making practical decisions that balance time, scope, and quality effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs, translating insights into tangible product improvements.

• Collaboration: Valuing close, cross-functional teamwork and open communication to achieve shared goals.

• Initiative & Ownership: Encouraging team members to bring forward their own ideas, take ownership of their work, and drive projects forward.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of actively seeking to make things better, whether it's product features, design processes, or team workflows.

• Impact-Driven: Focusing on creating solutions that have genuine weight and make a difference in the healthcare sector.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers, ensuring a unified approach to product development.

• Feedback-Oriented: An environment that encourages constructive feedback and open dialogue to refine designs and strategies.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across teams to foster collective growth and efficiency.

• Proactive Communication: Encouraging clear, direct, and frequent communication to keep all stakeholders informed and aligned.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be characteristic of a high-performing startup: agile, collaborative, and focused on impact. The values emphasize a blend of execution efficiency and user advocacy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: In a startup environment, there will be pressure to deliver quickly. The challenge lies in maintaining high design quality and user experience standards while meeting tight deadlines.

• Navigating Ambiguity: As a relatively new company, product direction and requirements may evolve. The ability to adapt, iterate, and thrive in an environment with some ambiguity is key.

• Translating Complex Needs: Designing for the healthcare sector involves understanding complex clinical workflows and regulatory requirements, which can be a steep learning curve.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Leveraging AI-powered workflows and tools requires experimentation and learning to maximize their benefits without compromising design integrity or user trust.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Immersion in complex product design challenges will hone UX/UI, interaction, and visual design skills.

• Industry Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of the digital health landscape, AI applications in medicine, and hospital operations.

• Product Strategy Acumen: Learning to contribute to product discovery, roadmap planning, and strategic decision-making from a design perspective.

• Design System Mastery: Opportunities to significantly contribute to and potentially lead the development and maintenance of a growing design system.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Developing strong communication and collaboration skills by working closely with diverse teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in a startup environment are also the primary drivers of growth. The role offers a significant opportunity to learn and develop by tackling complex problems in a dynamic industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to make a pragmatic design decision balancing time, scope, and quality. What was your approach and the outcome?" (Focus on your decision-making process and ability to prioritize.)

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for our AI-driven medical documentation platform, starting from discovery?" (Demonstrate your end-to-end design process and user research methodology.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Ficus Health's mission to digitize healthcare with AI?" (Show genuine interest and research into the company's vision.)

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially in a hybrid setting?" (Discuss your communication style and experience working with cross-functional teams.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Wisely: Choose 2-3 case studies that best showcase your end-to-end process, Figma skills, and impact, ideally relevant to healthcare or complex software.

• Tell a Story: Start with the problem, clearly outline your role and process, highlight key decisions and challenges, and conclude with the results and learnings.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively. Walk through your Figma prototypes and explain your design system components.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your specific contributions, design rationale, and how you handled feedback or trade-offs.

• Connect to Ficus Health: Whenever possible, draw parallels between your experiences and Ficus Health's mission, tools (Figma, Linear), and industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a blend of strong design craft, a pragmatic and collaborative mindset, and a genuine enthusiasm for Ficus Health's mission. Tailoring your responses and portfolio to the company's specific context is key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

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

• Customize Your Resume: Highlight experience and skills directly relevant to the job description, especially proficiency in Figma, UX/UI design, design systems, and user research. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your Figma capabilities and understanding of UX/UI principles.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your chosen case studies, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your process, and demonstrating the value of your design solutions. Be ready to discuss your approach to collaboration and AI-assisted workflows.

• Research Ficus Health: Understand their mission, product, target users (healthcare professionals), and the role of AI in their solution. This will help you tailor your application and responses during interviews.

⚠️ 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.