Product Designer (Web3)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (Web3)

Company: Arrakis Finance

Location: Zug, Zug, Switzerland

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / Web3 Operations

Date Posted: 2025-11-06

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end product design lifecycle for Arrakis Finance's market-making infrastructure, focusing on user experience and intuitive design for Web3 and DeFi applications.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Growth teams to translate complex requirements and user feedback into actionable design solutions.

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive design system to ensure consistency and scalability across the Arrakis platform, enhancing overall product quality and brand identity.

• Leverage quantitative and qualitative user data to inform design decisions, identify user pain points, and propose innovative solutions for user experience enhancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is "Product Designer," the context of "Web3" and "market-making infrastructure" strongly suggests a need for operational understanding of decentralized finance (DeFi) products, user onboarding into Web3 ecosystems (wallets, transactions), and the specific user flows common in decentralized applications. This goes beyond standard UI/UX and requires an appreciation for the operational nuances of blockchain technology and financial protocols.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete product design process from initial concept and hypothesis generation through to final product delivery and iteration.

• Conduct user research, including qualitative interviews and quantitative data analysis, to gain deep insights into user needs and behaviors within the Web3/DeFi space.

• Create detailed wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and final production-ready designs using Figma.

• Translate product requirements, technical specifications, and user feedback into intuitive, user-friendly, and visually appealing interfaces.

• Champion user-centric design principles, advocating for the user throughout the product development lifecycle and ensuring delightful user experiences.

• Build, manage, and evolve Arrakis Finance's design system, ensuring its adoption and effectiveness across all product interfaces.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Engineers, and Growth Marketers, to align design efforts with business objectives and technical feasibility.

• Proactively identify opportunities for user research and A/B testing to validate design hypotheses and drive continuous improvement in user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The phrase "Owning the product design process of the Arrakis end-to-end" implies a senior-level responsibility. The emphasis on "creating and prioritizing new features" and "working directly with the PM, engineering & growth teams" highlights a strategic role in product development, not just execution. The requirement to "work with and lead other designers in the future" further suggests a potential for team leadership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong understanding of design principles, human-computer interaction, and user experience methodologies is expected, often gained through formal education or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 6+ years of comprehensive experience across the entire product design lifecycle, from ideation and user research to the delivery of polished, user-tested products.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in the full product design lifecycle, from concept and hypothesis to wireframing, mockups, prototyping, and final product design.

• Extensive hands-on experience with Figma for creating complex user interfaces and interactive prototypes.

• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, manage broad guidelines, and deliver high-quality design solutions with minimal oversight.

• Exceptional communication skills, with a proven ability to articulate design decisions, present work effectively, and actively solicit and incorporate feedback.

• Experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Engineering, and Growth teams.

• Strong analytical skills to translate both quantitative and qualitative user data into compelling and actionable design insights.

• A robust portfolio showcasing beautifully designed, user-centric products that have been successfully launched and used by a significant user base.

Preferred Skills:

• Direct experience working within the Web3 ecosystem, particularly in Decentralized Finance (DeFi).

• Deep understanding of Web3 user flows, including wallet interactions, transaction signing, network switching, and gas fees.

• Experience as a power user of DeFi protocols or having worked with a DeFi company or protocol.

• Ability to lead and mentor junior designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing design environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The request for 6+ years of experience, demonstrated autonomy, and potential to lead other designers suggests this role is at a mid-to-senior level. The strong emphasis on a "portfolio of beautiful designed products that are used by a lot of people" indicates a need for proven impact and user adoption, which is crucial for operations roles aiming to drive efficiency and adoption.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct product design projects that demonstrate a complete design lifecycle, from problem definition to solution implementation and iteration.

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, user research methodologies employed, design process followed (wireframes, mockups, prototypes), and final design outcomes.

• Highlight your specific contributions and decision-making rationale within team-based projects, emphasizing your role in driving the design direction.

• Include examples of how you've used quantitative and qualitative data to inform design decisions and measure the success of your designs.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, with examples of complex UI designs, interactive prototypes, and potentially contributions to design systems.

Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your systematic approach to user research, including methodologies for gathering and synthesizing user feedback.

• Articulate your workflow for creating and iterating on wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, detailing the tools and techniques used.

• Explain your process for collaborating with engineering and product teams to ensure smooth design handoffs and successful implementation.

• Be ready to describe your experience in building or contributing to design systems, including component management and documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, especially in a fast-paced Web3 environment, a portfolio is paramount. The emphasis on "beautifully designed products used by a lot of people" and the requirement to translate data into designs means the portfolio should not just be visually appealing but also demonstrably effective in solving user problems and achieving business goals. This aligns with operational efficiency — designs that work well are efficient for users.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on Arrakis Finance's location in Zug, Switzerland, a highly competitive salary is expected. For a Product Designer with 6+ years of experience in a specialized field like Web3, typical ranges in Switzerland can be between CHF 120,000 to CHF 180,000 annually, depending on exact experience, specific skill sets, and the company's compensation philosophy.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package.

• Equity in Arrakis Finance, offering potential for significant financial upside as the company grows.

• Opportunity to work remotely, providing flexibility and work-life balance.

• Chance to travel globally to industry events and connect with key players in the Web3 and DeFi space.

• Participation in exciting in-person offsites with the team, fostering strong team cohesion and collaboration.

Working Hours: The role is listed as FULL_TIME. While specific hours are not detailed, a standard 40-hour work week is typical for full-time positions in Switzerland, with flexibility often afforded to remote employees. Given the nature of startups and the Web3 industry, some flexibility might be expected to accommodate global team synchronization and critical project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation for Switzerland requires careful consideration of the high cost of living and competitive tech market. The provided range is a benchmark for experienced professionals in specialized roles. The benefits, particularly equity and travel, are significant incentives in the startup and Web3 space.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: FinTech, Blockchain, Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Market Making Infrastructure. Arrakis Finance operates at the intersection of cutting-edge financial technology and blockchain innovation, aiming to democratize access to sophisticated market-making strategies for tokenized assets.

Company Size: The input doesn't specify an exact size, but mentions "industry veterans" and "operating fully remotely with members spanning Zug, Paris, New York, Berlin." This suggests a growing startup, likely in the range of 20-100 employees, with a distributed global team.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company's mission to "disrupt the current market-making industry" and its backing by "world-class investors" indicates a relatively young, ambitious, and well-funded venture.

Team Structure:

• The design team is likely small and integrated within product development squads.

• Designers report to Product leadership (e.g., Head of Product, CPO) or potentially a Design Lead if one exists.

• Close collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Engineers (frontend and potentially smart contract), and Growth strategists.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on data-driven product development and user-centric design.

• Agile or Lean methodologies are likely employed to facilitate rapid iteration and adaptation.

• A strong focus on building scalable and robust infrastructure for DeFi market making.

• Commitment to non-custodial, trust-less, and automated on-chain strategies.

Company Website: Arrakis Finance (arrakis.fi)

📝 Enhancement Note: The context of Web3 and DeFi implies a culture that values innovation, decentralization principles, transparency, and technical excellence. A distributed team structure necessitates robust communication protocols and a high degree of autonomy and accountability.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer. It requires a significant level of independent contribution, end-to-end ownership of design projects, and the potential to influence product strategy and mentor junior team members. The focus is on executing and refining the user experience of complex financial infrastructure within the Web3 space.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Head of Product or a similar senior product leadership role. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on a day-to-day basis, forming a core part of the product development team.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work is critical to the adoption and success of Arrakis Finance's platform. By creating intuitive and efficient user experiences, they directly impact how easily projects can utilize Arrakis's market-making tools, thereby influencing the platform's adoption rate, user retention, and overall market penetration. A well-designed product is an operational asset, reducing user friction and support overhead.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in Web3/DeFi product design, becoming a subject matter expert in the unique challenges and opportunities of designing for decentralized finance.

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and potentially build out a design team as the company scales.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product strategy and roadmap planning, translating user insights and market trends into design-led product innovations.

• Industry Exposure: Gain unparalleled experience in a rapidly evolving and high-impact sector of the tech and finance industries, attending major global conferences and networking with industry leaders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Web3" and "DeFi" specialization is a significant growth driver. Expertise in this niche is highly valued and can lead to leadership roles within crypto-native companies or specialized design consultancies. The potential for leadership, coupled with strategic input, marks this as a role with substantial career advancement potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates fully remotely, with the option to work in person with founders in Switzerland. This hybrid flexibility allows for both independent work and in-person collaboration as needed.

Office Location(s): While distributed, key hubs for team members are mentioned as Zug (Switzerland), Paris (France), New York (USA), and Berlin (Germany). This indicates a global presence and potential informal co-working opportunities or team gatherings in these locations.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Flexibility: Employees can set up their ideal home office environment, promoting productivity and work-life balance.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (like Figma) and collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Notion) is essential for effective remote work.

• Team Interaction: While remote, the company fosters connection through virtual meetings, asynchronous communication channels, and in-person offsites, ensuring a sense of team cohesion.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with an expected 40-hour work week. Remote work generally allows for flexibility in scheduling, provided that core collaboration hours and responsiveness to team needs are maintained. This flexibility is crucial for operations roles that might involve monitoring global markets or interacting with teams across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on remote work and optional in-person collaboration in Switzerland highlights a modern, flexible approach to team operations. This requires strong self-management and communication skills from employees.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role and Web3 domain.

• Hiring Manager / Team Interview: A discussion to delve deeper into your experience, design philosophy, and understanding of Web3/DeFi user flows. Expect questions about your portfolio projects and how you approach problem-solving.

• Design Challenge / Portfolio Presentation: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, discussing specific projects in detail. A practical design challenge may also be given, requiring you to apply your skills to a specific Arrakis problem, focusing on process, rationale, and design execution within Web3 constraints.

• Cross-Functional Team Interview: Meet with members of the Product, Engineering, and Growth teams to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate design into the broader product development process.

• Founder/Final Interview: A final conversation, often with founders, to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and long-term potential within the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving abilities, and experience relevant to Web3/DeFi, if possible. Highlight projects with measurable impact.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, iteration), your specific contributions, and the final outcome/impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Demonstrate Web3 Fluency: If you have Web3/DeFi experience, explicitly call it out. Showcase your understanding of wallet interactions, smart contract implications, and unique user journeys in decentralized applications.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. Focus on how your work solved user problems and contributed to business objectives.

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to walk through your Figma files, explaining your design system components, prototyping techniques, and overall file organization.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Arrakis: Research Arrakis Finance's mission, technology, target audience, and competitors. Understand the core problem they are solving in market making for Web3.

• Web3 Design Thinking: Prepare to think about designs within the constraints and unique user experiences of Web3 (e.g., gas fees, transaction confirmations, wallet security).

• Problem Decomposition: Practice breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and articulating your approach to solving them.

• Clear Communication: Be prepared to articulate your design decisions, rationale, and trade-offs clearly and concisely, especially when discussing potential challenges or alternative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio and potential design challenge highlights the practical, results-oriented nature of operations roles. Candidates must be able to demonstrate not just theoretical knowledge but also the ability to apply it effectively to real-world problems and deliver tangible outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, mockups, prototyping, and design system management. Expect advanced usage and potentially building complex interactive prototypes.

• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools and best practices for building, maintaining, and scaling design systems (e.g., using Figma libraries, Storybook integration, or similar).

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or similar for tracking user behavior, analyzing engagement, and identifying areas for improvement.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not a primary design tool, understanding how data is visualized and presented can inform dashboard design and reporting interfaces.

CRM & Automation:

Web3 Specific Tools:

• Web3 Wallets: Practical experience using and understanding the user experience of popular wallets (e.g., MetaMask, WalletConnect, Phantom).

• Blockchain Explorers: Familiarity with tools like Etherscan, Polygonscan, etc., for understanding transaction flows and on-chain data.

• DeFi Protocols: Hands-on experience interacting with various DeFi applications (DEXs, lending protocols, yield farming) to understand user journeys and pain points.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. The "Bonus" section strongly implies that practical, hands-on experience with Web3 wallets and DeFi protocols is highly valued, indicating a need for designers who understand the operational realities of the Web3 user.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Disruption: A drive to challenge the status quo in market making and build cutting-edge infrastructure for the token economy.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Web3 projects seeking liquidity solutions.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and teamwork are crucial, especially within a distributed team, fostering an environment where ideas are shared freely.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Reliance on both qualitative user feedback and quantitative metrics to guide product development and design.

• Efficiency & Automation: A core tenet of the company's mission is to build automated, trust-less systems, reflecting a value for operational efficiency.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are integral members of product teams, working alongside PMs, Engineers, and Growth specialists.

• Asynchronous Communication: Given the remote, global team, effective use of tools like Slack, Notion, and project management software is key for seamless collaboration.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages constructive feedback to drive continuous improvement in both product design and team processes.

• Proactive Problem-Solving: Team members are expected to identify challenges and propose solutions independently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to build "non-custodial, trust-less, and automated on-chain market-making strategies" directly translates to core values of decentralization, security, and operational efficiency. As a designer, understanding and embodying these values in your work will be crucial.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Web3 Complexity: Translating the intricate technicalities of DeFi and blockchain into user-friendly interfaces requires significant skill and understanding of unique user flows.

• Rapidly Evolving Landscape: The Web3 space changes at an unprecedented pace; staying current with new protocols, technologies, and user behaviors is an ongoing challenge.

• Balancing Innovation with Usability: Creating novel solutions while ensuring they are intuitive and accessible to a broad range of users, from crypto natives to newcomers.

• Remote Team Management: Maintaining strong team cohesion, effective communication, and a shared sense of purpose across a globally distributed team.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into DeFi & Web3: Gain unparalleled expertise at the forefront of financial technology and blockchain innovation.

• Mastering Design Systems: Contribute to and refine a sophisticated design system for a complex financial product.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Learn from experts in product management, engineering, and growth marketing within a high-caliber team.

• Industry Exposure: Opportunities to attend and present at leading Web3 and fintech conferences globally.

📝 Enhancement Note: The inherent challenges in Web3 design, such as user onboarding and complex workflows, present significant opportunities for a designer to develop highly specialized and sought-after skills.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex user flow for a technically sophisticated product. What was your process, and what were the key challenges?" (Focus on process, problem-solving, and Web3 applicability).

• "How do you approach user research in a new or specialized domain like Web3/DeFi? How do you gather insights when direct user access might be limited initially?" (Highlight research methodologies, adaptability, and data synthesis).

• "Walk me through a project from your portfolio where you significantly improved a product's user experience based on data. What metrics did you track, and what was the impact?" (Prepare a detailed case study emphasizing metrics and ROI).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Arrakis Finance's mission and the Web3 market-making space specifically?" (Show genuine interest and research).

• "How do you see your design philosophy aligning with Arrakis's values of decentralization, trust-lessness, and automation?" (Connect your principles to company values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), your solutions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Highlight Web3 Relevance: If you have Web3/DeFi experience, emphasize it. Explain your understanding of wallets, transactions, and unique user journeys. If not, explain how your transferable skills apply.

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma skills, including your design system components, prototyping capabilities, and file organization.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results whenever possible. Discuss how your designs solved user problems, improved engagement, or contributed to business goals.

• Be Ready for Critique: Expect constructive feedback and be prepared to discuss your design decisions and potential areas for improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for specialized roles like this will heavily scrutinize both technical design skills and domain-specific understanding (Web3/DeFi). Demonstrating a clear, repeatable design process and the ability to articulate the 'why' behind design choices is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects that demonstrate your end-to-end design process, user-centric approach, and ideally, any experience with Web3 or complex financial products. Highlight your Figma proficiency and design system contributions.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 6+ years of product design experience, focusing on responsibilities and achievements that align with the job description, particularly in areas like user research, wireframing, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration. Integrate keywords like "Web3," "DeFi," "Figma," "Design System," and "User Experience."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and presenting your portfolio projects. Prepare to discuss your understanding of Web3 user flows and how you would approach designing for Arrakis Finance's specific challenges.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Arrakis Finance's mission, technology, and team. Understand the core problem they are solving in the market-making space for Web3. Be prepared to discuss why you are a good fit for their culture and vision.

⚠️ 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.