Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Knowunity GmbH

Location: France, Germany

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: October 20, 2025

Experience Level: 3-5 Years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Own high-impact product areas from discovery to delivery, shaping user journeys and crafting delightful UI for a leading AI learning platform.

• Drive design quality across the product by identifying UX/UI flaws, proposing pragmatic improvements, and collaborating closely with engineering for high-fidelity implementation.

• Push creative boundaries by bringing strong visual design, motion, and interaction details, specifically applying gamification thoughtfully to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.

• Execute at a fast cadence, run structured experiments, and document clear decisions in partnership with Product to convert early ideas into clear, testable designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a "Senior Product Designer" with a clear emphasis on end-to-end ownership and significant impact, suggesting a need for candidates who can operate autonomously and take initiative in a fast-paced startup environment. The reporting structure directly to the CPO highlights the strategic importance of this design role within the organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design process for major product initiatives from initial user research and concept development through wireframing, high-fidelity UI design, and final implementation.

• Define and track key success metrics for design initiatives, leveraging data analytics to inform design decisions and drive rapid iteration cycles for product improvement.

• Proactively identify and address UX/UI flaws within the existing application through continuous testing and user feedback, proposing and implementing practical solutions.

• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with engineering teams to ensure seamless design handoffs, high-fidelity implementation of designs, and consistent adherence to design quality standards.

• Champion a culture of design excellence across the product, inspiring the team and stakeholders to prioritize user experience and visual craft as critical components of product success.

• Apply thoughtful gamification principles and techniques to enhance user motivation, engagement, and ultimately, learning outcomes for students.

• Bring a strong sense of visual design, animation, and interaction design to elevate the overall user experience, making the learning process more enjoyable and effective.

• Partner effectively with Product Management to translate early-stage product ideas and hypotheses into well-defined, testable design concepts and specifications.

• Contribute to a fast-paced execution rhythm by shipping designs efficiently, managing structured experiments, and clearly documenting design decisions and rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic ownership, tactical execution, and cross-functional collaboration, typical of a senior role in a growth-stage startup. The focus on "shipping at a fast cadence" and "structured experiments" indicates a Lean UX or Agile design approach is expected.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating a deep understanding of user-centered design principles and practical application in a B2C context is paramount.

Experience: 3-5 years of dedicated experience in product design, with a significant portion focused on the B2C sector, ideally within a startup or agency environment where end-to-end ownership was a key aspect of the role.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: Comprehensive experience across the full product design lifecycle, from user research and ideation to UI design and post-launch iteration.

• User Experience (UX) Design: Ability to deeply understand user needs, map user journeys, and design intuitive and engaging user flows.

• User Interface (UI) Design: Strong visual design skills with a keen eye for aesthetics, layout, typography, and branding, capable of creating polished and delightful interfaces.

• Interaction Design: Expertise in designing smooth, responsive, and meaningful interactions that enhance user engagement and product usability.

• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level command of Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration, including advanced features for component libraries and design systems.

• Interactive Prototyping: Proven ability to create high-fidelity interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and test user flows.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: A mindset geared towards using data, A/B testing results, and user feedback to validate design choices and drive product improvements.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders, fostering strong partnerships.

• Gamification Principles: Understanding and experience in applying gamification elements to drive user engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes within digital products.

• B2C Product Experience: Proven track record of designing successful products for consumer markets, understanding consumer behavior and engagement drivers.

• Startup Environment Acumen: Experience thriving in a fast-paced, agile startup setting, comfortable with ambiguity and rapid iteration.

• Creative Ambition & Business Impact: Ability to balance creative vision with a clear understanding of business objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Ownership Mentality: Proactive approach to taking full responsibility for design initiatives from conception through successful delivery.

Preferred Skills:

• Illustration Skills: Ability to create custom illustrations that enhance brand identity and in-product storytelling.

• Gaming/Engagement App Experience: Previous design experience in highly engaging consumer applications or gaming environments.

• Early-Stage/Founder-Like Experience: Prior roles with significant autonomy and entrepreneurial spirit, akin to an early-stage startup team member or founder.

• Engineering Workflow Familiarity: Basic understanding of software development processes, including ticket management, version control (e.g., Git), and implementation workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-haves" are comprehensive and clearly define the core competencies expected for a Senior Product Designer in a tech startup. The "Nice to have" skills provide a valuable insight into areas where candidates can further differentiate themselves, particularly those with a strong understanding of engaging consumer products and entrepreneurial drive.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing your involvement in product initiatives from initial concept and user research through UI design, prototyping, and post-launch iteration. Clearly articulate the problem, your process, your role, the solutions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Problem-Solving Focus: Demonstrate how you approached complex user problems, outlining your design thinking process, user research methodologies, and how you translated insights into effective design solutions.

• UI & Interaction Polish: Include high-quality visuals of your UI work, highlighting attention to detail, visual hierarchy, typography, and aesthetic appeal. Showcase interactive elements and animations that elevate the user experience.

• Metrics & Impact Demonstration: For each case study, clearly present the success metrics you defined and influenced. Quantify the impact of your design decisions on key business objectives (e.g., user engagement, conversion rates, retention, learning outcomes).

• Tool Proficiency Showcase: Explicitly mention and, where possible, demonstrate your expertise with Figma, including examples of complex prototypes, design system components, or collaborative workflows.

Process Documentation:

• User Research Synthesis: Provide examples of how you synthesize user research findings into actionable design requirements and insights.

• Iterative Design Philosophy: Illustrate your iterative design process, including how you incorporate feedback from product managers, engineers, and users to refine designs.

• Design Handoff Standards: Showcase your approach to collaborating with engineering, including how you prepare and document design specifications for smooth implementation.

• Experimentation Frameworks: If applicable, briefly describe your experience designing for A/B tests or other structured experiments to validate design hypotheses.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. The emphasis on end-to-end ownership, data-informed decision-making, and quantifiable impact aligns with the responsibilities outlined. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their portfolio and articulate the rationale behind every design decision.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Senior Product Designer title, 3-5 years of experience, and the company's recent €27m funding round, a competitive salary range in Germany or France would likely fall between €60,000 - €85,000 annually. This range is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in established tech startups in Western Europe, adjusted for the company's growth stage and investor backing.

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation & Equity: A strong salary package is complemented by meaningful equity, reflecting the company's significant growth potential and ambition to become an AI learning unicorn.

• 28 Days Annual Leave: Generous paid time off, with an additional day added for each year of tenure with Knowunity.

• 40 Days Work From Anywhere: Significant flexibility to work remotely from any location for up to 40 days per year, offering a great work-life balance.

• Personal Development Budget: An allocated budget to support continuous learning and professional growth through courses, conferences, or other development opportunities.

• Mental Health Support: Access to mental health resources through Nilo, ensuring employee well-being is a priority.

• Urban Sports Club Membership: Opportunity to join a network of sports facilities and activities for physical well-being.

• Monthly Retail Vouchers: Monthly "become1" retail vouchers, providing a tangible perk for employees.

• Team and Company Events: Regular opportunities for team building and social connection through organized events.

Working Hours: A standard full-time work week is expected, likely around 40 hours. The company offers flexibility with the "40 days work from anywhere" policy, suggesting a focus on output and results rather than strict adherence to office hours, though core collaboration times may apply.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation and benefits package is designed to attract high-caliber talent, with a strong emphasis on equity and flexibility. The "Not for everyone, everything for the right ones" ethos suggests that while standard benefits are good, the primary draw is the opportunity for massive impact, ownership, and accelerated career growth within a high-potential startup.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: EdTech (Education Technology), specifically focusing on AI-powered learning solutions. Knowunity is at the forefront of leveraging AI to personalize education at scale, aiming to revolutionize how students learn globally.

Company Size: Approximately 60 employees, indicating a lean, agile, and hands-on team environment characteristic of a rapidly growing startup. This size allows for direct impact and visibility for individual contributions.

Founded: 2020. This relatively young company has achieved significant milestones quickly, including raising €27m in funding, which points to a dynamic, fast-paced, and ambitious culture focused on rapid growth and innovation.

Team Structure:

• Flat Hierarchy: The description emphasizes "flat hierarchy" with "direct access to founders and leadership without bureaucratic middle layers," suggesting an open and collaborative communication style.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires close partnership with Product and Engineering. This implies a highly collaborative environment where design, product, and engineering teams work in lockstep to achieve shared goals.

• Specialization & Generalization: While specific team structures aren't detailed, the company's size suggests that individuals may wear multiple hats, and cross-functional teams are likely formed around product initiatives. The Senior Product Designer role itself demands a broad skill set from UX to UI and an understanding of metrics.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Iteration: The company emphasizes defining success metrics and using data to iterate quickly, indicating a strong reliance on analytics and experimentation in product development.

• Agile & Lean Principles: The emphasis on "fast cadence," "structured experiments," and "shipping at a fast cadence" points towards an Agile or Lean methodology in product development and design.

• User-Centric Design: The core mission and designer's mindset ("Users first") highlight a commitment to understanding and serving student needs as the primary driver of product development.

Company Website: https://www.knowunity.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: Knowunity presents itself as a mission-driven, fast-paced, and ambitious startup. The culture appears to value high performers who are comfortable with ambiguity, ownership, and a direct impact on a global scale. The recent significant funding round underscores its potential and the opportunity for employees to be part of a "generational company."

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a "Senior" level within Product Design. It implies a significant degree of autonomy, ownership, and expected contribution to product strategy. The individual is expected to not only execute design tasks but also to influence product direction, define success metrics, and mentor others implicitly through their craft and approach.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer reports directly to Gregor, the Chief Product Officer (CPO). This direct line of reporting signifies high visibility and direct access to top leadership, allowing for rapid feedback loops and significant influence on product strategy and design direction.

Operations Impact: The impact is described as "Massive impact: Used by 6M+ students today—with room to 10x–20x. Your work will shape how millions learn." This highlights a direct and profound influence on the company's core mission and business success, particularly in user acquisition, engagement, and learning outcomes, which are critical for a B2C EdTech platform.

Growth Opportunities:

• Accelerated Career Progression: The description explicitly states, "accelerate your career faster than anywhere else." This suggests a culture that rewards high performance and rapid development, with potential for increased responsibility and leadership roles as the company scales.

• Skill Development in AI & EdTech: Opportunity to deepen expertise in the rapidly evolving fields of AI and EdTech, working with cutting-edge technologies and a product that addresses significant educational challenges.

• Leadership Potential: As a senior member of a growing team, there's potential to grow into a Design Lead or Manager role as the design team expands, guiding other designers and shaping the future of design at Knowunity.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Working in a well-funded, high-growth startup offers invaluable experience in building a company from its foundational stages, which is highly attractive for future entrepreneurial endeavors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career trajectory at Knowunity for a Senior Product Designer appears to be steep and rewarding, driven by the company's ambitious growth plans and the significant impact the role can have. The direct reporting line to the CPO is a key indicator of the strategic importance and growth potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the role is "Remote OK" and offers "40 days work from anywhere," the company is based in Germany and France, suggesting a hybrid or flexible work model is prevalent. The emphasis on a "lean team of 60 hands-on builders" implies a dynamic, collaborative, and possibly co-located environment for those who choose to work from an office.

Office Location(s): The company operates in Germany and France, indicating potential office hubs or legal entities in these regions. Precise office locations are not specified, but candidates should expect potential for hybrid work arrangements if based near these regions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: Even with remote flexibility, the "hands-on builders" culture suggests an environment where collaboration is frequent and encouraged, whether through online tools or in-person meetups.

• Technology-Enabled: As a tech company, expect access to modern collaboration and design tools, with a focus on efficiency and seamless remote work. Figma is explicitly mentioned as a primary tool.

• Direct Interaction: The flat hierarchy and direct access to founders/leadership foster an environment where designers can easily interact with key decision-makers and cross-functional teams, leading to faster decision-making and problem-solving.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the "40 days work from anywhere" policy and the startup culture suggest a focus on results and flexibility. Core working hours might be expected for team synchronization, but there is likely significant autonomy in managing one's schedule to achieve project goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: Knowunity offers a modern work environment that balances flexibility with the demands of a high-growth startup. The "40 days work from anywhere" is a significant perk, but candidates should also be prepared for a dynamic, fast-paced, and collaborative atmosphere, whether working remotely or in a hybrid setup.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with HR or a hiring manager to assess basic fit, experience, and alignment with company culture.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge Discussion: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, discussing key case studies, your design process, and how you've driven impact. This may also involve discussing a hypothetical design challenge or a specific problem the company is facing.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into development workflows.

• Founder/Leadership Interview: A final discussion with a founder or CPO to assess strategic thinking, cultural fit, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Prioritize Impact: Focus on case studies that demonstrate quantifiable business impact and user success. Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions and the "what" of the results.

• Showcase Process: Detail your design process, including user research, ideation, prototyping, and iteration. Explain how you handled constraints and feedback.

• Highlight Figma Expertise: Be ready to discuss your advanced Figma skills, including any experience with design systems, complex prototyping, or collaborative features.

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives that highlight problem-solving, creativity, and measurable outcomes. Tailor your presentation to Knowunity's mission and user base.

• Address AI & Gamification: If possible, showcase any experience or ideas related to AI integration or gamification in product design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Knowunity: Research Knowunity's product, target audience (students), mission, and recent funding. Understand their competitive landscape and unique selling propositions.

• Design for EdTech & Gamification: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing for educational outcomes, student motivation, and engagement using gamified elements.

• Data-Informed Approach: Frame your problem-solving approach with a data-informed mindset, discussing how you would define metrics and measure success.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you would collaborate with product and engineering in a fast-paced startup environment, managing feedback and trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process is designed to rigorously assess a candidate's design craft, strategic thinking, collaborative ability, and cultural fit. A well-prepared portfolio and thoughtful responses to potential challenges will be key differentiators.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly listed as a must-have, indicating it's the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Expect advanced usage requirements.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma covers prototyping, candidates should be comfortable with various prototyping techniques and tools to effectively showcase user flows and interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: While not explicitly named, a "data-informed decision-making mindset" implies familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to track user behavior and measure design impact.

• A/B Testing Tools: Experience with tools or methodologies for running structured experiments and A/B tests to validate design hypotheses.

CRM & Automation:

• Not Directly Applicable: As a Product Designer, direct experience with CRM or sales automation tools is less critical, but an understanding of how product design integrates with user acquisition and retention funnels can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack heavily emphasizes design tools, particularly Figma. The expectation for data-informed decision-making suggests that familiarity with analytics platforms and experimentation frameworks is highly valued, even if not the primary focus of the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence Over Comfort: A core value that drives a high-performance culture where team members are pushed to achieve exceptional results, valuing growth and impact over ease.

• Users First: A fundamental principle guiding all product decisions, ensuring that the needs and experiences of students are at the forefront of design and development.

• Ownership & Initiative: Team members are expected to take full responsibility for their work, drive initiatives forward, and operate with a proactive, "hands-on builder" mentality.

• Data-Driven Approach: Decisions are informed by data, metrics, and user insights, fostering a culture of continuous learning and evidence-based strategy.

• Speed & Execution: A commitment to moving fast, shipping frequently, and iterating rapidly to maintain a competitive edge and deliver value to users quickly.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: High emphasis on close collaboration between Design, Product, and Engineering to ensure cohesive product development and efficient execution.

• Direct Communication: A flat hierarchy promotes open and direct communication channels, facilitating quick feedback loops and problem-solving.

• Feedback Exchange: A culture that encourages constructive feedback to continuously improve product quality and team performance.

• Shared Mission: A strong collective drive towards the company's mission of revolutionizing education, fostering a sense of shared purpose and teamwork.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is clearly defined by its ambition, focus on impact, and a proactive, collaborative approach. Candidates who thrive in fast-paced, mission-driven environments and value continuous improvement will likely find this culture appealing.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Scalability: Designing engaging features that are both innovative and scalable for millions of users presents a significant challenge.

• Maintaining Design Quality at Speed: Ensuring high-fidelity UI/UX and visual craft while operating at a rapid development cadence requires strong process and prioritization skills.

• Gamification Effectiveness: Effectively implementing gamification to genuinely enhance learning outcomes without becoming superficial or distracting is a nuanced design challenge.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Managing diverse stakeholder expectations and ensuring alignment across Product, Engineering, and Leadership in a fast-moving startup.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI & EdTech: Gain specialized knowledge and practical experience in the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Education Technology, a rapidly growing and impactful field.

• Mastering Design for Engagement: Develop advanced skills in designing for user engagement, motivation, and habit formation, particularly through gamification.

• Startup Growth Experience: Acquire invaluable experience in scaling a product and a company from an early stage, which is highly beneficial for future career growth and entrepreneurial aspirations.

• Leadership Skill Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, influence product strategy, and potentially grow into design leadership roles as the team expands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of a high-growth tech startup, offering significant learning opportunities. The company's commitment to personal development and the inherent nature of working on a product with massive potential provide ample avenues for professional growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you owned a significant product initiative from discovery to delivery. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the measurable impact?" (Focus on end-to-end ownership, process, and quantifiable results.)

• "How would you approach designing a new gamified feature to increase student engagement on Knowunity? What metrics would you track, and how would you ensure it genuinely supports learning?" (Assess understanding of gamification, user-centered design for education, and data-driven evaluation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Knowunity's mission to revolutionize education with AI?" (Gauge alignment with company mission and passion for EdTech.)

• "How do you embody our value of 'Excellence over Comfort' in your design work?" (Assess cultural fit and commitment to high standards.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of Knowunity and the role, then dive into 2-3 of your strongest case studies. For each case study, clearly state the problem, your role, your process, the solution, and the quantifiable results.

• Figma Demo (Optional but Recommended): If possible, be prepared to briefly showcase your Figma skills, perhaps by walking through a complex prototype or demonstrating how you've built reusable components.

• Focus on Rationale: For every design decision, be ready to explain the "why" – how it solved a user problem, met a business goal, or improved the overall experience.

• Engage with Questions: Treat the portfolio review as a collaborative discussion. Be open to questions and feedback, demonstrating your ability to articulate your thinking and consider different perspectives.

• Tailor to Knowunity: Emphasize projects that align with Knowunity's B2C focus, user engagement, and potentially any experience with educational products or gamification.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design skills but also strategic thinking, collaborative capabilities, and a strong cultural fit for a high-growth, mission-driven startup. Highlighting data-informed decision-making and quantifiable impact will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Click "Apply for this job" on the job posting.

• Submit your CV and LinkedIn profile through the application portal.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most impactful B2C product design case studies. Ensure each case study clearly articulates the problem, your process, your specific contributions, the design solutions, and crucially, the measurable business and user outcomes. Focus on projects demonstrating end-to-end ownership and data-informed decision-making.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to align with the job description, emphasizing keywords such as "Product Design," "UX/UI," "Figma," "B2C," "Startup," "Data-Informed," "Gamification," and "End-to-End Ownership." Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling and impact. Prepare to discuss your approach to user research, UI/UX challenges, collaboration with engineering and product teams, and your understanding of gamification and AI in education. Research Knowunity thoroughly.

• Company Research: Deeply understand Knowunity's mission, product, target audience (students), and their position in the EdTech market. Familiarize yourself with their recent funding and ambitious growth plans to better articulate your motivations and how you can contribute to their success.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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