Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: OEC

Location: Alpharetta, Georgia, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: March 30, 2026

Experience Level: 6+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design intuitive and high-quality product experiences for automotive professionals within the vehicle parts and repair ecosystem, leveraging a strong understanding of user-centered design methodologies.

• Utilize modern AI-assisted design tools to rapidly explore, prototype, and iterate on solutions for complex or legacy product flows, accelerating design cycles while maintaining high standards.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to translate customer insights, operational workflows, and product data into technically feasible and valuable solutions.

• Drive early-stage discovery and experience definition by synthesizing research findings and operational realities to identify key opportunities for product improvement and innovation.

• Articulate the value and rationale behind design decisions clearly and effectively to diverse stakeholders, including technical teams and business leaders, using non-designer-speak.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on product design within the automotive parts and repair industry, with a significant emphasis on leveraging AI tools for design acceleration and simplification. The "Senior" title implies a need for leadership in design thinking, coaching, and driving design excellence within the organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Employ AI-assisted design tools (e.g., Figma Make, Claude, generative assistants) to accelerate the redesign of complex product workflows and legacy systems, exploring multiple solution directions.

• Apply AI-driven analysis to deconstruct user journeys, identify friction points, and propose improved interaction models for existing product experiences.

• Translate synthesized customer insights, operational workflows, and product data into clear interaction models, wireframes, prototypes, and validated design solutions.

• Lead and facilitate collaborative design sessions, including workshops and design sprints, to foster innovation and align cross-functional teams.

• Conduct user research, market trend analysis, and business objective reviews to inform design strategies and ensure product relevance.

• Design interactions and establish usability patterns that enhance user delight, enable team scalability, and set new standards for usability within the industry.

• Translate user research findings into actionable design artifacts, including wireframes and interactive prototypes, and lead user testing activities to validate design concepts.

• Coach and mentor team members to enhance their fundamental product design capabilities, such as conducting user tests, developing discovery plans, and performing customer interviews.

• Uphold and advocate for a high standard of design excellence, contributing to the continuous improvement of design practices and quality across OEC.

• Ensure designs are usable in real-world shop environments, technically feasible, and adhere to accessibility and system constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design execution, strategic thinking, and leadership through coaching and setting standards. The emphasis on AI tools is a critical differentiator for this role, requiring candidates to demonstrate proficiency and strategic application of these technologies in their design process.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Industrial and Product Design, UX/UI, or a related discipline is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years of experience in the product design industry, with a proven track record of delivering multiple projects alongside cross-disciplined teams.

• Demonstrated experience in user research, interaction design, information architecture, wireframing/prototyping, and storytelling through design.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in using AI tools to enhance design productivity, including generating interface concepts, mapping user flows, synthesizing research insights, and iterating on design solutions while maintaining strong design judgment and quality standards.

• Ability to break down complex legacy systems and workflows into simpler, user-centered interactions using AI-assisted exploration and prototyping, ensuring alignment with product strategy, technical feasibility, and design system standards.

• Proficiency in working within agile software development methodologies.

• Strong, clear, and respectful communication skills, capable of positive and constructive interaction even during challenging situations.

• Deep understanding and application of design thinking and user-centric principles.

• Effective organization and management of daily work, priorities, time, energy, and resources to meet goals and deadlines.

• Flexibility and adaptability to shifts in priorities and business needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the automotive parts and repair industry or a related complex B2B software environment.

• Familiarity with specific AI design tools such as Figma Make, Claude, or similar generative AI platforms for design.

• Experience in coaching and mentoring junior designers or cross-functional team members on design best practices.

• Expertise in information architecture and complex system design.

• Proven ability to lead design sprints and innovation workshops.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a strong foundation in traditional product design skills coupled with cutting-edge AI tool proficiency. The "Senior" aspect is reinforced by the expectation of coaching and leadership, as well as the need for significant experience with shipped products and complex systems. The portfolio is paramount and must demonstrate the application of AI in the design process.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a strong design point of view, depth of experience, and a history of delivering successful, user-centered products.

• Include case studies that detail the entire design process, from initial research and problem definition through to final solution and post-launch impact.

• Demonstrate proficiency in user research, interaction design, information architecture, wireframing, and prototyping, with clear examples of how these were applied.

• Highlight projects where AI-assisted design tools were utilized to accelerate discovery, exploration, iteration, or problem-solving, detailing the impact of AI on the process and outcome.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate the user-centered design methodologies employed in your portfolio projects, including how user needs were identified and addressed.

• Detail the process for translating research insights and operational workflows into tangible design artifacts like wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes.

• Illustrate how user testing and validation activities were integrated into the design process to refine solutions and ensure usability.

• Provide examples of how complex or legacy systems were analyzed and simplified through design, specifically noting any AI-assisted approaches used.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are central to this application, with a specific mandate to showcase the integration and impact of AI tools in the design process. Candidates should prepare to walk through case studies that highlight not just the final design, but the strategic thinking, problem-solving, and efficiency gains achieved through the use of AI.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401(k)) with company matching.

• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation days, sick leave, and holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training, conferences, and certifications related to design and AI.

• Flexible work arrangements, supporting a hybrid work model.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses or stock options.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are approximately 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid work arrangement offers flexibility, with specific in-office days to be determined in collaboration with the team, allowing for focused work and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical compensation for a Senior Product Designer in a major metropolitan area with a strong tech presence, factoring in the specialized AI skills. OEC's description mentions flexibility, reinforcing the hybrid work arrangement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software solutions for the automotive parts and repair industry. OEC provides critical tools that streamline buying/selling parts, repair research, estimate optimization, and supply chain management for automotive professionals.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, OEC's description suggests a global presence with teams across multiple time zones and international communities, indicating a mid-to-large enterprise size. This implies robust processes and infrastructure, but also potential for cross-functional collaboration and impact.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the company's established presence in the automotive software sector suggests a history of innovation and adaptation.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Product Designer will likely be part of a Product Design or UX/UI team, working closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially user researchers.

• The reporting structure is expected to be within a Product or Engineering department, with the Senior Designer potentially mentoring or leading design initiatives for specific product areas.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Insights from customer feedback, product data, and AI analysis will drive design decisions.

• Agile Development: The team likely operates within an agile framework, emphasizing iterative development, collaboration, and rapid response to changing requirements.

• User-Centric Approach: A strong focus on understanding and addressing the needs of automotive professionals in real-world shop environments.

• AI Integration: Proactive use of AI tools to enhance design productivity, accelerate ideation, and simplify complex processes.

Company Website: [OEC Company Website - Placeholder, as not provided in input]

📝 Enhancement Note: OEC operates in a niche but critical B2B software market. The company culture emphasizes innovation, forward-thinking solutions, flexibility, and a strong sense of community. The Senior Product Designer's role will be pivotal in shaping user experiences for professionals in a demanding industry.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position. It requires not only strong individual contribution skills but also the ability to mentor, lead design initiatives, and influence product strategy. The role is expected to take ownership of significant product areas and drive design excellence.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Director of Product, or Head of UX/UI. They will work collaboratively with Product Managers and Engineering Leads, forming the core of product development teams.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer's work directly impacts the usability and effectiveness of OEC's software solutions. By creating intuitive and efficient user experiences, they enable automotive professionals to perform their jobs more effectively, leading to increased customer satisfaction, retention, and adoption of OEC's services. The integration of AI aims to further enhance efficiency and value delivery.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead design projects, mentor junior designers, and potentially move into a Design Lead or Managerial role.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, user research, complex system design, or specific areas of the automotive industry.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product strategy discussions and influence the long-term vision of OEC's product offerings.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management or other strategic roles within the organization by leveraging design and user advocacy skills.

• Industry Expertise: Become a subject matter expert in the automotive parts and repair software domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation implies significant growth potential, including leadership and strategic input, beyond just execution. The role is designed for individuals who can not only design but also coach others and shape the design direction of the company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job description specifies a hybrid work environment. This suggests that while there is an office in Alpharetta, GA, employees will split their time between remote work and in-office collaboration. This setup aims to balance the benefits of flexible remote work with the advantages of in-person teamwork and connection.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Alpharetta, Georgia. This location is a significant business hub in the Atlanta metropolitan area, offering access to talent and resources.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster collaboration, with designated office days for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and workshops, encouraging face-to-face interaction.

• Technology-Enabled: As a software company, OEC likely provides modern design tools and technology infrastructure, including access to AI-assisted design software and collaboration platforms, to support both remote and in-office work.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities to connect with Product Management, Engineering, and other stakeholders in a dynamic, solution-oriented setting.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, typically around 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid schedule offers flexibility, allowing individuals to manage their work-life balance effectively. Specific office attendance expectations will be communicated by the hiring team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment is a key aspect, demanding strong self-management and communication skills, especially for remote days. The Alpharetta location suggests a professional business setting conducive to tech industry collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements, particularly AI design proficiency.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your experience, design philosophy, and understanding of user-centered and AI-assisted design principles. This may include behavioral questions.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A practical exercise or a detailed walkthrough of your portfolio. Expect to be asked to present specific case studies, explaining your design process, the challenges you faced, the solutions you developed (especially those involving AI), and the impact of your work.

• Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with potential team members (Product Managers, Engineers) to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit within the OEC team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with OEC's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly showcase projects where you've used AI tools. Detail how you used them (e.g., for ideation, analysis, prototyping) and the specific benefits (e.g., speed, exploration, insight generation).

• Process Over Polish (Initially): While polished designs are good, focus on clearly articulating your process. Explain your rationale, how you responded to feedback, and how you solved problems using a user-centered approach and AI.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. For AI-assisted designs, highlight any efficiency gains or novel outcomes achieved.

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives. Start with the problem, explain your journey (including AI's role), present your solution, and conclude with the results.

• Tailor to OEC: Briefly mention why you are interested in OEC and the automotive industry, and how your skills align with their mission.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Design Scenarios: Be prepared for hypothetical scenarios involving complex automotive workflows where you'd need to propose an AI-assisted design approach.

• Problem Decomposition: Practice breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts, and outlining how you would use design thinking and AI to tackle them.

• Communication Clarity: Rehearse explaining technical design concepts and AI tool applications in simple, accessible language for non-designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to integrate and articulate the value of AI in their design workflow. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating this, so candidates must prepare case studies that explicitly highlight AI's role and impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Proficiency with tools like Figma (with AI plugins like Figma Make), Claude, or other generative AI assistants for concept generation, user flow mapping, research synthesis, and rapid prototyping.

• Design & Prototyping Software: Mastery of industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• User Research Tools: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and analyzing feedback (e.g., UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Experience with product analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to understand user behavior, track feature adoption, and measure design impact.

• Data Visualization: Ability to interpret data and potentially create simple visualizations to support design decisions and communicate findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how design integrates with broader systems like CRMs and workflow automation tools can be beneficial for context. Familiarity with how user data flows through systems is advantageous.

• Design Systems: Experience with or contribution to design systems for maintaining consistency and scalability across products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI-assisted design tools is critical. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with specific AI tools and how they leverage them to enhance the design process, not just as a novelty but as a strategic advantage for efficiency and innovation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: A drive to explore new technologies and methodologies, particularly AI, to create cutting-edge solutions for the automotive industry.

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of automotive professionals, ensuring products are valuable, usable, and solve real-world problems.

• Collaboration & Camaraderie: Fostering a supportive team environment where individuals and collective contributions are celebrated, encouraging open communication and mutual respect.

• Efficiency & Optimization: A focus on streamlining processes and workflows, both in product design and in the operations of the automotive businesses OEC serves.

• Empowerment & Growth: Encouraging employees to take risks, learn from experiences, and grow their careers within a dynamic and supportive setting.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close partnerships with Product Management and Engineering are essential, requiring clear communication and a shared understanding of goals.

• Data-Informed Discussions: Design decisions and discussions are expected to be backed by user research, product data, and insights derived from AI analysis.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that embraces constructive feedback to continuously refine designs and processes, involving stakeholders early and often.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, design techniques, and learnings from AI tool usage to elevate the entire team's capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values emphasize innovation, particularly with AI, and a strong focus on the end-user within a specific industry. The collaborative style highlights the importance of cross-functional partnerships and data-informed decision-making.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Integrating AI Effectively: Navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI design tools and strategically integrating them into established design workflows without compromising quality or user experience.

• Designing for Complex Workflows: Simplifying intricate and often legacy processes within the automotive parts and repair industry for a user base that may have varying levels of technical proficiency.

• Balancing Innovation with Feasibility: Proposing novel AI-driven design solutions while ensuring they are technically achievable and align with business objectives and resource constraints.

• Remote/Hybrid Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion, effective communication, and a shared design vision across a hybrid work model.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Opportunities to become a leader in applying AI tools and generative design techniques to product design challenges.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge of the automotive parts and repair industry, becoming a go-to expert for user needs and operational nuances.

• Mentorship and Coaching: Develop leadership skills by coaching junior designers and contributing to the growth of the design team.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gain exposure to Product Management strategies, engineering constraints, and business objectives, broadening your overall understanding of product development.

• Continuous Skill Enhancement: Access to training, conferences, and resources to stay current with the latest design trends, AI advancements, and UX best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in the effective and strategic application of AI in design. Growth opportunities are strongly tied to developing expertise in this emerging area and leveraging it for greater impact within the company and the industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used AI tools to accelerate your design process. What was the outcome, and what did you learn?"

• "How would you approach redesigning a complex, legacy workflow in the automotive repair industry using AI-assisted design? Walk us through your initial steps."

• "How do you ensure your AI-generated design concepts remain user-centered and aligned with product strategy, rather than just novel outputs?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about OEC and the automotive parts and repair industry specifically?"

• "How do you envision contributing to OEC's culture of innovation and forward-thinking solutions?"

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or remote team environment. How do you ensure effective collaboration?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• AI Case Study Focus: Prepare at least one detailed case study that prominently features your use of AI tools. Clearly articulate the problem, your AI-driven approach, the specific tools used, the challenges encountered, the design iterations, and the measurable impact.

• Process Walkthrough: Be ready to guide the interviewer through your entire design process for key projects, highlighting your problem-solving skills, user research methods, and how you translated insights into design solutions.

• Communicate Trade-offs: Discuss any design compromises you had to make and the rationale behind those decisions, demonstrating strategic thinking.

• Interactive Elements: If possible, have interactive prototypes ready to demonstrate key flows and user interactions.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Present your work clearly and concisely, focusing on the most impactful aspects of each project. Be prepared to answer in-depth questions about any part of your process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the candidate's ability to articulate the value and process of using AI in design. Generic design skills are expected; AI proficiency and its strategic application are the differentiators.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Dayforce portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with AI-assisted design tools, user-centered methodologies, and successful product launches. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies demonstrating your proficiency with AI design tools, your problem-solving process, and impactful design solutions. Prepare to present specific examples clearly.

• Prepare for AI-Focused Questions: Anticipate questions about your experience with AI in design, your process for leveraging these tools, and your understanding of their impact on product development.

• Research OEC: Understand OEC's mission, products, and the automotive parts and repair industry to articulate your interest and how your skills align with their business goals.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio and design case studies, focusing on clear communication of your process, rationale, and the role AI played.

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