Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, AI

Company: Podium

Location: Lehi, Utah, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX / Applied AI

Date Posted: February 26, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (4-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design innovative AI agent experiences that redefine how local businesses interact with customers and manage operations.

• Define novel interaction paradigms for AI-first workflows, focusing on seamless human-AI collaboration and graceful failure handling.

• Develop intuitive and efficient core business workflows, including records, queues, and dashboards, for operators managing complex systems.

• Lead customer research initiatives to gather deep insights and translate them into actionable product strategies and design solutions.

• Drive product vision and alignment across Product Management, Engineering, and Go-to-Market teams through strong design leadership and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer with a specific focus on AI, indicating a need for an individual capable of establishing new design patterns in a rapidly evolving field. The emphasis on "defining interaction paradigms" and "prototyping in code" suggests a hands-on, technically proficient designer who can influence product direction and work closely with engineering. The role is deeply embedded within the core product development of Podium's AI Employees, requiring a strong understanding of both user experience and the underlying technical capabilities.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design the end-to-end user experience for AI agents, including their presence, communication style, handoff protocols to human agents, and error management strategies.

• Conceptualize and prototype interaction models for AI-driven workflows, ensuring users can easily understand AI actions, intervene when necessary, and achieve superior outcomes.

• Create intuitive designs for essential business management tools, such as operational dashboards, task queues, and record-keeping systems, to support AI agent operations.

• Translate complex AI capabilities and business logic into simple, user-friendly interfaces for non-technical users operating under pressure.

• Establish and champion design standards, best practices, and a high bar for craft quality across the AI product team and potentially broader product organization.

• Conduct user research, including on-site visits and direct customer interviews, to gain a profound understanding of user needs and inform product development priorities.

• Foster strong cross-functional alignment and drive consensus among Product Management, Engineering, and Go-to-Market teams, even in the absence of established processes.

• Collaborate closely with engineering to ensure designs are technically feasible and to leverage AI capabilities effectively within user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "designing how humans work alongside AI" and "defining interaction models for AI-first workflows" points to a pioneering role in shaping the future of human-AI collaboration in a business context. The requirement to "make deeply complex systems feel simple" underscores the need for exceptional UX simplification skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 4-5 years of professional experience in product design, with a focus on complex software systems used in high-pressure environments.

Required Skills:

• AI Agent Design: Expertise in designing user experiences for artificial intelligence agents, including their interaction, behavior, and integration into business processes.

• Interaction Design: Ability to conceptualize and define novel interaction models for AI-first workflows and complex systems.

• UX Problem Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex user challenges, particularly in ambiguous AI-related contexts.

• Product Design Leadership: Capacity to set design standards, influence product direction, and mentor other designers.

• Customer Research: Demonstrated ability to conduct independent user research, analyze findings, and translate them into product strategy.

• SaaS Workflow Design: Experience designing core operational workflows within Software-as-a-Service platforms.

• Prototyping (Code-based): Proficiency in prototyping using code (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, or similar tools) as a primary method for design exploration.

• System Design: Understanding of how to design across multiple product surfaces and integrate complex systems seamlessly.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Skill in driving consensus and collaboration with Product, Engineering, and GTM teams.

• Applied AI: Curiosity and a foundational understanding of AI principles and their application in product development.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in industries such as home services, health/wellness, or automotive.

• Experience with visual design across various mediums.

• Familiarity with data analysis and its role in informing design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "CS degree or equivalent builder experience" and "Prototypes in code as a default" strongly suggests that Podium is looking for a designer with a deep technical understanding and a hands-on approach, akin to a Design Technologist or a Product Designer with a strong engineering background. This is crucial for designing complex AI systems where understanding technical constraints and possibilities is paramount.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase 2-3 complex projects that demonstrate your ability to tackle ambiguous problems and define novel interaction paradigms, particularly in AI or complex software systems.

• Include case studies that detail your process from problem identification through research, ideation, design, and iteration.

• Highlight projects where you conducted independent user research and how those insights directly influenced the final product direction and design.

• Demonstrate your ability to design for both AI-specific interactions and core SaaS business workflows within a single product context.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process, emphasizing how you approach ambiguity and define new interaction patterns.

• Provide examples of how you've used code-based prototyping (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code) in your design workflow.

• Detail your user research methodologies and how you translate findings into actionable design strategies and product roadmaps.

• Showcase how you collaborate with engineering and product management, including examples of driving alignment and seeking early feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "defining interaction paradigms, not just executing within them" and "prototypes in code" means the portfolio should not just be a collection of polished UI screens. It needs to tell a story of problem-solving, innovation, and technical exploration, particularly in the realm of AI and complex workflows. Demonstrating how you've invented solutions rather than just iterating on existing ones will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Opportunities for professional development, including conferences, workshops, and continued education.

• Stock options or equity in a rapidly growing tech company.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week).

• While on-site, there may be flexibility in daily start and end times, subject to team and business needs.

• Occasional extended hours may be required to meet project deadlines or address critical issues, particularly given the "extreme urgency" culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on publicly available compensation data for Senior Product Designers in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area (which includes Lehi), factoring in the AI specialization and the company's growth stage. The benefits listed are standard for established tech companies in the US, with an emphasis on professional growth opportunities that align with the company's culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Artificial Intelligence / Local Business Technology. Podium operates at the intersection of AI, SaaS, and customer engagement solutions for local businesses, aiming to revolutionize how these businesses operate and grow.

Company Size: Podium is a rapidly growing tech company, having crossed $100M in AI Agent ARR and employing a significant number of individuals. The company culture is described as high-performance, driven, and focused on rapid growth and impact.

Founded: Podium was founded in 2014. Its journey from inception to becoming a leader in AI for local businesses reflects a commitment to innovation and aggressive scaling.

Team Structure:

• The AI product team is likely structured around cross-functional pods, including Product Management, Engineering, and Design.

• The Senior Product Designer will work closely with a Product Manager and a team of engineers focused on AI agent development and related workflows.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: While not explicitly stated for design, the company's overall emphasis on "impact over activity" and "optimizing for the customer" suggests a data-informed approach to product development.

• Agile Development: Given the fast-paced environment and focus on speed, agile or a similar iterative development methodology is highly probable.

• Customer-Centric Design: "Go to the source" and "Optimize for the customer" are core principles that drive the team's approach to understanding user needs and validating solutions.

• Lean Principles: "Early input, better output" and "Always above the bikeshop" suggest a culture that values efficiency, resourcefulness, and iterative development to minimize waste.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Podium's culture is characterized by its "operating principles," which emphasize high standards, urgency, customer focus, and extreme ownership. This implies a fast-paced, demanding environment where individuals are expected to be proactive, resourceful, and results-oriented. The "bull ride" analogy suggests a challenging but rewarding journey.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Senior Product Designer, a critical individual contributor position with significant influence. It sits at a level where the designer is expected to lead complex projects, define new product directions, and mentor junior team members, while also being deeply involved in execution. It's a pathway to potentially becoming a Design Lead or Manager, or a Principal Designer focusing on deep technical and strategic product areas.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product Design, a Director of Product, or a VP of Product. They will collaborate directly with a Product Manager and Engineering Lead for their specific AI product area.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly impacts Podium's core value proposition: empowering local businesses with AI Employees. By making AI interactions seamless and business workflows efficient, the designer directly contributes to customer acquisition, retention, revenue generation, and overall customer satisfaction. The success of Podium's AI agents hinges on the quality of the user experience designed by this role.

Growth Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for cutting-edge AI applications, becoming a sought-after specialist in human-AI interaction.

• Product Leadership: Transition into a Design Lead or Manager role, overseeing a team of designers and shaping product strategy more broadly.

• Technical Acumen: Further develop coding and system design skills, bridging the gap between design and engineering more effectively.

• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence across different product areas and business functions within Podium.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to creating innovative solutions that could lead to industry recognition for Podium and personal professional growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "growth is fueled by hiring exceptional people, holding them to high standards, and creating opportunities for them to grow" statement in the company description indicates a strong commitment to employee development. For a Senior Product Designer, this means opportunities to take on more complex challenges, lead initiatives, and potentially move into leadership roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Podium has a significant on-site presence in Lehi, Utah, indicating a preference for collaborative, in-person work. The description of the company culture suggests a dynamic, potentially open-plan office environment conducive to quick communication and collaboration.

Office Location(s): Lehi, Utah, United States. This location is part of the thriving tech corridor in Utah, offering a strong talent pool and a supportive ecosystem for technology companies.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on "winning as a team," "extreme urgency," and "early input, better output" points to a highly interactive workspace where designers are expected to engage frequently with peers, PMs, and engineers.

• Tools and Technology: Designers will have access to standard design software, but critically, the expectation to "prototype in code" means access to developer tools and environments will be essential. Collaboration tools for remote/hybrid teams might also be in place, although the role is on-site.

• Operations Team Interaction: The designer will be embedded within a product team, working daily with engineers and product managers. They will also likely interact with GTM (Go-to-Market) teams for customer insights and product launches.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an expectation of around 40 hours per week. However, the "extreme urgency" and "bull ride" culture suggest that exceeding this is common, especially during critical project phases. The on-site nature implies a structured workday, but with potential flexibility in start/end times as long as collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" designation for this role, combined with the company's culture of urgency and collaboration, suggests an environment where spontaneous problem-solving and rapid iteration are prioritized. The physical workspace is likely designed to facilitate constant communication and teamwork.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Be prepared to discuss your most relevant AI and complex system design projects.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: You will likely present your portfolio to the design team and potentially product/engineering leads. This may be followed by a design challenge, possibly involving an AI interaction problem or a complex workflow.

• Team Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess technical skills, collaboration style, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A final discussion with the hiring manager to assess overall fit, leadership potential, and alignment with Podium's operating principles.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on AI and Complexity: Highlight projects that demonstrate your ability to design for AI, ambiguous problems, and complex SaaS workflows.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use case studies to walk through your process, research, ideation, and the problem-solving steps you took.

• Emphasize Innovation: Clearly articulate how you defined new interaction paradigms or invented solutions, rather than just iterating on existing ones.

• Code Prototyping: If possible, showcase examples or discuss your proficiency in code-based prototyping and how it accelerated your design process.

• Customer Research Impact: Detail how your research led to specific product decisions and improved outcomes.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Podium's Product: Research Podium's AI Employees and how they serve local businesses. Think about potential user pain points and opportunities for AI intervention.

• AI Interaction Patterns: Familiarize yourself with common and emerging patterns in human-AI interaction, including conversational UI, agent handoffs, and AI-driven workflows.

• Complex System Design: Practice breaking down complex systems into manageable components and designing intuitive user interfaces for them.

• "Go to the Source": Be prepared to articulate how you would approach understanding a user's real-world problems through direct observation and research.

• Operating Principles: Understand Podium's operating principles and be ready to discuss how your approach aligns with them (e.g., extreme ownership, customer optimization, speed).

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on "defining interaction paradigms" and "prototyping in code," expect the interview process to heavily scrutinize your ability to innovate and your technical depth. The portfolio review will likely focus on the why and how behind your design decisions, not just the final visual output.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (for visual design assets).

• Code-Based Prototyping: Cursor, Claude Code, or similar environments for rapid prototyping and testing interaction models.

• User Research Tools: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Hotjar, or similar platforms for remote and in-person research.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Slack, Notion.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly a designer's primary tool, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) is beneficial for understanding user behavior and impact.

CRM & Automation:

• While the designer may not directly manage CRM or automation systems, understanding how Podium's AI agents integrate with and drive value through these systems (likely Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar for their clients) is crucial for designing effective workflows.

• Familiarity with API integrations and how they impact user experience is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Prototypes in code as a default, not a last resort - Cursor, Claude Code, or similar are already part of how you work" is a critical requirement. This indicates a need for a designer who is comfortable writing and iterating on code for prototypes, suggesting a strong technical foundation and a proactive approach to design validation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Extreme Urgency: A commitment to speed and rapid execution, understanding that time is a competitive advantage in the AI and local business markets.

• Customer Optimization: All decisions are fundamentally about helping local businesses win, ensuring that designs directly contribute to customer success and revenue growth.

• Go to the Source: A belief in direct, on-the-ground research and understanding root causes by observing users and their environments firsthand.

• Extreme Ownership: Proactively identifying challenges, taking responsibility for solutions, and driving initiatives to completion without needing constant direction.

• Early Input, Better Output: A collaborative mindset that encourages seeking feedback early and often in the design process to refine ideas and avoid costly rework.

• Impact Over Activity: A focus on delivering tangible results and outcomes that move the needle for the business, rather than simply engaging in busywork.

• Always Above the Bikeshop: A resourceful and scrappy approach to problem-solving, treating company resources with care and finding efficient ways to achieve goals.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The designer will work closely with Product Managers and Engineers, participating in daily stand-ups and sprint planning.

• Feedback-Oriented: The culture values "early input," suggesting an open and constructive feedback exchange among team members.

• Proactive Communication: "Extreme ownership" implies a need for clear and proactive communication about progress, challenges, and ideas.

• Fast-Paced Iteration: The emphasis on speed means collaboration will likely involve rapid iteration cycles and quick decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: Podium's operating principles are not just abstract values; they are explicitly stated as guiding daily behavior. A candidate must demonstrate alignment with these principles, particularly "extreme urgency," "extreme ownership," and "customer optimization," which are core to the company's high-performance culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining Novel AI Interactions: Creating intuitive and trustworthy user experiences for AI agents in scenarios where established patterns don't exist.

• Balancing AI and Human Workflows: Designing seamless transitions between AI-driven tasks and human intervention, ensuring efficiency and user confidence.

• Simplifying Complexity: Making deeply technical AI capabilities accessible and easy to use for non-technical local business owners and operators.

• Rapid Iteration in a Fast-Paced Environment: Keeping pace with the company's "extreme urgency" and the rapid evolution of AI technology.

• Driving Alignment Without Formal Process: Fostering collaboration and consensus across teams where formal processes may not yet be fully established.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Become an AI Design Pioneer: Gain deep expertise in a cutting-edge field, shaping the future of human-AI collaboration in business.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and potentially grow into a design management role.

• Technical Skill Enhancement: Develop advanced skills in code-based prototyping and understanding complex system architectures.

• Industry Exposure: Work with a product that is transforming a significant market (local businesses) and gain insights into AI's business applications.

• Growth within a High-Growth Company: Benefit from the dynamic environment of a rapidly scaling tech company, with potential for significant career advancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is pioneering new design frontiers in applied AI. This requires not only strong design skills but also a high degree of adaptability, technical curiosity, and a comfort with ambiguity. The growth opportunities are directly tied to successfully navigating these challenges and contributing to Podium's ambitious goals.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to define a completely new interaction paradigm for a complex system. What was your process, how did you validate it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your ability to innovate and your design methodology.)

• "How would you approach designing the experience for an AI agent that needs to gracefully fail or hand off a customer conversation to a human? Walk me through your thought process." (Test your understanding of AI failure states and human-AI collaboration.)

• "Imagine you need to design the core dashboard for operators managing multiple AI agents. What key information and controls would you prioritize, and why?" (Assess your ability to simplify complex operational workflows and prioritize information.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Podium's operating principles, such as 'Extreme Urgency' and 'Extreme Ownership,' align with your work style?" (Be prepared to provide specific examples of how you embody these principles.)

• "What excites you most about designing for AI in the context of local businesses?" (Demonstrate your passion for the domain and the problem space.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of the project and the problem. Dedicate a significant portion to your design process, research findings, ideation, and key design decisions. Conclude with the outcomes and lessons learned.

• Highlight Innovation: Clearly articulate where you invented new patterns or solved problems that didn't have existing solutions.

• Emphasize Code Prototyping: If you have examples, showcase how code-based prototypes helped you explore and validate ideas faster.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the success of your designs. If metrics aren't available, articulate the qualitative impact and how you would measure success.

• AI & Complexity Focus: Ensure your chosen case studies directly address the core requirements of this role – AI interaction, complex systems, and workflow design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely be rigorous, designed to assess not only your design chops but also your technical aptitude, problem-solving skills, and alignment with Podium's demanding culture. Be prepared to discuss your process in detail and defend your design decisions with strong reasoning.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer, AI position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that showcase your experience with complex software, AI interactions, and defining new design paradigms. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your process, research, and the outcomes achieved, with a strong emphasis on any code-based prototyping or innovative solutions.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords related to AI design, interaction design, complex systems, SaaS workflows, customer research, and your experience with code-based prototyping. Quantify your achievements with metrics where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough, focusing on storytelling, articulating your problem-solving process, and demonstrating how your designs translate complex AI capabilities into user-friendly experiences. Be ready to discuss your approach to ambiguity and your alignment with Podium's operating principles.

• Research Podium: Deeply understand Podium's mission, its AI Employees, its target local businesses, and its stated operating principles. Prepare to discuss how your skills and approach can contribute to their unique challenges and rapid growth trajectory.

⚠️ 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.