Senior Product Designer, Core Product

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Core Product Company: Discord Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / User Experience Date Posted: 2025-11-13 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives for Discord's core user experience, focusing on enhancing gaming and social interaction features.
• Drive strategic thinking, product principles, and systems design to innovate and iterate on the Discord platform's foundational elements.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Product Management, and Analytics (EPAD) to guide user experience from concept through to successful market launch.
• Act as a design quality guardian, ensuring pixel-perfect implementation of designs and maintaining a high standard for user delight.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is for a Product Designer, the focus on "Core Product" and its connection to gaming strongly implies a need for understanding user journeys within a high-engagement, community-driven platform. The "EPAD" structure suggests a highly collaborative and data-informed design process, common in fast-paced tech environments.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee the user experience for core product features, acting as the primary design lead without a dedicated cross-functional product team.
• Translate complex product requirements into intuitive and engaging user interfaces, creating wireframes, detailed mockups, and interactive prototypes.
• Ensure the pixel-perfect implementation of designs by working closely with engineering teams, serving as the quality leader for design execution.
• Proactively manage personal timelines and deliverables, exercising sound judgment to prioritize tasks effectively and drive project momentum.
• Contribute to and influence the strategic direction and scope of design work within the immediate team and broader product initiatives.
• Collaborate with other designers across the organization to ensure scalable, consistent, and cohesive user experiences across the Discord platform.
• Present and communicate design concepts effectively to organizational leadership, immediate teams, and design peers to gather feedback and build consensus. Regularly share work with the design discipline and executive leadership, acting as a domain expert for assigned product areas.
• Employ a Test, Learn, and Iterate methodology, working alongside product peers to continuously refine and improve user-facing features.
• Actively contribute to and maintain components within Discord's Design System library, promoting consistency and efficiency in design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "design lead without a cross-functional product team" and "oversee the user experience from idea to market" suggests a senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and strategic influence, rather than direct people management. The responsibility for "quality leader" and "pixel perfection" highlights the importance of meticulous execution alongside strategic design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user-centered design methodologies, and visual communication is expected, typically gained through a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of experience designing modern consumer-focused products, with a proven track record of leading design for multiple product teams.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in leading the full end-to-end product development process, from initial concept and user research to final launch and iteration.
• High proficiency in Figma for design creation, wireframing, mockups, and prototyping.
• Demonstrable skill in using high-fidelity prototyping tools such as Protopie, Framer, or Origami to create immersive user experiences.
• Exceptional visual design skills with a keen eye for detail and a focus on creating delightful and engaging product experiences.
• Proven ability to manage personal timelines and deliverables, demonstrating strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Experience in contributing to or maintaining a Design System library, ensuring consistency and scalability in design.
• A strong understanding of user-centered design principles and modern consumer product trends.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and rationale to diverse audiences, including leadership.
• An ownership mindset with a bias towards action, capable of driving projects forward independently.
• Low ego, with a focus on collaborative progress and continuous growth.

Preferred Skills:

• Direct experience in the gaming space or a strong personal affinity for gaming and its community dynamics.
• Experience designing for both desktop and mobile platforms, demonstrating versatility across different user contexts.
• Familiarity with user research methodologies and the ability to translate user feedback into actionable design improvements.
• Experience working within an "EPAD" (Engineering, Product, Analytics, Design) organizational structure, understanding cross-functional collaboration dynamics.
• Strategic thinking capabilities to influence product strategy and scope.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "frequent personal use of Discord" and "preference towards those with direct use of the gaming space/experience" indicates that a deep understanding of the Discord ecosystem and its primary user base is highly valued. The "low ego" and "ownership mindset" are key cultural indicators for this senior role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing at least 5+ years of product design experience, with a strong emphasis on modern consumer-focused products.
• Detailed case studies demonstrating your role as the primary designer on projects that have been shipped to market.
• Evidence of work on both desktop and mobile platforms, illustrating your ability to design for diverse user environments and interaction models.
• Projects that highlight your strategic thinking, product principles, and systems design capabilities in solving complex user problems.
• Examples of how you have delivered "delight" in product experiences through thoughtful visual design and micro-interactions.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline the design process followed, including problem definition, user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration phases.
• Demonstrate how user feedback and data (from analytics or A/B testing) were incorporated into the design process to drive improvements and inform decisions.
• Showcase your approach to systems design and how you ensure consistency and scalability, particularly in relation to design systems.
• Clearly articulate the impact of your design decisions, ideally with quantifiable metrics demonstrating business value or user outcome improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior product designer, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing polished visuals. It must demonstrate strategic problem-solving, end-to-end ownership, collaboration, and a measurable impact on product success and user experience. The "quality leader" aspect implies a need to showcase meticulous attention to detail and a drive for pixel-perfect execution.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $196,000 - $220,500 USD per year. This range reflects the base salary only and is determined by role, level, and additional factors such as job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. It does not include equity or benefits.

Benefits:

• Equity: Opportunity to own a part of Discord's growth and success.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Details not specified, but typically includes health, dental, vision insurance, retirement savings plans (e.g., 401k), paid time off, parental leave, and other wellness programs.

Working Hours: The role implies a standard full-time commitment, likely around 40 hours per week, with the expectation of flexibility to meet project deadlines and collaboration needs within the San Francisco Bay Area time zone.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the US market and the San Francisco Bay Area, a high cost-of-living region. This range is competitive for a Senior Product Designer role at a well-established tech company like Discord. The inclusion of "equity" is a significant component of compensation in the tech industry and indicates potential for substantial financial upside.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Social Media / Gaming Platform Company Size: Discord is a significant player in the tech industry, with a substantial user base and a growing employee count. While exact numbers for this specific "EPAD" organization aren't detailed, the company as a whole operates at a scale that demands robust processes and collaborative environments. Founded: Discord was founded in 2015. Its rapid growth and evolution have established it as a key platform, particularly within the gaming community, and increasingly for broader social connections.

Team Structure:

• EPAD Organization: The role is situated within an "EPAD" organization, which integrates Engineering, Product, Analytics, and Design functions. This structure promotes close collaboration and data-driven decision-making.
• Design Discipline: You will be part of a growing design team, collaborating with peers across various product areas to ensure consistency and share best practices.
• Cross-functional Partnership: Core responsibilities involve close partnership with Product Managers and Engineers, forming a core product team for specific initiatives.

Methodology:

• Data-Informed Design: The inclusion of an Analytics function within the EPAD structure suggests a strong emphasis on using data to inform design decisions, measure impact, and drive iteration.
• User-Centered Approach: The focus on improving core product value and user experience implies a deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Discord's user base.
• Iterative Development: The "Test, Learn, and Iterate" methodology highlights a dynamic product development process where continuous improvement is key.

Company Website: https://discord.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Discord's culture is often described as focused on community, authenticity, and passion for gaming. The "EPAD" structure indicates a lean, agile, and data-centric approach to product development, which is crucial for a platform serving millions of active users.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a position of significant responsibility and influence within the design team. It requires not only strong individual design skills but also leadership in guiding product strategy and execution. Reporting Structure: You will act as a design lead within your immediate team and will report into design leadership, while also collaborating closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads. You will present work to organizational leadership, including executive leadership. Operations Impact: As a Senior Product Designer on the Core Product team, your work will directly impact the daily experience of millions of Discord users globally. Your designs will shape the fundamental ways people connect, communicate, and engage with games on the platform, directly influencing user retention, engagement, and overall platform value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Develop leadership skills by guiding product strategy, influencing cross-functional teams, and mentoring junior designers (even without direct reports).
• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of product design, such as systems design, interaction design for complex platforms, or user research methodologies.
• Platform Impact: Gain experience designing for a massive, diverse user base and a critical platform in the gaming and social communication landscape.
• Career Advancement: Potential to move into Lead Product Designer, Group Product Designer, or management roles within Discord's growing design organization.
• Industry Recognition: Contribute to a product used by millions, potentially leading to recognition within the design and tech communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the responsibilities outlined suggest this role is a critical step for designers looking to lead significant product initiatives and influence the direction of a major consumer platform. The growth potential is tied to both individual contribution and the ability to collaborate and influence effectively.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site role located in the San Francisco Bay Area. This implies a traditional office setting designed to foster collaboration and in-person interaction. Office Location(s): Discord has offices in the San Francisco Bay Area. Specific details regarding the office amenities and exact location within the Bay Area would be provided during the interview process. The requirement stipulates residing in or willingness to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is expected to facilitate spontaneous interactions, team meetings, and brainstorming sessions crucial for design work.
• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, prototyping tools) and company-provided hardware is assumed. Integration with the EPAD team's tech stack will be essential.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct collaboration with engineers, product managers, analysts, and fellow designers, both within the immediate team and across the broader design discipline.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time (estimated 40 hours/week) with flexibility expected to meet project demands. The on-site nature encourages a structured work environment, but the emphasis on ownership and results may allow for some autonomy in managing daily schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in the San Francisco Bay Area indicates a company culture that values in-person collaboration and the benefits of a shared physical workspace for innovation and team cohesion. Relocation assistance is mentioned, suggesting flexibility for strong candidates outside the immediate area.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest.
• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Expect a dedicated session where you present your portfolio, discussing your process, strategic thinking, and impact on past projects. This may be accompanied by a design challenge (take-home or live) to assess your problem-solving skills, design execution, and ability to work within Discord's context.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other Designers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and strategic alignment.
• Leadership Interview: A final interview with senior design or product leadership to assess overall fit, strategic vision, and leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process, the challenges you faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes.
• Highlight Strategy & Impact: Emphasize your strategic thinking and how your design decisions directly contributed to business goals or improved user experience metrics. Quantify impact whenever possible.
• Showcase Process: Detail your workflow, from user research and ideation to prototyping and iteration. Demonstrate your understanding of user-centered design principles.
• Demonstrate Craftsmanship: Showcase high-quality visual design and attention to detail. Ensure your prototypes are well-executed and clearly communicate your vision.
• Tailor to Discord: If possible, subtly weave in how your approach and experience align with Discord's mission, gaming focus, and community-driven nature.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Core Product: Familiarize yourself deeply with Discord's core features, user base, and competitive landscape, especially concerning gaming.
• Focus on User Needs: For any given challenge, prioritize identifying the user problem and designing a solution that is intuitive, valuable, and aligned with Discord's brand.
• Articulate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss design trade-offs, rationale, and potential future iterations. Demonstrate an understanding of technical constraints and business objectives.
• Present Clearly: Practice presenting your solutions concisely and effectively, highlighting key design decisions and their justification.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "pixel perfection," "quality leader," and "delight in every product experience" suggests that the portfolio review and any design challenges will scrutinize not only strategic thinking but also the execution quality of the design work.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Mandatory for wireframing, mockups, and collaborative design. High proficiency is expected.
• High-Fidelity Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in at least one tool such as Protopie, Framer, or Origami is required for creating interactive and realistic prototypes.
• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools or processes for contributing to and utilizing design system libraries (e.g., within Figma).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly a designer tool, understanding how to interpret data from analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, internal tools) is crucial for iterative design. Experience using or collaborating with data analysts on metrics related to user engagement, retention, and feature adoption is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant for this design role, but an understanding of how design impacts user workflows within broader CRM or automation systems might be a plus in understanding the end-to-end user journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and specific prototyping tools points to the core day-to-day toolkit for this role. The emphasis on design systems highlights the need for scalable and consistent design practices within a large organization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Community & Belonging: Discord's core mission revolves around creating spaces for people to belong. This value likely permeates the design team's approach to creating inclusive and welcoming user experiences.
• Passion for Gaming: A genuine interest in and understanding of the gaming world is highly valued, reflecting the platform's origins and primary user base.
• Ownership & Action: A bias towards taking initiative, driving projects forward, and holding oneself accountable for outcomes.
• Collaboration & Feedback: An environment where open communication, constructive feedback, and teamwork are essential for success.
• Growth & Learning: A culture that encourages continuous learning, skill development, and personal growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The "EPAD" structure signifies a deeply integrated approach where designers work hand-in-hand with engineers and product managers from ideation to launch.
• Design Discipline Cohesion: Regular collaboration with other designers to ensure consistency, share learnings, and collectively elevate the design standard across the platform.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Proactive communication and presentation of work to various stakeholders, including leadership, to build consensus and gather diverse perspectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: Discord's culture is known for being authentic, community-focused, and passionate. For a designer, this means creating experiences that resonate with a highly engaged user base and contributing to a collaborative environment that values direct feedback and shared ownership.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Core Experiences: Designing for a massive, diverse, and highly active user base while maintaining simplicity and performance in core product functionalities.
• Balancing User Needs: Evolving core features to meet the needs of both long-time gamers and new users from broader interest groups.
• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience across a rapidly evolving platform with multiple product teams.
• Driving Strategic Impact: Translating design vision into tangible product improvements that demonstrably enhance user engagement and platform value.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Platform Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of a complex, multi-platform product used by millions globally.
• Cross-functional Acumen: Hone skills in collaborating with engineering, product management, and analytics in a fast-paced tech environment.
• Design Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead design initiatives, mentor peers informally, and influence product strategy.
• Industry Exposure: Work on a product at the forefront of online community and gaming, potentially attending industry events or participating in design forums.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working on a popular, rapidly growing platform. The growth opportunities are substantial, particularly for designers looking to take on more strategic responsibility and impact a large-scale consumer product.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design for a core feature of a consumer product from concept to launch. What was your process, what were the challenges, and what was the impact?" (Focus on end-to-end ownership, strategic thinking, and measurable results.)
• "How do you ensure design quality and pixel-perfect implementation when working with engineering teams? What is your role as a 'quality leader'?" (Highlight your attention to detail, communication with engineers, and commitment to design fidelity.)
• "Walk us through a complex user problem you solved using systems design principles. How did you ensure scalability and consistency?" (Demonstrate your understanding of design systems and thoughtful architecture.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why Discord? What is your personal connection to the platform, especially within the gaming context?" (Show genuine enthusiasm and understanding of Discord's mission and user base.)
• "How do you approach collaboration within an EPAD structure? How do you build consensus with Product Managers and Engineers?" (Emphasize your teamwork, communication skills, and ability to influence.)
• "Describe a situation where you had to manage competing priorities or tight deadlines. How did you exercise judgment and manage your own timelines?" (Highlight your organizational skills and ability to deliver under pressure.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Clearly define the problem, your role, your process, your solutions, and the outcomes for each project.
• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups and interactive prototypes to showcase your craft and the user experience.
• Narrative: Tell a compelling story that highlights your strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and impact.
• Quantify: Whenever possible, present data or metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Expect detailed questions about your decisions, trade-offs, and how you handled challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess not only design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and cultural fit. Be prepared to articulate your design philosophy and demonstrate how you embody Discord's values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best showcase your experience in leading core product design for consumer-facing applications, ideally on both desktop and mobile. Ensure these projects clearly demonstrate your strategic thinking, end-to-end process, and measurable outcomes.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of experience in consumer product design, leadership roles, proficiency in Figma and prototyping tools, and any experience relevant to gaming or community platforms. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on your role, design process, strategic rationale, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss how your approach aligns with Discord's mission and user base.
• Research Discord: Deeply understand Discord's core product, its mission, its community, and its position in the gaming and social communication landscape. Familiarize yourself with their design system and recent product updates.

⚠️ 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.

---