Senior Product Designer (UI/UX)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer (UI/UX)

Company: Fractory

Location: Tallinn, Estonia; Tartu, Estonia

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UI/UX Operations

Date Posted: 2025-11-11T10:30:12

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in transforming complex engineering workflows into intuitive and visually appealing user experiences within a digital manufacturing platform.

• The Senior Product Designer will be instrumental in maintaining and evolving the company's design system, ensuring consistency and usability across all interfaces.

• A key responsibility will involve close collaboration with product managers, developers, and account managers to rapidly ship high-quality designs.

• The position requires a blend of strategic design thinking and hands-on execution, supporting both platform features and marketing/sales collateral.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the responsibilities also encompass marketing and sales design needs, suggesting a broader "GTM Design Operations" or "Product Marketing Design" component, which is common in fast-growing tech companies where design teams support multiple facets of the business. The emphasis on design systems and complex engineering workflows points towards a strong UI/UX operations focus.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iteratively refine user interfaces for web and platform features, ensuring a seamless and engaging user journey.

• Own the maintenance and continuous improvement of the company's design system, documenting components, patterns, and guidelines for consistent application.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers to translate complex requirements and user needs into clear, functional, and aesthetically pleasing designs.

• Partner with Engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing detailed specifications and assets, and offering ongoing support throughout the development cycle.

• Conduct user interviews, usability testing, and feedback sessions to gather insights, validate design hypotheses, and drive user-centric design decisions.

• Develop clear and intuitive user experiences for complex engineering and manufacturing workflows, simplifying intricate processes for customers.

• Support marketing and sales initiatives by creating compelling visuals for campaigns, landing pages, presentations, and other essential materials that align with Fractory's brand identity.

• Balance the demands of an agile development environment, delivering high-quality designs at a pace that supports rapid product iteration and market responsiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The inclusion of "Supporting marketing and sales design needs" suggests this role operates at the intersection of Product Design and GTM Operations, requiring the designer to understand how design impacts lead generation, customer acquisition, and brand perception. This amplifies the need for strong visual design skills alongside UX/UI expertise.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating proficiency in design principles and application is paramount. A degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is beneficial but not strictly required if experience and portfolio are robust.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in digital product design, with a significant portion dedicated to UI/UX design for web-based platforms and applications. Experience in evolving and maintaining design systems is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Proven ability to design end-to-end user experiences for complex digital products.

• UI Design Proficiency: Mastery in creating visually appealing, intuitive, and consistent user interfaces.

• UX Design Methodology: Strong understanding of user-centered design principles, user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.

• Design Systems Management: Experience in building, maintaining, and scaling design systems, including component libraries and style guides.

• User Research & Feedback: Demonstrated ability to conduct user interviews and feedback sessions to inform design decisions.

• Problem-Solving Agility: Capacity for fast ideation and practical, efficient problem-solving in a dynamic environment.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales) and stakeholders.

• System Thinking: Ability to think in terms of interconnected systems and manage large, complex interfaces.

• Technical Proficiency: Expertise with design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, and InVision.

• Visual Design Tools: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) for asset creation and manipulation.

• Language Proficiency: Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the manufacturing, engineering technology, or B2B SaaS sectors.

• Understanding of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better inform design decisions and collaboration with developers.

• Experience designing for both B2B platforms and marketing/sales collateral.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and their impact on design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "5+ years of experience" and the emphasis on "design systems" and "complex engineering workflows" clearly position this as a senior-level role. The blend of UI/UX and marketing design suggests a candidate comfortable with a broad spectrum of design challenges, requiring strong strategic thinking and execution capabilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant product design projects, with a clear emphasis on UI/UX for web applications.

• Detailed case studies that articulate the design process, including problem definition, user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and final implementation outcomes.

• Demonstration of experience in maintaining or contributing to a design system, including examples of reusable components, style guides, and their application.

• Evidence of how user feedback and data were incorporated into the design process to drive improvements and validate design decisions.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio entries should detail the specific design processes followed for each project, highlighting any custom workflows or methodologies employed.

• Demonstrate an understanding of iterative design processes, including how designs were tested, refined, and implemented in an agile development cycle.

• Provide insights into how design decisions were communicated and justified to cross-functional teams, especially product managers and developers.

• Showcase an ability to document design decisions, component usage, and system guidelines clearly and concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just showcasing final visuals. Candidates must detail their process, showing how they tackled complex problems, collaborated with teams, and leveraged design systems. The emphasis on "complex engineering workflows" means specific examples of simplifying technical interfaces will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Estonia with 5+ years of experience, and considering the competitive benefits package, a typical annual salary range would be €45,000 - €65,000. This estimate accounts for the cost of living in Tallinn and Tartu, and the specialized skill set required for this role.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: A salary commensurate with experience and market rates.

• Equity Options: Opportunity to own a stake in Fractory's growth and success.

• Wellness Benefit: €100 per quarter provided through Stebby for health and wellness activities, promoting work-life balance.

• Private Health Insurance: Comprehensive coverage through Confido, with an annual coverage limit of up to €10,350, ensuring access to quality healthcare.

• International Team Environment: Opportunity to work with a diverse and global team.

• Modern Tools & Technology: Access to up-to-date design software and collaborative platforms.

• Mission-Driven Work: Contribution to a company that is actively transforming the manufacturing industry.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, aligning with full-time employment. While on-site is preferred, Fractory operates with an agile mindset, suggesting potential flexibility in daily schedules, provided core collaboration hours and project deadlines are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on industry data for senior-level design roles in Estonia. The benefits package, including equity and significant health insurance coverage, indicates a company that invests in its employees and offers a strong total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Manufacturing, Engineering, SaaS. Fractory operates at the intersection of advanced manufacturing and digital platforms, aiming to automate and streamline the process of on-demand parts production. This positions the company within a rapidly evolving industrial technology sector.

Company Size: Fractory is a growing tech company. While the exact size isn't specified, the presence of multiple locations and a structured hiring process suggests a team that has moved beyond startup phase and is scaling its operations and product development. This implies a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact.

Founded: Fractory was founded with the mission to revolutionize manufacturing. The company's history is rooted in innovation, aiming to make custom part manufacturing accessible and efficient through technology.

Team Structure:

• The design team is integrated within the broader product development function, working collaboratively with Product Managers and Engineers.

• The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product or a Design Lead, with direct interaction with the Co-Founder/CTO during the hiring process.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasizing user interviews and feedback sessions indicates a commitment to user-centric design informed by real-world data and insights.

• Agile Development: The mention of "agile environment" and "shipping great designs fast" points to iterative development cycles, rapid prototyping, and continuous improvement.

• Systemic Approach: The focus on maintaining and evolving a design system highlights a commitment to scalability, consistency, and efficient design production.

Company Website: https://careers.fractory.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Fractory's mission to disrupt traditional manufacturing with technology suggests a culture of innovation, efficiency, and problem-solving. The emphasis on collaboration and user feedback indicates a mature product development approach.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level Product Design role. It signifies a position of significant responsibility where the individual is expected to not only execute design tasks but also to influence product strategy, mentor junior designers (if applicable), and champion design best practices. The scope includes platform features, design systems, and supporting GTM efforts.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Product Lead or Head of Design. They will work closely with Product Managers for feature development and Engineers for implementation. The interview process involves direct interaction with the Co-Founder/CTO, indicating the strategic importance of this role.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer's impact is substantial. By creating intuitive interfaces and a robust design system, they directly influence user adoption, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency for Fractory's clients. Their work in supporting marketing and sales design also directly aids GTM efforts, impacting lead generation and brand perception.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Potential: As a senior member, there's a clear path to potentially leading design initiatives, managing a design team, or specializing in critical areas like design systems or user research.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to play a key role in shaping the product roadmap and design strategy for a company disrupting a major industry.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning through complex design challenges, exposure to cutting-edge technology, and collaboration with a skilled international team. Potential for specialized training or certifications in advanced design tools or methodologies.

• Career Advancement: Progression to Lead Product Designer, Head of Design, or specialized roles within product management or GTM strategy, depending on individual career aspirations and company growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The seniority of this role implies expectations of proactive contribution to product strategy and design operations. Growth opportunities are likely tied to the company's expansion and the designer's ability to take on more leadership and strategic responsibilities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based on-site in either Tallinn or Tartu, Estonia. This suggests a traditional office environment designed for collaboration, team meetings, and focused work.

Office Location(s):

• Tallinn: Volta 1, 10412 Estonia (Harju County)

• Tartu: Turu 2, 51004 Estonia (Tartu County)

These locations offer access to vibrant city centers and established business infrastructure.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office setting is conducive to spontaneous discussions, team brainstorming sessions, and direct interaction with colleagues from product, engineering, and other departments.

• Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to the necessary design software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Suite) and hardware to perform their duties effectively. The company fosters the use of modern tools.

• Team Interaction: Being on-site facilitates stronger team cohesion, easier knowledge sharing, and a more direct feedback loop, which is crucial for an agile design process.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is 40 hours, aligning with full-time employment. Given the agile nature of the company, there may be flexibility in daily start and end times, provided project deliverables and collaborative needs are met. This allows for efficient management of design tasks and workflow optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement emphasizes the company's value for in-person collaboration, which is often beneficial for complex design problem-solving and fostering a strong team culture.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Step 1: Recruiter Intro Call (30 mins): An initial screening to assess cultural fit, understand career aspirations, and confirm basic qualifications. Preparation: Be ready to briefly discuss your relevant experience and why Fractory appeals to you.

• Step 2: Deep Dive Call with Co-Founder/CTO (1 hour): A more in-depth discussion focusing on your technical skills, design philosophy, and strategic thinking. Preparation: Prepare to discuss specific projects, your approach to complex design problems, and your understanding of Fractory's mission.

• Step 3: Office Meet-up, Presentation & Team Meet-up (1.5 hours): This stage involves a home assignment (sent prior) followed by a presentation of your work and a session with the team. Preparation: Focus on structuring your portfolio presentation to highlight your process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be ready to engage with team members and discuss your collaborative style.

• Step 4: Final Call with Leadership: A concluding conversation to discuss overall fit and answer any remaining questions. Preparation: Demonstrate a clear understanding of Fractory's business and how your design contributions will drive value.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your UI/UX skills, design system experience, and ability to tackle complex engineering workflows. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, your design solutions, and the measurable impact or outcomes.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your thought process, research methods, iterations, and collaboration points. This is crucial for a senior role.

• Design System Emphasis: Clearly present your experience with design systems – how you contributed to them, maintained them, and ensured their consistent application.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is visually polished, easy to navigate, and clearly communicates your design aesthetic and attention to detail.

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

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Assignment: Thoroughly analyze the home assignment provided by Fractory. Identify the core problem and the expected deliverables.

• Focus on Process: Even for a home assignment, outline your thought process. Think about how you would approach this in a real-world scenario at Fractory.

• Presentation Skills: Practice presenting your work concisely and engagingly. Be prepared to answer questions about your decisions and rationale.

• Stakeholder Empathy: Consider how your design solutions would be received by different stakeholders (users, developers, product managers, sales).

📝 Enhancement Note: The multi-stage interview process, including a home assignment and presentation, is standard for senior design roles. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just design skills but also strategic thinking, collaboration capabilities, and how they align with Fractory's values and mission.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. The company's primary tool for interface design and design system management.

• Sketch: May be used for legacy projects or specific design tasks, though Figma is often the modern standard.

• InVision: Likely used for advanced prototyping, design handoff, and collaboration, especially if not fully integrated within Figma.

• Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and advanced graphic design tasks.

• Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, icons, and detailed illustrations.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tools are specified for the designer's primary use, but understanding how design impacts user journeys within a CRM or marketing automation context (e.g., landing pages, email templates) is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost certainly a core requirement, given its industry dominance for UI/UX and design system work. Experience with the broader Adobe Creative Suite is also standard for visual design aspects, especially marketing collateral.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Quality: A commitment to high standards in design execution, user experience, and overall product polish.

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for design outcomes, from initial concept through to implementation and iteration. This includes driving projects forward and making decisions independently.

• Courage: Willingness to challenge assumptions, propose bold ideas, and navigate complex problems with confidence. This extends to constructive feedback and open discussion.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams, valuing diverse perspectives, and building consensus.

• Efficiency: A drive to optimize processes, streamline workflows, and deliver results effectively, particularly within an agile framework.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with product managers, engineers, account managers, and marketing/sales teams, fostering a cohesive product development lifecycle.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouragement of candid discussions, constructive criticism, and a willingness to both give and receive feedback to improve designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across teams to elevate collective understanding and execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values of "Quality, Ownership, and Courage" are strong indicators of the desired mindset for this senior role. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate these qualities through their portfolio and interview responses.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: In an agile, fast-paced environment, maintaining high design quality while meeting rapid development timelines will be a key challenge. Mitigation involves strong design system utilization and efficient workflows.

• Simplifying Complex Workflows: Translating intricate engineering and manufacturing processes into user-friendly interfaces requires deep empathy and creative problem-solving.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring all stakeholders (product, engineering, sales, marketing) are aligned on design decisions and priorities can be demanding.

• Evolving Design System: Continuously updating and expanding a design system to meet new feature requirements and maintain consistency across a growing platform.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to hone expertise in complex UI/UX design, design system architecture, and potentially user research methodologies.

• Industry Exposure: Working within the innovative field of digital manufacturing and B2B SaaS provides exposure to unique industry challenges and opportunities.

• Strategic Impact: Gaining experience in influencing product strategy and contributing to the growth of a disruptive technology company.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers and learn from experienced leadership, including the CTO.

• Professional Growth: The company's growth trajectory offers ample opportunities for career advancement into leadership or specialized design roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant challenges that are also excellent growth opportunities. Candidates who thrive on complex problem-solving and have a proactive approach to learning will find this position rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a user experience for a complex technical or engineering workflow. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" Preparation: Focus on your problem-solving approach, user research, simplification strategies, and quantifiable results.

• "How do you approach maintaining and evolving a design system in a fast-paced agile environment?" Preparation: Discuss your experience with component libraries, documentation, governance, and balancing new feature needs with system integrity.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Fractory and our mission to change manufacturing?" Preparation: Research Fractory's platform, market position, and recent news. Connect your passion for design with their industry impact.

• "How do you embody our core values of Quality, Ownership, and Courage in your design work?" Preparation: Prepare specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate these values.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a strong overview of Fractory and your understanding of the role. Then, present 2-3 key case studies, clearly detailing the problem, your process, solutions, and outcomes.

• Process Over Polish: While visuals are important, focus on explaining your thinking and process. Show how you arrived at your solutions, not just the final screens.

• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success and impact of your design work.

• Design System Showcase: Dedicate a portion to your design system experience, explaining your approach and contributions.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Practice your presentation to be clear, engaging, and within the allotted timeframe.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess both technical design skills and cultural fit. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design philosophy, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative approach, backed by strong portfolio evidence.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Fractory careers portal at https://careers.fractory.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your UI/UX expertise, design system contributions, and experience with complex workflows, aligning with Fractory's B2B SaaS and manufacturing context.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 5+ years of relevant experience, emphasizing achievements in product design, UI/UX, and any experience with design systems or marketing collateral. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving strategies, and collaborative approach. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to quality, ownership, and courage.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Fractory, its platform, its mission, and its place in the digital manufacturing industry. Understand their target audience and business goals to better align your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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.