Sr. Product Designer - Contract to Hire - Remote

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Product Designer (UI/UX & User Research) - Contract to Hire Company: PeopleConnect Staffing (Client Company Undisclosed) Location: Remote (United States Time Zones) Job Type: Contractor Category: Product Design / UX/UI Date Posted: 2025-10-01 Experience Level: 7+ Years Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is for a Sr. Product Designer with a strong focus on UI/UX and User Research, specializing in AI-first product experiences.
• The designer will be responsible for the end-to-end design process, from initial user research to final interaction design, for core product features.
• Key areas of focus include crafting intuitive AI chat interfaces, complex AI output workflows, and ensuring user trust and transparency in AI products.
• The position is a contract role with a strong intention to convert to full-time employment, offering a path to long-term engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is for a Senior Product Designer, implying a need for strategic design thinking, ownership, and the ability to mentor. The "Contract to Hire" nature suggests the company is looking for a candidate who can quickly integrate and demonstrate value, with a view towards long-term contribution. The focus on AI and complex B2B software indicates a need for a designer who can translate intricate technical concepts into user-friendly experiences.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design process for core product features, from conceptualization to launch, with a focus on AI-first experiences.
• Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, usability testing, and behavioral analysis, to inform design decisions.
• Design intuitive and engaging conversational interfaces and AI chat experiences that feel natural and helpful.
• Develop clear and accessible workflows for complex AI outputs such as generated content, data analysis, and predictions.
• Create and maintain a scalable design system across web and mobile platforms, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
• Design adaptive interfaces that personalize user experiences based on behavior and preferences.
• Solve novel UX challenges related to AI transparency, explainability, and building user trust.
• Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers to translate user needs and business goals into effective design solutions.
• Build responsive and accessible user interfaces that perform optimally across all devices.
• Design engaging onboarding flows that quickly guide users to key value propositions ("aha" moments).
• Synthesize quantitative and qualitative data to drive data-informed design iterations and improvements.
• Develop user personas, journey maps, and opportunity frameworks to articulate user needs and product strategy.
• Establish and champion design principles and UX guidelines specifically for AI-powered products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on role with significant ownership. The expectation to "own the complete design process for major product areas from 0-to-1" signifies a need for a proactive and self-directed individual. The emphasis on AI-specific UX challenges (transparency, explainability, trust) is a critical differentiator for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, or a related field is considered a strong asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional product design experience, with a significant portion in fast-growing tech companies.
• Proven track record of successfully designing and shipping complex products, ideally in the AI/ML, developer tools, or sophisticated B2B software domains.
• Extensive experience in conducting user research (qualitative and quantitative) and translating research insights into actionable design solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to balance user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints effectively.

Required Skills:

• Design Excellence: Expert proficiency in Figma and modern prototyping tools (e.g., ProtoPie, Principle).
• UI/UX Design: Strong command of visual design principles, interaction design, and information architecture.
• User Research: Proven ability to plan, execute, and synthesize findings from various user research methodologies.
• AI/ML Product Design: Experience designing for AI/ML-powered products, understanding unique UX challenges.
• Design Systems: Experience in creating, implementing, and scaling comprehensive design systems.
• Accessibility & Ethics: Strong advocate for and practical application of accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including engineers and product managers.
• Communication: Excellent presentation skills with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and rationale to diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with frontend development technologies such as HTML, CSS, and React, enabling better understanding of technical trade-offs and design handoffs.
• Experience with quantitative analysis, A/B testing, and leveraging data to drive design decisions.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies like AR/VR, voice interfaces, and multimodal AI.
• Experience with motion design, micro-interactions, and advanced prototyping techniques.
• Background in HCI, cognitive science, or related fields.
• Experience at leading AI companies (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Midjourney) or designing AI products.
• Design leadership experience, including mentoring junior designers and scaling design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 7+ years of experience, coupled with the "Sr." title, suggests that candidates are expected to be self-sufficient, strategic thinkers, and capable of leading design initiatives with minimal supervision. The emphasis on AI/ML product experience and technical collaboration (React, TypeScript) points towards a need for a designer who can bridge the gap between complex technology and user experience.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio is mandatory, showcasing end-to-end design processes for shipped products.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of user research methodologies and how insights influenced design decisions.
• Include case studies that highlight problem-solving skills, design iterations, and final outcomes.
• Showcase experience with AI/ML products, detailing the unique challenges and solutions.
• Highlight contributions to design systems, illustrating their impact on product consistency and scalability.
• Evidence of designing for complex workflows and translating them into intuitive user experiences.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail the design process, from problem definition and user research to ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
• Clearly articulate the rationale behind key design decisions, referencing user data and business objectives.
• Illustrate the application of design systems and their role in the product development lifecycle.
• Demonstrate an understanding of agile development methodologies and how design integrates within them.
• Examples of how accessibility and ethical design considerations were incorporated into the process.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role, the portfolio is crucial. It should not just present finished work but articulate the thinking and process behind it, especially concerning AI products. The ability to demonstrate impact through metrics and user feedback is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $60 - $70 per hour. This range is based on the provided input. For a Sr. Product Designer role in the US, this hourly rate typically translates to an annual salary between $124,800 and $145,600 for a full-time equivalent (assuming 40 hours/week). Given the stated 25-35 hours/week, the actual earnings would be prorated.

Benefits (As a Contractor):

• Potential for conversion to full-time employment with a comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI technology with a fast-growing startup.
• Flexible remote work environment within US time zones.
• Exposure to a dynamic and innovative product development cycle.

Working Hours: 25-35 hours per week. This indicates a part-time to near full-time commitment initially, with flexibility in scheduling within US time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hourly rate is competitive for a senior-level remote contract designer in the US market, especially for specialized skills in AI product design. The "Contract to Hire" aspect means benefits will likely be limited during the contract phase, with a full package offered upon conversion. The part-time nature of the contract allows for flexibility but requires efficient time management.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on AI-driven solutions for organizations and communities. The company aims to combine AI with a deep understanding of human and community dynamics. Company Size: The description implies a startup environment that is "ready to scale." This suggests a lean, agile team with a high degree of impact and rapid growth potential. Founded: Founded by experienced leaders in technology, product strategy, and go-to-market execution, indicating a strong foundation in product development and business strategy.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design function will likely be integrated tightly with Product Management and Engineering.
• As a senior designer, you may be the sole or primary designer initially, working closely with a small, dedicated team.
• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, with frequent interaction with engineers, product managers, and potentially founders.
• The team is likely to operate with a startup mentality, emphasizing speed, agility, and iterative development.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is a core tenet, utilizing both quantitative analysis (A/B testing, usage metrics) and qualitative insights (user research).
• Agile and iterative development processes are expected, with a focus on rapid prototyping and user feedback loops.
• Emphasis on building intelligent, human-centered solutions, suggesting a thoughtful approach to AI integration.
• Design principles and UX guidelines will be established and followed to ensure consistency and quality.

Company Website: PeopleConnect Staffing (Client company details not disclosed in the listing).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "startup mindset" and "fast-growing" nature suggest a dynamic, potentially ambiguous environment where initiative, adaptability, and a proactive approach are highly valued. The founders' experience implies a culture that respects product strategy and execution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to influence product direction. It also implies a potential leadership trajectory.

Reporting Structure: Likely reporting to a Head of Product, CTO, or a Founder, depending on the current organizational structure. The role will involve close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on the company's core product, user acquisition, retention, and overall user satisfaction. By crafting intuitive AI experiences, the designer will be instrumental in making complex technology accessible and valuable, driving adoption and user engagement.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Head of Design role as the company scales and the design team expands.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI/ML product design, user research methodologies, and design systems.
• Ownership: Take on increasing ownership of product areas and strategic design initiatives.
• Full-Time Conversion: Transition to a full-time role with standard benefits, offering long-term career stability and growth within the company.
• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to building a strong design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Contract to Hire" model is a significant growth opportunity, providing a trial period for both the candidate and the company. Success in this role could lead to a permanent position with substantial impact and career advancement potential within a rapidly growing AI startup.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. The role is designed for individuals comfortable working independently from their home office.

Office Location(s): Remote within United States time zones. This requires candidates to be based in and legally able to work in the United States and align with core US business hours.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomy: Expect a high degree of autonomy and self-management.
• Collaboration Tools: Reliance on digital collaboration tools (Slack, Notion, Linear, GitHub) for communication and project management.
• Design Tools: Access to industry-standard design and research tools (Figma, Maze, UserTesting, Amplitude).
• Team Interaction: While remote, expect regular virtual meetings, design critiques, and collaborative sessions with the product and engineering teams.

Work Schedule: 25-35 hours per week, with flexibility within US time zones. This requires excellent time management to meet project deadlines and participate in team syncs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature demands strong self-discipline, proactive communication, and comfort with digital collaboration tools. The flexibility in hours is a benefit, but candidates must ensure they are available for critical team meetings and collaboration periods.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your resume and portfolio for initial fit.
• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, focusing on key projects, your design process, and your experience with AI/ML products. Be prepared to discuss your rationale, challenges, and outcomes.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or a live design challenge focused on a relevant problem, assessing your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to articulate solutions.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit.
• Founder/Leadership Interview: A final interview with a founder or senior leader to discuss strategic vision, cultural alignment, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills relevant to AI product design, end-to-end process, and user research.
• Showcase AI Experience: Prioritize projects involving AI/ML, complex data visualization, or sophisticated B2B applications.
• Detail Your Process: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the methodologies used (research, ideation, testing), key decisions, trade-offs, and the final impact (metrics, user feedback).
• Highlight Collaboration: Describe how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to articulate your design decisions, the "why" behind them, and how you handled constraints or challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with AI concepts and common UX challenges in AI products (e.g., explainability, trust, bias).
• Practice articulating your design process and rationale concisely.
• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a problem from user research through to solutioning.
• Think about how you would balance user needs with business goals and technical feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI and end-to-end ownership means interviewers will scrutinize your portfolio for evidence of strategic thinking, deep user understanding, and the ability to navigate complex technical domains. Be ready to defend your design choices with data and user-centric reasoning.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design: Figma (expert proficiency required), Adobe Creative Suite.
• Prototyping: Principle, ProtoPie (experience valued).
• User Research: Maze, UserTesting, Hotjar, Amplitude, Mixpanel (familiarity expected).
• Collaboration: Linear, Notion, Slack, GitHub (day-to-day usage).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Amplitude, Mixpanel: For understanding user behavior and product adoption metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• Not explicitly mentioned, but familiarity with how design impacts CRM or automation platforms could be a plus.

Frontend Understanding:

• React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS: While not a coding role, understanding these technologies is crucial for effective collaboration with engineers and realistic design handoffs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a baseline requirement. Experience with user research and analytics tools like Amplitude or Mixpanel is critical for demonstrating a data-driven approach. Understanding React and related frontend technologies will significantly enhance your ability to collaborate with the engineering team and ensure feasible design implementations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centered AI: A core value likely revolves around creating AI solutions that are not just technologically advanced but also deeply empathetic and user-focused.
• Innovation & Vision: A drive to push boundaries in AI product design and create novel, magical user experiences.
• Data-Driven: Decisions are informed by user data and performance metrics, ensuring that design efforts are impactful and aligned with business goals.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close teamwork across product, engineering, and design functions.
• Agility & Adaptability: A startup culture that embraces rapid iteration, learning, and adapting to changing market needs and technological advancements.
• Excellence & Ownership: A commitment to high-quality design outcomes and taking personal responsibility for product success.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with frequent interaction between design, product, and engineering.
• Emphasis on open feedback loops, design critiques, and shared problem-solving.
• Expect a fast-paced environment where cross-functional teams work closely to iterate quickly.
• Communication will be primarily digital, leveraging tools like Slack and Notion for real-time updates and asynchronous discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "intelligent, human-centered solutions" suggests a culture that values both technical prowess and empathy. The "startup mindset" implies a desire for individuals who are proactive, resourceful, and comfortable with ambiguity.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Ambiguity: Working with cutting-edge AI technology often involves exploring uncharted territory, requiring creative problem-solving and comfort with uncertainty.
• Balancing Complexity and Simplicity: Translating sophisticated AI capabilities into intuitive and accessible user experiences.
• Establishing Trust in AI: Designing features that build user confidence and address concerns around AI transparency, ethics, and reliability.
• Rapid Iteration: Adapting to a fast-paced startup environment that requires quick design cycles and frequent adjustments based on feedback and data.
• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and effective communication in a fully remote setting.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Expertise: Gain deep expertise in one of the fastest-growing and most impactful technology sectors.
• Product Strategy: Contribute to defining the strategic direction of a core product from its early stages.
• Cross-Functional Skills: Enhance collaboration and communication skills by working closely with product, engineering, and leadership.
• Leadership Potential: Develop leadership capabilities through mentorship and potential team growth.
• Industry Exposure: Opportunity to work with founders and leaders experienced in scaling tech companies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of early-stage AI startups. Success hinges on a designer's ability to be a proactive problem-solver, a strong communicator, and an adaptable team player. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to make a significant impact and advance their career in AI product design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to designing AI-first products, focusing on user trust, explainability, and intuitive interfaces.
• Articulate how you would balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Explain your process for conducting user research for novel AI features and how you translate insights into actionable design.
• Discuss your experience in developing and scaling design systems, and how you ensure consistency across platforms.
• How would you handle a situation where user feedback conflicts with the product roadmap or technical feasibility?

Company & Culture Questions:

• Research PeopleConnect Staffing if possible, or infer the client's culture from the job description (startup, AI-focused, human-centered).
• How do you contribute to a positive and productive team culture, especially in a remote setting?
• Describe your experience working with engineers and product managers. What makes for a successful cross-functional partnership?
• How do you stay updated on the latest trends in AI, UX design, and emerging technologies?
• What is your understanding of the ethical considerations in AI product design?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure your portfolio presentation around a compelling narrative for each project: the problem, your approach, your solutions, and the impact.
• Highlight AI: Emphasize your specific contributions and learnings from AI-related projects.
• Process is Key: Clearly articulate your design process, including research, ideation, iteration, and validation.
• Quantify Impact: Use metrics and data whenever possible to demonstrate the success of your designs.
• Be Concise & Engaging: Practice your presentation to ensure it's clear, concise, and engaging within the allotted time. Be ready for follow-up questions that probe deeper into your decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely be rigorous, focusing on both your design craft and your strategic thinking, especially concerning AI. Be ready to demonstrate not just what you designed, but why and how you arrived at those solutions, and the impact they had.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Product Designer position:

• Submit your resume and a link to your portfolio to [email protected].
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects demonstrating your experience with complex AI products, end-to-end design processes, and user research. Tailor your case studies to highlight problem-solving specific to AI UX challenges.
• Resume Optimization: Highlight your 7+ years of experience, specific skills in Figma, AI/ML product design, user research, and any experience with collaborative tools like Notion or Linear. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice your portfolio presentation, focusing on articulating your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Prepare for questions about AI ethics, user-centric design, and remote collaboration.
• Company Research: If possible, research PeopleConnect Staffing and the type of clients they serve to better understand the potential company context. Focus on understanding the value proposition of AI solutions in a business context.

⚠️ 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 ([email protected]) before making application decisions.