Sr. Product Designer (L5) - Platform & Tooling

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Product Designer (L5) - Platform & Tooling Company: Instacart Location: USA, Canada - Remote (PT timezone) Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Enablement Date Posted: 2025-07-22T15:20:36 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the design strategy and execution for Instacart's Platform & Tooling, specifically focusing on enhancing self-serve experiences for retail partners within the Connected Stores division.
• Translate complex business requirements and user needs into intuitive, user-centered design solutions for B2B enterprise software, impacting key business metrics for retailers.
• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Engineering, User Research, and other Designers to deliver high-impact, polished product experiences.
• Champion design best practices, including accessibility standards (WCAG) and comprehensive design documentation, to ensure seamless collaboration in a remote, asynchronous work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for enabling Instacart's B2B retail partners through self-serve tooling. While the title is "Product Designer," the focus on "Platform & Tooling" and "Connected Stores" indicates a strong intersection with GTM operations, particularly in how retailers configure, manage, and gain insights from their Instacart integration. The requirement for collaboration with stakeholders in Australia and the PT timezone remote work stipulation highlights the need for exceptional asynchronous communication and a proactive approach to cross-timezone collaboration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design process for new features and improvements within Instacart's retailer self-serve tooling, including products like FoodStorm, Caper, and Inventory Intelligence.
• Conduct user research, synthesize findings, and translate them into user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs that address complex business problems.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of retailer needs and business objectives to inform design decisions and drive product adoption and engagement.
• Create and iterate on intuitive interfaces for complex data visualization and analytics dashboards, enabling retailers to understand and optimize their business performance.
• Craft clear and comprehensive design documentation, including style guides, component libraries, and interaction specifications, to facilitate smooth handoffs to engineering and ensure design consistency.
• Actively participate in design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers, contributing to a culture of continuous design improvement and excellence.
• Adapt design strategies and project priorities in response to evolving business needs and market dynamics, demonstrating agility and resilience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic design thinking and tactical execution within a B2B context. The focus on "self-serve tooling" and "retailer configuration" directly relates to Sales Operations and Customer Success enablement, as these tools are crucial for how retail partners manage their Instacart presence and operations. Experience designing for data and analytics is a key differentiator for success in this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

Experience:

• 5+ years of professional experience in digital product design, with a proven track record of shipping successful products across web and mobile platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in designing B2B tools, enterprise software, or complex platform solutions.
• Proven ability to improve business metrics through user-centered design solutions.
• Experience designing for data visualization, analytics, and reporting interfaces is highly desirable.

Required Skills:

• Digital Product Design: Expertise in the full product design lifecycle, from user research and ideation to prototyping and final visual design.
• User-Centered Design: Deep understanding and application of user-centered design principles to create effective and engaging experiences.
• Visual Design & Craft: Exceptional visual design skills, attention to detail, and a strong portfolio demonstrating a high caliber of design execution.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, User Researchers, and other stakeholders in a collaborative environment.
• Accessibility Standards: Solid understanding and practical application of WCAG accessibility standards to ensure inclusive design.
• Design Documentation: Proficiency in creating and maintaining comprehensive design documentation for remote collaboration.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to untangle complex systems and deliver simple, elegant solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with in-store technology or store associate/restaurant associate tooling.
• Familiarity with A/B testing methodologies and data analysis to inform design decisions.
• Experience in the e-commerce or grocery technology sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a strong portfolio is paramount. Candidates should be prepared to showcase projects that demonstrate their ability to solve complex problems, their design craft, and their impact on business metrics. Experience with enterprise software and B2B tools is a significant advantage, as it indicates an understanding of the unique challenges and user needs within this space, which often mirrors GTM operations requirements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio link (with password if applicable) is mandatory for consideration.
• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 significant projects demonstrating your problem-solving skills, design process, and impact.
• Highlight projects that involve complex systems, B2B platforms, or data-intensive applications.
• Clearly articulate your role and contributions within each project, emphasizing how you translated user needs and business goals into design solutions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in delivering clear, effective, and user-centered design solutions that have demonstrably enhanced business metrics.

Process Documentation:

• Include examples of design documentation, style guides, or component libraries that showcase your ability to maintain design consistency and facilitate collaboration.
• Showcase how you approach information architecture and user flows for tools that require configuration and management of complex data sets.
• Demonstrate your understanding of how to document design decisions and rationale, particularly for remote teams and asynchronous workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations-focused roles, a portfolio should ideally include case studies that detail process improvements, efficiency gains, or the implementation of systems that streamline workflows. While this is a Product Design role, demonstrating an understanding of how design impacts operational efficiency for retailers will be highly valued. Focus on projects where your design decisions led to measurable improvements in user task completion, data accuracy, or system adoption.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• US-Based Candidates:
  • CA, NY, CT, NJ: $167,000 - $185,000 USD per year
  • WA: $160,000 - $178,000 USD per year
  • OR, DE, ME, MA, MD, NH, RI, VT, DC, PA, VA, CO, TX, IL, HI: $153,000 - $170,000 USD per year
  • All other states: $139,000 - $154,000 USD per year
• Canada-Based Candidates (PT Timezone): While specific ranges are not provided, compensation will be highly market-competitive for the Pacific time zone in Canada, adjusted for cost of living and local market standards.

Benefits:

• Equity: Eligibility for new hire equity grants and annual refresh grants, offering a stake in the company's growth.
• Market-Competitive Compensation: Base pay aligned with market standards, varying by location.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Access to a full suite of benefits, details available on the Instacart careers site.
• Flexibility: Instacart operates on a "Flex First" model, allowing employees to choose their work location (home, office, coffee shop) while staying connected.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are assumed (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility provided by the "Flex First" policy. Candidates in the PT timezone will need to accommodate potential overlaps with stakeholders in Australia, suggesting a need for flexibility around core working hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The detailed salary ranges provided for US locations are crucial for candidates to assess compensation. The mention of equity grants is a significant part of the total compensation package. The "Flex First" policy, combined with the PT timezone requirement for Australia collaboration, implies a need for excellent time management and autonomy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / E-commerce / Grocery Delivery Company Size: Instacart is a large, publicly traded company with a significant global presence, employing thousands of individuals. This scale offers resources and opportunities but also requires navigating larger organizational structures. Founded: 2012. Instacart has rapidly evolved from a grocery delivery service to a comprehensive technology platform powering the grocery industry.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Connected Stores team, a strategic area focused on enhancing the in-store customer experience for retail partners.
• This team is likely composed of Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, User Researchers, and Data Analysts, working collaboratively to develop innovative, 0-to-1 products.
• Designers are expected to partner closely with Product Management and Engineering, and potentially collaborate with Marketing and Sales Operations teams to ensure successful product adoption by retailers.

Methodology:

• User-Centricity: A strong emphasis on understanding and designing for user needs, particularly those of retail partners.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing data and analytics to inform design choices and measure the impact of product initiatives.
• Agile Development: Likely working within an agile or iterative development framework, requiring adaptability and continuous feedback loops.
• Remote Collaboration: A mature approach to remote work, emphasizing asynchronous communication, clear documentation, and digital collaboration tools.

Company Website: https://www.instacart.com/company/retailer-platform/connected-stores

📝 Enhancement Note: Instacart's mission to "share love through food" suggests a culture that values connection and customer impact. The "Flex First" approach indicates a trust-based environment that values autonomy and results. For a B2B role, understanding how Instacart's platform empowers retailers is key to aligning with the company's broader operational goals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer (L5). This level implies a high degree of autonomy, the ability to lead projects, and a significant impact on product strategy and execution. It sits at a senior individual contributor level. Reporting Structure: Typically, a Senior Product Designer would report to a Design Lead, Director of Product Design, or Head of Product. They would work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product initiatives. Operations Impact: This role directly impacts Instacart's B2B relationships by providing retailers with tools to manage their operations and enhance their in-store customer experience. Successful design here can lead to increased retailer satisfaction, adoption, and ultimately, revenue growth for both Instacart and its partners.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Principal Designer or Design Lead role, mentoring junior designers and shaping design strategy for larger product areas.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in B2B enterprise design, data visualization, or specific areas of the retail technology landscape.
• Cross-Functional Moves: Opportunities to move into Product Management or related GTM strategy roles, leveraging a deep understanding of the platform and user needs.
• Impactful Projects: Work on innovative, "0-to-1" products that can significantly shape the future of in-store grocery shopping.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "L5" designation at Instacart suggests a significant level of expertise and responsibility. Candidates at this level are expected to not only execute but also to influence strategy and mentor others. The growth path is clearly defined towards senior leadership within the design organization or adjacent product/operations functions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Instacart is a "Flex First" company, meaning there isn't a mandated office location or daily office presence. Employees have the flexibility to work from home, co-working spaces, or other preferred locations. Office Location(s): While the role is remote, Instacart has physical offices, but the specific locations are less relevant given the remote nature. The primary work environment is digital and collaborative.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: The primary workspace is virtual, relying heavily on tools like Slack, Zoom, Figma, and project management software for communication and collaboration.
• Asynchronous Focus: Given the PT timezone requirement for Australia collaboration, the environment supports and expects asynchronous work, requiring clear communication and well-maintained documentation.
• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are embedded within product teams, working daily with product managers, engineers, and researchers.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week), with inherent flexibility. However, the need to collaborate with teams in different time zones (specifically Australia) suggests that some flexibility in working hours may be necessary to ensure adequate overlap for key discussions and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Flex First" model is a key aspect of Instacart's culture. For operations-minded professionals, this translates to a need for strong self-discipline, time management, and proactive communication to ensure alignment across distributed teams and time zones.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Review: Initial screening based on resume and mandatory portfolio link.
• Recruiter Screen: A call with a recruiter to discuss experience, career goals, and role fit.
• Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: A session where candidates present their portfolio, discuss case studies, and potentially complete a take-home design challenge relevant to the role. This is a critical stage to assess problem-solving, design craft, and communication skills.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, leadership potential, and team fit.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with peers (other designers, Product Managers, Engineers) to assess collaboration style and technical understanding.
• Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: Often a final round to assess strategic thinking and alignment with company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Effectively: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize those showcasing B2B, enterprise tooling, data visualization, or complex problem-solving.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your process (research, ideation, iteration), your specific contributions, the solutions you designed, and the impact/outcomes (metrics are key!).
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes) to illustrate your design thinking. Explain your rationale behind key decisions.
• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, showcase how you worked with cross-functional partners and incorporated feedback.
• Address Remote Work: Emphasize your experience with remote collaboration and asynchronous communication in your portfolio presentation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research Instacart's business model, its retail partners, and the Connected Stores initiative. Understand the challenges retailers face.
• Practice Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation to ensure clarity, conciseness, and impact. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your process and decisions.
• Anticipate Questions: Prepare for questions about your experience with B2B tools, data design, accessibility, and managing ambiguity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is the gatekeeper for this role. Candidates must demonstrate not only design skills but also strategic thinking, business acumen, and the ability to articulate impact. For operations roles, this translates to showing how design drives efficiency and supports business objectives.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma is the industry standard and highly likely to be Instacart's primary tool for UI/UX design, wireframing, and prototyping.
• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or internal research tools may be used for gathering user insights.
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack for instant messaging, Zoom for video conferencing, and potentially tools like Miro or Mural for virtual whiteboarding and brainstorming.
• Project Management: Jira, Asana, or Trello are common for tracking design tasks and project progress within agile teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Looker, or internal dashboards are likely used by designers to understand product performance and retailer data.
• Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Amplitude, or Mixpanel may be used to track user behavior and product engagement.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, an understanding of CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing/sales automation platforms can be beneficial for B2B roles, as designers may work on tools that integrate with or support these systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for a Senior Product Designer role. Familiarity with data analytics and visualization tools is crucial for this specific role, given the emphasis on "Inventory Intelligence" and retailer performance insights. Understanding how design integrates with sales and customer success operations tools can be a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Instacart's customers and, in this case, its retail partners.
• Data-Driven: Decisions are informed by data and analytics to ensure effectiveness and measure impact.
• Collaboration: Working effectively across disciplines and time zones to achieve common goals.
• Innovation: A drive to create new and better solutions, particularly in the "0-to-1" product space.
• Efficiency: Designing for ease of use and operational effectiveness for both end-users and internal stakeholders.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded Design: Designers are typically embedded within product teams, working closely and daily with PMs and Engineers.
• Asynchronous Communication: A reliance on clear, written communication and well-documented designs for effective collaboration across different locations and time zones.
• Feedback Culture: An expectation of open and constructive feedback through design critiques and team discussions.
• Cross-Functional Partnerships: Working closely with User Research to validate designs and with other designers to ensure consistency across the platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaboration and data-driven decision-making aligns perfectly with the core principles of effective Revenue Operations and Sales Operations. Understanding how design contributes to operational efficiency and partner success is key to thriving in this environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of B2B Tooling: Designing intuitive interfaces for sophisticated enterprise software used by business users with specific operational needs.
• Cross-Timezone Collaboration: Effectively working with stakeholders in Australia and across North America, requiring strong asynchronous communication skills and flexibility.
• Balancing Retailer Needs with Platform Scalability: Ensuring that self-serve tools are flexible enough for diverse retailer needs while remaining scalable and maintainable for Instacart.
• Driving Adoption of New Technologies: Educating and enabling retailers to effectively use new platform features and tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Retail Operations: Gain in-depth knowledge of how grocery retailers operate and the challenges they face in managing their businesses.
• Cutting-Edge Technology: Work on innovative "0-to-1" products that are transforming the in-store shopping experience.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced designers and product leaders within a fast-growing tech company.
• Skill Expansion: Develop expertise in designing for complex data sets, enterprise platforms, and B2B SaaS products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in GTM operations enablement roles, requiring a blend of technical understanding, user empathy, and strategic problem-solving. The growth opportunities are significant for anyone looking to build a career in product strategy and operations within the technology sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Portfolio Deep Dive: Be prepared to walk through your projects, explaining your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Focus on how your design decisions solved business problems and improved user outcomes.
• B2B Design Experience: Expect questions about your experience designing for enterprise software, complex workflows, and business users. How do you approach user research and validation in a B2B context?
• Data Visualization Design: Discuss your approach to designing dashboards and interfaces for data analysis. How do you make complex data understandable and actionable for users?
• Remote Collaboration: How do you ensure effective collaboration and communication in a remote, distributed team setting? How do you handle working across different time zones?
• Problem Solving: Be ready for hypothetical scenarios or case studies related to designing self-serve tools for businesses. How would you approach a specific design challenge for a retail partner?

Company & Culture Questions:

• Instacart's Mission: How does your design philosophy align with Instacart's mission to "share love through food" and its focus on transforming the grocery industry?
• Connected Stores Vision: What excites you about the Connected Stores team's vision and the opportunity to build 0-to-1 products?
• Flex First Culture: How do you thrive in a flexible, remote work environment?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solutions -> Impact.
• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals (mockups, prototypes, user flows).
• Storytelling: Frame your projects as compelling narratives about challenges overcome and value delivered.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased adoption, improved efficiency, reduced errors).
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time and deliver your presentation clearly and efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for this role should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of business objectives, user needs in a B2B context, and the ability to translate those into effective, data-informed design solutions. Emphasize how your design work supports operational efficiency and business growth, drawing parallels to GTM operations principles where applicable.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused design position:

• Submit Your Application: Apply through the provided link on the Instacart careers page.
• Portfolio is Key: Ensure your resume highlights your relevant experience and that your portfolio link is prominently displayed and functional.
• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to emphasize experience in digital product design, B2B tools, enterprise software, data visualization, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Select your strongest projects and practice explaining your process, contributions, and the impact of your design solutions. Focus on projects that showcase your ability to solve complex business problems and improve user efficiency.
• Research Instacart: Familiarize yourself with Instacart's mission, values, and the specific products mentioned (FoodStorm, Caper, Inventory Intelligence). Understand their "Flex First" approach.
• Practice Interview Questions: Anticipate questions related to your design process, B2B experience, data design, and remote collaboration.

⚠️ 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.