Sr. Product Designer - Selling Platform

eBay
Full_timeβ€’$108k-187k/year (USD)β€’Portland, United States

πŸ“ Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Product Designer - Selling Platform
Company: eBay
Location: Portland, Oregon, United States
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Product Design / User Experience
Date Posted: September 27, 2025
Experience Level: 5-10 years
Remote Status: On-site

πŸš€ Role Summary

  • This Senior Product Designer role focuses on enhancing eBay's selling platform, impacting critical seller workflows like listing management, order fulfillment, and sales acceleration.
  • The position requires a strong systems thinker to design highly scalable and adaptable user experiences for a diverse seller base across web and native platforms.
  • A key aspect of this role is raising the bar for user experience quality through compelling interaction, visual, and micro-interaction design, ensuring a modern and high-quality user interface.
  • The designer will champion seller needs throughout the entire product development lifecycle, leveraging research, data, and customer feedback to drive informed decision-making and deliver end-to-end solutions with efficiency and agility.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: While the core job title is "Sr. Product Designer," the description strongly emphasizes "Seller Experience" and "Selling Platform," indicating a specialized focus within product design. This role is ideal for operations-minded designers who can think systemically about complex user journeys and business objectives within an e-commerce context.

πŸ“ˆ Primary Responsibilities

  • Define and architect scalable experience frameworks and interaction models that cater to all seller segments and platforms (web and native).
  • Elevate the standard for user experience quality through meticulous attention to detail in interaction design, visual design, and micro-interactions.
  • Act as a user advocate throughout the product development lifecycle, integrating user research insights, data analytics, and customer feedback to inform design decisions.
  • Drive end-to-end product solutions, from problem identification to final delivery, emphasizing efficiency and agile development methodologies.
  • Cultivate strong, trusting relationships with cross-functional partners, engaging in constructive dialogue and trade-off discussions to align on a unified vision that balances user needs, business objectives, and technical feasibility.
  • Champion inclusive, accessible, and globally relevant design principles, reflecting eBay's diverse customer base and commitment to equitable solutions.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on strategic thinking, user advocacy, and cross-functional collaboration, which are critical for operations-focused design roles. The expectation to "work 'end to end'" and deliver "with efficiency and agility" points to a need for streamlined processes and a results-oriented approach.

πŸŽ“ Skills & Qualifications

Education:

  • A Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience is welcomed. The emphasis is on demonstrated skills and thinking rather than a specific degree.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 5+ years of professional experience designing software or consumer products, with a proven hands-on approach to delivering end-to-end user experiences.
  • Experience working closely with cross-functional teams including Designers, Researchers, Content Strategists, Product Managers, Product Marketers, Business Partners, and Developers throughout the product development lifecycle.

Required Skills:

  • Systems Thinking: Ability to conceptualize and design complex, interconnected systems for a broad user base.
  • User Experience (UX) Design: Deep understanding of UX principles and best practices for creating intuitive and effective interfaces.
  • Interaction Design: Proficiency in defining how users interact with the product, including navigation, controls, and feedback mechanisms.
  • Visual Design: Strong aesthetic sensibility and the ability to create visually appealing and consistent interfaces aligned with brand guidelines.
  • Prototyping: Skill in creating interactive prototypes to test and communicate design concepts.
  • User Research: Experience in planning and conducting user research to gather insights and validate design decisions.
  • Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
  • Storytelling: Capacity to clearly articulate design rationale, process, and outcomes to various audiences.
  • Data Analysis: Ability to interpret data and customer feedback to inform design strategy and improvements.

Preferred Skills:

  • Inclusive Design & Accessibility: Commitment to designing for all users, ensuring products are usable by people with diverse abilities.
  • AI-Enhanced Design & Collaboration: Familiarity with leveraging AI tools to augment design processes and enhance collaboration.
  • Competitive Analysis: Skill in evaluating competitor products to identify opportunities and best practices.
  • Micro-Interaction Design: Expertise in designing subtle, delightful animations and feedback that enhance user engagement.
  • Agile Methodologies: Experience working within agile development frameworks, adapting to iterative processes.
  • Customer Feedback Integration: Ability to systematically incorporate customer feedback into design iterations.
  • Design Strategy: Capability to contribute to and execute on the overarching product design strategy.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize a blend of core design craft and strategic thinking, with a particular focus on systems, user advocacy, and cross-functional collaboration. The preferred skills, especially AI-enhanced design and a strong focus on inclusivity, are indicative of modern design practices in large tech organizations.

πŸ“Š Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • A portfolio that clearly showcases relevant design projects, demonstrating a strong grasp of the design process from ideation to execution.
  • Projects should highlight your hands-on approach to delivering end-to-end user experiences, emphasizing problem-solving and impact.
  • Evidence of your ability to design for complex systems, considering scalability and diverse user segments.
  • Examples of how you have leveraged user research, data, and customer feedback to inform design decisions and drive improvements.
  • Demonstrations of interaction and visual design craft, including well-articulated design rationale and explorations.

Process Documentation:

  • Case studies within the portfolio should detail your design process, including problem definition, research methodologies, ideation, iteration, and final outcomes.
  • Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design choices, linking them to user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.
  • Showcase how you collaborated with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to bring designs to life.
  • Include examples of how you've raised the bar for experience quality and attention to detail.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, especially one focused on a complex platform like eBay's selling tools, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing final UI and delve into the designer's strategic thinking, problem-solving methodology, and ability to handle complex systems and cross-functional collaboration. The "end-to-end" nature of the role means showcasing the entire design lifecycle is crucial.

πŸ’΅ Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

  • The base pay range for this position is expected to be between $108,000 and $186,900 USD annually.

Benefits:

  • Medical: Comprehensive health insurance coverage.
  • Financial: Various financial benefits, likely including retirement savings plans and investment opportunities.
  • Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous paid time off for rest and rejuvenation.
  • Parental Leave: Support for new parents with dedicated parental leave.
  • Target Bonus: Eligibility for a performance-based annual bonus.
  • Restricted Stock Units (RSUs): Potential for equity ownership in eBay.

Working Hours:

  • The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, consistent with full-time employment in the US tech industry. While the role is on-site, specific flexibility arrangements would need to be confirmed with the hiring team.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is a broad band reflective of a Senior Product Designer role in a major tech company. The specific placement within this band will depend on factors like the candidate's depth of experience, specific skills alignment, and location within the Portland metro area. The benefits package is standard for a large, publicly traded technology company, with RSUs and target bonuses being key components of total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏒 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce / Technology. eBay is a global leader in online commerce, facilitating transactions across a vast range of categories and enabling millions of buyers and sellers worldwide. This context means the product design must cater to diverse user needs, from casual sellers to large businesses, and operate at a massive scale. Company Size: eBay is a large, established technology company with a significant global presence. This implies structured processes, a large employee base, and opportunities for impact across a broad user base. Founded: eBay was founded in 1995. Its long history means it has a deep understanding of e-commerce evolution and has built a robust platform, but also faces the challenge of modernizing and innovating while maintaining legacy systems and user behaviors.

Team Structure:

  • The Senior Product Designer will be part of the "Seller Experience" team, focusing specifically on users who sell on the platform.
  • This team likely operates within a larger Product or Design organization and collaborates closely with Product Management, Engineering, Research, Content Strategy, and Brand teams.
  • The structure is designed for cross-functional collaboration, where designers are integrated into product development squads or pods.

Methodology:

  • Data-Driven Decision Making: The role emphasizes leveraging research insights, data, and customer feedback, indicating a strong data-informed approach to design.
  • Agile Development: The mention of efficiency and agility suggests adherence to agile or similar iterative development methodologies.
  • User-Centricity: "Champion the user throughout the product development lifecycle" highlights a core user-centric philosophy.
  • Systems Thinking: The need to define "experience architectures" and "interaction models" that serve all seller segments points to a strategic, systemic approach to design challenges.

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

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: eBay's culture emphasizes innovation, customer focus, and inclusivity. For a product designer, this means opportunities to influence a massive e-commerce platform while working within a well-established corporate structure. The "Seller Experience" focus suggests a deep dive into the operational and strategic needs of eBay's sellers.

πŸ“ˆ Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a level of expertise and autonomy. Senior designers are expected to lead complex projects, mentor junior team members, and contribute to design strategy. In an operations context, this means taking ownership of critical user journeys and driving significant improvements in seller efficiency and platform usability. Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Director within the Seller Experience product area. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within their cross-functional team. Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the core revenue-generating engine of eBay – its sellers. By improving the selling platform, the designer can enhance seller satisfaction, retention, efficiency, and ultimately, transaction volume and platform growth. This role is crucial for operational excellence on the seller side.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Leadership within Design: Potential to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and influence design standards and best practices within the Seller Experience team and beyond.
  • Specialization: Deepen expertise in e-commerce seller tools, user research methodologies, or advanced interaction design patterns.
  • Cross-Functional Advancement: Develop strong product management or strategy skills through close collaboration, potentially leading to product ownership roles or strategic design leadership.
  • Impactful Projects: Opportunity to work on high-visibility projects that shape the future of eBay's selling platform, offering significant professional development and portfolio enhancement.
  • Continuous Learning: Access to internal training, workshops, and potentially external conferences to stay current with design trends, AI tools, and e-commerce best practices.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies significant responsibility and the opportunity to shape product direction. For an operations-minded candidate, this role offers a chance to drive efficiency and effectiveness for a massive user base, impacting the core business. The growth path likely involves increasing strategic influence and leadership within the design organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly listed as "On-site" in Portland, Oregon. This suggests a traditional office environment where in-person collaboration is valued. Office Location(s): Portland, Oregon. This location offers a vibrant tech scene and a good quality of life. Specific office details (e.g., amenities, accessibility) would be available upon further inquiry or during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Environment: As an on-site role in a large tech company, expect a dynamic workspace designed for team interaction, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional meetings.
  • Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite), collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Jira), and potentially internal design systems and prototyping tools.
  • Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities to engage with designers, product managers, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders, fostering a culture of shared problem-solving and continuous feedback.

Work Schedule:

  • The standard 40-hour work week is typical for full-time roles. While on-site, there might be some flexibility within the workday, but the emphasis is on being present and available for team needs and in-person collaboration.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement indicates a preference for in-person collaboration, which can be beneficial for complex design challenges and team cohesion. This environment is conducive to spontaneous ideation and direct feedback loops, important for iterating on platform designs.

πŸ“„ Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Be sure your resume and portfolio clearly highlight relevant experience and skills.
  • Portfolio Review & Presentation: Expect to present your portfolio, detailing your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. This is where you'll demonstrate your systems thinking, user advocacy, and collaboration skills. Prepare 2-3 key case studies that showcase end-to-end ownership and significant impact.
  • Cross-Functional Interviews: You will likely meet with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and potentially other Designers. These interviews will assess your ability to collaborate, articulate design decisions, handle trade-offs, and understand technical constraints.
  • Design Challenge/Whiteboarding Session: Be prepared for a practical exercise, potentially a design challenge or a whiteboarding session, to assess your problem-solving skills, ideation capabilities, and ability to think on your feet. Focus on demonstrating process and collaboration.
  • Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: A final interview to assess cultural fit, leadership potential, and strategic alignment with the team's goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Focus on Process, Not Just Pixels: Clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your research and ideation process, the rationale behind your design decisions, and the measurable outcomes.
  • Showcase Systems Thinking: Include projects that demonstrate your ability to design for complex systems, considering scalability and diverse user needs.
  • Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).
  • Highlight Collaboration: Illustrate how you worked with cross-functional partners, managed feedback, and navigated trade-offs.
  • Tailor to eBay: If possible, subtly tailor your presentation to eBay's context, perhaps by referencing e-commerce challenges or seller needs.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Practice Problem Framing: Be ready to quickly understand and frame a design problem.
  • Think Aloud: Verbalize your thought process, assumptions, and considerations.
  • Focus on User Needs & Business Goals: Ensure your solutions address both.
  • Sketching & Ideation: Be comfortable sketching out ideas quickly and collaboratively.
  • Prioritization: Demonstrate an ability to prioritize features and solutions based on impact and feasibility.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Senior Product Designer at a company like eBay is rigorous. It heavily emphasizes not just design craft but also strategic thinking, collaboration, and the ability to drive impact. A well-prepared portfolio that clearly articulates the design process and outcomes is critical.

πŸ›  Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable given industry trends), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).
  • Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello (for workflow tracking and team alignment).
  • Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams (for day-to-day team communication).

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (for understanding user behavior on the platform).
  • Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (for creating dashboards and reporting on key metrics).
  • A/B Testing Tools: Optimizely, VWO, or internal A/B testing frameworks (for validating design changes).

CRM & Automation:

  • While not directly a CRM role, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) might inform seller segmentation or how marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo) might interact with seller communications could be beneficial. The primary focus here is on tools that support the design process and user experience improvement.
  • Design Systems: Experience working with or contributing to component libraries and design systems.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma is essential. Familiarity with analytics platforms and A/B testing tools will be highly valuable for demonstrating the impact of designs and contributing to data-driven improvements on the seller platform. Understanding how designs integrate into broader e-commerce operations is key.

πŸ‘₯ Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of eBay's sellers, driving solutions that enhance their experience and success.
  • Innovation & Evolution: Balancing the need to iterate on existing, established seller behaviors with the drive for radical innovation to improve the platform.
  • Collaboration & Inclusion: Fostering a team environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute their unique selves, leading to better, more equitable solutions.
  • Quality & Craftsmanship: A dedication to high standards in design execution, attention to detail, and creating polished, effective user experiences.
  • Data-Driven Approach: Utilizing research, data, and customer feedback to inform decisions, measure impact, and continuously improve the platform.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Partnership: Working closely and collaboratively with product managers, engineers, researchers, content strategists, and brand teams to achieve shared goals.
  • Open Communication & Healthy Debate: Engaging in constructive discussions, sharing feedback openly, and navigating trade-offs to align on the best path forward.
  • Agile & Iterative: Embracing an agile mindset, working in iterative cycles, and being adaptable to change and feedback.
  • Advocacy & Influence: Effectively advocating for user needs and design principles while influencing stakeholders and building consensus.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: eBay's stated values align well with a product design role focused on a critical platform like selling. The emphasis on customer focus, innovation, and collaboration is key. For a Senior Designer, demonstrating how these values translate into practical design decisions and team interactions will be important.

⚑ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Balancing Innovation with Legacy: Designing for a large, established platform with existing user behaviors and potentially legacy technical constraints requires careful consideration of both revolutionary and evolutionary design approaches.
  • Scalability for Diverse Sellers: Creating user experiences that effectively serve a wide spectrum of sellers, from individuals to large businesses, each with unique needs and technical proficiencies.
  • Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating complex stakeholder landscapes and ensuring alignment on design strategy and execution across multiple departments.
  • Measuring Impact: Quantifying the impact of design improvements, especially on complex operational workflows, requires robust data analysis and clear metrics.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to hone skills in areas like complex system design, interaction patterns for high-volume platforms, and inclusive design.
  • E-commerce Domain Expertise: Deepening understanding of the intricacies of online marketplaces and seller operations.
  • Leadership & Mentorship: Taking on leadership responsibilities for design projects and mentoring junior designers.
  • Industry Trends: Staying abreast of evolving e-commerce trends, user behavior shifts, and advancements in design technology, including AI-enhanced tools.
  • Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining insights into product management, engineering processes, and business strategy through close collaboration.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in large, established tech companies. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a chance to develop both deep domain expertise and broader leadership capabilities.

πŸ’‘ Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "How would you approach designing a new feature for sellers to manage their inventory more efficiently on eBay?" (Focus on process: research, ideation, constraints, metrics).
  • "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting stakeholder requirements. How did you reach a resolution?" (Focus on collaboration, negotiation, and user advocacy).
  • "How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible for a global user base?" (Focus on principles, processes, and example applications).
  • "Given eBay's scale, what are the key considerations when designing for millions of sellers with varying technical abilities?" (Focus on systems thinking, user segmentation, and scalability).

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "Why are you interested in eBay and specifically the Seller Experience team?" (Research eBay's mission, values, and recent developments).
  • "How do you align your design philosophy with a company's core values?" (Connect your approach to eBay's stated values).
  • "Describe your ideal cross-functional team dynamic." (Highlight collaboration, communication, and shared ownership).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure: Begin with an overview of your career and design philosophy. Then, present 2-3 detailed case studies, dedicating ample time to each. Conclude with a summary of your key strengths and career aspirations.
  • Storytelling: For each case study, tell a compelling story: the problem, your role, your process, the challenges, the solutions, and the impact.
  • Visuals: Use high-quality visuals, including wireframes, mockups, prototypes, and data visualizations, to support your narrative.
  • Interactive Elements: If possible, prepare a live demo of a relevant prototype or a walkthrough of a key feature in your portfolio.
  • Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and the metrics used to evaluate success. Be prepared to discuss your experience with AI tools and inclusive design.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and a strong understanding of user needs within a complex e-commerce environment. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase these attributes.

πŸ“Œ Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Product Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the eBay Careers portal via the provided link.
  • Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experiences in e-commerce, platform design, systems thinking, user research, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.
  • Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and impact on complex platforms. Ensure clear articulation of your process, rationale, and outcomes.
  • Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of design decisions, and quantifying impact. Be ready to discuss your experience with various design tools and methodologies.
  • Research eBay: Familiarize yourself with eBay's mission, values, recent product announcements, and the competitive landscape of e-commerce platforms. Understand the challenges and opportunities within the seller experience.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Candidates should have 5+ years of experience in designing software or consumer products and a strong dedication to craft. A portfolio showcasing relevant design projects and a hands-on approach to user experience is essential.