Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer (UX/UI & Research)

Company: Bite Engineering

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-10

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the entire design function for a category-defining AI product in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, focusing on transforming a beta product into a high-quality user experience.

• Drive product vision, design strategy, and the experience roadmap by partnering directly with customers, founders, and the engineering team.

• Establish and scale foundational design elements, including a robust design system and UI patterns, to elevate the overall craft and quality of the product.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, analyze product performance, and translate insights into actionable design solutions that optimize user journeys and drive key business metrics.

• Shape the visual identity and brand across all customer touchpoints, ensuring a cohesive and impactful user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input describes a "Lead Product Designer" role, the core responsibilities and required experience align with a senior-level individual contributor with significant ownership and strategic influence, rather than a traditional people management role. The focus is on establishing and scaling the design function within a startup.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and execute the end-to-end design strategy, from conceptualization to implementation, for Bite's AI-powered platform targeting the AEC industry.

• Lead comprehensive user research initiatives, including interviews, surveys, behavioral analysis, prototype testing, and usability studies, to deeply understand user needs and inform design decisions.

• Translate complex user needs, data-driven insights, and business objectives into intuitive user journeys, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final design solutions.

• Establish, maintain, and evolve a scalable design system and consistent UI patterns to ensure product quality, coherence, and efficient development.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, and founders to define problem spaces, explore solution architectures, validate concepts, and ensure technical feasibility.

• Analyze product performance metrics and user feedback to identify friction points, drive iterative design optimizations, and align user-centered opportunities with business goals.

• Shape and maintain the visual identity and brand across all customer touchpoints, including the product interface, marketing materials, and communication channels.

• Facilitate design workshops and present design rationale clearly to stakeholders, influencing strategic discussions and fostering a shared understanding of user-centered product direction.

• Encode complex AEC workflows into simple, seamless user experiences, balancing deep technical requirements with user accessibility.

• Stay abreast of emerging AI trends and product patterns, integrating relevant perspectives into Bite's design philosophy and execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to design leadership in a startup environment, requiring the ability to both strategize and execute across UX/UI, research, and visual design. The focus on AI and the AEC industry necessitates a deep understanding of complex domain-specific challenges.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is highly beneficial.

Experience: 5+ years of experience as a Product Designer, with a strong preference for senior or lead roles, ideally within B2B SaaS environments and with exposure to AI-native products.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in UX/UI research methodologies, including user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and behavioral analysis, with a demonstrated ability to translate insights into tangible digital experiences.

• Advanced proficiency in Figma, including mastery of component-based design systems, auto layout, variables, prototyping logic, and developer collaboration workflows (e.g., Dev Mode, structured handoff).

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with fluency in using qualitative and quantitative signals to validate design decisions, measure impact, and navigate complex trade-offs.

• Demonstrated understanding of human-centered design principles, usability best practices, responsive design, and the ability to balance product, technical, and business constraints in real-world scenarios.

• Experience in building intuitive, user-centered experiences supported by a portfolio showcasing strong interaction design foundation, high-quality visual craft, and attention to detail.

• Structured problem framing and systems thinking capabilities, with the ability to design complex, multi-step product flows autonomously.

• Ability to articulate design decisions and rationale clearly, connecting them to user outcomes, measurable business impact, and operational metrics.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of producing clear, concise, customer-ready documentation and engaging presentations.

• Adaptability and organizational skills to balance critical thinking with hands-on delivery in a fast-paced startup environment. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry or with products serving these sectors.

• Experience working directly with AI-powered products and understanding the unique design challenges they present.

• Familiarity with natural language search, impact detection, and change management concepts relevant to complex engineering workflows.

• Experience in establishing and scaling design systems and UI patterns from the ground up.

• A strong creative vision for shaping visual identity and brand across a digital product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma proficiency, component-based design systems, and developer collaboration workflows indicates a need for a designer who can work seamlessly with engineering teams and contribute to efficient product development processes. The requirement for a portfolio showcasing "structured problem framing and systems thinking" suggests a focus on logical design approaches beyond just aesthetics.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects that demonstrate end-to-end product design ownership, from initial research and problem definition to final, shipped solutions.

• Projects should highlight structured problem framing, systems thinking, and the ability to design complex, multi-step product flows.

• Clear articulation of the design process, including user research methodologies employed, key insights derived, and how these insights directly informed design decisions.

• Examples of advanced interaction design and high-quality visual craft, showcasing attention to detail in UI elements and overall aesthetic.

• Case studies that clearly demonstrate the ability to translate user needs and business goals into intuitive, user-centered experiences, with a focus on measurable outcomes.

• Evidence of experience working with AI-native research, design, and collaboration tools. Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio project, provide documentation that clearly outlines:

  • The problem statement and business objectives.
  • The research conducted and key findings.
  • Design iterations, including wireframes, prototypes, and user flow diagrams.
  • Rationale behind key design decisions and trade-offs made.
  • The final design solution and its impact.
  • How the design process was structured and managed, especially if working autonomously.

• Demonstrate experience in establishing and scaling design foundations, such as design systems and UI patterns, with examples of their implementation and benefits.

• Showcase the ability to analyze product performance data and user feedback to drive iterative design optimizations and measure impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "structured problem framing," "systems thinking," and "measurable business impact" indicates that the portfolio should not just be a collection of pretty screens, but a demonstration of strategic thinking and problem-solving aligned with business objectives. The requirement for demonstrating experience with AI-native tools and complex workflows is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Competitive salary is offered for this contract role, with potential for growth into a full-time vacancy. Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designers with 5+ years of experience in London, a contract rate in the range of £450 - £700 per day (equivalent to approximately £90,000 - £140,000 annually, depending on the number of working days) is anticipated. This estimate accounts for the hybrid work arrangement, the strategic importance of the role, and the specialized skills required for AI products in the AEC sector.

Benefits:

• Fair and competitive compensation package.

• Flexible, hybrid working model allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work.

• Genuine ownership and autonomy in shaping the product and design culture.

• Opportunity to work with passionate, growth-minded individuals in an entrepreneurial environment.

• Potential for growth and development within the company, including conversion to a full-time role.

• Exposure to cutting-edge AI technology and its application in a critical industry.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid working arrangement. The contract is initially for 6 months with the potential for extension or conversion to a full-time position.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on typical contract rates for senior design roles in London, considering the hybrid nature and the specialized domain (AI in AEC). The "competitive salary" and "potential for growth" suggest that the compensation will be benchmarked against market rates for experienced professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). This industry is characterized by its traditional nature, current digital transformation needs, and increasing regulatory requirements (e.g., Building Safety Act).

Company Size: Startup, well-funded. This implies an agile, fast-paced environment where individuals have significant impact and ownership.

Founded: Recent founding, focused on developing category-defining AI solutions. This suggests a culture of innovation, rapid iteration, and a strong emphasis on product-led growth.

Team Structure:

• Small, agile, product-led team.

• Close collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

• Direct access to founders and head of product.

• The Lead Product Designer will be the first in-house designer, working strategically alongside the head of product and founders. Methodology:

• Product-led growth and rapid prototyping, testing, and building.

• Data-driven design decisions, utilizing customer feedback and product performance metrics.

• Emphasis on solving genuinely hard problems through innovative AI solutions.

• Collaborative approach to problem-solving and solution ideation.

Company Website: https://bite.engineering/

📝 Enhancement Note: The "startup" context is crucial. It implies a need for self-starters, individuals comfortable with ambiguity, and those who can wear multiple hats. The "product-led" nature means design is central to the company's strategy, not an afterthought.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Lead Product Designer," indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant strategic influence and ownership. It's a pivotal position for establishing the design function within Bite Engineering.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will work strategically and directly with the Head of Product, Founders, and the Engineering team. This direct line of communication allows for significant input into product strategy and vision.

Operations Impact: The Lead Product Designer will have a direct and substantial impact on Bite's success by owning the entire design function. Their work will shape the user experience of a product that customers are already paying for, directly influencing adoption, satisfaction, and ultimately, the company's ability to define a new category in the AEC industry. The role is critical in transforming the beta product into a market-leading solution.

Growth Opportunities:

• Full-time Conversion: The contract role has a strong potential to grow into a full-time vacancy, offering long-term career stability and deeper engagement.

• Foundational Design Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale the design function from its inception, establishing design systems, processes, and culture from the ground up.

• Strategic Influence: Direct collaboration with founders and product leadership provides a unique opportunity to influence product vision, company strategy, and the future direction of AI in the AEC sector.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI product design, user research for complex B2B domains, and sophisticated design system development.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain invaluable experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title here emphasizes leadership in design execution and strategy, not necessarily people management. The growth potential lies in building out the design function and having a significant impact on a foundational product.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid model, suggesting a mix of remote work and in-office collaboration. The company is based in London.

Office Location(s): London, England, United Kingdom. Specific office details are not provided, but the hybrid nature implies a central hub for team meetings and collaborative work.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative environment fostered through hybrid working, encouraging interaction with founders, product, and engineering teams.

• Access to modern design tools and technology, with a strong emphasis on Figma and component-based design systems.

• Opportunities for direct customer interaction to gather feedback and shape product direction.

• A dynamic startup atmosphere that values agility, innovation, and hands-on contribution.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an expected ~40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility in how and where work is performed, balancing focused individual work with collaborative team sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature is key. Candidates should expect to be in the London office for key meetings, workshops, and collaborative sessions, while having flexibility for focused design work remotely.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements, particularly in Figma, UX/UI research, and AI product design.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into selected portfolio projects, focusing on problem framing, design process, user research insights, decision rationale, and measurable impact. This stage will assess structured thinking, systems thinking, and communication skills.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Interview: Discussion with Head of Product and/or Founders to evaluate strategic thinking, understanding of the AEC industry, experience with AI products, and ability to collaborate effectively within a startup environment.

• Technical/Design Challenge (Potentially): A short, focused design exercise or problem-solving scenario to assess practical design skills, creative problem-solving, and ability to translate complex requirements into design solutions.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting additional team members or founders to assess cultural fit and overall alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure is Key: Organize your portfolio to clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact. Use a narrative approach.

• Highlight Process & Rationale: Don't just show final screens; explain why you made certain design decisions, what research informed them, and what trade-offs were considered.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results wherever possible. Demonstrate how your design work moved key business or operational metrics. If direct metrics are unavailable, articulate the intended impact and how it would be measured.

• Showcase AI & Complexity: Explicitly highlight projects involving AI or complex, multi-step workflows. Explain how you approached the unique challenges of these domains.

• Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your advanced Figma skills, including design systems, auto layout, variables, and developer handoff processes.

• Conciseness: Be ready to present your work effectively and efficiently, respecting time constraints.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the challenges in the AEC industry and how AI is being applied.

• Embrace Ambiguity: Startup challenges are often ill-defined. Practice breaking down problems and making informed assumptions.

• Think Systems: Consider how your design solutions fit into a larger ecosystem of tools and workflows.

• Focus on User Outcomes: Even in technical challenges, ground your solutions in user needs and how they will be met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "structured problem framing," "systems thinking," and "measurable business impact" will be heavily scrutinized in the portfolio review. Candidates should prepare to deeply articulate the "why" behind their design choices and demonstrate a data-informed approach.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential. Advanced proficiency required, including component-based design systems, auto layout, variables, prototyping logic, and developer collaboration features (e.g., Dev Mode, structured handoff).

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in capabilities are primary, but familiarity with other advanced prototyping tools may be beneficial.

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting interviews, surveys, usability testing, and behavioral analysis. Specific platforms are not listed, but a broad understanding is expected.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Experience with tools to analyze product performance, identify friction points, and measure the impact of design changes. Examples might include Mixpanel, Amplitude, Pendo, or similar.

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret data and potentially contribute to dashboards for tracking key metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how design integrates with CRM and automation workflows in a B2B context can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a core requirement with advanced feature expectations. This suggests a highly integrated design-to-development workflow. Familiarity with product analytics is also key for demonstrating measurable impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on delivering tangible results and moving key business or operational metrics.

• User-Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs through thoughtful design.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: High standards for design execution, visual identity, and overall product polish.

• Autonomy & Ownership: Expectation that individuals will take initiative, own their work, and drive projects forward independently.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and a willingness to share ideas, feedback, and insights across the team.

• Innovation & Problem-Solving: A passion for tackling complex challenges and finding creative, effective solutions, particularly leveraging AI.

Collaboration Style:

• Close-knit collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

• Facilitation of workshops and design sprints to build shared understanding and drive consensus.

• Regular feedback loops with customers to co-create and validate solutions.

• Emphasis on clear communication and articulating design rationale to influence strategic decisions.

• A culture that values structured thinking and systems-level problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values highlight a blend of startup agility, a strong user focus, and a commitment to high-quality execution. The collaborative style emphasizes direct communication and cross-functional partnership.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Design Foundation: As the first in-house designer, building the design system, processes, and culture from scratch will be a significant undertaking.

• Complex Domain: Designing for the AEC industry, with its intricate workflows, legacy systems, and specific user needs, presents a steep learning curve.

• AI Integration: Translating complex AI capabilities into intuitive and trustworthy user experiences requires careful consideration of user understanding and control.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: In a fast-paced startup, maintaining high design standards while iterating rapidly can be challenging.

• Defining Metrics: Clearly defining and measuring the impact of design on business and operational metrics, especially for a novel AI product.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Product Design Expertise: Becoming a specialist in designing AI-driven solutions for complex industries.

• Design System Leadership: Gaining experience in architecting and scaling a design system from its inception.

• Strategic Product Influence: Direct involvement in shaping product vision and company strategy.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Deep immersion in the dynamics of a well-funded startup environment.

• Industry Insight: Developing a deep understanding of the AEC sector and its digital transformation journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are framed as opportunities for growth. The role offers a chance to build something significant and gain expertise in a cutting-edge field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to establish a design system or critical UI patterns from scratch. What was your process, and what were the key challenges?" (Assesses foundational design leadership and process).

• "How would you approach designing an AI feature that helps structural engineers identify potential design conflicts across multiple file types? Walk us through your thought process, from understanding the problem to proposing a solution." (Assesses problem-solving, domain understanding, and AI design thinking).

• "Imagine you've designed a new feature, and initial user feedback is mixed, while product metrics show a slight dip. How would you diagnose the issue and decide on the next steps?" (Assesses data analysis, iterative design, and decision-making under uncertainty). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Bite Engineering and the AEC industry, what do you see as the biggest design opportunities and challenges for our product?" (Assesses research, strategic thinking, and industry awareness).

• "How do you approach collaborating with engineers and product managers, especially when there are differing opinions on design direction?" (Assesses collaboration style and communication skills).

• "How do you measure the success of your design work, and can you provide an example of a time your design directly impacted business or operational metrics?" (Assesses impact orientation and data fluency). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative – the challenge, your journey, the solution, and the outcome.

• Visuals: Use clear, high-fidelity mockups and prototypes. Annotate key design decisions and user flows.

• Metrics First: Whenever possible, start with the business/user problem and the metrics you aimed to influence.

• Figma Deep Dive: Be prepared to demonstrate your Figma expertise, perhaps by showing a component in your design system or explaining a complex auto layout setup.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be ready to discuss why certain design choices were made over others, especially when balancing user needs, technical constraints, and business goals.

• Concise Delivery: Practice your presentation to fit within allocated time slots, focusing on the most critical aspects of each project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will heavily probe the candidate's ability to handle ambiguity, apply structured problem-solving to complex domains like AEC and AI, and demonstrate tangible impact through data and design rationale.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating experience with complex B2B products, AI-native design, and a strong grasp of UX/UI research and Figma. Emphasize projects with structured problem framing and measurable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience, focusing on lead or senior roles, and explicitly mentions proficiency in Figma, user research, design systems, and AI product design. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to walk through your portfolio, clearly explaining your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Practice articulating how you would tackle the specific challenges of designing for the AEC industry with AI.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Bite Engineering, its mission, the AEC industry's current challenges, and the role of AI in this sector. Understand the company's product-led approach and startup environment.

⚠️ 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.