Lead Product Designer (UX/UI)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer (UX/UI)

Company: Six Robotics

Location: Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-26

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design process for critical Ground Control Station (GCS) capabilities, focusing on user interfaces for commanding autonomous aerial vehicles (UAVs) in real-time operational environments.

• Drive product feature design from initial problem framing and user research through to shipped, polished UI, ensuring clarity, speed, and precision for operators.

• Collaborate intimately with engineers, autonomy specialists, product managers, and end-users to translate complex technical and operational requirements into intuitive workflows and trusted user experiences.

• Establish and lead a growing design team, guiding design direction, mentoring designers, and fostering a culture of high-quality craft and pragmatic problem-solving within the product domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a 'Lead' and requires a minimum of 8 years of experience, with an AI-derived experience level of 10+, indicating a senior individual contributor who will also take on team leadership responsibilities. The focus on "Ground Control Station (GCS) capabilities" and "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)" strongly places this role within the specialized domain of defense technology and robotics operations, requiring a deep understanding of mission-critical systems and real-time control interfaces.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design strategy and execution for key Ground Control Station (GCS) functionalities, encompassing the entire product lifecycle from conceptualization to post-launch iteration.

• Own product feature development end-to-end, including problem definition, user research, wireframing, prototyping, detailed UI specifications, and ongoing support for engineering implementation.

• Conduct and drive user research initiatives, including direct operator interviews and usability testing, to generate actionable insights that inform design direction and product roadmap.

• Develop and maintain a coherent design system, ensuring consistency in visual and interaction language across the GCS platform to support real-time control and situational awareness.

• Solve complex, previously unsolved problems by designing intuitive interfaces for remote hardware sensing, 3D spatial awareness, AI-driven missions, and high-information-density operational scenarios.

• Ensure the highest quality and polish in final product delivery, with a keen eye for the details that build operator trust and confidence in mission-critical situations.

• Contribute to strategic product roadmap prioritization and the overall vision for the GCS domain, aligning design efforts with business objectives and operational needs.

• Travel to test flights and field operations to conduct on-site operator research and gather direct feedback in the environments where the technology is deployed.

• Begin building and mentoring a design team, setting design standards, providing guidance, and preparing for future people leadership responsibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to design execution combined with strategic leadership. The inclusion of "travel to test flights and field operations" highlights the practical, real-world application of the design work and the necessity for designers to understand operational contexts deeply. The "solve unsolved problems" aspect indicates a need for creative and pragmatic problem-solving beyond standard UI/UX tasks.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a formal background or equivalent professional experience in Design (e.g., HCI, Graphic Design, Interaction Design), Computer Science, or a related technical field is implied by the nature of complex systems design.

Experience: Minimum of 8+ years of experience as a Product Designer (UX/UI) with a proven track record of leading complex product areas from concept through to launch and iteration.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to lead the end-to-end product design process, from problem framing and user research to high-fidelity UI and implementation support.

• Strong visual design sensibility with a meticulous attention to craft, polish, and aesthetic coherence.

• Deep UX expertise, with a strong understanding of user flows, system design, and complex user problems.

• Experience designing for complex, interactive systems, ideally involving spatial data, real-time control, or high information density.

• Demonstrated experience in B2B product development with a pragmatic, results-oriented approach.

• Experience leading or mentoring other designers, or a clear aptitude and readiness to step into this role.

• Excellent communication skills, capable of articulating design decisions and tradeoffs clearly to cross-functional, non-design audiences.

• Comfort with ambiguity and a strong bias for action in fast-paced, evolving environments.

• A proactive mindset for building new product domains and contributing to early-stage product development. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing interfaces for real-time control systems (e.g., drones, robotics, vehicles, aviation platforms).

• Familiarity with defense, intelligence, or mission-critical systems and their unique operational requirements.

• Experience with 2D/3D map visualization, telemetry data display, or command-and-control interfaces.

• Background in early-stage product development or entrepreneurial settings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "portfolio that shows deep, pragmatic thinking - not just polished visuals" is a critical differentiator. This indicates the company values the rationale and problem-solving process behind designs as much as, if not more than, the final aesthetic. The emphasis on "complex systems" and "B2B experience" points towards a need for designers who can handle intricate requirements and understand business objectives.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex product design projects that demonstrate end-to-end ownership and a deep understanding of user problems.

• Projects should highlight your ability to handle intricate requirements, complex systems, and high information density, ideally within a B2B or mission-critical context.

• Clearly articulate your design process, including user research methodologies, problem framing, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration with engineering.

• Provide detailed case studies that explain the "why" behind your design decisions, the challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved, with a focus on pragmatic solutions.

• Demonstrate a strong visual design craft alongside your UX thinking, presenting polished and coherent interfaces. Process Documentation:

• For each project, clearly outline the specific design tools and methodologies used (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD for design; Miro, Mural for collaboration; Jira for workflow tracking).

• Illustrate how you translated technical and operational requirements into intuitive workflows and user interfaces, providing examples of complex interactions or data visualizations.

• Showcase your approach to user research, including how you gathered insights from operators and incorporated feedback into the design iteration process.

• Detail your experience with design systems, including contributions to component libraries, style guides, or interaction pattern definitions, especially those supporting real-time control or spatial awareness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "deep, pragmatic thinking" and "complex systems" means portfolios should go beyond surface-level aesthetics. Candidates should be prepared to articulate the strategic rationale behind their design choices, demonstrating how they navigated technical constraints and operational realities. A focus on real-world impact and user trust in high-stakes environments will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designers in Oslo, Norway, with 8-10+ years of experience in specialized tech fields like robotics and defense, a competitive salary range is estimated between NOK 700,000 - 950,000 annually. This range accounts for the senior nature of the role, leadership potential, and the high cost of living in Oslo.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package.

• Equity potential, offering a stake in the company's growth.

• Strong pension plan, providing long-term financial security.

• Comprehensive insurance plan, covering health and well-being.

• Gadget budget, enabling access to modern tools and technology.

• Modern equipment to support efficient and effective work.

• Panoramic offices in Oslo, offering an inspiring work environment.

• Flexibility to do your best work, balancing on-site collaboration with personal needs.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, typical for full-time employment in Norway. While the role is on-site, the company offers flexibility to ensure employees can perform their best work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research into Lead Product Designer roles in Oslo, factoring in the specialized industry (robotics/defense), the requirement for significant experience (8+ years), and the AI-derived experience level of 10+. Benefits are directly listed from the job description, with emphasis on those relevant to tech professionals. The working hours are standard, but the mention of "flexibility" suggests a focus on output and results over strict time adherence.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Defense Technology, Software Development. Six Robotics operates at the cutting edge, developing intelligent software for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to enable collaboration and complex mission execution, serving both government and industry clients.

Company Size: 90+ employees. This size indicates a growth-stage company that is established enough to have robust processes but still agile enough to offer significant influence and rapid development cycles. For operations professionals, this means opportunities to shape processes and systems from an early stage while benefiting from a structured environment.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly provided, but the company's description suggests it is actively developing and deploying advanced technology, implying a relatively young but rapidly maturing organization, likely founded within the last 5-10 years given its focus on cutting-edge AI and robotics.

Team Structure:

• The design team is currently small but slated for growth, with this role being pivotal in its expansion and leadership.

• The broader engineering and product teams are multidisciplinary, including engineers, researchers, and defense specialists.

• Collaboration is expected to be close and cross-functional, bridging the gap between software development, autonomy, product management, and end-user operations. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Driven by user research, field data, and operational feedback to inform design decisions and product direction.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Focus on creating intuitive, efficient, and reliable workflows for operators controlling complex autonomous systems.

• Automation & Efficiency: Developing software that enhances the capabilities of UAVs and improves operational efficiency through intelligent automation.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as demanding deep technical thinking, close collaboration, and rapid learning. The "no existing playbooks" aspect suggests an innovative and problem-solving-oriented environment. The size of 90+ employees is crucial for operations roles, as it often means a balance between established processes and the ability to influence and build new ones.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead Product Designer role, signifying a senior individual contributor with significant responsibility for a key product domain (GCS). It includes an explicit expectation to start building and leading a design team, indicating a transition towards people management and strategic design leadership within the organization.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Director of Design, or CTO, depending on the current organizational structure. They will be responsible for mentoring and guiding other designers within their domain.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is direct and significant, influencing how operators in the field experience and trust critical technology. The designs will directly affect the effectiveness and safety of autonomous missions, contributing to the company's core value proposition and market success in defense and industry applications.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in designing for mission-critical, real-time control systems, spatial data visualization, and AI-driven autonomous operations.

• Leadership Development: Direct experience in building, mentoring, and potentially managing a design team, providing a clear path towards design leadership roles.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product vision and roadmap prioritization, gaining exposure to high-level strategic decision-making within a fast-growing tech company.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in the rapidly evolving fields of UAV autonomy, robotics, and defense technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is explicitly designed for someone ready to "take that step" into leadership. This dual focus on high-level design execution and team building makes it a unique growth opportunity for experienced designers seeking to expand their influence and career trajectory in a specialized, high-impact sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers "panoramic offices" in Oslo, suggesting a modern, potentially open-plan or well-designed workspace that fosters collaboration and provides an inspiring environment. The "on-site" requirement indicates a preference for in-person collaboration and team synergy.

Office Location(s): Oslo, Norway. The specific address is Innspurten 9, 0663 Oslo. This location is within a major European capital known for its tech scene and high quality of life, though it also implies a higher cost of living.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The on-site nature and company culture emphasize close collaboration across disciplines (engineering, product, autonomy, operators).

• Operations Tools & Technology: The role implies access to modern design software and hardware, including a "gadget budget" and "modern equipment," to facilitate the design process for complex systems.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with end-users through field testing and operations, providing invaluable context and feedback for design work.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with standard working hours (approx. 40 hours/week). While on-site, the company emphasizes flexibility, suggesting a focus on achieving results and maintaining a healthy work-life balance through output-driven work rather than rigid time tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "panoramic offices" and emphasis on collaboration point to a work environment that values both productivity and employee well-being. The on-site requirement is critical for a role that involves deep collaboration and direct user interaction in a specialized field.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Phone Screening (30 min): A preliminary conversation to assess basic qualifications, motivation for the role and Six Robotics, and alignment with company values. Be prepared to briefly articulate your interest in designing for UAVs and complex systems.

• First Interview (45 min): Meet the hiring team (likely including the hiring manager and a senior designer/engineer). This interview will delve deeper into your experience, design philosophy, and approach to problem-solving. Expect questions about past projects and how you handle design challenges.

• Second Interview (60–90 min): This is the technical deep dive. It will involve a live case presentation where you'll be asked to walk through a relevant project from your portfolio. Focus on your thought process, research, design decisions, and how you addressed specific challenges. Be ready for questions about complex systems, real-time control, and user trust.

• Final Interview (45 min): Meet with leadership (e.g., CTO, Head of Product). This stage focuses on cultural fit, strategic alignment, leadership potential, and long-term vision. Discuss your aspirations and how you see yourself contributing to Six Robotics' growth.

• Reference Checks: Conducted before a final offer is extended.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your most relevant projects that showcase your ability to design complex systems, handle high information density, and demonstrate pragmatic problem-solving. Prioritize projects that align with B2B, mission-critical, or real-time control domains.

• Storytelling is Key: Structure your case studies to tell a compelling narrative. Clearly define the problem, your role, the constraints, your design process, the solutions you proposed, and the impact/outcomes. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your journey.

• Show Your Process: Emphasize your UX methodology, user research techniques, and how you iterated based on feedback. Highlight your ability to translate technical requirements into user-friendly interfaces.

• Demonstrate Craft: Ensure your UI work is polished and visually coherent. If you have experience with design systems or complex visualizations, showcase them.

• Prepare for "Why": Be ready to defend every design decision, explaining the rationale behind your choices, especially concerning user trust and operational effectiveness in high-stakes environments.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Presentation: Practice presenting your chosen portfolio project concisely and engagingly. Anticipate questions about your decisions, alternative solutions, and lessons learned.

• Problem-Solving: Be prepared for hypothetical design challenges related to UAV control, situational awareness, or data visualization. Focus on your structured approach to problem-solving and creative ideation.

• Stakeholder Communication: Think about how you would communicate design trade-offs and solutions to engineers, product managers, and potentially end-users.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both technical design skills and leadership potential. The "live case presentation" is a critical component, meaning candidates must not only have a strong portfolio but also be able to articulate their process and decisions effectively under pressure. The emphasis on "operator research" and "mission-critical systems" implies interviewers will probe for understanding of these specific contexts.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (or similar industry-standard UX/UI design and prototyping tools). Proficiency in creating wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes is essential.

• Design Systems: Experience with creating, maintaining, or contributing to design systems. This includes understanding component libraries, style guides, and interaction pattern definitions.

• Collaboration Tools: Miro, Mural, Jira, Confluence (or equivalent platforms for team collaboration, brainstorming, workflow management, and documentation).

• User Research Tools: Tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, and analyzing feedback (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, or internal tools).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly a data analyst role, familiarity with how design impacts user behavior and performance metrics tracked by analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or custom internal dashboards) is beneficial for understanding product impact. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable for this design role, but an understanding of how user feedback and product features integrate into broader customer success or support systems might be a plus. Other Relevant Technologies:

• Familiarity with 2D/3D map visualization tools, telemetry data handling, and command-and-control interfaces is highly desirable.

• Understanding of real-time control systems, drone/robotics platforms, and aviation interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools will be standard design software. However, the "nice-to-have" skills point to a need for designers who can interface with and understand specialized technologies like 2D/3D mapping, telemetry, and real-time control systems, indicating a more technical and domain-specific design environment than a typical consumer app role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Precision & Adaptability: Reflecting the nature of robotics and defense operations, there's a strong emphasis on executing with precision and adapting to changing conditions, both in technology and company evolution.

• Collaboration & Team Strength: The company culture values strengthening the team, suggesting a collaborative environment where individuals support each other's growth and collective success.

• Impact & Problem-Solving: A focus on building systems that matter and solving problems where software meets the real world, demanding deep technical thinking and a drive for real-world impact.

• Continuous Learning: The fast-paced environment and unsolved challenges necessitate a commitment to learning quickly and evolving alongside the technology and company.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration is expected between design, engineering, autonomy, product management, and operators to translate complex requirements into functional and intuitive designs.

• Iterative & Feedback-Driven: The design process involves continuous testing and iteration with real users, building feedback loops into the development cycle.

• Pragmatic & Action-Oriented: A bias for action and a pragmatic approach to product development, keeping bureaucracy minimal to move quickly from ideas to deployment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values are deeply intertwined with the company's mission and the high-stakes nature of its products. "Precision," "adaptability," and "strengthening the team" are key tenets that operations professionals will need to embody. The collaborative style is essential for bridging the gap between highly technical development teams and end-users in demanding operational environments.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Uncharted Territory: Tackling complex challenges where no existing playbook exists requires significant creativity, research, and pragmatic problem-solving skills. This is a core challenge of the role.

• Balancing Operator Needs with Technical Constraints: Translating highly technical capabilities of autonomous systems into interfaces that operators can trust and use effectively under pressure.

• Building a Design Function: Establishing design processes, standards, and a team culture from an early stage within a rapidly growing company.

• Maintaining Quality in a Fast-Paced Environment: Ensuring meticulous attention to detail and high-quality craft for mission-critical applications while adhering to rapid development cycles.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Domain Expertise: Deep dive into the intricacies of UAV autonomy, swarm intelligence, real-time control systems, and mission-critical defense applications.

• Leadership and Team Building: Gain hands-on experience in building, mentoring, and leading a design team, developing crucial people management and strategic design skills.

• Product Strategy and Vision: Contribute directly to the product roadmap and vision for a core domain, influencing the future direction of Six Robotics' technology.

• Industry Exposure: Engage with end-users in real-world operational settings, gaining invaluable insights into user needs and system performance in demanding environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in the innovative nature of the work – designing for problems that haven't been solved before. This requires a proactive, research-driven, and adaptable mindset. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to define a design function and lead a team in a cutting-edge industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Operations Strategy: "Describe a time you had to design for a complex system with significant technical constraints. How did you approach problem framing and ensure user trust?" (Focus on your systematic approach, research, and how you balanced user needs with technical realities.)

• Collaboration & Stakeholders: "How would you collaborate with autonomy engineers and end-users to design a new situational awareness feature for our GCS? What are the key communication challenges you anticipate?" (Highlight your ability to bridge technical and operational language, and your methods for gathering and incorporating feedback.)

• Problem-Solving: "Imagine you need to design an interface for managing a swarm of autonomous drones. What are your first steps, and what key elements would you prioritize in the design?" (Demonstrate your structured thinking, ability to break down complex problems, and focus on core user needs like control, awareness, and mission status.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Operations: "What excites you about Six Robotics' mission and the challenges of designing for UAV autonomy and defense applications?" (Research the company's mission, technology, and values. Connect your passion for design with their specific domain.)

• Team Dynamics: "How do you approach mentoring junior designers, and what is your philosophy on building a strong design team culture?" (Showcase your leadership potential, collaborative spirit, and understanding of team development.)

• Impact Measurement: "How would you measure the success of a new UI feature for our Ground Control Station, particularly in terms of operator effectiveness and trust?" (Discuss relevant metrics, user feedback mechanisms, and how design contributes to operational outcomes.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Polish: For your chosen case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the research conducted, the design decisions made (and why), and the impact. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Complexity: Select a project that demonstrates your ability to handle complex systems, high information density, or real-time interactions.

• Showcase Pragmatism: Emphasize how you navigated constraints and delivered practical, effective solutions. If applicable, discuss how your designs contributed to user trust or operational efficiency.

• Engage Your Audience: Be prepared to answer in-depth questions about your work and engage in a dialogue about design challenges and solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of the unique challenges of designing for mission-critical, real-time systems. Candidates should be ready to articulate their problem-solving process, collaborative approach, and leadership potential, using specific examples from their portfolio to illustrate these points.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Six Robotics careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight 2-3 complex projects that best showcase your experience with high-information-density interfaces, real-time control systems, or B2B/mission-critical applications. Emphasize your design process and problem-solving approach.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 8+ years of product design experience, leadership potential, and any relevant experience with complex systems, robotics, or defense technology. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly review the company's mission and technology. Prepare to present a detailed case study from your portfolio during the second interview, focusing on your strategic thinking, problem-solving methodology, and collaboration skills. Practice articulating your design rationale and leadership aspirations.

• Company Research: Understand Six Robotics' position in the market, their technology (UAV autonomy, swarm platforms), and their values. Prepare thoughtful questions about the company culture, team structure, and the future vision for the design function.

⚠️ 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.