Lead UX Designer (Product Design)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Designer (Product Design)

Company: Rev

Location: Austin, Texas, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-13

Experience Level: Senior to Staff Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (2-3 days onsite in Austin, TX)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of innovative, AI-first products that transform how users interact with conversational data and insights.

• Drive the product vision and strategy through user-centered design principles, with a strong emphasis on AI-native experiences.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, and other stakeholders to translate complex needs into simple, intuitive, and trustworthy user interfaces.

• Own significant product initiatives from discovery through delivery and iteration, influencing product direction and elevating design quality across the organization.

• Establish and strengthen scalable design systems and repeatable processes to accelerate design and development cycles without sacrificing quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Lead UX Designer (Product Design)," the description emphasizes an individual contributor (IC) role at a Senior-to-Staff level, focused on hands-on execution and ownership of product initiatives. Mentorship or player-coach responsibilities may be available for individuals with prior leadership experience, but the core expectation is deep involvement in day-to-day design execution. The emphasis on AI-native design suggests a forward-thinking approach to product development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete product design lifecycle for complex initiatives, from initial customer discovery and problem definition through concept development, prototyping, delivery, measurement, and ongoing iteration.

• Partner strategically with Product and Engineering teams to translate intricate customer needs, business objectives, technical constraints, and product data into intuitive, AI-powered user experiences.

• Simplify sophisticated workflows related to automated speech recognition, conversational intelligence, and other advanced AI technologies into user-friendly interfaces.

• Design cohesive and consistent user experiences across multiple platforms, including web, desktop, and mobile applications.

• Develop comprehensive design artifacts, including user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, detailed interface designs, and production-ready assets using Figma.

• Collaborate closely with the Engineering team throughout the implementation phase to ensure design quality is maintained and to efficiently resolve technical trade-offs.

• Proactively leverage AI tools and techniques throughout the design process to accelerate research synthesis, ideation, prototyping, testing, documentation, and iteration cycles.

• Experiment with and advocate for the adoption of emerging AI tools, helping to establish effective, repeatable AI-enabled design practices across the organization.

• Conduct customer discovery sessions and usability testing, applying qualitative and quantitative insights to iteratively improve shipped product experiences.

• Design AI-powered experiences with a focus on trustworthiness, thoughtfully addressing aspects like uncertainty, transparency, user control, correction mechanisms, failure states, and error recovery.

• Critically evaluate when AI can deliver significant customer value versus when alternative solutions are more appropriate.

• Contribute to and strengthen Rev's design system, encompassing its components, patterns, documentation, governance, and seamless integration with Engineering implementation.

• Establish and refine repeatable processes that enhance overall design quality, consistency, ownership, collaboration, and speed of delivery.

• Act as a senior design advocate within the Build organization, effectively communicating design rationale, facilitating constructive critiques, and championing the customer's perspective.

• Build alignment and foster strong working relationships across Product, Engineering, and other key stakeholders by actively listening, communicating clearly, making timely decisions, and acting with a sense of urgency.

• Mentor junior designers and provide player-coach leadership, if applicable based on experience, while remaining deeply engaged in hands-on design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic ownership and hands-on execution, common in senior product design roles within fast-paced tech environments. The explicit mention of "AI-native design" and "trustworthy AI experiences" indicates a critical focus on the ethical and practical application of AI in user interfaces, which candidates should be prepared to discuss with specific examples.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A bachelor's or master's degree in Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a closely related field is preferred, but not strictly required if equivalent practical experience is demonstrated. Experience:

• Significant professional experience as a UX or Product Designer, with a proven track record of operating effectively at the Senior, Staff, or Lead level.

• Demonstrated success in independently owning and driving complex product initiatives from initial concept through to launch and iteration, delivering measurable customer or business impact. Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A compelling and robust portfolio showcasing recent, hands-on, end-to-end ownership of complex product experiences and demonstrable customer or business impact.

• Design Proficiency: Strong capabilities in interaction design, UX design, and visual design, with expertise across responsive web and mobile experiences.

• Tooling: Advanced proficiency in Figma and modern prototyping methodologies.

• Research & Insights: Experience conducting customer research and usability testing, with the ability to translate qualitative and quantitative insights into actionable product improvements.

• AI in Design: Demonstrated, sustained use of AI throughout the design process, with specific examples of how AI improved speed, quality, experimentation, or outcomes.

• AI Product Design: Experience designing AI-powered products or features, including thoughtful approaches to trust, uncertainty, transparency, user control, correction, and failure states.

• Design Systems: Experience contributing to or strengthening a scalable design system.

• Collaboration: A history of successful collaboration with Product and Engineering teams, including the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and trade-offs.

• Leadership & Execution: The ability to independently lead ambiguous, high-impact initiatives, moving fluidly between strategic thinking and detailed execution.

• Process Improvement: The ability to create clarity, introduce appropriate structure, and drive work forward without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.

• Product Judgment: Strong product judgment, systems thinking, accountability, and a bias toward action, experimentation, and measurable customer outcomes.

• Foundational UX: A solid foundation in user-centered design, information architecture, responsive design principles, and accessibility standards (WCAG).

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI products, B2B SaaS, legal technology, media workflows, speech technology, or conversational intelligence.

• Experience working in a fast-paced startup or similarly dynamic, resource-constrained environment.

• Previous mentorship or player-coach experience with other designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "significant experience" and "demonstrated success operating at the Senior, Staff, or Lead level" signifies that candidates should be prepared to showcase leadership in design execution and strategic thinking, not just task completion. The requirement for demonstrated AI use in the design process is a key differentiator for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Ownership: Showcase at least 2-3 significant product initiatives where you owned the entire design process from initial problem definition and user research through to detailed design, prototyping, and post-launch iteration.

• AI Integration: Clearly articulate and demonstrate how AI was used within your design process (e.g., research synthesis, ideation, prototyping) and/or how you designed AI-powered features, highlighting the impact on speed, quality, or outcomes.

• Complexity & Impact: Feature projects that involved complex workflows or sophisticated technologies, with clear evidence of meaningful customer or business impact (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user engagement, reduced task completion time, enhanced user satisfaction).

• Figma & Prototyping: Provide interactive prototypes (preferably built in Figma) that illustrate key user flows and design solutions. Ensure designs are polished and demonstrate strong visual and interaction design skills.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, include examples of your contributions to design systems, showcasing components, patterns, or documentation you helped create or improve.

Process Documentation:

• Problem Definition & Research: Clearly outline the problem space, target users, and the research methodologies employed (e.g., user interviews, surveys, usability testing) to inform design decisions.

• Design Rationale: Articulate the strategic thinking behind your design choices, including user flows, wireframes, and final UI, explaining how they address user needs and business goals.

• Collaboration & Iteration: Describe your collaboration process with Product Managers and Engineers, and how feedback loops (internal and external) led to design iterations and improvements.

• AI & Technology Integration: Detail the specific AI tools or techniques used, or the approach taken to design AI-powered features, including how trust, transparency, and user control were addressed.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio should not just be a collection of final designs but a narrative that demonstrates strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and a deep understanding of the design process, especially concerning AI and complex technologies. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their portfolio and discuss their decision-making process in detail.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designers in Austin, Texas, with 5-10 years of experience, and considering Rev's status as a growth-stage tech company, the estimated salary range for this role is $140,000 - $190,000 per year. This range accounts for the senior level of the position, the specific skill set required (including AI design expertise), and the cost of living in Austin.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and company holidays.

• Stock options or equity grants, reflecting the growth-stage nature of the company.

• Professional development budget for conferences, training, and learning resources.

• Opportunities for career advancement and leadership within a growing product organization.

• Remote work flexibility with a stipend for home office setup.

• [Specific benefits relevant to Rev's industry, e.g., access to cutting-edge AI tools, professional development in speech technology or AI.] Working Hours:

• Standard full-time position, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week.

• While hybrid, the role offers flexibility in managing work hours, with expectations for core collaboration times during business hours and availability for key meetings and deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on market data for similar roles in Austin, TX, considering the experience level and the specific demands of designing AI-native products. Actual compensation will be determined by the candidate's experience, qualifications, and alignment with the role's requirements. Benefits are standard for a tech company but should be confirmed directly.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on AI-powered speech and language solutions (Speech Technology, Conversational Intelligence, AI Services). Rev is disrupting the industry by leveraging AI to provide transcription, captioning, and other speech-to-text services.

Company Size: Rev is a growth-stage company, likely falling into the 200-500 employee range based on typical tech company growth trajectories. This size offers a balance of established processes and the agility of a startup.

Founded: Founded in 2015, Rev has established itself in the market and is now focusing on leveraging advanced AI to further innovate its product offerings. This history suggests a company that has navigated early-stage challenges and is now scaling its impact.

Team Structure:

• The design team likely operates within or closely aligned with the "Build" organization, which includes Product Management and Engineering.

• The Lead UX Designer will report to a Head of Product or Design Lead, and will work cross-functionally with Product Managers, Software Engineers, AI Engineers, and potentially Marketing or Customer Success teams.

• Collaboration is expected to be highly integrated, with designers working hand-in-hand with engineering and product throughout the development lifecycle. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using qualitative and quantitative data, including user research, usability testing, and product analytics, to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• AI-First Approach: A core methodology is to integrate AI throughout the product development lifecycle, from design exploration to core product features, aiming for efficiency and enhanced user experiences.

• Agile Development: Likely operates within an agile framework, requiring designers to be adaptable, iterative, and able to respond to changing priorities and feedback.

• Design Systems & Process Optimization: A focus on building scalable design systems and establishing repeatable processes to ensure quality, consistency, and speed across product development.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Rev's positioning as an "AI-first company" is a critical cultural and strategic element. Designers will need to be comfortable and adept at working with AI technologies, both as users of AI design tools and as creators of AI-powered user experiences. The company culture likely values innovation, speed, and a data-informed approach.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior-to-Staff level within the UX/Product Design discipline. It represents a significant step beyond mid-level design roles, requiring a high degree of autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to tackle ambiguous, high-impact problems independently. It implies a level of design leadership and influence on product direction.

Reporting Structure: The Lead UX Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Director of Design, or a similar senior leadership role within the product development organization. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product initiatives.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is direct and significant. By leading the design of core product experiences, the Lead UX Designer will shape how customers interact with Rev's AI capabilities, directly influencing user adoption, satisfaction, efficiency gains for customers, and ultimately, Rev's market competitiveness and revenue growth. Their work in establishing design systems and processes will also have a downstream effect on the productivity and quality of the entire product team.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a formal design management role, leading a team of designers, or to become a principal/staff designer, setting technical direction for design across multiple product areas.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-native design, conversational AI interfaces, or specific product domains relevant to Rev's offerings.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence beyond design to shape product strategy and business decisions through compelling user advocacy and data-driven insights.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor other designers, sharing expertise and contributing to the growth of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title, combined with the Senior/Staff level, suggests a career path that can lead to individual technical leadership (Staff/Principal) or people leadership (Manager/Director). The emphasis on AI is a strategic growth area for the company and for designers looking to specialize in a high-demand field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Rev operates a hybrid work model for its Austin-based employees. This means a blend of remote work and in-office collaboration. The office is designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming, and focused work.

Office Location(s): The Austin office is located at 1717 W 6th St, Suite 310, Austin, TX 78703. This location is likely in a vibrant part of the city, offering accessibility and potentially a good work-life balance environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment is expected to include meeting rooms and common areas conducive to brainstorming sessions, design critiques, and cross-functional team meetings.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary design software (Figma is primary), collaboration tools, and potentially specialized AI tools for design exploration. High-speed internet and standard office amenities will be provided.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional interaction with colleagues on designated office days, fostering team cohesion, spontaneous discussions, and a shared sense of purpose.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with approximately 40 hours per week. While the hybrid nature offers some flexibility, core collaboration hours will likely align with standard business operations (e.g., 9 AM - 5 PM Central Time), with flexibility to adjust start/end times as needed, provided team collaboration and project needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid expectation for Austin-based employees is a key detail. Candidates should be comfortable with splitting their time between remote work and in-office collaboration, understanding the purpose of these in-office days (likely for deeper collaboration, team building, and strategic alignment).

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screen: A brief conversation with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and Rev.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discussing key projects, design decisions, and their experience with AI in design. This may be followed by a take-home design challenge or an in-person/virtual design exercise focused on a specific problem relevant to Rev's products.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, problem-solving approach, and ability to translate strategic goals into design execution.

• Leadership/Hiring Manager Interview: A final conversation with the Head of Product or Design Lead to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, cultural alignment, and overall fit for the role and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Narrative is Key: Structure your portfolio around compelling stories of problem-solving, not just a gallery of finished work. Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions.

• Highlight AI Impact: Dedicate specific sections or projects to showcasing your experience with AI in design. Be explicit about the tools used, the outcomes achieved, and the challenges overcome.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use interactive prototypes, user flows, and detailed mockups to illustrate your design thinking. For AI features, consider how you've addressed trust, transparency, and user control.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on users and the business.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect detailed questions about your process, your decision-making, and your collaboration with engineering and product.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research Rev's products, target audience, and competitive landscape. Consider how AI is currently used and could be further integrated.

• Focus on Process: For any design challenge, emphasize your approach to understanding the problem, exploring solutions, and justifying your recommendations with user-centered principles and business context.

• AI Integration: If the challenge involves AI, consider how you would approach designing for trust, uncertainty, and user control.

• Communication: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, as you will need to present your findings and recommendations effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate not only design craft but also strategic thinking, collaboration skills, and adaptability, particularly in the context of AI-driven product development. Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with AI tools and methodologies in depth.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration. Advanced proficiency is expected.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, familiarity with tools like Protopie, InVision, or similar for more complex interactive prototypes may be beneficial.

• AI Design Tools: Experience with emerging AI tools for design assistance (e.g., AI-powered ideation tools, research synthesis aids, content generation assistants) is highly valued.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools such as Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, or similar for understanding user behavior and tracking product performance.

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting remote usability testing and qualitative research (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary design tool, understanding how design integrates with CRM (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be helpful for context in B2B SaaS environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a baseline requirement. The emphasis on AI tools suggests that candidates who are early adopters and experimenters with AI in design workflows will have a distinct advantage. Understanding how design impacts data collection and analysis is also crucial for demonstrating impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs through intuitive and effective product experiences.

• Innovation & Experimentation: A culture that encourages bold thinking, embracing new technologies like AI, and a willingness to experiment and learn from outcomes.

• Speed & Agility: The ability to move quickly, iterate rapidly, and adapt to changing market dynamics and technological advancements, especially in a fast-paced tech environment.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication, shared ownership, and a collaborative spirit across Product, Engineering, and Design teams to achieve shared goals.

• Accountability & Ownership: Taking responsibility for outcomes, driving initiatives forward independently, and delivering measurable results.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Design works closely with Product and Engineering from the outset of initiatives, fostering a shared understanding and co-creation process.

• Constructive Critiques: Regular design critiques and feedback sessions are encouraged to elevate the quality and effectiveness of designs.

• Data-Informed Discussions: Design decisions and discussions are grounded in user research, product data, and business objectives.

• Clear Communication: Emphasis on clear, concise communication of design rationale, trade-offs, and recommendations to ensure alignment and efficient decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: Rev's culture appears to strongly value a proactive, data-informed, and collaborative approach. Designers are expected to be not just creators but also strategic partners who can drive product direction and foster efficiency through thoughtful design and process optimization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Uncertainty: Effectively designing user interfaces for AI-powered features that inherently involve uncertainty, probabilistic outcomes, and potential for errors, while maintaining user trust and control.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Working in a fast-paced environment to deliver high-quality, innovative designs rapidly, often with resource constraints.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent communication and alignment with Product and Engineering teams who may have different priorities or technical perspectives.

• Evolving AI Landscape: Keeping pace with the rapid advancements in AI tools and methodologies and integrating them effectively into the design process.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Opportunity to become a go-to expert in AI-native design, a highly sought-after skill set.

• Product Strategy Influence: Develop skills in shaping product strategy and influencing business direction through design leadership.

• Design System Development: Contribute to the growth and governance of a scalable design system, enhancing organizational efficiency and design consistency.

• Mentorship: Gain experience mentoring junior designers and potentially developing player-coach leadership skills.

• Industry Exposure: Engage with cutting-edge AI technologies and potentially attend industry events related to AI, UX, and product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the novel aspects of AI design and the fast-paced nature of a growth-stage tech company. Growth opportunities are directly tied to specializing in AI, increasing strategic influence, and developing leadership capabilities within a dynamic product environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product you designed from end-to-end. What was the problem, your process, the key design decisions, and the impact? How did you incorporate AI into this process or product?"

• "How do you approach designing for AI-powered features, particularly concerning user trust, transparency, and control? Can you share an example?"

• "How do you balance the need for rapid iteration in a fast-paced environment with maintaining high design quality and a strong user experience?"

• "Walk us through how you would approach designing a new AI feature for Rev's transcription or captioning service. What factors would you consider?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Rev's mission and its AI-first approach?"

• "How do you ensure alignment and effective collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers?"

• "Describe a time you had to advocate for a design decision that faced resistance. How did you handle it?"

• "How do you stay current with advancements in AI design tools and methodologies?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative: the challenge, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solution, and the measurable outcome.

• Focus on AI: Clearly highlight any AI elements in your projects. Explain your specific contributions and the impact of AI on the design or the user experience.

• Showcase Figma Skills: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma proficiency, perhaps by walking through a complex component or interaction.

• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to prove the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss proxy metrics or qualitative feedback that indicates success.

• Address Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss design trade-offs you made and why, especially those involving technical constraints or competing priorities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on articulating experience with AI in design, demonstrating end-to-end ownership, and showcasing strong collaborative and strategic thinking skills. Be ready to dive deep into your portfolio and your thought process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that best demonstrate your experience with AI-powered products, end-to-end design ownership, and complex problem-solving. Ensure it's easily navigable and visually compelling.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your experience at the Senior/Staff level, emphasizing achievements related to product impact, AI integration, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, rationale, and impact for key portfolio projects. Prepare specific examples related to AI design, user research, and collaboration with engineering.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Rev's products, mission, and recent news. Understand their AI-first strategy and how your skills align with their goals. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

⚠️ 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.