Product Design​ Lead (UX UI​)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Design Lead (UX/UI)

Company: dcbel Inc.

Location: Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-24

Experience Level: 10+ years (with specific leadership and design system experience)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the definition and execution of end-to-end user experiences for a multi-surface residential energy platform, ensuring consistency, clarity, and scalability.

• Drive the creation and evolution of design systems and scalable interaction patterns across hardware and software touchpoints.

• Blend hands-on product design with system-level ownership to shape how customers and internal operations interact with dcbel's innovative energy solutions.

• Elevate design standards and influence experience strategy across the organization, contributing to a new category of product.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant leadership responsibilities, focusing on establishing design foundations and driving product experience strategy. The emphasis on system-level ownership and design systems suggests a need for strong strategic thinking alongside execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define the overarching user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) strategy for dcbel's residential energy products, encompassing customer-facing applications and internal operational tools.

• Design high-impact user interfaces and interaction models that are intuitive, reliable, and scalable across a multi-surface platform (e.g., mobile app, web interface, embedded hardware displays).

• Lead the development, maintenance, and governance of dcbel's design system, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality in design outputs.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Operations teams to translate business objectives and technical constraints into exceptional user experiences.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and data analysis to inform design decisions and validate design solutions.

• Mentor and guide a team of designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing design culture.

• Champion user-centered design principles and best practices throughout the organization.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the product by identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement in the user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic design leadership, system development, and hands-on execution, typical for a "Lead" role. The mention of "internal operational tools" suggests a need for experience with B2B or internal-facing application design, alongside consumer-grade products.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 8+ years of professional experience in digital product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing expertise in UX and UI design for consumer-grade digital products.

• At least 3 years of experience leading and mentoring a team of designers, managing workflows, and delivering design assets.

• Proven experience in contributing to or building comprehensive design systems and establishing scalable interaction patterns. Required Skills:

• UX/UI Design Expertise: Deep understanding of user-centered design principles, interaction design, visual design, and information architecture.

• Design Systems: Proficiency in creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and pattern definitions.

• Team Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and manage a design team, fostering collaboration and driving project success.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent communication and collaboration skills to effectively partner with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations.

• System-Level Thinking: Ability to understand and design for complex, interconnected systems across multiple product surfaces and user touchpoints.

• Consumer-Grade Product Design: Experience designing intuitive and reliable experiences for end-users, prioritizing clarity and simplicity.

Preferred Skills:

• Hardware-Software Integration: Experience designing user experiences that bridge physical hardware and digital interfaces.

• AI-Driven Design: Ability to interpret and leverage AI-generated design inputs to create compelling solutions.

• Operational/Service Tools: Exposure to designing tools that support real-world workflows for operational or service teams.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile development processes and experience working in fast-paced environments.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Experience that will accelerate impact" section implies that experience with hardware/software integration and operational tools will be highly valued, suggesting the company operates at the intersection of these domains. The "AI-driven design" mention hints at emerging technologies being incorporated into their design process.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Detailed case studies showcasing end-to-end product design processes, from problem definition to solution implementation and impact. These should highlight your role, the challenges faced, your design thinking, and the measurable outcomes.

• Design System Contributions: Examples of your involvement in building or significantly contributing to a design system, demonstrating your understanding of its principles, components, and scalability.

• Multi-Surface Design: Projects that illustrate your ability to design cohesive experiences across various platforms and touchpoints (e.g., mobile app, web, embedded systems).

• Process Documentation: Clear articulation of your design process, including research methodologies, ideation techniques, prototyping, and user validation.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your ability to document design decisions, user flows, and interaction specifications in a way that facilitates clear communication and efficient handoff to engineering.

• Demonstrate how you've used design documentation to ensure consistency and scalability across a product or platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead role, the portfolio should not only demonstrate individual design craft but also strategic thinking, system design capabilities, and leadership. The emphasis on "system-level ownership" and "design systems" means portfolio pieces directly addressing these areas will be critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a Product Design Lead with 8+ years of experience, including 3+ years in a leadership capacity, in Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

• Estimated Range: $120,000 - $170,000 CAD per year. This range accounts for the significant experience, leadership responsibilities, and specialized skills (e.g., hardware-software integration, design systems) required for this role. Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Health Virtual Care: Access to virtual healthcare services for convenience and accessibility.

• Employee Stock Options Plan (ESOP): Opportunity to own a stake in the company's growth and success.

• Flexible Hours: Ability to adjust work schedules to better manage personal and professional commitments.

• Parking: On-site parking available for employees.

• Employer Commute Program: Assistance or incentives to encourage sustainable commuting options, with amenities located near Metro Namur.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered to manage work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from current market data for senior design leadership roles in major Canadian tech hubs like Montreal, considering the specific requirements of leading design systems and working in a hardware-software integrated environment. The provided benefits are directly extracted from the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Clean Energy Technology / Residential Energy Solutions. dcbel is at the forefront of the residential energy revolution, integrating solar, EV charging, battery storage, and grid services.

Company Size: The provided data does not specify company size, but the mention of "blue chip partners" and "committed and experienced energy experts" suggests a growing, well-funded organization with a strong professional team.

Founded: Not specified, but the company is positioned as a leader in a rapidly evolving industry, implying innovation and a forward-thinking approach.

Team Structure:

• Product Team: This role sits within the Product Team, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Design Team: The Product Design Lead will likely build and manage a small team of designers, fostering a collaborative environment.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working with Engineering, Product Management, and Operations to define and deliver integrated solutions.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A core focus on understanding user needs and translating them into intuitive and dependable experiences.

• System-Level Thinking: Designing solutions that consider the entire ecosystem of hardware, software, and user interactions.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing user research, testing, and analytics to inform design choices and measure impact.

• Agile Development: Operating within a fast-paced environment that likely employs Agile or similar iterative development methodologies.

Company Website: https://www.dcbel.energy/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company operates in a high-growth, mission-driven sector (clean energy), which often attracts talent passionate about making a societal impact. The culture is likely innovative, fast-paced, and collaborative, with a strong emphasis on technical expertise and product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role within the Product Design function. As a "Lead," the individual is expected to not only execute but also to define strategy, build processes, and mentor others. The scope extends beyond individual product features to encompass the entire user experience system.

Reporting Structure: The Product Design Lead will likely report to a Director or VP of Product or Design. They will, in turn, lead a small team of designers.

Operations Impact: The Product Design Lead has a critical role in shaping the user experience of dcbel's core products. A well-defined and intuitive user experience is paramount for customer adoption, satisfaction, and trust, directly impacting the success of the company's residential energy solutions and its market position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to further hone leadership skills by managing and growing a design team, and influencing product strategy at a higher level.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge in the rapidly evolving clean energy sector, understanding the unique UX/UI challenges and opportunities in hardware-software integrated products.

• Design System Ownership: Drive the strategic evolution of a critical design system, impacting product consistency and development efficiency across the company.

• Innovation: Contribute to shaping new product categories and user experiences in a dynamic and world-changing industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for impact and growth, particularly for individuals who thrive in fast-paced, innovative environments and are passionate about sustainability and technology. The leadership component suggests a clear path for career advancement within the company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. The description implies a physical workspace conducive to collaboration.

Office Location(s): Montréal, Quebec, Canada (specifically near Metro Namur, with parking and commute program benefits).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggests an open and interactive workspace designed to facilitate communication between Design, Product, and Engineering teams.

• Tools & Technology: