Product Designer 2 - Handhelds

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer 2 - Handhelds

Company: Garmin International, Inc.

Location: Olathe, Kansas, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-24

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design compelling user experiences for Garmin's outdoor handheld and hunting devices, focusing on user-centered principles and intuitive interactions.

• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, graphic artists, and product managers, to drive design direction and ensure seamless product development.

• Conduct user research, create prototypes, and perform usability testing to validate design solutions and gather critical user feedback.

• Document design specifications, flows, and behavioral documentation clearly to ensure comprehensive understanding across all stakeholders and development teams.

• Maintain and enforce user interface design consistency across various product lines, contributing to a cohesive and recognizable Garmin user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically within the Outdoor and Fitness group, indicating a focus on products designed for outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and potentially users in remote or emergency situations. The "Product Designer 2" title suggests a mid-level position with increasing responsibility and potential mentorship opportunities for junior designers.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct thorough user research to understand user needs, behaviors, and pain points relevant to outdoor handheld and hunting devices.

• Ideate and conceptualize innovative features and functionalities for new product enhancements and entirely new product lines.

• Develop detailed user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools like Figma to visualize and test design concepts.

• Translate complex technical requirements and user needs into simple, elegant, and highly usable interface designs.

• Prepare and deliver compelling visual presentations of design concepts, research findings, and rationale to stakeholders at various levels.

• Document design specifications, including behavioral documentation, interaction details, and visual design guidelines, to facilitate accurate implementation by engineering teams.

• Plan and execute usability testing sessions, analyze results, and iterate on designs based on user feedback and performance data.

• Collaborate closely with software engineers to ensure designs are implemented accurately and efficiently, providing ongoing support throughout the development lifecycle.

• Work with graphic artists to ensure visual elements align with brand guidelines and enhance the overall user experience.

• Maintain consistency in user interface design and interaction patterns across the product portfolio to foster brand recognition and user familiarity.

• Stay current with emerging trends in UX/UI design, human-computer interaction, and relevant technologies, applying new knowledge to enhance product designs.

• Contribute to advanced design research and concept exploration for future product innovation.

• Clearly communicate the status of design work, proactively identifying and flagging potential issues or risks to design leadership.

• Potentially mentor and guide Product Designers 1, providing constructive feedback and sharing expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a holistic UX design process, from initial research and ideation through to detailed documentation and implementation support. The need to "document clear, organized solutions that are highly understandable in flow, function and status by stakeholders, engineers, and unfamiliar eyes" highlights the importance of strong communication and documentation skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Interactive Design, Human Factors, Visual Design, or a closely related field with a strong emphasis on user-centered design principles.

Experience: A minimum of 1 year of relevant professional work experience in UX/UI design, or a minimum of 5 years of equivalent education and experience demonstrating proficiency in the essential functions of a product designer role.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated proficiency in user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles.

• Exceptional skills in creating research artifacts, user flows, and interactive prototypes using design tools, with a specific emphasis on Figma.

• Strong understanding of user-centered design methodologies and their practical application.

• Ability to conduct and interpret usability testing to inform design decisions.

• Excellent skills in visual design, including layout, typography, and color theory.

• Proficient in creating storyboards and behavioral documentation to communicate design intent.

• Proven ability to produce creative, simple, and highly usable solutions that respond to human behavior.

• Strong and effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale clearly.

• Demonstrated ability to document clear, organized solutions understandable by diverse stakeholders.

• Experience working collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, product managers, and graphic artists.

• Ability to adapt designs based on feedback, project changes, and evolving requirements. Preferred Skills:

• Outstanding academic record (cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher).

• Technical knowledge that bridges the gap between engineering and design environments.

• Deep curiosity for learning and a passion for solving complex problems.

• A genuine interest in Garmin products and the outdoor/fitness activities they support.

• Experience with advanced design research or concepting for new markets.

• Familiarity with animation or motion design principles for enhancing user interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for Figma proficiency is explicit and crucial. The "Product Designer 2" level implies a candidate who can work independently on defined projects while also contributing to broader design strategy and potentially mentoring junior team members. The emphasis on "behavioral documentation" suggests a need to design not just the visual interface but also the underlying logic and user journey.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 diverse projects demonstrating a comprehensive UX/UI design process, from initial research to final implementation.

• Include detailed case studies for each project, clearly outlining the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, and quantifiable outcomes.

• Highlight projects specifically related to hardware-integrated software, mobile applications, or complex interactive systems.

• Demonstrate proficiency in creating user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes (preferably using Figma).

• Present evidence of user research methodologies employed and insights derived, along with how these insights influenced design decisions.

• Include examples of usability testing, A/B testing, or other validation methods and the resulting design iterations. Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of clear and concise documentation for design specifications, including behavioral documentation, interaction logic, and visual design guidelines.

• Showcase the ability to articulate design rationale and decision-making processes effectively through written documentation and presentations.

• Demonstrate experience in creating and maintaining design systems or style guides to ensure UI consistency.

• Include examples of how you have collaborated with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a mid-level Product Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It should not just present finished designs but also the thought process, problem-solving skills, and understanding of user-centered design principles. Emphasis on Figma and documentation of design behavior will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Product Designer 2 with 2-5 years of experience in the Olathe, Kansas area, the estimated annual salary range is between $70,000 and $95,000 USD. This range accounts for the cost of living in the Greater Kansas City area and the specialized skills required for UX/UI design in a technology company.

Benefits:

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

• Retirement Program: Typically a 401(k) plan with company matching contributions.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday pay.

• Life and Disability Insurance: Standard employer-provided coverage.

• Wellness Programs: Initiatives focused on employee health and well-being.

• Employee Discounts: On Garmin products.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, conferences, and certifications.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work schedule of approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Garmin often offers some flexibility in daily start and end times, subject to team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on industry data for this role and location. Garmin is known to offer a competitive benefits package, and the explicit mention of product discounts is a notable perk for employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consumer Electronics, GPS Technology, Wearables, Aviation, Marine, Outdoor Recreation. Garmin operates in a highly competitive and innovative technology sector, requiring continuous adaptation and product development.

Company Size: Garmin is a large, publicly traded company with thousands of employees globally. This means established processes, robust infrastructure, and opportunities for career advancement within a structured environment.

Founded: Garmin was founded in 1989. With decades of experience, the company has a strong foundation in engineering excellence and a proven track record of product innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer 2 will join the Outdoor and Fitness group, specifically focusing on handhelds and hunting devices. This team is likely composed of other designers (junior and senior), product managers, software engineers, and potentially hardware engineers who collaborate on product development.

• Reporting structure likely involves reporting to a Design Lead or Manager within the Outdoor and Fitness division, who oversees design direction and team performance.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core aspect, with designers working closely with product management to define requirements, software engineering for implementation, and graphic artists for visual assets. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is expected, utilizing user research, usability testing, and product performance metrics to guide design choices.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, requiring designers to be adaptable and responsive to iterative feedback.

• Emphasis on user-centered design principles ensures that user needs and behaviors are at the forefront of the design process.

• Strong documentation and clear communication are vital for efficient collaboration and successful product launches.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Garmin's culture is deeply rooted in engineering and product development, with a strong emphasis on innovation and quality. The company's focus on outdoor and fitness products suggests a workplace that values health, exploration, and technological advancement. The "Product Designer 2" role implies being part of a well-established design team within a large, successful corporation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a "Product Designer 2," indicating a mid-level position. It signifies a transition from entry-level design tasks to taking ownership of significant features or smaller products, requiring a solid understanding of design principles and processes, and the ability to work with some autonomy.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer 2 will likely report to a Design Lead or Manager within the Outdoor and Fitness group. This lead will provide guidance, mentorship, and performance feedback. Collaboration will extend to Product Managers, Software Engineers, and other cross-functional stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The designs created by this role directly impact the usability, functionality, and overall user satisfaction of Garmin's handheld and hunting devices. Successful designs contribute to customer adoption, retention, positive reviews, and ultimately, revenue growth for these product lines. The role plays a crucial part in translating complex technology into intuitive and enjoyable user experiences for outdoor enthusiasts.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/UI design, such as interaction design for hardware-software integration, advanced prototyping techniques, or user research methodologies.

• Leadership Development: Progress to a "Product Designer 3" or Senior Product Designer role, taking on larger, more complex projects, leading design initiatives, and potentially mentoring junior designers more formally.

• Cross-Functional Movement: Potential to move into related roles such as Product Management, UX Research Lead, or Design Team Lead, leveraging accumulated product and user experience knowledge.

• Industry Exposure: Gain extensive experience with a diverse range of consumer technology products and understand the unique challenges of designing for outdoor and specialized use cases.

• Continuous Learning: Access to internal training, external conferences, and resources to stay at the forefront of design trends and technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer 2" title suggests a clear career path within Garmin. The growth opportunities emphasize both deepening technical design skills and developing leadership capabilities, aligning with typical progression in established tech companies. The impact on revenue is tied to product success and customer satisfaction.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role at Garmin's U.S. headquarters. The environment is likely a modern, professional office setting designed for collaboration and innovation.

Office Location(s): Olathe, Kansas, located in the Greater Kansas City area. This location serves as Garmin's U.S. headquarters, providing a centralized hub for design and engineering teams.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office will likely feature various meeting rooms, breakout areas, and open-plan workspaces designed to foster interaction and brainstorming among team members.

• Tools and Technology: Access to high-performance workstations, design software (e.g., Figma, Adobe Creative Suite), prototyping tools, and potentially hardware prototypes for testing.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for face-to-face interaction with colleagues, including designers, engineers, product managers, and leadership, facilitating real-time feedback and problem-solving.

• Product Exposure: Proximity to product development cycles means designers often have hands-on experience with the devices they are designing for.

Work Schedule: While the core hours are typically 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Garmin may offer some flexibility in daily start and end times, provided project deadlines and team collaboration needs are met. The emphasis is on delivering results and collaborating effectively within the team structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests a preference for in-person collaboration, which can be beneficial for design roles requiring frequent interaction and whiteboarding sessions. The location in Olathe places it within a growing tech hub in the Midwest.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, potentially followed by a brief phone screen to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review: You will be asked to present your portfolio, either live or via a recorded presentation. Be prepared to walk through 2-3 key projects in detail, explaining your design process, decision-making, challenges, and outcomes.

• Technical Interview(s): Expect interviews with design leadership and/or senior designers. These may involve design challenges, problem-solving scenarios, and in-depth discussions about your past projects and design philosophy.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with product managers and/or software engineers to assess your ability to collaborate effectively, understand technical constraints, and communicate design intent.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final discussion with a higher-level manager or director to confirm fit and discuss overall career trajectory.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best represent your skills relevant to this role – particularly those involving hardware-software integration, mobile apps, or complex interactive systems.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your specific role and contributions, the design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), key decisions made, and the impact/results. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Figma: Explicitly showcase your proficiency with Figma, demonstrating advanced features and workflows if possible.

• Showcase Documentation: Include examples of your detailed design documentation, user flows, and behavioral specifications.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores).

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle feedback, challenges you've overcome, and your understanding of user-centered design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercises: Be ready for a design challenge, which might involve analyzing a problem, sketching solutions, creating a quick prototype, or discussing how you would approach a given design task.

• Problem-Solving: Practice articulating your thought process for solving design problems, focusing on user needs and business goals.

• Communication: Prepare to clearly explain your design rationale, trade-offs, and how your proposed solutions align with user goals and technical feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical step. Candidates should prepare to deeply explain their design process and rationale, emphasizing their ability to translate user needs into functional and aesthetically pleasing interfaces for hardware-connected products.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for creating research artifacts, user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes. Proficiency in advanced Figma features will be highly valued.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Likely used for graphic assets, illustration, and potentially visual design tasks (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools (e.g., InVision, Adobe XD) may be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Usability Testing Platforms: Tools for conducting remote or in-person usability tests and analyzing results.

• Analytics Tools: While not a primary focus for a designer, understanding how to interpret user data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude) can inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for tracking design tasks and collaborating with engineering teams.

• Collaboration Platforms: Tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams for day-to-day communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required tool, making it a must-have skill for applicants. Understanding how design impacts user behavior and how to measure that impact through analytics is also important, even if not the primary responsibility.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the user, ensuring that designs are intuitive, effective, and enjoyable.

• Innovation: A drive to explore new ideas, technologies, and approaches to create cutting-edge products.

• Collaboration: A belief in the power of teamwork, encouraging open communication and shared problem-solving across disciplines.

• Quality & Excellence: A dedication to producing high-quality, reliable, and well-crafted products that meet rigorous standards.

• Passion for the Outdoors: A genuine enthusiasm for the activities and lifestyles that Garmin products support, bringing intrinsic motivation to the design process.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work closely and continuously with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, fostering a collaborative environment where ideas are exchanged freely.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: An open environment where feedback is given and received constructively, aiming to improve designs and products collectively.

• Iterative Process: Designs are not seen as final until thoroughly tested and refined, embracing an iterative approach to development.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, research findings, and design techniques across the team to elevate collective expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: Garmin's culture likely emphasizes a blend of engineering rigor, user focus, and a passion for the products they create. The collaborative style is essential for success in a company that develops complex, integrated hardware and software solutions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Designing for complex hardware-software integrations often involves navigating significant technical limitations and engineering trade-offs.

• Maintaining Consistency Across Diverse Products: Ensuring a unified user experience across a wide range of handheld devices, each with unique functionalities and form factors.

• Adapting to Evolving Technology: Staying abreast of rapid advancements in hardware, software, and user interface paradigms to keep products competitive and innovative.

• Managing Ambiguity and Change: Projects may involve evolving requirements, unexpected challenges, and the need to adapt designs flexibly throughout the development cycle.

• Bridging Disciplines: Effectively communicating design intent to engineers and understanding technical feasibility from their perspective requires strong cross-disciplinary communication skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to learn and apply advanced prototyping, interaction design, and user research methodologies.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant design conferences (e.g., UXPA, CHI) and pursuing certifications in specialized design areas.

• Mentorship Programs: Formal or informal mentorship from senior designers and design leadership to guide career development and skill enhancement.

• Exposure to New Product Areas: The chance to work on different product lines within Garmin, broadening design experience and technical understanding.

• Leadership Training: Development programs focused on project leadership, team management, and strategic design thinking for those aspiring to senior or lead roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexities of designing for integrated hardware/software products in a fast-paced tech environment. The growth opportunities are structured to support both technical skill development and career advancement within Garmin's established framework.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance competing user needs with significant technical constraints. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on problem-solving, trade-offs, and user advocacy.)

• "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature for a complex device. What were your key considerations, and how did you ensure usability?" (Highlight your end-to-end design process, research, ideation, and validation.)

• "How do you ensure consistency in UI design across multiple products or platforms? Provide an example from your portfolio." (Emphasize your understanding of design systems, style guides, and long-term product vision.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Garmin and specifically about designing for our outdoor handheld and hunting devices?" (Show genuine interest in the product domain and company mission.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with software engineers and product managers? Describe a situation where you had a design disagreement and how you resolved it." (Assess your teamwork and communication skills.)

• "How do you stay current with UX/UI design trends and technologies, and how do you incorporate them into your work?" (Demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning and innovation.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact. Use a logical flow that tells a compelling story.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – mockups, prototypes, user flows, research findings. Demonstrate your Figma proficiency by showcasing interactive elements or complex layouts.

• Focus on Rationale: Be prepared to deeply explain why you made certain design decisions. Connect your choices back to user needs, research insights, and business goals.

• Quantify Results: If possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss how you would measure success.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design elements, your approach to user testing, and how you handle feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize demonstrating a strong, user-centered design process, excellent communication skills, and a clear understanding of how to translate user needs into functional designs for hardware-integrated products, with specific attention to Figma.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Garmin careers portal at https://careers.garmin.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating expertise in user-centered design, UI/UX for hardware-integrated software, and proficiency with Figma. Prioritize projects that align with Garmin's product categories (outdoor, fitness, handhelds).

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience with UX/UI design principles, prototyping, user research, and cross-functional collaboration. Quantify achievements where possible and use keywords relevant to the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on explaining your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Prepare to discuss your experience with Figma and how you approach problem-solving in design.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Garmin's product lines, especially their outdoor handheld and hunting devices, and understand their market position. Research their company culture and values to articulate your fit.

⚠️ 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.