Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Air

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-07-24T18:19:45

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3-5+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in shaping the future of Air's AI-native Enterprise Readiness Platform, focusing on user-centered design principles.

• The Product Designer will be deeply embedded within forward-deployed teams, requiring a blend of rapid iteration, user research, and direct client engagement.

• Responsibilities include translating complex mission-critical workflows into intuitive and empowering user experiences, with a strong emphasis on data visualization and exploration.

• The position demands a critical thinker and problem solver who can take ownership of feature strategy and development, driving continuous UX research and ensuring user needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the description heavily emphasizes UX research, interaction design, and client engagement within a defense tech context. This suggests a role that bridges traditional product design with a strong UX focus, particularly in understanding and visualizing complex data for operational environments. The "Enterprise Readiness" platform points to a B2B or government-focused product.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as an embedded UX expert, collaborating closely with forward-deployed engineers, data analysts, go-to-market teams, and end-users to rapidly understand mission-critical workflows and user needs.

• Apply User Experience (UX) best practices to translate identified needs into validated product features and user experiences within the Air Enterprise Readiness Platform.

• Execute rapid prototyping cycles by quickly designing and documenting user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, prioritizing speed and iterative testing to optimize data visualization and facilitate data exploration.

• Collaborate directly with embedded product and engineering teams to support design implementation, engaging in cost-benefit discussions that balance speed of delivery with design integrity for future iteration.

• Present designs, key milestones, and UX research findings to clients, peers, and executive-level stakeholders, grounding all decisions in validated user needs and best practices.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of an established design system and UI component library to ensure consistency and scalability across the platform.

• Become an expert on the Air.ai platform, its underlying data, and the specific operational contexts of its users in the defense sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on, iterative design process deeply integrated with engineering and direct customer interaction, typical of roles in fast-paced, mission-critical environments like defense technology. The emphasis on "speed of delivery over perfection" and "rapid iteration" is a key differentiator.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Centered Design (HCD), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or a related field.

• A Master's degree in a similar field is considered a desirable asset. Experience:

• 3-5+ years of experience designing and shipping complex, intuitive, and successful web-based products, with a preference for those involving significant data components.

• Proven experience working within a highly agile and embedded development process, demonstrating a strong ability to prioritize speed of delivery and rapid iteration while maintaining design quality.

• Experience with client-facing roles or consulting is desirable. Required Skills:

• Expertise in User Experience (UX) research methodologies and their application in understanding complex user needs.

• Proficiency in rapid prototyping techniques, including the creation of user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Strong interaction design skills to create intuitive and efficient user interfaces.

• Experience with data visualization principles and tools to effectively represent complex datasets.

• Ability to contribute to and utilize design systems and UI component libraries.

• Excellent critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities across multiple design fidelities.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

• U.S. Citizenship is a strict requirement. Preferred Skills:

• Current possession of a U.S. security clearance at the Top Secret level, or the ability to obtain one with company sponsorship.

• Experience in or exposure to the nuances of a startup or entrepreneurial environment.

• Familiarity with the defense technology sector, analysis, and data visualization challenges within that domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for U.S. Citizenship and the preference for a Top Secret clearance strongly indicate the sensitive nature of the work and the client base, likely involving government or defense contracts. The mention of "revenue-generating case studies" in the portfolio implies a need to demonstrate tangible business impact from design work.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex, web-based product design projects, ideally with a data visualization component.

• Include "revenue-generating" case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the solutions implemented, and the quantifiable business impact or user value delivered.

• Demonstrate experience with rapid prototyping and iterative design cycles, highlighting how user feedback influenced design decisions.

• Provide examples of user flow design, wireframing, and interaction design for complex systems.

• Showcase contributions to or utilization of design systems and UI component libraries. Process Documentation:

• Clearly document the end-to-end design process for each case study, emphasizing the iterative nature and speed of delivery.

• Detail how UX research was conducted and integrated into the design process, particularly in understanding mission-critical workflows.

• Illustrate how designs were translated into implemented features, including collaboration with engineering teams.

• Explain how data visualization and exploration were incorporated into the user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "revenue-generating case studies" and demonstrating "quantifiable business impact" is critical for this role. Candidates should be prepared to articulate how their design work directly contributed to the success of the product or the achievement of business objectives, especially within a data-intensive enterprise platform.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers with 3-5 years of experience in Pittsburgh, PA, and considering the specialized nature of defense tech and the requirement for U.S. Citizenship, the estimated salary range is $95,000 - $130,000 annually.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning, including potential for security clearance sponsorship.

• Retirement savings plan with company match.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays.

• Potential for stock options in a growing startup environment.

• Travel reimbursement for client engagements and site visits. Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position typically requiring 40 hours per week.

• The role's embedded nature and focus on rapid iteration may necessitate flexible working hours, especially during critical project phases or client engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on similar roles in Pittsburgh, PA, considering the mid-level experience requirement and the specialized industry (defense tech) and security clearance needs, which often command a premium. Benefits are inferred based on common offerings for tech companies of this size and industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Defense Technology / Enterprise Software (AI-native platform for Enterprise Readiness)

Company Size: Small to Medium-sized (implied by "growing Design team," "startup or other entrepreneurial environment" preference, and integrated deployment model).

Founded: Not specified, but the company describes itself as a "leader in Enterprise Readiness," suggesting established expertise or a strong vision.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is growing and operates in an embedded model.

• Designers work directly within integrated deployments alongside product managers, implementation specialists, and engineers.

• This structure fosters close collaboration and rapid feedback loops.

• Reporting lines are likely to a Design Lead or Head of Product/Design within these deployments. Methodology:

• Emphasis on AI-native solutions to address the "Readiness Gap."

• Focus on continuous achievement of "readiness" as a real-time condition.

• Utilizes an agile, embedded development process prioritizing speed, rapid iteration, and user feedback.

• Values critical thinking, problem-solving, and ownership of feature strategy.

• Encourages experimentation ("Fail often, iterate quickly, and try again").

Company Website: airfrenchband.com (Note: This appears to be a placeholder or misdirection; a more relevant domain would be expected for an enterprise software company. The provided URL points to a band.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "Enterprise Readiness" and its AI-native platform suggests a sophisticated B2B or government-focused product. The culture appears fast-paced, collaborative, and outcome-oriented, with a strong emphasis on practical application and speed. The mention of "forward-deployed engineers" and "on-site client engagement" points to a company that works very closely with its customers.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Product Designer. This role requires significant autonomy and the ability to lead design initiatives within specific deployment tracks. It's a step beyond junior design roles, demanding ownership and strategic input.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Manager within their assigned deployment team, which is integrated with Product Management and Engineering. This structure facilitates direct collaboration and quick decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is directly tied to the success of the Air Enterprise Readiness Platform. By ensuring the platform is intuitive, efficient, and meets the critical needs of front-line users in government and industrial sectors, the designer contributes significantly to operational effectiveness, resource optimization, and ultimately, the company's mission success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in data visualization, AI-driven product design, or user research within defense contexts.

• Leadership: Potential to become a lead designer for larger deployments or mentor junior designers as the team grows.

• Strategic Input: Influence product strategy and roadmap based on deep user understanding and design insights.

• Advanced Clearance: Opportunity to obtain or upgrade a Top Secret security clearance, opening doors to more sensitive projects.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain experience in a fast-paced, innovative environment, potentially contributing to new product initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential for designers who excel in fast-paced, mission-critical environments and can demonstrate tangible impact. The opportunity to gain experience with sensitive data and potentially secure a clearance is a unique growth path within this specialized sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, full-time position located in Pittsburgh, PA. The role involves being embedded within teams and potentially traveling to client sites.

Office Location(s): Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is described as "highly embedded" and collaborative, with designers working directly alongside engineers and end-users.

• This environment fosters rapid feedback and iteration, requiring designers to be comfortable with dynamic conditions.

• Access to the latest design tools and technologies will be crucial for rapid prototyping and iteration.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with end-users and stakeholders are a core part of the daily work. Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (40 hours/week) are expected, but the embedded nature and focus on speed may require flexibility.

• This could involve working closely with teams in different time zones or adjusting hours to meet critical deadlines or client needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "embedded" nature of the role means the designer is not just co-located but deeply integrated into project teams, working shoulder-to-shoulder with engineers and users. This requires adaptability and a proactive approach to collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio for alignment with required skills and experience.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, focusing on 1-2 key case studies that demonstrate their process, problem-solving skills, and impact, especially in data visualization and complex web products.

• Design Challenge: A practical exercise, potentially involving rapid prototyping or problem-solving related to user workflows or data visualization, designed to assess design thinking and speed.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Discussions with product managers, engineers, and potentially end-users to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss strategic fit and potential contributions to the company's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business value or user impact of your design solutions, using quantifiable metrics where possible (e.g., increased efficiency, reduced errors, improved data comprehension).

• Showcase Process: Detail your iterative design process, from initial research and ideation to rapid prototyping and user testing. Highlight how you adapted based on feedback.

• Data Visualization Expertise: If applicable, feature projects that showcase your skill in designing effective data visualizations and enabling data exploration for complex datasets.

• Speed & Agility: Emphasize your ability to work quickly, iterate rapidly, and deliver under pressure, aligning with the company's agile and embedded methodology.

• Client Engagement: Include examples of how you've worked directly with clients or end-users to gather requirements and validate designs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to think on your feet and articulate your design decisions clearly and concisely.

• Practice sketching and low-fidelity prototyping methods to demonstrate rapid ideation.

• Understand how to balance design quality with speed of delivery, a key requirement for this role.

• Familiarize yourself with concepts related to enterprise readiness, AI-native platforms, and defense tech if possible.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to demonstrate rapid, impactful design work, especially in data-intensive applications. The company values practical application and speed, so candidates should prepare to showcase this.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP, or similar modern design and prototyping tools.

• User Research: Tools for user interviews, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze), and survey platforms.

• Wireframing & User Flow: Balsamiq, Lucidchart, Miro, Whimsical.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with tools that facilitate understanding user behavior and product performance, though direct analytics tool proficiency might not be a primary requirement for the designer.

• Ability to interpret data visualizations provided by the platform. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role, but understanding how design integrates with development and deployment workflows is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design and rapid prototyping tools like Figma is almost certainly expected. The ability to quickly create interactive prototypes and user flows will be essential for iterative testing. Familiarity with design systems and component libraries is also a must.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Speed & Agility: Prioritizing rapid iteration and fast delivery of validated solutions.

• User-Centricity: Deeply understanding and serving the needs of end-users, especially in critical operational environments.

• Collaboration: Working closely and effectively with engineers, product managers, and directly with clients.

• Ownership & Autonomy: Taking responsibility for design strategy and execution within assigned tracks.

• Problem-Solving: Approaching complex challenges with creativity and practicality.

• Impact-Driven: Focusing on delivering tangible value and contributing to mission success.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative and integrated, working "shoulder-to-shoulder" with cross-functional teams.

• Open to constant feedback and rapid iteration based on user input and team discussions.

• Emphasis on clear communication, especially when presenting designs and research findings to diverse stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be one of high performance, extreme collaboration, and a strong bias for action. Designers must be comfortable with ambiguity and thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments where direct customer interaction is the norm.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Consistently delivering high-quality designs rapidly in an agile, embedded environment.

• Understanding Complex Domains: Rapidly learning and mastering the intricacies of defense technology and enterprise readiness.

• Managing Ambiguity: Translating vague user needs or objectives into concrete, actionable design solutions.

• On-Site Engagement: Adapting to different client environments and incorporating feedback from operational settings.

• Securing Clearance: The process of obtaining or holding a Top Secret clearance can be demanding.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Becoming an expert in the defense tech sector and enterprise readiness solutions.

• Advanced UX Skills: Refining skills in data visualization, AI-driven design, and complex system interaction.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Gaining in-depth experience working within integrated product and engineering teams.

• Security Clearance: Opportunity to gain a significant professional asset (Top Secret clearance).

• Startup Environment: Experiencing the growth and evolution of an innovative technology company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges related to speed, complexity, and security, but these are balanced by substantial growth opportunities in specialized domains and career advancement within a cutting-edge tech company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance rapid iteration with design quality. How did you approach it?" (Focus on your process, trade-offs, and outcomes).

• "Walk us through a complex data visualization project you designed. What were the challenges, and how did you solve them?" (Highlight user needs, design choices, and impact).

• "How do you approach understanding the needs of users in a domain you're unfamiliar with, especially in critical operational environments?" (Emphasize your research methods and ability to learn quickly).

• "Imagine you're given an ambiguous requirement for a new feature. What are your first steps as a Product Designer?" (Detail your process for discovery, ideation, and validation). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working in defense technology and enterprise readiness?" (Show genuine interest and research into the company's mission).

• "How do you handle receiving critical feedback on your designs, especially from end-users in high-stakes situations?" (Demonstrate resilience and a user-focused mindset).

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with engineers and product managers." (Align with their embedded, agile approach). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select High-Impact Case Studies: Choose 1-2 projects that best demonstrate your skills in complex web products, data visualization, rapid prototyping, and user-centric problem-solving.

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, clearly state the problem, your role, the solutions, and the measurable outcomes or business value generated.

• Showcase Your Process: Walk through your iterative design journey, explaining your decisions and how user feedback shaped the final product.

• Highlight Speed & Adaptability: Emphasize how you worked efficiently and adapted to changing requirements or feedback.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges faced, and how you would apply your skills to Air's platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just design skills but also their ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, mission-critical, and highly collaborative environment. Quantifiable results and a clear, iterative process are key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Customize your resume: Tailor it to highlight experience in web-based product design, data visualization, rapid prototyping, agile development, and any relevant defense or enterprise software experience. Ensure it explicitly mentions your U.S. Citizenship.

• Prepare your portfolio: Select 1-2 strong case studies that best showcase your abilities in complex product design, data visualization, and user-centric problem-solving. Ensure these demonstrate rapid iteration and quantifiable impact.

• Practice your portfolio presentation: Be ready to clearly articulate your process, design decisions, and the outcomes of your work, focusing on speed and user value.

• Research Air: Understand their mission, their AI-native platform, and the concept of "Enterprise Readiness" to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. The specific company website provided in the input data appears to be a misdirection; candidates should seek out official company information for Air. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.