Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Anduril Industries

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: May 28, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (6+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and own end-to-end user experiences for critical software platforms that accelerate hardware production and delivery, ensuring immersion, efficiency, and consistency.

• Contribute to product strategy and roadmap shaping by leveraging user research, ideation, and prototyping to drive design decisions.

• Develop and mature a scalable design system, creating reusable components for diverse devices and physical environments to enhance consistency and efficiency across all platforms.

• Utilize storytelling and data-driven insights to align stakeholders and evangelize design tenets, influencing strategic design work.

• Conduct on-site user research using the Gemba philosophy to gain firsthand understanding of user needs within manufacturing and production settings.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on Product Design within a specialized software platform (Forge) for hardware production, emphasizing the unique challenges of manufacturing and high-rate production environments. The role requires a blend of strategic product input and hands-on execution, with a strong emphasis on design systems and on-site user research.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Contribute to the strategic roadmap and decision-making for product and design strategy, aligning user needs with business objectives.

• Execute all aspects of the design process, from discovery and ideation through prototyping, user testing, and final implementation.

• Employ effective storytelling techniques to gain stakeholder buy-in and communicate design rationale and impact.

• Play an influential role in shaping the end-to-end user experiences for critical manufacturing, deployment, and maintenance workflows.

• Balance immediate tactical design needs with the long-term vision for design system evolution and scalability.

• Collaborate closely with the central Product Design team to share best practices, learnings, and drive collective improvement.

• Create scalable design components for mobile, tablet, and desktop applications, specifically considering the physical and operational constraints of manufacturing floors.

• Develop, refine, and expand the existing design system, focusing on reusable components that improve consistency and user efficiency.

• Champion design decisions and establish design tenets that inform and guide future strategic design initiatives.

• Conduct on-site user research and Gemba walks to deeply understand user workflows, pain points, and environmental factors in production settings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on design role with significant ownership and strategic input. The emphasis on "on-site research" and "Gemba philosophy" is critical, indicating a need for designers comfortable in industrial or operational environments, not just typical office settings.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles requiring this level of experience.

Experience: 6+ years of professional software design experience, with a proven track record of delivering impactful user experiences.

Required Skills:

• Mastery of visual design principles, including layout, color theory, typography, and Gestalt principles.

• Strong proficiency in interaction design, with a keen eye for micro-interactions and animations that enhance usability.

• Demonstrated experience in creating scalable design components suitable for various devices (mobile, tablet, desktop) and diverse physical environments.

• Proven ability to develop, implement, and advocate for design systems that promote consistency and efficiency.

• Experience conducting user research, particularly on-site within manufacturing, production, or similar operational environments.

• Excellent storytelling and communication skills to articulate design decisions, process, and impact to diverse stakeholders.

• High attention to detail in craft and execution.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with hardware-related industries such as supply chain, manufacturing, or logistics.

• Advanced understanding of accessibility standards and their practical application in software design.

• Proficiency with industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 6+ years of experience, coupled with the emphasis on design systems, on-site research, and strategic contribution, positions this as a mid-to-senior level design role. The "no prior defense experience necessary" note is important for broadening the candidate pool.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the full design lifecycle, from initial discovery and user research to ideation, prototyping, user testing, and final implementation.

• Showcase multimodal user experiences across different platforms (mobile, tablet, desktop) and contexts, including physical environments.

• Include case studies that illustrate the development and evolution of a design system, highlighting reusable components and their impact on consistency and efficiency.

• Present examples of how you have used storytelling to communicate design rationale, process, and outcomes to stakeholders, including product managers and engineers.

• Highlight projects where you conducted on-site user research (Gemba) and how these insights directly influenced design decisions and product strategy.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process for specific projects, detailing methodologies used for user research, ideation, and validation.

• Provide examples of how you have documented and maintained design system components, including their usage guidelines and specifications.

• Demonstrate how you track and measure the impact of your design work, linking it to improvements in user efficiency, production throughput, or other relevant business metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: A portfolio is explicitly required and must demonstrate multimodal experiences and design system work. The emphasis on on-site research and the Gemba philosophy suggests a need for candidates to showcase how they gather and translate insights from physical/operational environments into digital designs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $146,000 - $194,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Highly competitive equity grants as part of the total compensation package.

• Top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

  • Health Insurance

  • Support for recovery and well-being

  • Other comprehensive benefits detailed at anduril.com/careers. Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time work week of approximately 40 hours is implied, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration. Travel up to 25% is a requirement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the US and is inclusive of base salary only. The company emphasizes that actual offers may vary based on experience, education, skills, and business considerations. Equity grants are highlighted as a significant component of total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Defense Technology. Anduril Industries is a cutting-edge company focused on transforming military capabilities through advanced technology, including AI, autonomy, computer vision, and sensor fusion.

Company Size: Anduril Industries is a rapidly growing company, indicative of a dynamic and fast-paced work environment.

Founded: Anduril was founded with a mission to bring 21st-century innovation to the defense sector, aiming to deliver advanced military systems rapidly.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the ProductionOS team, which is part of the broader ArsenalOS initiative. This team is specifically focused on building software to accelerate the production and delivery of Anduril's hardware.

• Collaboration is expected with the central Product Design team, suggesting a structure that balances specialized team focus with cross-functional design expertise.

Methodology:

• The company leverages AI-powered operating systems (Lattice OS) to integrate vast data streams into real-time command and control.

• The ProductionOS team's focus on "Forge" suggests a methodology centered around building and iterating on a proprietary software platform for operational efficiency.

• The "Gemba philosophy" (on-site research) indicates a commitment to understanding processes and user needs directly within the operational environment.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Anduril operates in a high-stakes, technologically advanced industry. The culture likely values rapid innovation, a mission-driven approach, and strong technical execution. The specific mention of "ArsenalOS" and "ProductionOS" signals a structured approach to internal software development supporting the core business.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Product Designer role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, requiring 6+ years of experience. It involves significant ownership of the design process, strategic input into product roadmaps, and leadership in shaping user experiences for critical operational software.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report within the ProductionOS team, likely to a Design Lead or Product Manager within that team, with collaboration expected across the central Product Design group.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on Anduril's ability to scale its hardware production and delivery. By improving the efficiency and immersion of the Forge platform, this designer will directly contribute to the company's mission of rapidly deploying advanced defense technology. The success of the Forge platform is vital for maintaining high throughput and quality in manufacturing and deployment.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Opportunity to deepen expertise in design systems, multimodal design, and user research within complex, industrial environments. Potential to become a subject matter expert in manufacturing and production software design.

• Leadership: Potential to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and influence product strategy more broadly. Evangelizing design tenets and contributing to strategic design work offers a path towards design leadership.

• Career Advancement: Progression could lead to Senior Product Designer, Lead Product Designer, or even Design Manager roles within Anduril, with opportunities to work on other critical internal platforms or product lines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers substantial impact and growth potential by operating on a core internal platform central to the company's mission execution. The combination of strategic input, hands-on design, and specialized research requirements provides a unique development path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role in Seattle, Washington. While specific office details aren't provided, Anduril is known for its modern, technology-focused campuses. The work environment will likely be collaborative and fast-paced.

Office Location(s): Seattle, Washington, United States. This location offers access to a vibrant tech talent pool and is a key operational hub for the company.

Workspace Context:

• The designer will work within a team focused on software for hardware production, interacting closely with engineers and product managers.

• The role requires frequent visits to manufacturing floors and production workstations ("Gemba philosophy"), meaning the workspace context extends beyond a traditional office setting to include dynamic, potentially noisy, and physically demanding industrial environments.

• Access to necessary design tools and technology will be provided, supporting both digital design and the documentation of physical process observations.

• Opportunities for collaboration with colleagues will exist both within the ProductionOS team and the broader Product Design group.

Work Schedule: Expect a standard full-time work schedule, likely around 40 hours per week. However, the demanding nature of defense technology and high-rate production may necessitate some flexibility to meet project deadlines. The requirement for up to 25% travel means the schedule will involve periods away from the primary office location.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement and the emphasis on "Gemba" research mean the candidate must be comfortable working in and observing operational environments, not just a standard office. This duality is a key aspect of the work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session where you will present your portfolio, detailing your design process, key projects, and the impact of your work. Expect in-depth questions about your design decisions, problem-solving approaches, and how you've handled challenges.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be given a design problem or case study to solve, either pre-interview or during an interview session. This will assess your ability to think critically, apply design methodologies, and articulate solutions.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to evaluate your collaboration style, technical understanding, and cultural fit within the team and company.

• On-site/Gemba Simulation: Potentially a discussion around how you would approach on-site research in a manufacturing setting, or how you've handled similar challenges in previous roles.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Process & Impact: Clearly articulate your end-to-end design process for each project. Focus on the "why" behind your decisions and quantify the impact of your work (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced errors, increased throughput).

• Showcase Design System Work: Dedicate sections to your experience with design systems, including component creation, scalability considerations, and how you've driven adoption.

• Emphasize On-Site Research: If you have experience with Gemba or similar on-site research, detail your methodology, findings, and how these insights translated into tangible design improvements.

• Storytelling is Key: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives that guide the interviewer through the problem, your approach, your solutions, and the results.

• Visual Craft: Ensure your portfolio is visually polished, demonstrating mastery of visual design principles and attention to detail.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a challenge, ensure you fully grasp the problem statement, especially if it relates to manufacturing, production, or operational workflows.

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your problem-solving steps logically: understand the problem, research (even if simulated), ideate, prototype (conceptually if needed), and define success metrics.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss design trade-offs, constraints (technical, time, physical environment), and how you prioritize solutions.

• Practice Presentation: Rehearse presenting your solutions concisely and clearly, anticipating potential questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your portfolio, with a particular focus on your design process, impact, design system experience, and ability to conduct/apply on-site research. Prepare to "show your work" and explain the rationale behind every decision.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD). Proficiency in at least one of these is essential.

• Design Systems: Experience with creating, managing, and scaling design systems is critical for this role.

• Collaboration Tools: Standard office suites and project management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) are likely used for team coordination and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly listed for the designer, understanding how to interpret user analytics and performance data to inform design decisions is valuable. Familiarity with tools used for tracking user engagement and workflow efficiency would be a plus.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this Product Designer role, but awareness of how their designs integrate into broader operational workflows is important.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design tools like Figma is paramount. The emphasis on design systems suggests familiarity with tools and methodologies for component libraries and design tokens. Experience with tools that facilitate collaboration and project management is also expected.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to Anduril's mission of transforming military capabilities, which translates to a focus on impactful, reliable, and efficient solutions.

• Innovation & Speed: A culture that values rapid development, iteration, and bringing cutting-edge technology to market quickly.

• Excellence & Detail: High standards for quality, craftsmanship, and meticulous attention to detail in both hardware and software.

• Collaboration: Emphasis on cross-functional teamwork and open communication to solve complex problems.

• Pragmatism: A focus on delivering practical, effective solutions that meet real-world operational needs, as evidenced by the Gemba philosophy.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with product managers, engineers, and potentially operations/manufacturing teams to ensure designs are feasible, effective, and well-integrated into workflows.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages constructive feedback exchange to refine designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Openness to sharing learnings, best practices, and insights, particularly through the central Product Design team and the evolving design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture likely mirrors the company's overall ethos: fast-paced, mission-oriented, and focused on technical excellence. Collaboration is key, with a strong emphasis on understanding and designing for real-world operational contexts.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complex Environments: Creating intuitive and efficient user experiences for manufacturing floors and high-rate production settings, which often involve unique physical constraints, noise, and diverse user technical proficiencies.

• Balancing Tactical vs. Strategic Design: Juggling immediate feature requests and bug fixes with the long-term vision of building a robust and scalable design system.

• On-Site Research Logistics: Effectively conducting user research in dynamic, operational environments that may have safety protocols and limited access.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and buy-in from engineering, product, and operations stakeholders who may have different priorities and perspectives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Expertise: Becoming a leader in designing for industrial/manufacturing software and contributing significantly to a core internal platform.

• Design System Mastery: Deepening skills in building and scaling comprehensive design systems that impact multiple product lines.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining firsthand experience in the defense technology sector and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within it.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced designers and engineers within a growing, innovative company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the unique operational context of the design work and the need to balance immediate needs with long-term system development. Growth opportunities are strong, particularly for those who excel in specialized design areas and can demonstrate significant impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex physical or operational environment. What were the key challenges, and how did you address them through design?" (Focus on Gemba/on-site experience).

• "How do you approach building and maintaining a design system? What are the critical components, and how do you ensure adoption across teams?" (Highlight your design system experience).

• "Walk us through a project where you significantly influenced product strategy through design. How did you use storytelling and data to achieve this?" (Emphasize strategic contribution and communication).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Anduril's mission and the defense technology industry?" (Show genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose).

• "How do you stay current with design trends and best practices, especially those relevant to industrial or operational software?" (Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly state the problem and your role within each case study.

• Detail Your Process: Walk through your research, ideation, decision-making, and iteration steps. Use visuals to illustrate your journey.

• Showcase Design System Contributions: If applicable, dedicate slides to your design system work, demonstrating component structure, scalability, and impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., time saved, error reduction, user satisfaction scores).

• Explain On-Site Research: If you have relevant experience, clearly explain your methodology for on-site research and how it informed your design solutions.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and stays within any time limits. Be prepared for in-depth Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your design process in detail, with a strong emphasis on your experience with design systems and on-site research methodologies. Be ready to articulate the impact of your work and how you collaborate effectively in a cross-functional, mission-driven environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position at Anduril Industries:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Greenhouse platform.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your experience with design systems, multimodal design (desktop, tablet, mobile), and ideally, any experience designing for operational or industrial environments. Ensure it clearly showcases your visual and interaction design craft.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature your 6+ years of software design experience. Use keywords from the job description such as "design systems," "user research," "prototyping," "manufacturing environments," and "multimodal experiences." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and the impact of your work. Be ready to present your portfolio effectively and answer detailed questions about your case studies.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Anduril Industries' mission, products (like Lattice OS and Forge), and their approach to defense technology. Understand their commitment to innovation and speed, and consider how your design philosophy aligns with these values.

⚠️ 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.