Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Clera

Location: Berlin, Germany

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / Art & Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product strategy and execution for an AI-powered EdTech platform reaching millions of students globally.

• Elevate user experience through exceptional UI and motion design, setting new quality standards in consumer education.

• Architect and implement a code-first design system, ensuring scalability and consistent quality across product surfaces.

• Pioneer AI-native design methodologies, integrating AI tools to enhance research, ideation, and product delivery workflows.

• Act as a senior individual contributor, directly impacting product direction and mentoring junior design talent.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is clearly defined as a senior individual-contributor position with a strong emphasis on hands-on execution and mentorship. The focus on "AI-native design" and "code-first design system" indicates a forward-thinking product organization that values technical integration and scalable design practices.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design process for significant product areas, from initial concept development through to delivery and iteration, with a rapid deployment cycle.

• Enhance the visual appeal and interactive quality of all student-facing interfaces, leveraging advanced UI and motion design techniques.

• Establish and maintain a robust, code-first design system, including the development of curated component libraries and rigorous quality assurance processes.

• Innovate in AI-native product experiences by developing and integrating AI-assisted workflows that optimize the design and development lifecycle.

• Define and champion the visual and interaction design standards for the platform, serving as a benchmark for the entire design team.

• Provide guidance, mentorship, and constructive feedback to junior designers, fostering their growth and elevating the overall design craft of the team.

• Collaborate closely with engineering and leadership teams to ensure seamless integration of design into product development and to align on strategic product vision.

• Conduct user research and analysis to inform design decisions, ensuring that product iterations are data-driven and user-centric.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic ownership and tactical execution. The emphasis on "shipping ideas to millions of students within days" and "code-first design system" suggests a fast-paced, agile environment where designers are expected to be highly productive and technically integrated.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is often implied by the experience level and nature of the role. A portfolio demonstrating exceptional design craft is prioritized over formal education years.

Experience: Several years of hands-on product design experience, with a proven track record of guiding and mentoring more junior design contributors.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Craft: Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality, user-centered product designs that have demonstrably moved key consumer metrics.

• UI & Motion Design: Expertise in creating intuitive user interfaces and engaging motion graphics that enhance user experience and product engagement.

• Design Systems: Proven experience in building, scaling, and maintaining code-first design systems, including component libraries and quality assurance workflows.

• AI-Native Design: Active and enthusiastic application of AI tools to augment design processes, including prototyping, research, and user experience ideation.

• Systems Thinking: Capacity to design for scalability and consistency across an entire product ecosystem, ensuring replicable quality.

• User Journey Simplification: Skill in distilling complex user flows into clear, intuitive, and easily navigable experiences.

• Collaboration & Feedback: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, providing and receiving direct, ego-free feedback within a collaborative team structure.

• Consumer Product Focus: Significant experience in B2C or consumer product design, ideally within a high-growth startup setting.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience shipping a side project from conception to completion.

• Familiarity with contributing to or understanding code repositories, such as opening a pull request.

• Experience in the EdTech industry or with educational platforms.

• Proficiency with advanced prototyping tools and techniques.

• Experience working in an agile development environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "portfolio that demonstrates strong product-design craft and shipped, metrics-moving consumer work" is a critical differentiator. The "builder mindset" and "code-first design system" requirement suggest a preference for designers who are not only conceptual but also execution-oriented and technically integrated.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing shipped B2C or consumer products.

• Highlight your direct impact on key metrics (e.g., user engagement, conversion rates, retention) with clear data and quantifiable results.

• Demonstrate end-to-end ownership of product areas, from initial problem definition and user research to final UI/UX implementation and iteration.

• Include examples of your work on design systems, illustrating your approach to component libraries, scalability, and quality control.

• Present your proficiency with AI tools and how they were leveraged to enhance the design process and outcomes. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research and how insights were translated into design solutions.

• Explain your methodology for building and maintaining design systems, including version control and developer collaboration.

• Illustrate your workflow for rapid prototyping and iteration in a fast-paced environment.

• Describe how you ensure quality and consistency across complex user journeys and multiple product surfaces.

• Provide examples of how you have simplified complex user flows into intuitive and accessible experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just aesthetic skills but also a deep understanding of product strategy, user impact, and the ability to translate complex requirements into scalable, AI-enhanced design solutions. The "code-first" and "systems thinking" aspects should be visibly represented.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in Berlin, Germany, the estimated annual salary range is typically between €70,000 and €95,000. This range can vary based on the specific company's funding, the candidate's exact experience, and negotiation.

Factors influencing this estimate:

• Location: Berlin has a competitive tech market with salaries reflecting this.

• Experience Level: Senior roles command higher compensation.

• Industry: EdTech and AI-focused companies may offer competitive packages.

• Company Stage: A fast-growing startup like Clera might offer competitive salaries to attract top talent.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for equity or performance bonuses.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training and conference attendance.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and public holidays.

• Contribution to public transport or other commuter benefits.

• Potential for team events and social activities.

• Access to cutting-edge AI tools and technologies.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be flexibility in daily start/end times, subject to team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on industry benchmarks for senior product designers in Berlin, Germany, considering the company's description as a fast-growing EdTech platform. A detailed benefits package would typically be discussed during the interview process.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically EdTech (Educational Technology) with a strong focus on AI. Clera is leveraging AI to create personalized learning experiences for students.

Company Size: Described as "fast-growing," implying a startup or scale-up phase, likely ranging from 50-200 employees. This size suggests a dynamic environment with opportunities for significant impact and rapid career progression.

Founded: While not explicitly stated, the company's focus on AI and rapid growth suggests a relatively recent founding, likely within the last 5-10 years.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team likely consists of a small, highly skilled group of designers, including more junior members being mentored by this senior role.

• Designers work in close proximity to engineering teams and product leadership, fostering a highly collaborative and integrated product development process.

• The "center of the product" positioning means designers are integral to strategic decision-making and not siloed. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Decisions are informed by user data and metrics, with a focus on shipping "metrics-moving" work.

• Agile Development: Rapid iteration and delivery are key, with the ability to ship ideas to millions of students within days.

• AI Integration: Proactive adoption and development of AI-assisted workflows and AI-native product experiences.

• Systems Approach: Emphasis on building scalable, reusable design components and patterns through a code-first design system.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on AI and EdTech, combined with a "fast-growing" descriptor, points to an innovative, fast-paced, and potentially high-impact work environment. The emphasis on collaboration between design, engineering, and leadership is a key cultural indicator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor (IC) role. It signifies a level of expertise and autonomy where the individual is expected to lead significant product initiatives, set standards, and mentor others, without direct reports. This is a critical path for designers who want to maximize their impact through design craft and strategic influence.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or potentially a CTO/CPO, depending on the organizational structure. They will work directly with engineering leads and product managers on a daily basis.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and substantial impact on the company's core product, which is used by tens of millions of students. Success in this role directly contributes to user engagement, learning outcomes, and the overall growth and success of the EdTech platform. The ability to "ship ideas to millions of students within days" underscores the immediate and widespread impact of this position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Manager role, overseeing a team and setting broader design strategy, especially if the company continues to scale.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-native design, design systems, or specific areas of EdTech product development.

• Strategic Influence: Increase influence on product roadmap and company-wide strategy through consistent delivery of high-impact design solutions.

• Technical Proficiency: Further develop skills in code-first design systems, potentially contributing to front-end code or closely collaborating on implementation details.

• Mentorship: Develop leadership and coaching skills by guiding junior designers, a key aspect of senior IC roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Senior IC is typically focused on deepening expertise, increasing strategic influence, and potentially moving into leadership roles. The emphasis on mentorship suggests that developing leadership capabilities is also a key growth area.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role requires an on-site presence in Berlin, Germany. This indicates a traditional office environment designed for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): Berlin, Germany. Specific details about the office amenities or neighborhood would require further information from the company.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office is designed to foster close collaboration between design, engineering, and product leadership, facilitating rapid problem-solving and idea exchange.

• Tooling: Expect access to modern design tools (likely including Figma, as mentioned in skills) and potentially AI-powered design software. The company values a "code-first" approach, so integration with developer tools and workflows is probable.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for direct interaction with cross-functional teams, contributing to a shared understanding and unified product vision. The environment is described as "fast-paced" and encourages "direct, ego-free feedback."

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected. While on-site, there might be some flexibility in daily start/end times, but the nature of rapid product development may necessitate occasional extended hours or focused work sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Berlin is a firm constraint. The description of the environment suggests a dynamic, collaborative, and technically integrated workspace where designers are embedded within product teams.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio, focusing on shipped consumer work, design craft, and relevant experience.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you present your case studies, explaining your design process, decision-making, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your role in detail, especially regarding metrics and AI tool usage.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: Potentially a take-home assignment or an in-session design problem focusing on simplifying a complex user journey or designing an AI-native feature.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with engineering and product leadership to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and strategic thinking.

• Culture Fit Interview: Discussion to gauge alignment with the company's values, especially regarding feedback, collaboration, and a builder mindset.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Impact: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions and quantify the impact using metrics. Focus on "metrics-moving" work.

• Showcase Ownership: Emphasize your end-to-end ownership of product areas and your ability to ship ideas quickly.

• Demonstrate AI Proficiency: Include specific examples of how you've used AI tools to enhance your design process and outcomes.

• Illustrate Systemic Thinking: Present your experience with design systems, showing how you ensure scalable and consistent quality.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives, detailing the problem, your approach, the solution, and the results.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Given the "code-first" aspect, be ready to discuss how your designs translate to implementation and your understanding of front-end constraints.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the User: Focus on identifying user needs and pain points within the EdTech context.

• AI Integration: Consider how AI can be leveraged to solve the problem in an "AI-native" way.

• Simplify Complexity: Practice breaking down complex scenarios into simple, intuitive user flows.

• Focus on Shipping: Demonstrate an understanding of rapid iteration and delivering functional solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is heavily weighted towards the portfolio. Candidates should prepare a compelling narrative that showcases their ability to deliver impactful, AI-enhanced designs in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a tool for design files, it's the assumed primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's built-in capabilities, advanced tools might be used for richer interactions and user testing.

• AI Design Tools: Candidates are expected to be active users of AI tools for prototyping, research, and ideation. Specific tools are not listed but could include AI-powered assistants for content generation, image creation, or workflow automation within design.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for tracking user behavior, engagement metrics, and conversion rates are essential. This could include platforms like Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, or internal dashboards.

• The ability to interpret data and translate it into design improvements is critical. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, understanding the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) that drive user acquisition and engagement can provide valuable context for B2C product design. Code-Related Tools (Bonus):

• Familiarity with Git and platforms like GitHub or GitLab is a plus, given the "code-first" design system and potential bonus of opening a pull request. This indicates a designer who bridges the gap between design and development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes modern design tools like Figma and a proactive stance on integrating AI into the design workflow. The "code-first" approach suggests that familiarity with developer tools or the ability to collaborate closely with engineers on implementation is highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A commitment to raising the quality bar across all user-facing surfaces through excellent UI and motion design.

• Builder Mindset: A proactive, execution-oriented approach where designs are turned into shipped products.

• AI-Native Innovation: Enthusiasm for pioneering new AI-assisted workflows and product experiences.

• Systems Thinking: Valuing replicable quality and scalability, not just isolated polished designs.

• Direct & Ego-Free Feedback: A culture that encourages open, honest, and constructive communication for continuous improvement.

• Collaboration: Working closely with engineering and leadership to shape AI-native learning experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Designers work directly alongside engineering and leadership, fostering a cohesive product development unit.

• Rapid Iteration: A fast-paced environment where ideas are quickly prototyped, tested, and shipped.

• Mentorship-Driven: Senior designers are expected to guide and uplift more junior team members, fostering collective growth.

• Data-Informed: Decisions are grounded in user data and performance metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes speed, quality, and innovation, particularly in the realm of AI. The emphasis on direct feedback and a "builder mindset" suggests a high-performance, results-oriented team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pioneering AI-Native Design: Developing novel design patterns and workflows for AI-integrated educational experiences, an emerging field.

• Scaling a Design System: Building and maintaining a robust, code-first design system from the ground up for a rapidly growing platform.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering high-impact designs to millions of users quickly without compromising on quality or user experience.

• Mentoring Junior Designers: Effectively guiding and developing less experienced team members while managing individual contributions.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and understanding between design, engineering, and leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Expertise: Become a thought leader in AI-native product design and AI-assisted design workflows.

• Design Systems Leadership: Gain deep experience in architecting and scaling complex design systems.

• Product Strategy: Influence the product roadmap and contribute significantly to the strategic direction of an EdTech platform.

• Leadership Skills: Develop mentorship and coaching abilities, preparing for potential future leadership roles.

• Industry Exposure: Work within a cutting-edge EdTech company that is at the forefront of AI integration in education.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are significant but come with substantial growth potential. The role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI in education through design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing an AI-powered feature to help students overcome procrastination in a specific subject?" (Focus on user journey simplification, AI integration, and metrics).

• "Describe your process for building a code-first design system from scratch. What are the key considerations for scalability and developer adoption?" (Focus on systems thinking, code integration, and quality assurance).

• "Walk us through a time you had to simplify a complex user journey. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on user empathy, problem-solving, and impact). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What are your thoughts on AI's role in education, and how can design best leverage it?" (Showcase understanding of AI-native design and EdTech).

• "How do you approach giving and receiving feedback in a fast-paced, collaborative environment?" (Demonstrate ego-free communication and a builder mindset).

• "What does 'metrics-moving' design mean to you, and how do you ensure your work achieves this?" (Focus on data-driven design and impact measurement). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Quantify Everything: For each case study, clearly state the problem, your specific role, the solution, and the quantifiable results (e.g., "+15% engagement," "-10% drop-off").

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, prototypes, and clear explanations to illustrate your design process and the final product.

• Emphasize AI Use: Dedicate specific slides or talking points to how you utilized AI tools to enhance your design process or the product itself.

• Connect to Company Mission: Frame your work in the context of Clera's mission to improve education through AI.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and your collaboration with engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of AI in design, systems thinking, and the ability to deliver measurable results in a fast-paced environment. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight experience with B2C products, AI tools, design systems, and metrics-driven outcomes. Ensure your resume clearly states your years of experience and any relevant mentorship roles.

• Curate your portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that showcase end-to-end product ownership, shipped consumer work, AI integration, and measurable impact. Ensure it's easily accessible and well-organized.

• Prepare your presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, quantifying impact, and articulating your design process, especially your use of AI and systems thinking.

• Research Clera: Understand their mission, target audience, and current product offerings to tailor your application and interview responses to their specific context.

⚠️ 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.