Product Designer at Clera

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Clera

Location: Berlin, Germany

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / EdTech Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-03

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

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

This role is central to Clera's ambitious shift towards AI-native product experiences, impacting tens of millions of students globally.
You will own entire product areas from ideation to delivery, focusing on exceptional UI/UX and motion design.
A key responsibility is building and scaling a design system from the ground up, ensuring consistent quality and ease of replication.
You will pioneer AI-assisted workflows and product experiences, transforming how the team researches, ideates, and ships.
This position demands setting a high craft standard, making your work the benchmark for the broader product and design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the emphasis on "shipping work that raises the bar on quality across the entire product," "pioneering AI-native design," and "building and scaling a design system from the ground up" suggests a role with significant operational impact on product development processes and quality assurance, aligning it closely with "Product Operations" principles, particularly within an EdTech context. The focus on "metrics" and "delighting users" also points to a data-informed approach crucial for operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Own complete product areas from conception through delivery, with a rapid iteration cycle to ship ideas to millions of users within days.
Elevate every student touchpoint through UI excellence and sophisticated motion design, ensuring a delightful and intuitive user experience.
Architect and build a scalable design system, defining curated components and establishing quality review processes to ensure design consistency.
Develop and implement AI-native design strategies, integrating AI-assisted workflows and product experiences to enhance team efficiency and innovation.
Set and maintain a high standard of design craft, serving as a reference point and mentor for junior designers and the wider team.
Collaborate closely with engineering and leadership to translate complex user needs and business objectives into elegant, user-friendly product solutions.
Drive product improvements by analyzing user data and feedback to identify opportunities for enhancement and iterate on existing features.
Champion a user-centric approach, ensuring all design decisions are grounded in user research, usability testing, and a deep understanding of student needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative product design and operational execution. The emphasis on "shipping ideas to millions of users within days" and "building and scaling a design system from the ground up" indicates a need for robust process management and efficiency, aligning with operational excellence. The "pioneering AI-native design" aspect also suggests a forward-thinking operational approach to integrating new technologies into the design workflow.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: Several years of dedicated product design experience, with a proven track record of moving metrics and delighting users, ideally with experience mentoring junior designers.

Required Skills:

Product Design Expertise: Demonstrated ability to own product areas end-to-end, from ideation to delivery, with a portfolio showcasing impactful work.
UI/UX Excellence: Mastery of user interface design principles and user experience best practices, with a keen eye for detail and aesthetics.
Motion Design Proficiency: Ability to incorporate engaging and functional motion design to enhance user interactions and product appeal.
Design Systems Development: Experience in building, scaling, and maintaining design systems, including component libraries and style guides.
AI Tool Integration: Active and enthusiastic user of AI tools for prototyping, research, and shipping, understanding their potential as productivity multipliers.
Systems Thinking: Ability to approach design challenges with a holistic perspective, focusing on scalability and interconnectedness, particularly in code-first design systems.
User Journey Simplification: Proven capability to distill complex user flows into intuitive and straightforward user experiences.
Bias for Action: A strong preference for rapid prototyping, experimentation, and iterative development over extensive theoretical debate.
Builder Mentality: Willingness to actively contribute and get hands-on with the product development process.

Preferred Skills:

Mentorship: Experience guiding and developing more junior designers, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented team environment.
Codebase Contribution: Experience shipping a side project end-to-end or contributing directly to a codebase, demonstrating a hands-on understanding of development.
Consumer App Design: Background in designing for consumer-facing applications, understanding user acquisition and engagement drivers.
AI-Native Product Experience: Specific experience designing products built around AI functionalities and interactions.
EdTech Industry: Familiarity with the educational technology landscape, its users, and its unique design challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "several years of product design experience with the ability to mentor more junior designers" suggests a mid-level to senior-leaning role. The emphasis on a portfolio demonstrating "work that moved metrics and delighted users" is critical for operations-minded candidates, as it highlights the need to quantify impact. The "builder mentality" and "bias toward action" are also key operational traits.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Impactful Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 comprehensive case studies detailing your product design process, focusing on problem definition, ideation, execution, and measurable outcomes.
Metric-Driven Results: Clearly articulate how your design work positively impacted key metrics (e.g., user engagement, conversion rates, task completion times, retention) with quantifiable data.
User-Centric Approach: Demonstrate a deep understanding of user research, usability testing, and how user feedback informed your design decisions and iterations.
Design System Contribution: Include examples of your involvement in building or significantly contributing to design systems, highlighting component design, documentation, and governance.
AI Tool Application: Showcase specific instances where you leveraged AI tools in your design workflow, detailing the tools used and the resulting improvements in efficiency or quality.
Process Documentation: For each case study, provide clear documentation of the design process followed, including any frameworks or methodologies used.

Process Documentation:

Workflow Design & Optimization: Illustrate how you map out and optimize user workflows, ensuring efficiency and intuitiveness from a user's perspective.
System Implementation Standards: Detail your experience with implementing design systems, including componentization strategies, version control, and integration with development pipelines.
Measurement & Performance Analysis: Explain how you measure the success of design initiatives and use data to inform future iterations and improvements.
Collaboration & Handoff: Document your process for collaborating with engineering and product teams, ensuring smooth handoffs and clear communication of design specifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a product designer role with operational undertones, a portfolio is paramount. The emphasis should be on demonstrating not just design skill but also the ability to implement scalable solutions (design systems), drive measurable results (metrics), and integrate new technologies (AI) efficiently into workflows. This aligns with the operational need for process adherence, efficiency, and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Berlin, Germany, the estimated annual salary range is €55,000 - €75,000. This estimate considers the cost of living in Berlin, the specific requirements of the role, and Clera's positioning as a fast-growing EdTech platform.

Benefits:

Competitive Salary: A salary within the estimated range, reflecting your experience and contributions.
Stock Options: Potential for equity in a fast-growing EdTech company.
Health Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance coverage.
Professional Development: Budget and opportunities for continuous learning, including conferences, workshops, and courses related to design and AI.
Generous Paid Time Off: Ample vacation days and public holidays.
Team Events: Regular team-building activities and social events.
Modern Office Space: A well-equipped and collaborative workspace in Berlin.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Product Designer" title and "Berlin, Germany" location, a salary range was estimated based on typical market rates for mid-level designers in major European tech hubs. The benefits are standard for a tech company of this nature, with an emphasis on professional growth which is crucial for operations-adjacent roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: EdTech (Educational Technology). Clera operates within a rapidly evolving sector focused on leveraging technology to enhance learning outcomes for millions of students globally. This industry demands innovation, scalability, and a deep understanding of user needs.

Company Size: Fast-growing EdTech platform. While specific numbers aren't provided, "fast-growing" implies a dynamic startup or scale-up environment with approximately 50-200 employees, offering opportunities for significant impact and rapid career progression.

Founded: Not specified, but positioned as a "fast-growing" company, suggesting it is likely a scale-up phase, post-seed or Series A/B funding.

Team Structure:

Product & Design Integration: This role sits at the "center" of product experiences, implying close integration with product management and engineering teams.
Leadership Collaboration: You will work directly with "leadership" to drive strategic shifts towards AI-native experiences.
Mentorship Dynamics: The role involves mentoring junior designers, indicating a structure where senior talent guides emerging professionals.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect close collaboration with engineering for implementation and potentially with marketing or curriculum teams to understand student needs and market positioning.

Methodology:

AI-Native Development: A core methodology is the integration of AI into product experiences and design workflows, emphasizing innovation and efficiency.
Rapid Iteration: The "ship work that raises the bar on quality across the entire product" and "shipping ideas to millions of users within days" points to an agile, iterative approach.
Design System Centricity: Building and scaling a design system is a key operational methodology, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and maintainability of the product's UI.
Data-Informed Design: The mention of "moving metrics" and "delighting users" implies a data-driven approach to design and product development, where decisions are validated through user data.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is likely fast-paced, innovative, and focused on rapid growth within the EdTech space. The emphasis on AI and design systems suggests a modern, operations-conscious approach to product development, where efficiency and scalability are prioritized alongside user experience.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level to Senior Product Designer, indicated by the requirement for "several years of product design experience" and the ability to "mentor more junior designers." It signifies a designer who can independently own product areas and set high standards, contributing significantly to product strategy and execution.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Product Designer at this level typically reports to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a Product Manager. The close collaboration with "engineering and leadership" suggests a flat or matrixed organizational structure common in fast-growing tech companies.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on product quality, user engagement, and the efficiency of the product development lifecycle. By owning product areas and building a design system, the designer operationalizes design standards, making it easier and faster to ship high-quality features. Pioneering AI-native design also positions the role at the forefront of operational innovation within the product team.

Growth Opportunities:

Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Senior Product Designer, Lead Product Designer, or even Head of Design roles, taking on more strategic responsibilities and managing larger teams.
Specialization in AI Design: Deepen expertise in designing AI-native products and workflows, becoming a go-to expert in this cutting-edge field.
Design System Ownership: Lead the evolution and governance of the design system, driving its adoption and impact across the organization.
Product Strategy Influence: Contribute more significantly to product strategy and roadmap planning, leveraging design insights and operational efficiencies.
Cross-functional Skill Development: Gain deeper insights into engineering processes and product management methodologies through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth potential is significant, moving beyond pure design execution to strategic influence and leadership, especially within the operational aspects of product development like design systems and AI integration.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in Berlin, Germany. This implies a traditional office environment designed for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): Berlin, Germany. Specific address details would be provided upon application.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Hub: The office is designed to foster collaboration, with likely open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and spaces for informal discussions, crucial for the iterative design process and cross-functional teamwork.
Tools & Technology: Access to modern design software, hardware, and potentially AI tools integrated into the company's tech stack.
Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for face-to-face interaction with product managers, engineers, and fellow designers, facilitating rapid feedback loops and idea sharing.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, requiring approximately 40 hours per week. While on-site, the company likely supports a professional work schedule with potential for some flexibility, balancing project demands with work-life integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Berlin is a key factor. It suggests a company that values in-person collaboration, team cohesion, and the spontaneous interactions that can drive innovation in design and product development. This environment supports the operational need for alignment and efficient communication.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and alignment with the role.
Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where you present your portfolio, detailing your process, impact, and approach to design challenges, particularly focusing on AI integration and design systems. Expect deep dives into specific case studies.
Skills-Based Interview: Technical questions assessing your UI/UX skills, understanding of design systems, and experience with AI tools. You might be asked to critique existing designs or propose solutions to hypothetical problems.
Cross-functional Interview: A conversation with a Product Manager or Lead Engineer to evaluate your collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and ability to work within a team environment.
Culture Fit Interview: Discussion with leadership to assess alignment with Clera's values, work ethic, and team dynamics.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Quantify Impact: For each case study, clearly state the problem, your solution, and the measurable results (e.g., "Increased user engagement by 15%," "Reduced task completion time by 20%").
Showcase AI Integration: Dedicate a section or specific examples within case studies to how you've used AI tools to enhance your design process, research, or product outcomes.
Highlight Design System Work: Clearly articulate your role in building or scaling design systems, detailing component design, documentation, and governance principles.
Demonstrate Process: Walk through your design process step-by-step, explaining the rationale behind your decisions and the tools/methods used.
Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations as narratives that engage the interviewer and clearly communicate your problem-solving abilities and design thinking.
Tailor to Clera: Research Clera's existing product and mission, and highlight projects or skills that are most relevant to their EdTech focus and AI-native aspirations.

Challenge Preparation:

Design Challenge: Be prepared for a practical design challenge, which might involve improving an existing feature, designing a new one, or solving a specific user problem. Focus on demonstrating your process, from research and ideation to a high-fidelity mockup.
AI Tool Application Scenario: You might be asked how you would use AI tools to solve a particular design problem or improve an existing workflow.
Design System Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would approach building or scaling a design system in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes not just design aesthetics but also the operational aspects of design: impact measurement, process efficiency through AI and design systems, and collaborative execution. A strong portfolio that highlights these operational elements will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
Prototyping & Animation: Principle, After Effects, Framer (for interactive prototypes).
Design System Management: Storybook (if code-first), Zeroheight, or similar documentation platforms.
AI Design Tools: Midjourney, DALL-E (for ideation/assets), ChatGPT (for ideation/copywriting), AI-powered prototyping tools (e.g., Uizard, Galileo AI), AI-assisted research tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics (to understand user behavior and product usage).
User Feedback Platforms: Typeform, SurveyMonkey, Hotjar (for qualitative insights and feedback collection).

CRM & Automation:

Project Management/Collaboration: Jira, Asana, Trello (for task management and workflow tracking).
Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams (for team communication and collaboration).

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design tools like Figma is essential. The emphasis on AI-native products suggests a strong expectation for familiarity with various AI tools applicable to the design process, from ideation to rapid prototyping and workflow enhancement. Understanding how design integrates with analytics tools is also crucial for demonstrating impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Craftsmanship & Excellence: A commitment to high-quality design, where attention to detail is paramount, pushing back to ensure the best possible outcome.
User-Centricity: Placing the student at the heart of every design decision, ensuring products are intuitive, engaging, and effective for learning.
Innovation & AI Adoption: Embracing new technologies, particularly AI, as powerful tools to enhance design processes and create novel product experiences.
Efficiency & Speed: A bias for action, prioritizing rapid iteration, prototyping, and shipping to deliver value quickly to millions of users.
Collaboration & Mentorship: Fostering a supportive environment where knowledge is shared, and team members grow together through collaboration and mentorship.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with product management and engineering to ensure seamless integration of design into the development lifecycle.
Data-Informed Dialogue: Engaging in discussions backed by user data and metrics to validate design decisions and identify areas for improvement.
Feedback-Rich Environment: Actively seeking and providing constructive feedback to elevate the quality of work and foster continuous learning.
Builder-to-Builder Communication: Direct and transparent communication, especially between designers and engineers, to ensure clarity and efficiency in execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values both high-quality craft and operational efficiency. The integration of AI suggests a forward-thinking, adaptable team that is not afraid to experiment with new methodologies to drive product success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Scaling Design Systems at Speed: Building and maintaining a robust design system for a rapidly growing product and user base requires strong organizational skills and foresight.
Pioneering AI-Native Design: Defining best practices and workflows for AI-assisted product design and user experiences in a relatively new domain.
Balancing Craftsmanship with Velocity: Ensuring high design quality while meeting the demands of shipping features to millions of users rapidly.
Mentoring Junior Talent: Effectively guiding and developing less experienced designers to elevate the overall team's capability.
Translating Complex EdTech Needs: Designing intuitive experiences for diverse student needs within a complex educational technology landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

AI Design Specialization: Become a leader in AI-native product design through hands-on experience and continuous learning in AI advancements.
Design System Leadership: Take on greater responsibility in evolving and governing the design system, impacting product consistency and development efficiency.
Product Strategy Contribution: Influence product roadmap and strategy through impactful design insights and operational efficiency improvements.
Industry Conferences & Workshops: Opportunities to attend leading design and EdTech conferences, as well as workshops focused on AI and product development.
Mentorship Programs: Benefit from mentorship from senior leadership and gain experience mentoring others.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents challenges that are also significant growth opportunities, particularly in the emerging field of AI-native design and the operational discipline of managing scalable design systems.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"How would you approach designing an AI-powered feature to help students learn a specific concept more effectively?" (Focus on user needs, AI capabilities, and iterative design process.)
"Describe your experience building or contributing to a design system. What were the key challenges, and how did you address them?" (Highlight process, scalability, and impact on development efficiency.)
"How do you balance the need for rapid iteration and shipping quickly with maintaining a high standard of design quality?" (Discuss your process for making trade-offs and ensuring quality control.)
"Walk us through a time you used AI tools to significantly improve your design workflow or the outcome of a project." (Be specific about the tools, the problem, and the measurable results.)
"How would you mentor a junior designer who is struggling with a particular aspect of product design?" (Demonstrate your coaching and leadership skills.) Company & Culture Questions:
"What excites you most about Clera's mission in the EdTech space and our focus on AI-native products?" (Showcase your research and genuine interest.)
"How do you see your role contributing to Clera's goal of reaching tens of millions of students globally?" (Connect your skills to the company's scale and impact.)
"Describe your ideal work environment and how you thrive in a fast-paced, growing company." (Align your expectations with Clera's culture.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of Clera's mission and how your skills align. Then, present 2-3 key case studies in detail.
Case Study Breakdown: For each case study: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact (Metrics) -> Learnings.
Highlight AI & Design Systems: Explicitly call out your contributions to AI-assisted workflows and design systems within your case studies.
Quantify Everything: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success and impact of your work.
Be Conversational: Engage the interviewers, ask clarifying questions, and be open to feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design talent, but also operational discipline, a proactive approach to technology (AI), and the ability to drive measurable impact through scalable solutions like design systems.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

Submit your application through the provided Ashby link, ensuring your resume and portfolio are up-to-date and clearly highlight your relevant experience.
Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to showcase projects that demonstrate your ability to move metrics, delight users, build design systems, and leverage AI tools effectively. Prioritize case studies that align with Clera's EdTech focus.
Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience, key skills (especially UI/UX, Design Systems, AI integration, and mentorship), and quantifiable achievements. Use keywords from the job description.
Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, be ready to discuss your design process in detail, and prepare for questions related to AI, design systems, and user-centric problem-solving.
Company Research: Thoroughly research Clera's mission, product, and recent news. Understand their position in the EdTech market and their commitment to AI.

⚠️ 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.

Product Designer