Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer Company: Discovery Education Talent Team Location: Jersey City, NJ Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) Date Posted: 2026-05-07 Experience Level: Mid-Level (3+ years) Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote OK within the United States)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design intuitive, elegant, and functional user experiences for K-12 digital learning products, focusing on accessibility and ease of navigation for students, educators, and administrators.
• Contribute to the end-to-end design process, from user research and interaction modeling to prototyping, testing, and refining solutions within an Agile framework.
• Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Research, Curriculum, and Data teams to translate complex challenges into simple, scalable, and user-centered designs.
• Apply and contribute to the company's design system, ensuring visual and interaction consistency across all digital products and platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is specifically designated as a Product Designer within a "Product-Led Growth (PLG) Design Team," indicating a strategic focus on leveraging design to drive user adoption, engagement, and retention. The inclusion of H-1B visa sponsorship and specific salary ranges suggests a formal approach to international talent acquisition and compensation benchmarking.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and design user-centered solutions that enhance learning, teaching, and administrative workflows within K-12 digital environments, addressing the needs of diverse personas.
• Develop comprehensive design documentation, including wireframes, interactive prototypes, high-fidelity mockups, and detailed specifications for seamless developer handoff.
• Define and refine information architecture, interaction patterns, and end-to-end user flows to create cohesive and intuitive product experiences.
• Collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers in Agile workstreams, ensuring design alignment with sprint goals, business objectives, and technical feasibility.
• Support user research initiatives, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing, to gather qualitative and quantitative insights that inform design decisions and validate concepts.
• Apply and contribute to the Discovery Education design system and component library, ensuring consistency, scalability, and adherence to accessibility standards (WCAG).
• Iterate on designs based on user feedback, performance data, and A/B testing results to continuously improve product usability and effectiveness.
• Translate complex product requirements and user needs into simple, elegant, and accessible user experiences that balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a full-cycle product design role, emphasizing collaboration within an Agile methodology and a strong focus on user research, system thinking, and design system contribution, all within the specific context of K-12 education technology.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 3+ years of direct experience in designing digital products, with a preference for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms, within an Agile development environment.
• Demonstrated experience in designing complex workflows and multi-persona user experiences.
• Proven track record of partnering effectively with Product Management and Engineering teams to deliver production-ready solutions.

Required Skills:

• Product Design & UX/UI: Expertise in creating intuitive, elegant, and functional user interfaces and experiences.
• Prototyping & Wireframing: Proficiency in using modern design tools to create interactive prototypes and detailed wireframes.
• Information Architecture (IA): Ability to structure and organize content logically for optimal user navigation and understanding.
• User Research & Usability Testing: Experience in planning, conducting, and synthesizing user research to inform design decisions.
• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skill in Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.
• Agile Methodology: Experience working within Agile development cycles and collaborating closely with development teams.
• Accessibility Standards (WCAG): Familiarity and practical application of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for inclusive design.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand and design for complex interconnected systems and ensure scalability.
• Design Systems: Experience applying and contributing to established design systems and component libraries.
• Interaction Design: Skill in defining how users interact with the product to create engaging and efficient experiences.

Preferred Skills:

• SaaS Design: Specific experience designing for Software-as-a-Service platforms.
• Inclusive Design: Understanding and application of inclusive design principles beyond basic accessibility.
• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Ability to translate quantitative and qualitative data into actionable design insights.
• Jira/Confluence: Familiarity with collaboration and workflow management tools such as Jira and Confluence for development handoff and documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "3+ years" aligns with a mid-level designer role, requiring a solid foundation and demonstrated impact. The emphasis on Figma, Agile, and WCAG is crucial for modern digital product design roles. The "equivalent practical experience" clause offers flexibility for candidates without a formal degree.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a strong product thinking process, demonstrating how user needs were identified, problems were defined, and solutions were iteratively designed and validated.
• Examples of complex workflow designs and multi-persona experiences that illustrate the ability to manage intricate user journeys.
• Demonstrations of how user research, feedback, and data insights were synthesized and translated into concrete design decisions and improved user experiences.
• Evidence of contribution to or application of design systems, highlighting consistency and scalability in design solutions across multiple features or products.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed case studies that walk through the end-to-end design process for specific projects, including problem definition, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final implementation.
• Clear articulation of design rationale, including trade-offs made and justification for design decisions based on user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.
• Documentation of how accessibility standards (WCAG) were integrated into the design process and ensured in the final output.
• Examples of how designs were translated into clear specifications, assets, and annotations for efficient developer handoff within an Agile workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It must go beyond just showcasing visually appealing mockups to demonstrating a robust, user-centered design process, problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to articulate the impact of design decisions. The emphasis on "product thinking" and "impact" suggests a need for candidates to highlight business outcomes tied to their designs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $111,842 - $117,300 per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Insurance Package: Includes traditional health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Career Development Ownership: Emphasis on individual drive for career progression.
• Continuing Education & Tuition Reimbursement: Programs to support ongoing learning and professional development.
• Mentorship Program: Opportunities to learn from and collaborate with experienced leaders.
• Cross-functional Training: Constant opportunities for skill building across different teams and disciplines.
• Uncapped Career Growth: Potential for advancement within the organization.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Flexible leave for personal needs.
• Paid Holidays: Seven recognized holidays.
• Annual Winter Holiday Break: Typically the last week of December.
• Paid Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and aligns with mid-level Product Designer roles in high-cost-of-living areas like Jersey City, NJ. The benefits package is extensive, emphasizing professional growth, work-life balance, and family support, which are attractive to experienced professionals. The mention of H-1B sponsorship implies adherence to specific labor regulations regarding compensation and benefits for sponsored employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech), focused on K-12 digital learning solutions. Company Size: Large enterprise, serving over 4.5 million educators and 45 million students globally. Founded: Discovery Education has a history of innovation in educational content delivery, suggesting a culture that values forward-thinking and adaptation.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of the "Product-Led Growth (PLG) Design Team," indicating a specialized group focused on design's direct impact on user acquisition and engagement.
• This team operates within a larger Product organization, requiring close collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Research, Curriculum, and Data teams.
• The structure emphasizes cross-functional partnership rather than strict hierarchy, common in Agile environments.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: The team operates within Agile workstreams, necessitating iterative design cycles, sprint planning, and close collaboration with engineering.
• User-Centered Design (UCD): A strong emphasis on understanding user needs through research, feedback, and data to drive design decisions.
• Data-Informed Design: Utilizing qualitative and quantitative insights to validate concepts and refine solutions.
• Design Systems: A commitment to maintaining and expanding a centralized design system for consistency and efficiency.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Discovery Education's mission to transform teaching and learning through innovation is a key cultural driver. The company's global reach and significant user base suggest a culture that can handle complex scaling challenges while maintaining a focus on educational impact. The "Product-Led Growth" designation is particularly relevant for designers aiming to influence product strategy through user experience.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Product Designer (3+ years experience). This level typically involves owning features or smaller products, contributing significantly to design strategy, and mentoring junior designers informally. Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, the role likely reports to a Design Lead or Manager within the PLG Design Team, with direct collaboration lines to Product Managers and Engineering Leads. Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly influences user engagement, learning outcomes, and educator/administrator efficiency, which are critical drivers of the company's mission and business success in the EdTech market. Success metrics would likely include user adoption rates, feature usage, user satisfaction, and potentially impact on student learning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in K-12 EdTech design, accessibility, or design systems.
• Leadership: Transition to Senior Product Designer roles, leading larger projects or initiatives, or moving into design management.
• Cross-functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management, UX Research, or specialized roles within the broader Product organization.
• Skill Development: Access to continuing education, tuition reimbursement, and mentorship programs to acquire new skills and knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are framed around both vertical progression within design and horizontal movement across product-related functions. The emphasis on "uncapped career growth" and "constant opportunities for cross-functional training" suggests a company that invests in employee development and offers diverse career paths.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting indicates "Remote OK" within the United States and specifies a physical location for visa sponsorship (Jersey City, NJ), suggesting a hybrid work model is the primary intention. Employees may be expected to work from the Jersey City office periodically for team collaboration, or the role may be fully remote with occasional travel to the office. Office Location(s): Jersey City, NJ (primary location for visa sponsorship).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role emphasizes close partnership with Product, Engineering, Research, and Curriculum teams, indicating a highly collaborative and communicative workspace.
• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design and collaboration tools (Figma, Jira, Confluence) is standard.
• Team Interaction: Regular participation in design critiques, Agile ceremonies (stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives), and cross-functional meetings.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with the flexibility often associated with hybrid or remote roles, allowing for focused work and collaboration within core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote OK" status combined with a specific physical location for sponsorship implies that while remote work is permissible for US-based candidates, the company may have a preference for hybrid arrangements or require occasional on-site presence, especially for team cohesion and specific collaborative sessions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review focusing on resume and portfolio alignment with role requirements.
• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing their process, impact, and problem-solving skills. A design challenge (e.g., critique of an existing feature, designing a small flow) may be part of this stage.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially Researchers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work within an Agile team.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Deeper dive into experience, career goals, and cultural fit.
• Final Round/Offer: May involve senior leadership or a final decision-maker.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process & Problem-Solving: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions, not just the "what." Detail the problem you were solving, the constraints, and how you arrived at your solution.
• Showcase Impact: Quantify the results of your design work whenever possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user engagement, reduced support tickets).
• Highlight Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with stakeholders (PMs, Eng, Research) and incorporated their feedback.
• Tailor to EdTech: If possible, include projects relevant to education or complex user flows, showcasing your ability to design for diverse user groups and learning contexts.
• Accessibility Integration: Explicitly show how you considered and implemented accessibility standards (WCAG) in your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Discovery Education's Products: Familiarize yourself with their existing digital learning platforms to understand their user base and design language.
• Practice Design Critiques: Be prepared to analyze and provide constructive feedback on existing designs, demonstrating your critical thinking skills.
• Articulate Trade-offs: Be ready to discuss how you balance user needs, business requirements, and technical limitations in design decisions.
• Prepare for Agile Discussions: Understand how design fits into sprint cycles and how you communicate with development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Product Thinking" and "Impact" in the portfolio requirements suggests that candidates should prepare to discuss the business outcomes of their design work. The specific mention of K-12 digital learning products means researching Discovery Education's offerings will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.
• Jira: Commonly used for Agile project management, tracking tasks, bugs, and user stories.
• Confluence: Used for documentation, design specifications, and knowledge sharing.
• Design System Tools: Likely involves a component library within Figma, potentially with associated style guides or documentation platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated for the designer, familiarity with how user data is collected and analyzed (e.g., using tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) can inform design decisions. Designers may interact with dashboards to understand user behavior.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role's core responsibilities, but understanding how user data flows from front-end interactions might be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Jira, and Confluence highlights the expected technical proficiency. Designers are expected to be adept at using these tools for efficient workflow and collaboration within a modern tech organization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: Deep commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of K-12 students, educators, and administrators through accessible and user-centered design.
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, open communication, and shared ownership with Product, Engineering, Research, and Curriculum teams.
• Systems Thinking: Designing solutions that are scalable, consistent, and integrated within a larger product ecosystem.
• Continuous Improvement: A culture of iteration, learning from data and feedback, and striving for excellence in design and user experience.
• Impact-Driven: Focus on creating designs that have a tangible positive effect on learning and teaching outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Iterative: Collaborative approach within Agile sprints, involving regular feedback loops and iterative design adjustments.
• Cross-functional Partnership: Working closely with Product Managers to define requirements, Engineers for implementation, and Researchers for user insights.
• Design Critiques: Active participation in sharing work, providing constructive feedback, and upholding design standards within the team.
• Open Communication: Encouraging transparent and direct communication to align on goals and resolve challenges effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of mission-driven (education impact) and execution-focused (Agile, PLG). Designers are expected to be both empathetic to users and pragmatic in their solutions, working seamlessly within a multidisciplinary team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse User Needs: Designing for multiple personas (students, teachers, administrators) with varying technical proficiencies and educational goals.
• Scaling Design Solutions: Ensuring designs are scalable across different devices, platforms, and international markets while maintaining consistency.
• Translating Complex EdTech Requirements: Simplifying intricate educational concepts and administrative workflows into intuitive digital experiences.
• Maintaining Design System Integrity: Contributing to and utilizing a design system effectively while accommodating new feature requirements.
• Data Interpretation: Effectively synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data to drive design decisions and measure impact.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to continuing education and tuition reimbursement for courses in UX, design, EdTech, or related fields.
• Mentorship: Guidance from experienced design and product leaders within Discovery Education.
• Conferences & Workshops: Opportunities to attend industry events and workshops related to product design, UX, and EdTech innovation.
• Internal Skill-Sharing: Regular opportunities for cross-functional training and learning from colleagues in different departments.
• Career Pathing: Clear pathways for advancement to Senior Designer, Lead Designer, or management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for roles in complex, user-centric software development, particularly in the EdTech sector. The growth opportunities are robust, reflecting the company's commitment to employee development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, multi-persona user base. How did you approach understanding and addressing their different needs?" (Focus on research, IA, user flows, and trade-offs).
• "Walk us through a project from your portfolio where you significantly improved a user experience. What was the problem, your process, and the measurable impact?" (Emphasize product thinking, process, and outcomes).
• "How do you incorporate accessibility (WCAG) into your design process from the outset, rather than as an afterthought?" (Showcase understanding of inclusive design principles and practical application).
• "Imagine you're given a vague product requirement. How would you collaborate with Product Management and Engineering to clarify it and translate it into design specifications?" (Highlight collaboration, Agile process, and communication skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about designing for the K-12 education technology space?" (Connect your passion for design with the company's mission).
• "How do you contribute to a design system and ensure consistency across a product suite?" (Demonstrate understanding of design system principles and practical application).
• "Describe your experience working within an Agile development environment. How do you manage design deliverables for sprints?" (Showcase adaptability and efficiency in Agile workflows).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as narratives, clearly outlining the problem, your role, your process, the solutions, and the impact.
• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals, including wireframes, prototypes, and final designs, to illustrate your work.
• Data & Metrics: Quantify the success of your projects whenever possible.
• Process Focus: Emphasize your design thinking, problem-solving methodology, and how you iterate based on feedback and data.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; focus on 2-3 strong case studies that best represent your skills and experience for this role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the user-centered design process, collaborative skills within an Agile framework, and a genuine interest in the EdTech sector. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these abilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the Dayforce portal.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key projects that best showcase your product thinking, problem-solving abilities, end-to-end design process, and impact, with a specific emphasis on complex workflows and user-centered design. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your role, the challenges, your process, and measurable outcomes.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with Figma, Agile methodologies, user research, accessibility (WCAG), and designing for SaaS products. Quantify achievements and responsibilities where possible, aligning them with the core responsibilities and qualifications listed.
• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your design process, and demonstrating how you collaborate with cross-functional teams. Be ready to discuss your design rationale and any trade-offs made.
• Research Discovery Education: Familiarize yourself with Discovery Education's mission, products, and target audience (K-12 students, educators, administrators) to understand their context and demonstrate genuine interest during interviews.

⚠️ 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.