Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Endear

Location: United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-15

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

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Design end-to-end product experiences for Endear's "in real life" (IRL) features, focusing on in-store retail workflows.

• Drive product innovation by identifying user needs and translating them into intuitive, accessible design solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering to define problems, iterate on solutions, and ensure successful implementation.

• Conduct user research, including discovery and usability testing, to inform design decisions and validate product concepts.

• Contribute to the evolution of Endear's AI-first product strategy through thoughtful design and experimentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on a specific domain within Endear's product suite (IRL features), requiring a designer adept at zero-to-one product development and comfortable with ambiguity. The emphasis on AI integration suggests a forward-thinking product organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the design lifecycle for IRL features, from initial problem discovery and user research through to production-ready designs and post-launch iteration.

• Conduct generative and evaluative user research, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to deeply understand the needs of store associates, managers, and administrative users.

• Translate complex and often ambiguous problems into clear, actionable product design solutions that address user pain points and business objectives.

• Design complete and robust user experiences, meticulously accounting for all states including loading, empty, error, permission, and edge cases.

• Partner proactively with Product Managers and Engineers throughout the product development process, fostering strong collaboration and shared understanding.

• Utilize qualitative and quantitative data, including customer insights and usage metrics, to inform design decisions, prioritize iterations, and measure impact.

• Contribute to and help shape the product vision and strategy for the IRL domain, working closely with the Head of Product Design.

• Design with a strong commitment to accessibility, ensuring products are usable by a diverse range of users.

• Explore and integrate AI capabilities into product workflows, applying judgment to AI-generated outputs and identifying opportunities for innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product thinking and hands-on execution, typical of mid-level product designers in growing tech companies. The focus on "zero-to-one" work and "complete product states" indicates a need for a designer who can build foundational elements and think comprehensively.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is generally expected for roles of this nature.

Experience: 2–5 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of independently owning and delivering features from discovery through implementation.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end feature ownership and impactful design solutions.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct user research, from early discovery and problem framing to usability testing and validation.

• Expertise in translating broad or ambiguous problems into clear, well-defined product solutions.

• Strong capability in designing complex, accessible workflows, with meticulous attention to loading, empty, error, and permission states.

• Proficiency in using qualitative and quantitative data to inform and validate design decisions.

• Experience building within established design systems and patterns, while also knowing when and how to evolve them.

• Familiarity with using AI tools as part of a design workflow and applying critical judgment to AI-generated output.

• Excellent collaboration skills, with experience working effectively with Design, Product, and Engineering teams.

• Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to identifying and addressing user needs. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the retail or e-commerce technology sector, particularly with clienteling or in-store operations software.

• Familiarity with CRM platforms and their application in retail environments.

• Experience with AI-driven product features or integrating AI into user workflows.

• A strong understanding of UX principles, interaction design, and visual design best practices.

• Experience with rapid prototyping and user testing methodologies.

• Knowledge of design systems and component-based design approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is specific (2-5 years) and emphasizes independent ownership. The "no retail background required" note is crucial, indicating that transferable skills in product thinking and design execution are highly valued over domain-specific knowledge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate end-to-end product design ownership for at least 2-3 significant features or projects.

• Showcase a deep understanding of user research methodologies and how insights were translated into design decisions.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, design process, and the rationale behind key design choices.

• Provide concrete examples of how data (qualitative or quantitative) informed design iterations and improvements.

• Illustrate the ability to account for complete product states, including error handling, empty states, and permission flows.

• Highlight collaboration with engineering and product teams, detailing your role in the implementation phase.

• If applicable, include examples of AI tool usage in your design process and how you applied judgment to the output.

• Quantify the impact of your work with metrics where possible (e.g., conversion rate improvements, task completion time reduction, user satisfaction scores). Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline the discovery phase, including problem definition and user research methods.

• Detail the ideation and design exploration process, including wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.

• Explain the iterative design process, including feedback loops and usability testing results.

• Describe how accessibility considerations were integrated throughout the design and development lifecycle.

• Illustrate the handover process to engineering and any subsequent design support provided during implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of product thinking and execution. Emphasis on "impact of your work, with data where you had access to it" and "complete product states" are key indicators of what the hiring team will scrutinize.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 - $129,000 USD per year. This range is competitive for a mid-level Product Designer role in a remote, US-based tech company, reflecting the company's stage and the role's impact.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and potentially dependents.

• Co-working or home office stipend: Financial support to create a productive remote work environment.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) and unlimited vacation: Encourages work-life balance and empowers employees to take time off as needed.

• Education and learning support: Budget or resources for professional development, courses, conferences, and skill enhancement.

• Opportunity to shape foundational product work: Significant impact on a growing product in a transformative industry.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility. The team requires availability for an all-team standup every Monday at 8:00 AM Pacific Time, indicating a need for synchronization within US time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a particular focus on remote work support and professional development, aligning with industry standards for attractive tech roles. The noted stand-up time suggests a need for candidates to be comfortable with Pacific Time zone overlap.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology, specifically focusing on Retail Technology and CRM solutions. Endear is modernizing customer relationship management for retail teams, starting with frontline associates.

Company Size: Small team (implied by 3 product teams, 3 designers, and close collaboration emphasis), likely a Series A or B stage startup. This size fosters agility, direct impact, and close-knit team dynamics.

Founded: Founded in 2020 (implied by "AI-first product" and "evolving product"). This suggests a relatively young company with a strong focus on innovation and growth.

Team Structure:

• The product organization is structured into three dedicated product teams: AI, IRL (In Real Life), and Core Flows.

• One Product Designer is dedicated to each of these teams.

• The IRL design role reports to the Head of Product Design.

• The designer will work closely with a Product Manager and 2-3 Engineers on the IRL team.

• The design team itself consists of three individuals, fostering a collaborative design environment. Methodology:

• Customer-Centric Design: Emphasis on understanding users (store associates, managers) through research and data.

• Iterative Development: Continuous learning and iteration based on customer insight and feedback.

• AI Integration: A strategic focus on incorporating AI into product features to enhance value.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close partnerships between Design, Product, and Engineering are foundational.

• Agile Workflows: Implied by startup environment and focus on delivering value quickly.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Endear is positioned as an innovative retail tech company leveraging AI. The small, focused product teams suggest a highly collaborative environment where individual contributions have significant visibility and impact. The "IRL" focus indicates a specialization in the physical store experience.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at the Mid-Level (2-5 years of experience). It involves significant ownership of features and projects, moving beyond task execution to problem definition and solution design. The designer is expected to be largely independent in their day-to-day work on assigned features, with strategic guidance from the Head of Product Design.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report directly to the Head of Product Design. They will also work very closely with a Product Manager and a small engineering team dedicated to the IRL product domain. This structure allows for both mentorship from design leadership and deep collaboration within a product pod.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will have a direct impact on Endear's core offering by shaping the "in real life" experiences for retail teams. Success in this role will translate to measurable improvements in how retail associates and managers conduct clienteling, manage appointments, and execute in-store workflows. This directly contributes to Endear's mission of driving measurable growth for its retail clients through personal customer interactions and improved operational efficiency. The role also contributes to the company's strategic AI-first direction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deep Product Ownership: Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in in-store retail workflows and Endear's IRL product domain.

• Skill Expansion in AI Design: Gain practical experience designing with and for AI technologies, a rapidly growing field.

• Mentorship and Design Leadership: Receive direct mentorship from the Head of Product Design, fostering growth in design strategy, leadership, and craft.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into Senior Product Designer roles, lead design initiatives for larger product areas, or specialize further within AI or other product domains as the company scales.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Develop strong collaborative skills across Product, Engineering, and potentially Sales/Customer Success, building a well-rounded understanding of the product development lifecycle.

• Educational Support: Utilize the provided education budget for courses, workshops, or certifications to further develop design skills or domain knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are clearly articulated, emphasizing both individual craft development (AI, mentorship) and career advancement within a scaling startup. The impact is tied to core business metrics for retail clients.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. The team operates across the United States, with no central physical office required for daily work.

Office Location(s): While the team is US-based, there are no specified office locations. The company offers a co-working or home office stipend, allowing employees to choose their preferred work setup. The primary requirement is availability for a Monday 8:00 AM Pacific Time stand-up, suggesting a distributed team across various US time zones.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility: Employees have the autonomy to design their workspace, whether at home or a co-working space.

• Digital Collaboration: Reliance on digital tools for communication, collaboration, and design work (e.g., Slack, Figma, video conferencing).

• Team Cohesion: Efforts to foster team connection through structured virtual meetings like the Monday stand-up and potentially other virtual social events.

• Tooling: Access to necessary design and collaboration software, supported by the company.

Work Schedule: The standard is a 40-hour work week. While fully remote, maintaining consistent availability during core US business hours, particularly for team syncs (like the Monday 8 AM PT stand-up), is expected. This allows for effective collaboration with distributed team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature is a key aspect, supported by stipends for workspace setup. The critical requirement is availability for the Monday stand-up, indicating a need for candidates comfortable with Pacific Time zone overlap.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Recruiter Screen: Initial call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and Endear.

2. Behavioral Interview with Hiring Manager: Deeper dive into experience, problem-solving approaches, collaboration style, and alignment with Endear's values. Expect questions about past projects and how you've handled specific situations.

3. Team Portfolio Review: A crucial stage where the candidate presents their portfolio to a cross-functional group including Design, Product, and Engineering. This assesses design thinking, execution, communication skills, and ability to articulate impact.

4. Final Leadership Conversation: A discussion with senior leadership to ensure alignment with company vision and strategic goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around 3-4 strong case studies that demonstrate end-to-end product design.

• Storytelling: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, your design decisions (and the rationale behind them), and the outcome/impact.

• Impact Focus: Quantify your contributions with data (user metrics, business outcomes) whenever possible. If data wasn't accessible, clearly state how you would have measured impact.

• Process Clarity: Walk through your design process – research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing, iteration, and collaboration with engineering.

• AI Integration: If you have examples of using AI in your workflow, be prepared to discuss how you leveraged it and applied your own judgment.

• Complete States: Explicitly show how you designed for edge cases, error states, loading states, and permission flows.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your work within a set timeframe, focusing on the most impactful aspects.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking: Be ready to discuss how you approach ambiguous problems and define solutions from scratch.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare examples of how you've worked effectively with Product Managers and Engineers, managed differing opinions, and contributed to shared goals.

• Value Alignment: Understand Endear's five core principles (Customer First, Take Ownership, Enable Autonomy, Under Promise Over Deliver, Innovate & Deliver Value Quickly) and be ready to share how your past experiences align with them.

• Retail Context: While no retail background is required, demonstrating an understanding of retail workflows or customer experience challenges will be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess a range of skills, with the portfolio review being a key gate. Candidates should prepare to articulate their process, impact, and ability to collaborate, emphasizing the "zero-to-one" aspect of the role and Endear's core values.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma is the industry standard and highly likely to be Endear's primary tool for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping.

• Collaboration: Slack for real-time communication, and likely a project management tool like Asana, Jira, or Trello for tracking tasks and progress.

• Video Conferencing: Zoom or Google Meet for remote meetings, interviews, and team syncs.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While specific tools aren't listed, common product analytics platforms like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics would be used to track user behavior and product usage.

• Data visualization tools or dashboards might be employed to present findings to the wider team. CRM & Automation:

• Endear's Product: The designer will be working within Endear's own CRM platform, focusing on its "IRL" features.

• Internal Tools: May use internal tools for customer feedback aggregation or project management automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools are not explicitly listed, but Figma is a near certainty for a modern product design team. The emphasis on data-driven decisions suggests proficiency with analytics platforms will be valuable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values: Endear explicitly lists five core principles that guide their culture and hiring:

• Customer First: Prioritizing understanding user needs through research and data to create impactful experiences. This means empathy for store associates and managers is paramount.

• Take Ownership: Individuals are encouraged to take responsibility for their work, see projects through to completion, and care about the quality of shipped products. This applies to design decisions and their outcomes.

• Enable Autonomy: Fostering clear communication, early collaboration, and providing necessary context to empower teams (Product, Engineering) to make informed decisions. This means transparency and proactive information sharing are key.

• Under Promise, Over Deliver: Setting realistic expectations and then exceeding them through thoroughness, attention to detail, and delivering complete, high-quality work.

• Innovate & Deliver Value Quickly: Encouraging experimentation, thoughtful use of tools (including AI), and rapid iteration without compromising sound product judgment. This balances speed with quality and strategic thinking.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is deeply integrated with Product and Engineering, working together from discovery through implementation.

• Feedback-Oriented: The culture values seeking and giving feedback, especially evident in the portfolio review process and mentorship from the Head of Product Design.

• Transparent Communication: Emphasis on "Enable Autonomy" suggests open channels for sharing information, progress, and challenges.

• Customer-Obsessed: A shared focus on understanding and serving the retail customer drives decision-making across all functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit articulation of company values provides a strong framework for understanding the expected behaviors and cultural fit. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how their work and approach align with these principles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Zero-to-One Product Development: Designing features and workflows that may not exist yet requires comfort with ambiguity, hypothesis generation, and extensive user discovery.

• Balancing Innovation with Execution: Integrating AI thoughtfully and rapidly while ensuring robust, accessible, and complete product experiences.

• Designing for Diverse User Needs: Catering to the varied requirements of store associates, managers, and administrative users within the retail environment.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Maintaining strong team cohesion and effective communication in a fully remote setting, bridging different time zones.

• Quantifying Design Impact: Demonstrating clear business value and user impact with data, especially in early-stage product areas where metrics may still be evolving.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI-powered features and understanding their ethical and practical implications in a business context.

• Retail Tech Domain Expertise: Develop a strong understanding of the retail industry, clienteling, and in-store operations, becoming a go-to expert.

• Product Strategy Contribution: Influence the product roadmap and strategic direction of Endear's IRL product suite.

• Design Leadership Skills: Grow under mentorship from the Head of Product Design, honing skills in strategic thinking, mentorship, and potentially leading design initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Broaden understanding of software development lifecycles, product management, and business operations through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a growing startup in a dynamic tech space, offering significant learning opportunities. The growth potential is explicitly linked to both technical skill development (AI) and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Problem Definition: "Describe a time you had to tackle a vague or ambiguous problem. How did you define the problem, what research did you conduct, and what was the resulting solution?" (Focus on your process for creating clarity.)

• Design for Edge Cases: "How do you ensure your designs account for all user states, including errors, empty screens, and permission issues? Can you walk me through an example from your portfolio?" (Highlight your thoroughness and attention to detail.)

• Collaboration & Influence: "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a Product Manager or Engineer on a design decision. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?" (Demonstrate your ability to collaborate, advocate for users, and compromise.)

• AI Integration: "How have you used AI tools in your design workflow? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of using AI in product design?" (Showcase your awareness of AI trends and your critical judgment.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Value Alignment: "Which of Endear's five core principles resonates most with you, and why? Can you give an example of how you've embodied this principle in your past work?" (Connect your experiences to Endear's values.)

• Remote Work: "What are your strategies for staying productive, collaborative, and connected in a fully remote work environment?" (Address the remote aspect directly.)

• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of your designs? What metrics do you prioritize, and how do you present this information to stakeholders?" (Show your data-driven approach.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: For each case study, craft a compelling story: Problem -> Your Role & Process -> Solution -> Impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use clear, high-fidelity mockups and prototypes. Annotate key design decisions and user flows.

• Data Integration: Weave in quantitative and qualitative data points naturally to support your design rationale and demonstrate impact.

• Focus on Thinking: Emphasize why you made certain design decisions, not just what you designed. Articulate your product thinking.

• Conciseness & Time Management: Practice your presentation to fit within the allotted time, focusing on the most critical aspects of each project. Be prepared for Q&A.

• Showcase Ambiguity Handling: If possible, select a project that started with ambiguity to showcase your ability to define problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating product thinking, a structured design process, strong collaboration skills, and alignment with Endear's values. The portfolio presentation is a key opportunity to showcase these attributes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Dover.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating end-to-end feature ownership, user research, and the design of complex, accessible workflows. Ensure it clearly articulates problem statements, your process, and the impact of your work with data.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize relevant experience (2-5 years), key skills (Product Design, User Research, UI/UX, Collaboration), and quantifiable achievements. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly review Endear's company values and the interview process outlined. Prepare specific examples and case studies that align with the role's responsibilities and the company's culture. Practice articulating your design thinking and impact.

• Company Research: Visit Endear's website to understand their mission, product, and target market (retail teams). Familiarize yourself with their AI-first approach and the "IRL" product domain to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding.

⚠️ 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.