Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Kobalt Labs

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-09-17

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

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design of complex product workflows from foundational concepts to fully realized features, collaborating closely with engineering.

• Architect and implement a comprehensive design system for Kobalt’s AI-native compliance platform, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Drive the end-to-end design and development of Kobalt’s website, encompassing visual direction, information architecture, and iterative improvements.

• Evolve the company's visual identity across both product interfaces and the website to support its next growth phase.

• Conduct user research and engage with internal teams to translate intricate workflows and requirements into intuitive and effective user interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a hands-on Product Designer with a strong emphasis on systems thinking and a blend of UI/UX design with front-end implementation capabilities. The target candidate is expected to not only design but also contribute to the technical realization of web experiences. The "2-5 years" AI-derived experience level seems slightly low given the stated responsibilities of owning a design system and a website end-to-end, which typically require more senior experience. However, it aligns with a mid-level individual contributor role.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the conceptualization and detailed design of complex, multi-step product workflows, ensuring seamless integration with engineering.

• Develop and maintain a robust design system, defining reusable components, interaction patterns, and visual guidelines for the Kobalt platform.

• Manage the entire lifecycle of Kobalt's website, from initial concept and visual design to information architecture, content strategy, and ongoing implementation and iteration.

• Oversee the evolution of Kobalt's visual brand identity, ensuring a cohesive and professional look and feel across all digital touchpoints.

• Engage in direct customer interactions and internal stakeholder discussions to deeply understand user needs and operational challenges, translating these into elegant and efficient interface solutions.

• Collaborate with the CTO and engineering team on strategic product initiatives, providing design leadership and technical feasibility input.

• Utilize AI-assisted development tools to accelerate web experience creation and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can operate at both a strategic (design system, visual identity) and tactical (workflow design, implementation) level. The emphasis on "first principles" and "complex workflows" suggests a role requiring deep problem-solving skills, particularly within a B2B context.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 4+ years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of shipping software products. Ideally, experience in complex B2B or enterprise applications.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional systems thinking and the ability to reason about information architecture, interaction patterns, states, and reusable primitives.

• Strong proficiency in UI/UX design principles and methodologies, with a keen eye for visual craft and detail.

• Demonstrated experience in building or significantly contributing to a design system across a growing product.

• Proven ability to design and ship complex product workflows, ideally within B2B or enterprise software environments.

• Comfortable working directly in code, utilizing modern AI-assisted development tools to build and iterate on web experiences.

• Experience conducting user research and translating findings into actionable design improvements.

• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles and best practices. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the FinTech or regulatory technology (RegTech) industry.

• Familiarity with AI-native product development.

• Proficiency in front-end development languages (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and frameworks.

• Experience with prototyping tools and user testing methodologies.

• Ability to define and evolve a brand's visual identity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement to be "comfortable working directly in code" and using "AI-assisted development tools" is a significant differentiator for this role, suggesting a hybrid designer/developer profile or a designer with a strong technical aptitude and interest in front-end implementation, particularly for web experiences. This aligns with a "Product Designer" title that encompasses more than just traditional UX/UI.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing at least 4 years of product design experience, with a strong emphasis on complex B2B or enterprise applications.

• Demonstrations of exceptional systems thinking, including examples of information architecture, interaction pattern design, and the creation of reusable design primitives.

• Case studies detailing the design and implementation of a design system, highlighting its impact on product consistency and scalability.

• Examples of end-to-end website design and development, illustrating visual direction, information architecture, and iterative improvements.

• Work samples that clearly articulate the process from problem identification through solution design, user research, and shipped product.

• Evidence of ability to translate complex workflows and requirements into simple, thoughtful interfaces. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly document the design process, including problem definition, user research methodologies, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final implementation.

• For design system contributions, provide documentation on component libraries, pattern definitions, and guidelines for their application.

• For website projects, outline the information architecture, content strategy, visual design decisions, and implementation approach.

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to measure the impact of design decisions on user behavior and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evaluation tool for systems thinking, visual craft, interaction design, and the ability to build and maintain design systems. The emphasis on "shipping software products" and "working directly in code" means the portfolio should ideally include examples demonstrating this technical capability or a deep understanding of implementation constraints.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers with 4+ years of experience in New York City, specializing in B2B SaaS and complex applications, the estimated salary range is $120,000 - $160,000 per year. This range accounts for the specific technical requirements and the high cost of living in New York City.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Stock options or equity in a rapidly growing Series A company.

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

• Professional development budget for conferences, workshops, and training.

• Opportunities for career advancement within a scaling organization.

• 401(k) plan with company match.

• Commuter benefits.

• Potential for flexible work arrangements as the company matures. Working Hours:

Standard full-time commitment of approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be an expectation for flexibility to meet project deadlines and collaborate effectively with a distributed team or global partners if applicable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on market data for similar roles in New York City and the provided experience level. Benefits are inferred based on typical offerings for Series A tech companies seeking to attract talent for critical roles. The "AI-derived" working hours of 40 are standard, but the "on-site" nature implies a structured daily presence.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: FinTech / Compliance Technology (AI-Native)

Kobalt Labs operates at the intersection of financial technology and compliance, leveraging AI to modernize critical regulatory processes for financial institutions. This industry demands high levels of accuracy, security, and regulatory adherence, which translates into a culture that values precision, reliability, and continuous improvement.

Company Size: Series A funded, likely between 50-150 employees. This suggests a dynamic, fast-paced environment with significant growth potential. As a growing startup, roles are often broad, requiring individuals to be adaptable and willing to wear multiple hats.

Founded: As a Series A company, Kobalt Labs was likely founded within the last 5-10 years, indicating a relatively young but rapidly scaling organization. This implies a culture that is still solidifying but likely prioritizes innovation, agility, and a strong sense of mission.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design function will likely be small, possibly a solo designer or part of a nascent design team reporting into product leadership or directly to the CTO.

• Collaboration will be tight with the engineering team, particularly the CTO, given the technical nature of the role.

• Cross-functional collaboration will extend to product management, sales, and customer success teams to gather requirements and ensure product-market fit. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, leveraging user feedback, analytics, and market research.

• Agile development methodologies, emphasizing iterative design and rapid prototyping.

• A focus on building scalable and robust systems, reflecting the demands of the compliance and financial services sectors.

• Emphasis on AI integration to drive efficiency and innovation in compliance workflows.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "AI-native compliance" for financial institutions suggests a culture that values technical sophistication, rigorous problem-solving, and a deep understanding of regulatory environments. The Series A stage implies a balance between startup agility and the need for more structured processes and scalable solutions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Mid-Level Individual Contributor, focused on hands-on design execution and system building. It offers a significant opportunity to shape the foundational design language and user experience of a growing B2B SaaS platform.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report directly to the CTO or Head of Product, emphasizing close alignment with technical and product strategy. This direct line of reporting suggests a high level of autonomy and influence.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will have a direct and substantial impact on Kobalt Labs' success by:

• Enhancing user adoption and retention through intuitive product design.

• Improving operational efficiency for clients by streamlining complex compliance workflows.

• Strengthening the Kobalt brand through a cohesive and professional visual identity across product and web.

• Enabling faster product development and iteration through a well-defined design system. Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing complex B2B SaaS applications, AI-driven products, or compliance technology.

• Leadership: Progress into a Senior Product Designer, Design Lead, or Head of Design role as the company scales and the design team expands.

• Technical Skill Development: Further enhance coding and AI-assisted development skills for web experiences.

• Strategic Influence: Gain greater influence over product strategy and roadmap development.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers as the team grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique opportunity for a designer to build foundational design systems and infrastructure from the ground up in a high-growth startup. The "AI-native" aspect and B2B focus provide specialized career development paths within the FinTech and SaaS design landscape.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. This indicates a physical office presence in New York City, fostering in-person collaboration and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): New York City, New York, United States. This prime location offers access to a vibrant tech ecosystem, talent pool, and networking opportunities.

Workspace Context:

• A collaborative office environment designed to encourage interaction between design, engineering, and product teams.

• Access to modern design and development tools, including AI-assisted development platforms.

• Opportunities for direct engagement with customers and internal stakeholders to inform design decisions.

• A dynamic startup atmosphere where innovation and rapid iteration are encouraged.

Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is expected, with the on-site requirement emphasizing regular office attendance. However, as is common in startups, flexibility might be available for exceptional circumstances or project needs, but the primary expectation is in-office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in New York City suggests a company culture that values in-person collaboration, team synergy, and the benefits of a shared physical workspace. This is typical for startups looking to foster a strong company culture and facilitate rapid communication.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Application Submission: Submit resume and portfolio link.

2. Portfolio Review: Initial screening by the hiring team to assess design craft, systems thinking, and relevant experience.

3. Hiring Manager/CTO Interview: Deep dive into your experience, approach to design challenges, and understanding of B2B SaaS and design systems. This stage will likely assess your systems thinking and technical comfort.

4. Design Challenge/Case Study Presentation: You may be asked to present a case study from your portfolio, or be given a take-home challenge to design a specific workflow or component, focusing on your process, rationale, and problem-solving skills.

5. Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with engineering and potentially product team members to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit.

6. Final Interview: Potentially with a founder or senior leader, focusing on strategic alignment and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Clearly articulate your thought process for building scalable and consistent design systems. Showcase how you’ve designed reusable components and patterns.

• Showcase Workflow Design: Present case studies that demonstrate your ability to untangle complex B2B workflows into intuitive user experiences. Detail the problem, your process, and the impact.

• Demonstrate Technical Aptitude: If possible, include examples of your direct contribution to web development or how you've collaborated closely with engineers. Mention your experience with AI-assisted tools.

• Visual Craft and Interaction Detail: Ensure your portfolio showcases strong visual design skills alongside thoughtful interaction design.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with compliance processes, financial institutions, and the challenges they face. Research Kobalt Labs' specific product offering.

• Focus on Process: Be prepared to articulate your design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and iteration.

• Systems Approach: Think about how your solutions fit into a larger system and how they can be scaled.

• Technical Considerations: Be ready to discuss how your designs can be implemented, considering technical constraints and possibilities, especially with AI tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "working directly in code" and "AI-assisted development" suggests that interviewers will be looking for a designer who understands the practicalities of implementation and can contribute beyond pure conceptual design. Portfolio pieces that demonstrate this capability will be highly advantageous.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, or similar industry-standard tools.

• Design Systems: Experience with building, maintaining, and scaling design systems. Familiarity with component libraries and pattern documentation.

• Web Development Tools: Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is highly desirable. Experience with modern front-end frameworks (e.g., React, Vue.js) is a plus.

• AI-Assisted Development Tools: Familiarity with tools that leverage AI for code generation, design assistance, or workflow optimization.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar product analytics platforms for user behavior analysis.

• Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for data visualization and reporting (beneficial for understanding product usage and impact). CRM & Automation:

• Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar CRM systems (understanding how design impacts B2B sales cycles).

• Workflow automation tools (e.g., Zapier, Make) to understand how processes can be streamlined.

• Jira or Asana for project management and collaboration with engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The inclusion of "comfortable working directly in code" and "AI-assisted development tools" is paramount. This suggests that proficiency in core web technologies (HTML, CSS, JS) and an understanding of how to leverage AI in the design and development process are not just preferred but likely essential for success in this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Precision & Reliability: Given the compliance and financial services domain, accuracy, attention to detail, and dependable performance are paramount.

• Innovation: A drive to leverage AI and modern technology to solve complex problems and disrupt traditional compliance processes.

• User-Centricity: A commitment to understanding and serving the needs of financial institutions through intuitive and efficient product design.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and teamwork across design, engineering, and product teams to ensure alignment and efficient execution.

• Growth Mindset: A continuous drive for learning, improvement, and adaptation in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close working relationships with engineers and product managers, fostering a shared understanding of goals and challenges.

• Iterative Design Process: Embracing feedback loops and continuous refinement of designs based on user testing and stakeholder input.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing design insights, best practices, and learnings with the broader team.

• Proactive Problem Solving: Identifying potential design or workflow issues early and proposing solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission in compliance and finance suggests a culture that values rigor and trust. The "AI-native" aspect implies an innovative and forward-thinking approach, likely balanced with the need for robust and secure solutions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Translating intricate regulatory requirements and financial workflows into simple, intuitive user experiences.

• Establishing a New Design System: Building a comprehensive and scalable design system from the ground up in a growing product environment.

• Balancing Visual Identity and Functionality: Evolving the brand's visual identity while ensuring it supports complex B2B functionality and user workflows.

• Technical Implementation Integration: Bridging the gap between design vision and front-end implementation, especially with evolving AI tools.

• Navigating a Rapid Growth Phase: Adapting to evolving priorities and processes in a fast-scaling startup environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into FinTech Compliance: Gain in-depth knowledge of the regulatory landscape and its impact on financial institutions.

• Advanced Design System Development: Become an expert in creating and managing scalable design systems for enterprise B2B products.

• AI in Design & Development: Explore and master the use of AI-assisted tools for design and front-end development.

• Product Strategy and Leadership: Contribute to product roadmap decisions and potentially grow into leadership roles within the design function.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Develop a strong understanding of engineering, product management, and business operations within a SaaS context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the nature of B2B SaaS in a regulated industry, requiring a designer who is not only creative but also deeply analytical and technically adept. The growth opportunities are substantial for someone looking to make a significant impact and grow their career in a specialized and high-demand field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a complex workflow for a B2B application. What were the key challenges, and how did you approach them?" (Focus on process, user research, and problem-solving.)

• "How would you approach building a design system from scratch for a growing SaaS product? What are the key considerations?" (Highlight systems thinking, componentization, and scalability.)

• "Tell me about your experience working with engineers. How do you ensure successful implementation of your designs?" (Emphasize collaboration, technical understanding, and communication.)

• "How do you balance evolving a brand's visual identity with the need for functional, enterprise-grade software?" (Showcase understanding of brand strategy and product constraints.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Kobalt Labs and our mission in AI-native compliance?" (Research company, understand their AI approach and financial services focus.)

• "How do you stay updated on design trends and new technologies, especially in AI-assisted development?" (Demonstrate continuous learning.)

• "Describe your ideal team environment. How do you collaborate with others?" (Align with potential team structure and startup culture.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, the solution, and the impact.

• Emphasize Systems Thinking: Explicitly call out how your designs contribute to a larger system, whether it's a design system, information architecture, or workflow coherence.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, code snippets if applicable) to illustrate your points effectively.

• Highlight Technical Contribution: If presenting work involving web development or AI tools, be prepared to discuss your specific contributions and the technologies used.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, alternative solutions you considered, and how you handled trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the unique technical requirements of this role, be prepared to discuss your comfort level with code and AI development tools during interviews. Your portfolio should ideally reflect any experience you have in these areas, or at least demonstrate a strong understanding of implementation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your experience with complex B2B workflows, design systems, and any relevant technical implementation (e.g., HTML/CSS/JS, AI-assisted tools). Showcase case studies that demonstrate systems thinking.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 4+ years of experience, emphasizing product design for B2B/enterprise applications, design systems, and any coding or AI tool experience. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, system design philosophy, and collaboration style. Be ready to present a compelling case study from your portfolio that aligns with the role's requirements.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Kobalt Labs, its mission, its product, and its place in the AI-native compliance and FinTech space. Understand their target market and the challenges they address.

⚠️ 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.