Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Luma

Location: Redwood City, California, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-07-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Own the end-to-end design lifecycle for features, from initial concept ideation through to polished, shippable user experiences, with a strong emphasis on AI as the core medium.

• Design and develop novel interaction paradigms that make complex AI concepts intuitive and accessible for users.

• Leverage AI coding tools to build functional, shippable features and prototypes in close collaboration with engineering teams.

• Maintain an exceptionally high standard of craft across all design disciplines, including visual design, interaction design, and prototyping.

• Drive product initiatives forward by navigating ambiguity, making decisions with incomplete information, and maintaining project momentum.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically tailored for designers who are comfortable and proficient in integrating AI into their workflow, moving beyond traditional static mockups to create functional, AI-powered product experiences. The emphasis is on a "generalist" designer who can operate with significant autonomy and a high degree of craft.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of major product features from initial product thinking and user exploration to pixel-perfect visual design and high-fidelity interactive prototypes.

• Conceptualize, design, and prototype fluid, novel interactions for an AI-native medium, ensuring complex AI functionalities are easily understood and utilized.

• Construct functional prototypes and shippable features by actively using AI coding tools, working in tight partnership with engineering and AI research teams.

• Champion and uphold an exceptionally high bar for design quality across visual aesthetics, interaction design, and the fidelity of interactive prototypes.

• Proactively manage and drive projects through ambiguity by identifying problems early, making informed decisions with limited data, and maintaining consistent forward momentum.

• Foster strong collaborative relationships with engineers, product managers, and AI researchers to collectively shape product strategy and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality design visions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a proactive, hands-on approach. The expectation is for a designer to not just conceptualize but also to actively build and iterate using AI-driven tools, bridging the gap between design and development. The "First 90 Days" outline provides a clear roadmap for how a successful candidate will integrate and contribute rapidly.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user experience, and visual communication is expected, often gained through formal education in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or related fields, or through equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of building and shipping successful, innovative products at scale.

Required Skills:

• 5+ years of experience in building delightful, innovative products at scale.

• Demonstrated strength in both design craft (visual and interaction) and product thinking.

• Visible integration of AI into your design process and portfolio.

• Experience building functional prototypes using AI coding tools such as Cursor or Claude Code.

• A portfolio showcasing shipped production work, detailing problem framing, design evolution, and measurable impact.

• Proven ability to move quickly, converge on solutions, and judiciously decide when iteration cycles should conclude.

• A consistent track record of generating momentum and influencing strategic decisions across cross-functional teams.

• A strong portfolio is a mandatory requirement for application. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience designing complex creative software, such as video editors, photo editors, general design tools, or developer tools.

• Exceptional interaction design capabilities, including mastery of fluid micro-interactions, complex state transitions, and prototypes that extend far beyond static screen representations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "What You Bring" section clearly emphasizes practical, AI-integrated experience and a bias for action. The preference for experience in complex creative software suggests a need for a designer who understands intricate user workflows and sophisticated toolsets, aligning with Luma's mission in AI and multimodality.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 5+ years of product design experience with a focus on shipped, production-level features.

• Clearly articulate the problem space, the design process undertaken, and the measurable impact of your work.

• Demonstrate significant experience and comfort using AI tools for design and prototyping (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code), illustrating how AI was integrated into your workflow.

• Provide examples of fluid interaction design, including complex state transitions and micro-interactions.

• Highlight instances where you drove product initiatives through ambiguous situations and influenced cross-functional team decisions. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to product thinking, user exploration, and feature conceptualization.

• Illustrate your workflow for designing and prototyping novel interactions for AI-native mediums.

• Explain your methodology for collaborating with engineering and AI researchers to build functional, shippable features.

• Showcase how you maintain a high bar for craft and quality across visual, interaction, and interactive prototyping.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are heavily weighted towards demonstrating practical application of AI in the design process and the ability to deliver tangible, shipped features. The emphasis is on a process that is fast, iterative, and results-oriented, with a clear connection to business impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on Luma's location in Redwood City, California, and the experience level (5-10 years) for a Product Designer role, a competitive salary range is estimated between $140,000 - $200,000 annually. This estimate considers industry benchmarks for experienced design professionals in the Bay Area tech scene, with a specific focus on AI-driven product companies.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Stock options or equity in a rapidly growing AI startup.

• Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and learning resources.

• Opportunities for significant impact and career growth within an innovative AI company.

• Flexible work arrangements to support a healthy work-life balance.

Working Hours: Full-time position, typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate project needs and deadlines. The role's emphasis on autonomy suggests a results-oriented approach rather than strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is an estimate based on industry data for Product Designers in the San Francisco Bay Area with 5-10 years of experience, particularly in AI-focused tech companies. Benefits are standard for tech roles but are framed to appeal to ambitious professionals in the AI space, highlighting growth and impact.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software Development. Luma operates at the cutting edge of AI, focusing on building unified general intelligence that can interact with and generate within the physical world, with a strong emphasis on multimodality beyond language models.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the Ashby job posting format and the description of the role as a "hands-on generalist" with "high degree of autonomy" suggest a growing, potentially early-stage startup environment. This typically means a lean, agile team where individual contributions have a significant impact.

Founded: Luma was founded with the mission to build unified general intelligence. The company is focused on advancing AI capabilities, particularly in multimodality and vision-based intelligence.

Team Structure:

• The design team likely consists of highly skilled, autonomous designers who operate with significant ownership over their features.

• Collaboration is expected to be close and direct with engineering, product management, and AI researchers, fostering a multidisciplinary environment.

• The culture appears to prioritize rapid iteration, experimentation, and a "bias for action," especially when leveraging AI tools. Methodology:

• Designs are conceived and executed with AI as the primary medium, not an afterthought.

• Prototyping involves building functional, shippable features using AI coding tools.

• Decision-making is encouraged even with incomplete information, emphasizing speed and adaptability.

• A strong emphasis is placed on "craft" across all aspects of design and user experience.

Company Website: https://lumalabs.ai/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is explicitly described as fast-paced, AI-centric, and focused on autonomous, high-craft execution. This is a key differentiator and will appeal to designers who thrive in ambiguous environments and want to push the boundaries of AI-driven product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer or Lead Product Designer, given the 5+ years of experience requirement, the expectation to "own features end to end," and the responsibility for "leading major features." It's a hands-on craft role, not a management position, emphasizing individual contribution and technical design leadership.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Head of Design, a Design Lead, or potentially a Product Lead, depending on the current organizational structure. Close collaboration with Engineering Managers and AI Researchers is a given.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact will be direct and significant, shaping the core user experience of Luma's AI-native products. By owning features end-to-end and building functional prototypes, they will directly contribute to the product's development, innovation, and market readiness, influencing user adoption and the overall perception of Luma's AI capabilities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI-native products, multimodality, and advanced interaction paradigms.

• Leadership within Craft: Become a go-to expert for design quality and AI integration, potentially mentoring junior designers and setting design standards.

• Product Strategy Influence: Contribute to high-level product strategy by identifying new opportunities and innovative use cases for AI in product design.

• Startup Growth: Grow with Luma, potentially taking on more complex challenges, leading larger initiatives, or shaping the future of the design team as the company scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are framed around deepening expertise in a niche, high-demand area (AI product design) and contributing strategically to a nascent company's product vision, rather than traditional hierarchical advancement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job is listed as "TELECOMMUTE" but the derived "ai_work_arrangement" is "Hybrid." This suggests that while remote work is possible, there's an expectation of in-office presence for collaboration, likely in Redwood City, California. The company culture description also implies a need for close collaboration, which often benefits from in-person interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Redwood City, California. This places the designer within the vibrant Silicon Valley tech ecosystem, offering proximity to other tech companies and talent pools.

Workspace Context:

• A highly collaborative environment where designers work closely with engineers, product managers, and AI researchers.

• Access to cutting-edge AI tools and technologies for design and development.

• A dynamic startup atmosphere that encourages rapid experimentation and iteration.

• The workspace is designed to foster innovation and a "bias for action," supporting designers who can navigate ambiguity and drive projects forward.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours/week) are expected, with a focus on delivering results. The hybrid nature implies flexibility, but also a need to be present for key team meetings and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Hybrid" work arrangement, despite the "TELECOMMUTE" listing, is a critical detail. Candidates should be prepared for a mix of remote and in-office work, aligning with the company's emphasis on close collaboration within the Bay Area tech hub.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess core design skills, AI integration experience, and track record of shipped products.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: A practical exercise, potentially involving designing a feature for an AI-native product or analyzing an existing AI interaction. This may include building a functional prototype using AI tools.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on problem-solving, design process, AI methodology, collaboration, and impact. Expect detailed questions about how you framed problems and measured success.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with engineers, product managers, and AI researchers to evaluate collaboration style, technical understanding, and strategic thinking.

• Final Interview: Often with a founder or senior leadership to assess cultural fit, long-term vision, and alignment with Luma's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly showcase how you've used AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) in your design and prototyping process. Provide specific examples of functional prototypes built with AI assistance.

• Emphasize "End-to-End" Ownership: Detail your involvement from concept to shipped product, including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and collaboration with engineering.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify the success of your designs whenever possible, using metrics related to user engagement, conversion, efficiency, or user satisfaction.

• Showcase Ambiguity Navigation: Include projects where you faced significant uncertainty or incomplete information and explain how you moved forward effectively.

• Craft & Interaction Focus: Ensure your portfolio demonstrates a high level of craft in visual design and sophisticated interaction design, including micro-interactions and state transitions.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI-First Thinking: Practice designing for AI-native experiences, considering how users will interact with intelligent systems.

• Rapid Prototyping: Be ready to demonstrate your ability to quickly prototype, potentially using AI coding tools, to validate ideas.

• Strategic Problem Solving: Prepare to analyze complex problems and propose design solutions that align with Luma's mission and technological capabilities.

• Communication: Practice clearly articulating your design decisions, process, and the impact of your work to both technical and non-technical audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is geared towards assessing a designer's ability to operate autonomously, leverage AI tools effectively, and deliver tangible product outcomes in a fast-paced environment. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating these capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (as a baseline, though AI-driven tools are paramount).

• AI Coding & Prototyping Tools: Cursor, Claude Code, or similar AI-assisted development environments for building functional prototypes and features.

• Collaboration Platforms: Slack, Notion, Asana, Jira for team communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned, experience with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) would be beneficial for measuring feature impact.

• Proficiency in data interpretation to inform design decisions. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the Product Designer role, but understanding how design impacts user journeys within CRM systems could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI coding tools like Cursor and Claude Code is a critical differentiator for this role. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and proficiency with these specific tools, as they are central to Luma's design and development methodology.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• AI as the Medium: A core belief that AI is not an add-on but the fundamental way work is done and products are built.

• High Craft and Quality: An unwavering commitment to excellence in visual design, interaction design, and overall user experience.

• Autonomy and Ownership: Empowering individuals to take full responsibility for their work, from concept to delivery.

• Speed and Agility: A culture that values moving fast, iterating quickly, and making decisions in ambiguous environments.

• Innovation and Vision: A drive to push the boundaries of AI and build products that shape the future of intelligence.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Tight-knit collaboration with engineering, product, and AI researchers is essential.

• Direct Communication: Open, candid, and frequent communication is expected to drive projects forward efficiently.

• Prototyping-Centric: Collaboration often revolves around building and iterating on functional prototypes together.

• Bias for Action: A culture that encourages proactive problem-solving and immediate engagement with challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are deeply intertwined with its mission and technological focus. A candidate's alignment with these values, particularly the embrace of AI as a primary tool and the commitment to high craft, will be crucial for success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for a New Medium: Navigating the unique challenges and opportunities of designing for AI-native experiences, which may lack established design patterns.

• Rapid Iteration and Ambiguity: Thriving in a fast-paced startup environment where priorities can shift and decisions must be made with incomplete information.

• Bridging Design and Development: Effectively collaborating with engineers to translate complex AI concepts into functional, shippable features using AI coding tools.

• Maintaining High Craft Standards: Upholding exceptional design quality while working at high velocity and with AI-assisted tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep AI Expertise: Become a leader in designing for cutting-edge AI technologies and multimodality.

• Tool Proficiency: Master advanced AI coding and prototyping tools, staying ahead of the curve in AI-assisted design.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gain significant influence over product direction and strategy within a rapidly growing AI company.

• Cross-Disciplinary Growth: Develop a deeper understanding of AI research, software engineering, and product management through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to working at the forefront of AI product development. The growth opportunities are substantial for individuals seeking to build deep expertise in a highly sought-after field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a completely new interaction paradigm. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process for novel AI interactions.)

• "How do you balance the need for speed and iteration with maintaining a high bar for design craft, especially when using AI tools?" (Highlight your decision-making process and quality standards.)

• "Walk us through a project where you built a functional prototype using AI coding tools. What was the problem, your solution, and the impact?" (Prepare a specific case study with technical details.)

• "How do you approach driving product initiatives forward when faced with significant ambiguity or incomplete information?" (Provide examples of your proactive problem-solving.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Luma's mission to build unified general intelligence, and how does your design philosophy align with it?" (Research Luma's mission and articulate your fit.)

• "How do you see AI changing the landscape of product design, and what role do you envision for yourself in that evolution?" (Showcase your forward-thinking perspective on AI in design.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with engineers and AI researchers." (Emphasize your ability to integrate and communicate effectively.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your portfolio presentation around clear problem statements, your design process (emphasizing AI integration), key decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each project, focus on visual examples of your work, interactive prototypes, and clear explanations of your contributions.

• AI Tool Demonstration: Be prepared to briefly demonstrate or discuss how you used specific AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude Code) to achieve results.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify your successes. If exact metrics are unavailable, discuss how you would measure success and the potential impact.

• Conciseness & Clarity: Given the fast-paced nature, be concise and get straight to the point, focusing on the most impactful aspects of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should strongly emphasize the unique aspects of this role: AI as the core medium, the use of specific AI coding tools, and the ability to operate autonomously and drive results in an ambiguous environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature projects demonstrating your experience with AI tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code) and your ability to design for AI-native experiences. Highlight end-to-end ownership and shipped products with clear impact.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience, highlights your skills in interaction and visual design, and explicitly mentions your proficiency with AI-driven design and prototyping tools.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on your design process, AI integration, problem-solving in ambiguous situations, and collaboration. Be ready to discuss Luma's mission and your vision for AI in product design.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Luma's mission, current products, and the broader AI landscape. Understand how your role contributes to their goal of building unified general intelligence and multimodality.

⚠️ 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.