Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Pogo Technologies

Location: Brooklyn, Ohio, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-22T12:08:48

Experience Level: 2-5 Years (Estimated)

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead product design and creative direction for a new B2B consumer insights platform and accompanying consumer app.

• Drive end-to-end product experience design, from initial exploration through launch and iterative improvements.

• Develop and maintain a robust design language, system, and culture to ensure consistency and quality.

• Collaborate closely with engineering and Go-To-Market (GTM) teams in a fast-paced, often ambiguous startup environment.

• Contribute to defining the product roadmap and strategic direction of the company's core offerings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as the second Product Designer, indicating a significant impact on early-stage product development and design strategy. The emphasis on "escape velocity design" and "calculated speed" suggests a need for rapid iteration and efficiency, common in high-growth startups. The mention of "enterprise-grade products" and "B2B platform" alongside a "consumer app" highlights a dual focus requiring adaptability in design approaches.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design core product experiences end-to-end for both the B2B platform and the consumer app, ensuring seamless user journeys and data visualization.

• Craft polished, intuitive, and visually appealing interfaces that effectively communicate the value of data and AI technology, building user trust.

• Pay meticulous attention to detail in layout, typography, spacing, color, motion, and interactions to elevate the user experience.

• Contribute to the strategic definition of the product roadmap, influencing future features and functionalities based on design insights.

• Establish and evolve the company's design language, design systems, and overall design culture to foster a cohesive and high-quality aesthetic.

• Identify and implement creative solutions to deliver high-quality work efficiently within a dynamic startup environment.

• Work cross-functionally with engineering and GTM teams, translating user needs and business objectives into effective design solutions.

• Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to enhance the design workflow and accelerate the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a "full-stack designer" role, requiring ownership from conceptualization to execution. The emphasis on "sweating the details" and "crafting polished, delightful interfaces" points to a need for strong visual design skills alongside UX proficiency. The requirement to "help define the product roadmap" suggests a strategic, not just tactical, contribution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience is typically expected for product design roles of this nature.

Experience:

• Minimum of 2-5 years of experience designing software products.

• Demonstrated experience in a startup environment is highly preferred, showcasing adaptability and comfort with ambiguity.

• Experience designing AI interactions or enterprise-grade products is a significant bonus. Required Skills:

• Product Design: Proven ability to design end-to-end software product experiences.

• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• UI/UX Design: Strong understanding of user interface and user experience principles, with a focus on creating intuitive and delightful interactions.

• Visual Design: Exceptional attention to detail in typography, layout, color theory, spacing, and motion design.

• Design Systems: Experience in developing, maintaining, or contributing to design systems for consistency and scalability.

• Prototyping: Ability to create interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with engineering, product management, and GTM teams.

• LLM Integration: Active use of Large Language Models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude) within the design workflow.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for B2B platforms or enterprise-grade software.

• Experience designing AI-powered interactions or products.

• Familiarity with user research methodologies and translating insights into design decisions.

• Knowledge of best practices for designing for mobile applications.

• Experience with tools like Mobbin for design inspiration and reference.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level is estimated based on the "second Product Designer" and the need for end-to-end ownership, implying a mid-level role. The explicit mention of Figma and LLMs indicates critical technical proficiencies. The "full-stack designer" requirement suggests proficiency across the entire design spectrum.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design processes for complex software products.

• Problem/Solution Framing: Clearly articulate the design problem, user needs, and business objectives for each project.

• Design Process Documentation: Illustrate your design thinking, including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and iteration stages.

• Visual Polish & Interaction Detail: Provide high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes that highlight your attention to detail in UI and interaction design.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Evidence of working with engineering and product teams, showing how you translated designs into shipped products.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your designs where possible, using metrics related to user engagement, conversion, or efficiency improvements.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate examples of how you have mapped out and improved user workflows to enhance efficiency and usability.

• System Implementation: Showcase contributions to or creation of design systems, explaining their benefits for consistency and scalability.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Include examples of how you used data or user feedback to iterate on designs and improve product performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the startup environment and emphasis on "Calculated Speed," portfolios should highlight efficiency, rapid iteration, and the ability to make pragmatic tradeoffs while maintaining high quality. Demonstrating an understanding of both B2B and consumer app design principles would be advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on the "above-market salaries & equity" claim, the estimated range for a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Brooklyn, Ohio, a strong startup environment, and a remote work option would be approximately $100,000 - $140,000 USD annually.

• This estimate considers the cost of living in the Brooklyn, Ohio area, the competitive nature of tech hiring for design talent, and the company's explicit intent to attract top talent with above-market compensation. Benefits:

• Above-Market Equity: Significant stock options or grants, reflecting the early-stage nature of the company and the designer's crucial role.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO): Flexibility and trust in employees to manage their time effectively.

• Minimum 20 Days Vacation Policy: A guaranteed minimum, ensuring employees take adequate time to recharge.

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Standard comprehensive benefits package.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for learning, training, and attending industry conferences.

• Remote Work Stipend: Potential for a stipend to support a productive home office setup.

Working Hours:

• While the role is listed as FULL_TIME, the company emphasizes flexibility and productivity over strict 9-to-5 adherence. They "trust each team member to create a flexible work schedule that allows them to be most productive while accommodating other priorities outside of work." This suggests a results-oriented work environment where asynchronous communication is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is a projection based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the US tech sector, particularly for startups aiming to attract top talent. The explicit mention of "above-market salaries & equity" and the "minimum 20 days vacation policy" are key differentiators for compensation and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Data & Analytics, Consumer Insights, B2B SaaS. Pogo Technologies operates in the rapidly evolving space of consumer insights, leveraging data and AI to connect brands with purchase-verified consumers. This sector is characterized by innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a focus on actionable insights.

Company Size: Early-stage startup, likely between 10-50 employees, given the mention of being the "second Product Designer" and having a "Lead Product Designer." This size implies a lean, agile, and highly collaborative environment where individual contributions have a significant impact.

Founded: While the founding date isn't provided, the context suggests a relatively young company that has achieved product-market fit for its initial offerings and is now scaling its B2B platform and consumer app. The mention of a co-founder with a design background ("dream jobs was to be a furniture designer") indicates a deep-seated appreciation for design within the leadership.

Team Structure:

• The design team is currently very small, consisting of a Lead Product Designer and this role. This suggests a close working relationship and mentorship opportunities.

• The broader team is likely structured around functional areas such as Engineering, Product Management, Go-To-Market (Sales, Marketing, Customer Success), and Operations.

• Cross-functional collaboration is paramount, with designers working directly with engineers and GTM teams on a daily basis. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Strong emphasis on using data and user feedback ("what we're seeing in the data and what we're hearing from our users") to inform product decisions and pivots.

• Agile & Iterative Development: A culture of "Calculated Speed," "experimentation," and "shipping weekly" rather than long, complex processes.

• Product Thinking Obsession: The entire team, across all functions, is described as having a unique obsession and knack for product thinking.

Company Website: joinpogo.com (derived from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by speed, data-driven iteration, and a strong product-centric mindset. The small team size means high individual impact and responsibility, but also less formal structure and support (e.g., no dedicated user researchers).

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer, likely with 2-5 years of experience. It offers the opportunity to grow into a senior or lead design role as the company scales. The "second Product Designer" status means you'll be instrumental in shaping the future of design at Pogo.

Reporting Structure: You will likely report directly to the Lead Product Designer, who acts as the primary design leader and mentor. This close reporting line provides direct access to experienced guidance and decision-making.

Operations Impact: As a core member of the product team, your designs will directly influence the user experience of a B2B platform used by major companies and a consumer app with millions of users. Your work will be critical in driving user adoption, engagement, and ultimately, revenue growth. The emphasis on "design matters a lot to us" and the co-founder's design appreciation underscores the significant impact design is expected to have.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: As the company grows, there will be opportunities to take on more leadership responsibilities, potentially managing junior designers or leading specific product initiatives.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas such as B2B platform design, AI interaction design, or design systems through hands-on project work and dedicated learning.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product strategy and roadmap planning, gaining experience in business-level decision-making beyond pure design execution.

• Culture Shaping: Play a pivotal role in defining and evolving the company's design culture, processes, and best practices from the ground up.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience in a high-growth startup environment, particularly within the consumer insights and AI technology sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path is tied to the company's scaling trajectory. Early employees often have accelerated growth opportunities due to the foundational nature of their roles. The direct impact and exposure to strategic decision-making are key selling points for career development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly listed as "TELECOMMUTE" and #LI-Remote, indicating a fully remote work arrangement. This means there is no central office location that employees are required to attend.

Office Location(s): While the job title lists "Brooklyn," and the derived location is "Brooklyn, Ohio, United States," the "TELECOMMUTE" and "#LI-Remote" tags confirm that the position can be performed from anywhere, with the primary operational timezone likely aligning with "America/New_York."

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect a highly collaborative environment that relies on digital tools for communication, design review, and project management.

• Tooling: Access to essential design tools like Figma, communication platforms (e.g., Slack), and project management software will be provided or expected.

• Team Interaction: While remote, the company emphasizes "quick feedback loops" and "amazing product thinkers," suggesting proactive communication and engagement within virtual team settings. The small team size fosters close-knit virtual relationships.

Work Schedule:

• The company promotes flexibility, encouraging employees to set schedules that maximize productivity. While "raw hours make an impact at our current stage," there's a strong emphasis on trust and accommodating personal priorities. This means core working hours might exist for synchronous collaboration, but overall schedule flexibility is a key perk.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role is a primary characteristic. The "Brooklyn, Ohio" location might be a legacy of company registration or a specific timezone preference, but the "TELECOMMUTE" status overrides any physical office requirement. The focus is on asynchronous and efficient digital collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and alignment with the company's mission and values.

• Portfolio Review & Design Exercise: You will likely present your portfolio, discussing your process, key decisions, and impact. This may be followed by a design exercise, either take-home or live, to assess your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and proficiency with tools like Figma. Expect this to focus on rapid iteration and "calculated speed."

• Cross-functional Interviews: Discussions with engineering and GTM team members to evaluate your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to work effectively with different disciplines.

• Founder/Leadership Interview: A final conversation with a co-founder or senior leader to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate the “why” behind your design decisions. Detail your research, ideation, and iteration steps.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify results where possible. Use metrics to demonstrate how your designs solved problems or drove business value.

• Showcase Detail: Present high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes that exhibit your meticulous attention to UI and interaction design.

• Startup Savvy: Emphasize your ability to work efficiently, make pragmatic tradeoffs ("calculated speed"), and thrive in ambiguous environments.

• LLM Integration: Be prepared to discuss how you leverage AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) in your design workflow.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Prepare for a design challenge that likely emphasizes speed, iteration, and problem-solving for a B2B or consumer insight-related scenario. Practice thinking out loud and articulating your process clearly.

• Scenario-Based Questions: Anticipate questions about how you would approach ambiguous problems, collaborate with engineers, or prioritize tasks in a fast-paced startup.

• Company Research: Understand Pogo's product, target market (brands/retailers, consumers), and their use of data/AI. Be ready to discuss how design contributes to their mission.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily emphasize practical design skills, speed, collaboration, and cultural fit for a startup environment. The portfolio is a critical component, and candidates should tailor their presentation to highlight efficiency and impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration. Mastery is essential.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, familiarity with tools like InVision, Principle, or Framer might be beneficial for more complex interactions.

• Design System Management: Tools or methodologies for building and maintaining design systems (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, or Figma's component features).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for understanding user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Basic understanding of how data is presented in dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Looker) to inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Awareness of how CRMs (like Salesforce, HubSpot) are used by GTM teams, as the B2B platform will likely integrate with or serve similar needs.

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack for real-time communication, Jira/Asana for project management, and potentially Confluence for documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude) makes these critical requirements. The emphasis on "end-to-end" design and collaboration with engineering implies a need for designers who understand the product development lifecycle and can handoff designs effectively.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Calculated Speed: A core value emphasizing rapid iteration, weekly shipping, and making pragmatic, informed decisions quickly. This means embracing efficiency and a bias for action.

• Product Obsession: A deep commitment to product thinking across all team members, driving a shared focus on delivering exceptional user value and solving customer problems.

• Data-Driven: A reliance on quantitative data and qualitative user feedback to guide strategy, validate hypotheses, and iterate on product development.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close cross-functional teamwork are essential, particularly in a small, remote startup environment.

• High Bar for Quality: While speed is important, there's also a strong emphasis on "great design" and "polished, delightful interfaces," indicating a commitment to excellence.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work intimately with engineers and GTM teams, requiring strong communication and the ability to translate complex ideas into actionable design specifications.

• Feedback Loops: Expect frequent, rapid feedback on designs from peers, leadership, and potentially users, fostering a continuous improvement mindset.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing insights, best practices, and learnings, especially given the small team size and the foundational stage of the design function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is designed for high performers who thrive in fast-paced, autonomous, and collaborative environments. The values are directly linked to the operational needs of a scaling startup.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Ambiguity & Shifting Priorities: The startup environment means problems are often ill-defined, and priorities can shift rapidly based on market feedback and data. This requires adaptability and resilience.

• Limited Design Resources: Being one of two designers means less specialized support (e.g., no dedicated user researchers or UX writers). You'll need to be resourceful and potentially wear multiple hats.

• Rapid Iteration Demands: The "Calculated Speed" value means designing and shipping features within days or weeks, requiring efficient workflows and the ability to make quick, informed decisions.

• Balancing B2B & Consumer Needs: Designing for both enterprise clients and a large consumer base presents distinct challenges in terms of user needs, workflows, and feature sets.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI/Data Products: Gain expertise in designing for complex data visualization and AI-driven features.

• Foundational Design System Building: Contribute significantly to establishing and scaling a design system from its early stages.

• Product Strategy Involvement: Influence product direction and roadmap, moving beyond execution to strategic contribution.

• Startup Operational Experience: Develop a strong understanding of how startups scale, manage growth, and operate efficiently.

• Mentorship: Learn directly from a Lead Product Designer with experience at prominent tech companies (Figma, Slack, Glean).

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to startup environments, offering significant learning opportunities for those who embrace them. The growth potential is substantial due to the foundational nature of the role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex feature under tight deadlines. How did you prioritize and ensure quality?" (Focus on "Calculated Speed" and pragmatic tradeoffs).

• "How would you approach designing a new dashboard for enterprise clients who have diverse data needs?" (Assess B2B design thinking, data visualization, and user research).

• "Walk us through a project where you collaborated closely with engineering. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?" (Evaluate cross-functional collaboration skills).

• "How do you leverage AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude in your design workflow? Provide a specific example." (Assess LLM integration and workflow efficiency). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Pogo Technologies and our specific product area?" (Research Pogo's mission, product, and market).

• "How do you contribute to building a positive design culture in a team?" (Align with Pogo's value of shaping design culture from the ground up).

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment." (Showcase adaptability and comfort with change).

• "How do you stay updated on the latest design trends and technologies, especially in AI and data products?" (Demonstrate a passion for continuous learning). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Frame each case study as a narrative – the problem, your journey, the solution, and the outcome.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-fidelity visuals and interactive prototypes to demonstrate your design craft.

• Emphasize Process & Rationale: Clearly explain why you made specific design decisions, referencing user needs, data, or business goals.

• Highlight Impact & Metrics: Quantify success. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss potential impact or user feedback received.

• Address Tradeoffs: Be prepared to discuss any compromises made for speed or practicality, and how you planned to address them later.

• Prepare for Live Exercises: Practice thinking aloud, sketching ideas quickly, and articulating your thought process for on-the-spot design challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating speed, impact, collaborative spirit, and a deep understanding of design principles applied in a startup context. Be ready to discuss specific tools and processes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.gem.com.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest product design case studies that best represent your end-to-end design process, visual polish, and ability to drive impact. Ensure they highlight experience with complex software, ideally B2B or AI-related.

• Tailor Your Resume: Optimize your resume to clearly articulate your experience with Figma, UI/UX design, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description and quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Pitch: Practice walking through your portfolio with a focus on storytelling, design rationale, the impact of your work, and how you leverage tools like Figma and LLMs. Be ready to discuss your approach to "Calculated Speed" and working in ambiguous environments.

• Research Pogo: Familiarize yourself with Pogo Technologies' product, target market, and company mission. Understand their values, particularly "Calculated Speed" and "Product Obsession," and be ready to articulate how you align with them.

⚠️ 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.