Product designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Watershed

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / AI Products

Date Posted: 2026-08-14

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Owns the end-to-end design process for complex AI-driven sustainability products, focusing on user experience and business impact.

• Drives deep discovery of new product opportunities, leveraging customer feedback and product analytics to iterate on solutions.

• Collaborates closely with engineering, product, and go-to-market teams to execute product vision and strategy.

• Utilizes AI throughout the design process and within the product itself to enhance outcomes for enterprise clients.

• Develops domain expertise in sustainability and climate tech, contributing to a mission-driven startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the "AI Products group," indicating a strong focus on integrating artificial intelligence into Watershed's sustainability platform. The emphasis on "Product Footprints" and "AI Platform" suggests a need for designers adept at handling complex data models, user interfaces for AI-driven insights, and potentially prompt engineering or evaluation design. The hybrid work model with specific in-office days is a key logistical detail for candidates.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design vision and execution for AI product teams, including areas like Product Footprints and AI Platform, to empower sustainability teams.

• Design and ship complex AI products, integrating UX thinking into decisions concerning data models, systems, prompts, and user interfaces.

• Conduct deep user research and employ product analytics to identify new opportunities and iterate on features that drive meaningful business metrics.

• Develop and articulate product strategy and vision for future iterations of the AI product suite.

• Partner effectively with engineering, product management, and design peers to ensure seamless execution and successful go-to-market strategies.

• Champion the use of AI tools in the design workflow to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product thinking and hands-on execution. The expectation to "paint the big picture and sweat the details" implies a need for a designer who can balance high-level vision with meticulous UI/UX craft. The focus on "ROI-positive supply chain decisions" indicates that the designs must directly contribute to quantifiable business value for enterprise clients.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional design thinking and execution in complex software is paramount.

Experience: 5+ years of experience designing software, with a preference for experience in enterprise software environments or technical/complex problem spaces.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in end-to-end product design for software applications.

• Strong proficiency in design craft fundamentals, including user-centered design processes, interaction design, and visual polish.

• Demonstrated ability to think deeply about systems and complex problem spaces ("in-the-weeds systems thinking").

• Experience designing and shipping AI products, with a solid understanding of how to integrate AI into user experiences.

• Proficiency in using AI tools to aid in design discovery, synthesis, and execution.

• Excellent customer obsession, with a demonstrated history of spending time with users and prospects to gather insights.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills for partnering effectively with cross-functional teams (engineering, product, GTM).

• A proactive, ownership-driven mindset, eager to contribute to a fast-paced startup environment. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working in the sustainability or supply chain domains.

• Experience with rapid, 0-1 product building.

• Track record of shipping powerful and intuitive product experiences that customers love.

• Familiarity with data models, prompt engineering, and AI model evaluation within a product context.

• Enthusiasm for developing deep expertise in climate tech and the sustainability market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is explicitly stated as "5+ years," and the preference for enterprise or complex problem spaces is a strong indicator that candidates should highlight projects with significant technical depth or intricate user flows. The emphasis on "shipping AI products" and "using AI tools" suggests that candidates with direct experience in this emerging field will have a distinct advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design ownership, detailing your process from initial discovery through to shipped product.

• Include case studies demonstrating your ability to tackle complex enterprise software challenges and design intuitive solutions.

• Highlight projects where you've designed AI-powered features or products, explaining the UX considerations for AI integration.

• Present examples of systems thinking, illustrating how you've approached complex data models, workflows, or interconnected systems.

• Demonstrate your ability to drive product and business metrics through design, with clear articulation of impact and results. Process Documentation:

• Clearly outline your design process for each case study, emphasizing user research, ideation, prototyping, and iteration.

• Detail how you leverage customer feedback and product analytics to inform design decisions and drive product improvements.

• Explain your approach to collaborating with engineering and product teams throughout the design and development lifecycle.

• Illustrate how you've used AI tools within your design process to enhance efficiency or unlock new design possibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on AI products and complex enterprise solutions, the portfolio must go beyond surface-level UI design. It should deeply illustrate the candidate's strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities for intricate systems, and their experience in bringing AI-driven features to market successfully. Demonstrating impact through metrics is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $183,750 - $241,500 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Equity participation in a growing startup.

• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision).

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Unlimited paid time off (PTO) to promote work-life balance.

• Generous paid parental leave.

• Specialized programs including fertility support and mental health resources.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with expectations for hybrid in-office presence 4 days per week in designated hub offices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Senior Product Designer role in San Francisco, reflecting the experience level and the demanding nature of enterprise AI product design. The extensive benefits package, particularly the unlimited PTO and specialized wellness programs, suggests a company culture that values employee well-being alongside high performance. The explicit mention of 4 days in-office for hybrid roles is a critical detail for candidates assessing work arrangements.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Environmental & Sustainability Technology (Climate Tech), Enterprise Software. Watershed operates at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and a critical global challenge, providing enterprise-level solutions for climate and ESG data management and decarbonization.

Company Size: Watershed is a rapidly growing startup, indicated by its multiple offices and significant funding. This size suggests an environment where individual impact is high, but processes may still be evolving, requiring adaptability.

Founded: Watershed was founded with the mission to help companies manage their climate impact, positioning itself as a leader in the burgeoning climate tech sector. This mission-driven aspect is central to its culture.

Team Structure:

• The AI Products group is a specialized unit within Watershed, likely comprising product managers, designers, and engineers focused on leveraging AI for sustainability solutions.

• Designers are embedded within product teams, working closely with product and engineering to drive end-to-end product development.

• Collaboration is expected across various functions, including product, engineering, marketing, sales, and customer success, to ensure comprehensive product delivery and customer understanding. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is fundamental, with a strong reliance on product analytics and customer feedback to guide product iterations.

• A "build fast and iterate" mentality is implied by the startup environment and the focus on rapid product development.

• Emphasis on deep customer understanding and problem-solving within the complex domain of corporate sustainability.

Company Website: https://watershed.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Watershed's focus on enterprise sustainability and AI positions it as a forward-thinking company in a high-impact industry. The culture likely attracts individuals passionate about both technology and environmental solutions, fostering a collaborative and mission-oriented environment. The startup stage means opportunities for significant influence but also requires comfort with ambiguity and rapid change.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is for an experienced Product Designer, likely at a Senior or Lead level, given the 5+ years of experience requirement and the expectation to "own design end-to-end" and "build the vision and product strategy." This level implies significant autonomy and responsibility for product outcomes.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Design, while working closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within their AI Product team.

Operations Impact: The designer's work directly influences Watershed's core product offering, impacting how major enterprises manage their climate data and drive decarbonization efforts. Successful designs will lead to increased customer adoption, retention, and ultimately, significant environmental impact.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI product design within the sustainability sector, becoming a go-to expert in this niche.

• Leadership: Potential to move into Lead Designer roles, mentoring junior designers and shaping the design strategy for larger product areas.

• Cross-functional Advancement: Develop strong product strategy skills, potentially transitioning into Product Management or broader GTM strategy roles, leveraging deep product and customer understanding.

• Industry Expertise: Become a recognized expert in climate tech and enterprise sustainability solutions, a rapidly growing and critical field.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential beyond traditional design progression. The emphasis on product strategy, AI integration, and deep domain expertise in sustainability opens doors to leadership positions and specialized career paths within a high-demand industry. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their long-term career aspirations and how this role aligns with them.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Watershed operates with a hybrid model, maintaining hub offices in San Francisco, New York, London, and Mexico City, with satellite offices in Denver, Sydney, Paris, and Berlin. Employees in hub office locations are expected to be in the office 4 days per week.

Office Location(s): San Francisco, California, United States. This location is a hub office, requiring 4 days per week in-office presence.

Workspace Context:

• The San Francisco office is a "hub office," suggesting a well-equipped and collaborative workspace designed to foster in-person interaction and teamwork.

• Expect a dynamic startup environment where collaboration with product, engineering, and other designers is frequent and essential for rapid product development.

• Access to modern design tools and technologies will be standard, with an expectation to leverage AI tools within the workspace.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid model requires specific days in the office, offering a blend of focused remote work and collaborative in-person engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid requirement is a critical aspect of the work environment. Candidates must be comfortable commuting to the San Francisco office four days a week. The "hub office" designation implies a focus on in-person collaboration, team building, and a structured approach to the hybrid model.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Conversations: 1-2 introductory calls to discuss Watershed, the candidate's experience, and interests.

• Skill/Experience Interview: This will likely be a portfolio review for a designer, focusing on design craft, process, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Panel Interview: A virtual or in-person interview with a panel of team members from design, product, and engineering.

• Transparency: Watershed emphasizes a transparent process with no surprises.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase AI & Systems: Clearly articulate your role and contributions in designing AI-powered features and complex systems. Use detailed case studies.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify the results of your design work. How did your designs improve user engagement, efficiency, or key business metrics?

• Process Depth: Detail your design process, from problem definition and user research to ideation, prototyping, and iteration, especially highlighting how you used AI tools.

• Customer Focus: Provide examples of how you've gathered user feedback and incorporated it into your designs.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Present your work clearly and concisely, focusing on the most impactful projects that align with the role's requirements.

Challenge Preparation:

• Portfolio Walkthrough: Be prepared to walk through 2-3 of your strongest case studies, highlighting your thought process, challenges, and solutions.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would approach designing for specific AI product challenges within the sustainability domain.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Be ready to discuss how you collaborate with product managers and engineers, and how you handle differing opinions or technical constraints.

• Company & Industry Knowledge: Research Watershed's mission, products, and the broader climate tech landscape. Understand the key challenges enterprise customers face in sustainability reporting and decarbonization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical gate. Candidates should curate their best work that specifically demonstrates experience with complex software, AI integration, and systems thinking. The emphasis on transparency means candidates should feel comfortable asking clarifying questions throughout the process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar.

• Prototyping Tools: Experience with tools for creating interactive prototypes to test user flows and gather feedback (e.g., Figma, InVision, ProtoPie).

• AI Tools: Demonstrated experience using AI tools for design assistance (e.g., generative AI for ideation, AI-powered research synthesis, prompt engineering tools).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to understand user behavior and measure product impact.

• Data Visualization: Ability to interpret data visualizations and potentially use tools to create dashboards for reporting on design performance.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's primary tool, an understanding of how CRM systems (like Salesforce) and automation platforms (like HubSpot) support customer workflows can be beneficial for designing integrated experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role explicitly mentions leveraging AI throughout the design process. Therefore, candidates should be prepared to discuss specific AI tools they've used for design ideation, content generation, user research analysis, or workflow automation. Familiarity with enterprise-level design tools and the ability to interpret data from analytics platforms are also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to the company's mission of driving sustainability and decarbonization.

• Product Obsession: A deep passion for building high-quality, impactful products that solve real customer problems.

• Collaboration: An emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and mutual support across all functions.

• Ownership & Speed: A proactive, results-oriented approach where individuals take responsibility and move quickly to achieve goals in a startup environment.

• Data-Informed: Decisions are grounded in data, customer insights, and rigorous analysis.

Collaboration Style:

• Designers are expected to be highly collaborative, working hand-in-hand with product managers and engineers from concept to launch.

• Regular design critiques and feedback sessions ("jams and crits") are a core part of the design team's culture, fostering continuous improvement.

• Cross-functional collaboration extends to go-to-market teams to ensure a holistic understanding of customer needs and market positioning.

📝 Enhancement Note: Watershed's culture appears to be a blend of mission-driven purpose and a fast-paced, execution-focused startup ethos. The emphasis on "jams and crits" suggests a culture that values constructive feedback and collective improvement within the design team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Domain: Mastering the intricacies of climate science, ESG reporting frameworks (like CSRD), and enterprise supply chains requires significant learning.

• AI Integration Nuances: Designing effective and trustworthy AI-powered features for enterprise users, especially in a sensitive domain like sustainability, presents unique UX challenges.

• Balancing Vision and Execution: Translating ambitious product visions into tangible, shippable features within a fast-paced startup timeline.

• Enterprise Scale: Designing for large, complex organizations with diverse user needs and stringent data security/compliance requirements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Sustainability Expertise: Gain deep domain knowledge in climate and ESG, becoming a subject matter expert.

• AI Product Design Specialization: Hone skills in designing cutting-edge AI features for enterprise applications.

• Product Strategy Development: Grow capabilities in shaping product vision and long-term strategy.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunities to mentor other designers and influence the product direction within a growing company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the complexity of the domain and the novel aspects of AI product design. These challenges also represent significant growth opportunities for ambitious designers looking to specialize in high-impact, emerging fields.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a feature that helps an enterprise customer automate the collection and verification of their Scope 3 emissions data using AI?"

• "Describe a time you had to balance competing stakeholder needs or technical constraints when designing a complex product. How did you navigate it?"

• "Walk us through your process for uncovering new product opportunities based on user research and data analysis." Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working on sustainability and climate tech at Watershed?"

• "How do you approach giving and receiving feedback in design critiques?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration dynamic with product managers and engineers." Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the constraints, your design process (including AI tool usage), key decisions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as narratives that highlight your problem-solving skills and impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals, including mockups, prototypes, and data visualizations, to support your explanations.

• AI Focus: Be prepared to specifically discuss how AI was used in the product or your process, and the UX considerations that arose.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased user engagement, reduced error rates, improved efficiency).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will likely probe your ability to handle complex systems, integrate AI thoughtfully, and drive business value. Your portfolio presentation should be a masterclass in demonstrating these capabilities with clear, data-backed examples.

📌 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 projects showcasing complex enterprise software design, AI product experience, and systems thinking. Prioritize case studies that demonstrate measurable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 5+ years of experience, emphasizing skills in UX, AI product design, and enterprise software, and includes quantifiable achievements.

• Interview Preparation: Practice walking through your portfolio with a focus on your design process, problem-solving approach, and how you leveraged AI. Prepare answers to strategy and behavioral questions.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Watershed's mission, products, and recent news. Understand their position in the climate tech market and the challenges their enterprise clients face.

⚠️ 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.