Product Designer - Commerce Platform; Voice AI

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer - Commerce Platform; Voice AI

Company: Toast

Location: Remote, USA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: April 28, 2026

Experience Level: Mid to Senior Level (Derived from AI: 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Design end-to-end user experiences for a sophisticated commerce platform, with a specific focus on integrating Voice AI capabilities.

• Apply systems thinking to simplify complex operator workflows, particularly in areas like menu management, location configurations, and multi-location operations.

• Translate user needs and research insights into intuitive wireframes, flows, prototypes, and detailed design specifications for both responsive web and native mobile applications.

• Drive the evolution of AI-driven tools, enhancing decision-making for restaurant operators through intelligent, voice-activated solutions.

• Collaborate with the Design System team to ensure consistency, reusability, and long-term extensibility of design patterns across the platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, indicated by the AI-derived experience range of 5-10 years and the emphasis on systems thinking, design system contributions, and cross-functional leadership. The core responsibility of designing "end-to-end workflows" and "platform-level experiences" suggests a need for a designer capable of owning significant product areas and influencing architectural decisions from a user experience perspective.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and prototype user interfaces and interaction flows for Voice AI features within the Toast commerce platform.

• Partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and UX Researchers to deeply understand user needs, business requirements, and technical constraints.

• Develop high-fidelity wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and detailed design specifications to guide the development process.

• Simplify and optimize complex operational workflows for restaurant operators, focusing on areas such as menu configuration, inventory management, and location-specific settings.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of AI-driven product enhancements, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience for voice interactions.

• Apply a systems-thinking approach to design scalable and coherent platform-level experiences that leverage AI capabilities across multiple product lines.

• Actively participate in design critiques and reviews, providing constructive feedback and incorporating feedback from peers to elevate design quality.

• Support qualitative and quantitative user research initiatives, effectively translating findings into actionable product improvements and design iterations.

• Collaborate with international and localization teams to ensure designs are culturally sensitive and adaptable to diverse global markets.

• Advocate for user-centered design principles, ensuring user needs are prioritized and a high standard of design craft is maintained across the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a hands-on design role requiring proficiency in UI/UX design tools and methodologies. The emphasis on "systems thinking," "platform-level experiences," and "reusable patterns" points towards a designer who can think beyond individual features and contribute to the overall coherence and scalability of the Toast platform. The involvement in AI-driven tools, particularly Voice AI, suggests a need for forward-thinking design capabilities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for roles of this nature. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in Product Design, UX/UI Design, or a similar role, with a strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in designing comprehensive, end-to-end product experiences, with a particular emphasis on integrating AI capabilities.

• Demonstrated ability to move from broad user journeys to detailed interaction design.

• Expertise in user-centered design methodologies and a strong understanding of user research principles.

• Proficiency in designing at a systems level, including experience contributing to or shaping design systems.

• Ability to identify reusable design patterns and influence platform-wide standards.

• Advanced proficiency with design and prototyping tools, specifically Figma.

• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and influence cross-functional partners (Product, Engineering, Research).

• Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, proactively seeking clarity and adapting to evolving responsibilities.

• A strong sense of curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

• Experience in designing for both responsive web and native mobile platforms.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience specifically with Voice AI interfaces and conversational design principles.

• Familiarity with the restaurant industry or SaaS platforms for business operations.

• Experience in designing for complex operator workflows or enterprise-level applications.

• A collaborative style that inspires others and leads to sought-after expertise.

• Demonstrated ability to scope projects, set expectations, and maintain healthy work-life boundaries.

• A growth mindset, viewing challenges as opportunities and embracing feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "AI-derived experience level" of 5-10 years is a strong indicator for the expected seniority. The requirements emphasize not just individual design skills but also the ability to think systemically and contribute to design infrastructure (design systems), which are hallmarks of mid-to-senior level product designers. The preference for candidates who "inspire others" and have a "growth mindset" points to a culture that values leadership and continuous improvement within the design team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design case studies that highlight your process from problem definition to final solution.

• Include examples of designing complex user workflows, demonstrating how you simplified them for clarity and efficiency.

• Present case studies that specifically feature AI-driven features or voice interfaces, detailing the challenges and solutions.

• Demonstrate experience with systems thinking, including contributions to or the use of design systems, pattern libraries, and reusable components.

• Provide examples of how you have translated user research and data insights into tangible design decisions and improvements.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process, including discovery, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and iteration phases.

• Explain how you approach problem definition and how you validate user needs and business goals.

• Detail your methodology for creating wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes, and how these artifacts inform development.

• Describe your experience collaborating with engineering and product teams to ensure successful implementation of designs.

• Illustrate how you ensure consistency and scalability through design systems and pattern libraries.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, especially one involving AI and platform-level thinking, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis on "systems thinking" and "design systems" means candidates should be prepared to show how they've contributed to or leveraged established design frameworks. The inclusion of "AI-driven tools" and "voice interfaces" in the portfolio is a strong differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Zone A: $133,000 - $213,000 USD per year

• Zone B: $115,000 - $184,000 USD per year

• Zone C: $104,000 - $166,000 USD per year

Explanation: Toast utilizes a Geographic Pay Zone Philosophy to determine salary ranges based on location and cost of living within the United States. Zone A represents higher cost-of-living areas, Zone B moderate areas, and Zone C lower cost-of-living areas. The specific starting salary within these ranges will be determined by the candidate's skills, experience, and geographic location.

Benefits:

• Cash compensation (including potential overtime if eligible)

• Equity opportunities

• Comprehensive health benefits

• Flexible work model (hybrid, with remote options)

Working Hours:

• The standard working hours are 40 hours per week.

• The company embraces a flexible work model, allowing for remote work and balancing individual needs, suggesting a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule within project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are specific to Toast's internal geographic pay zones. Candidates should verify their eligible zone based on their primary residence. The mention of "equity" and "cash compensation" as total rewards components is standard for tech roles of this level. The "flexible work model" is a key benefit for remote employees, emphasizing autonomy and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, Software. Toast is a leading provider of restaurant management software, enabling businesses in the food service industry to operate more efficiently and profitably.

Company Size: Toast is a publicly traded company with a significant employee base (implied by its market presence and the detailed benefits information), indicating a well-established organization with structured processes but also opportunities for impact.

Founded: Toast was founded to address the evolving needs of the restaurant industry, driven by a mission to empower restaurants. This founding principle likely permeates the company culture, fostering a sense of purpose and dedication to customer success.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team likely operates within a Product Pod structure, collaborating closely with dedicated Product Managers and Engineering teams.

• Designers are expected to partner with cross-functional teams, including Product, Engineering, Research, Design Systems, and potentially Marketing or International teams.

Methodology:

• Toast emphasizes a customer-centered approach, with a strong focus on understanding user needs through research and data.

• The company values a "hungry to build and learn" mentality, encouraging continuous improvement and adoption of new technologies, including AI.

• Design processes likely involve agile methodologies, with iterative development and a focus on delivering value incrementally.

• Systemic thinking is a key methodological approach, ensuring consistency and scalability across the platform.

Company Website: https://careers.toasttab.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Toast's focus on the restaurant industry provides a unique context for product design. The company's stated value of being "hungry to build and learn" and its embrace of AI suggest a dynamic and forward-thinking environment. The emphasis on a "hybrid work model" that fosters "in-person collaboration" (even for a remote role, this implies team events or intentional connection points) indicates a culture that values both flexibility and connection.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Product Designer position, focusing on user experience and interface design within a technology company. It is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, requiring a strong portfolio and the ability to work autonomously on complex problems. The role involves contributing to platform-level design decisions and influencing product strategy through user advocacy.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Lead within the Product Design organization. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within specific product teams or pods.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role, this Product Designer will significantly impact the operational efficiency and success of restaurants using Toast. By designing intuitive interfaces for complex tasks (menu management, configurations, AI tools), they directly contribute to reducing operational friction, improving decision-making, and enabling restaurants to scale their businesses more effectively. The design of AI features, particularly voice, has the potential to revolutionize how operators interact with their systems, leading to faster task completion and better business outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, conversational UI, and complex systems design. Opportunities to lead design initiatives for core platform features.

• Leadership Potential: Grow into a Senior Product Designer role, mentoring junior designers, leading design strategy for larger product areas, or moving into management.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain deeper insights into product management, engineering practices, and user research methodologies, fostering a holistic understanding of product development.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to shaping the future of restaurant technology and influence how thousands of businesses operate daily.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are framed within the context of product design leadership and specialization, particularly in emerging areas like AI and complex systems. The impact on "operational efficiency" for restaurants highlights the indirect but significant contribution of this design role to the core business operations of Toast's customers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a Fully Remote position within the USA. While Toast embraces a hybrid work model globally, this specific role is designated as remote-only for US-based candidates.

Office Location(s): Not applicable for this fully remote role, though Toast has physical locations globally. Candidates should refer to https://careers.toasttab.com/locations-toast for regional information.

Workspace Context:

• Remote professionals will leverage digital collaboration tools extensively to connect with colleagues.

• Access to Toast's design systems, documentation, and internal knowledge bases will be crucial for effective work.

• The environment is expected to be collaborative, with regular virtual stand-ups, design reviews, and cross-functional meetings.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility expected to accommodate project needs and cross-time zone collaboration.

• The "flexible work model" suggests that while core hours might exist for team syncs, there's latitude in how the 40 hours are structured, supporting work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "fully remote" nature of this role is a key aspect of the work environment. While Toast mentions a hybrid model, this specific position is designed for remote execution within the US. Candidates should be comfortable with digital collaboration and have a self-starter mentality.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review applications and portfolios, assessing alignment with core requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion focused on your experience, design philosophy, and approach to complex problems, especially related to AI and systems design.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A deep dive into your portfolio, potentially including a presentation of a relevant case study. This may involve a practical design exercise or discussion of how you would approach a specific problem Toast faces. Expect questions on your process, decision-making, and collaboration.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration skills and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader in Product or Design to discuss strategic thinking and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Clearly articulate your role, process, and impact in each case study. Use visuals effectively.

• Focus on Systems & AI: Highlight projects demonstrating systems thinking, design system contributions, and experience with AI or voice interfaces.

• Problem & Solution: Clearly define the problem you were solving, your approach, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Collaboration: Mention how you collaborated with stakeholders and incorporated feedback.

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your Figma workflow and how you leverage its features.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Toast's Business: Research Toast's product, its customers (restaurants), and the challenges they face.

• AI & Voice Focus: Prepare to discuss your thoughts on AI in product design and specifically voice interfaces for business applications.

• Systems Thinking: Be ready to discuss how you approach designing for complex, interconnected systems.

• User Empathy: Prepare to articulate how you would approach understanding and designing for restaurant operators.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is typical for design roles in tech companies, with a strong emphasis on portfolio review and practical application of design skills. The specific focus on "AI," "Voice AI," and "systems thinking" means candidates should tailor their portfolio and preparation to these areas. The mention of AI in hiring is notable – expect AI tools to support interviewers, but human decision-makers will be involved.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Advanced proficiency is explicitly required for design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other industry-standard prototyping tools is beneficial.

• Design Collaboration Tools: Tools for team communication, project management, and design handoff.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the designer's core tools, but understanding how the commerce platform integrates with CRM systems or automates workflows can inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone tool for this role. The emphasis on its advanced use suggests the need for deep expertise in creating complex prototypes, design systems, and collaborating within the tool.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Hungry to Build and Learn: A core Toast value that drives innovation, continuous improvement, and adoption of new technologies, including AI.

• Customer-Centered: Prioritizing user needs and ensuring that designs solve real problems for restaurant operators.

• Systems Thinking: Valuing coherence, scalability, and the interconnectedness of platform features.

• Collaboration: Fostering strong partnerships across product, engineering, and research to achieve shared goals.

• Growth Mindset: Embracing challenges, learning from failures, and actively seeking feedback for development.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with designers working integrated within product pods.

• Emphasis on open communication, constructive feedback, and shared ownership of product outcomes.

• Cross-functional partnerships are essential for translating user needs into successful product features.

• A culture that appreciates individuals who inspire others and are sought out for their expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are directly tied to the nature of the work, emphasizing innovation (AI), user focus, and systemic approaches. The collaborative style is key for a remote role and for integrating design into agile development processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Simplifying intricate restaurant operational workflows and scaling them across diverse businesses.

• Integrating AI Seamlessly: Ensuring AI, especially Voice AI, enhances rather than complicates the user experience, providing tangible value.

• Balancing Platform vs. Product Needs: Contributing to a cohesive design system while meeting the unique requirements of specific product features.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong communication and connection with distributed teams.

• Rapidly Evolving Technology: Staying abreast of advancements in AI and design tools to leverage them effectively.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in AI/Voice Design: Becoming an expert in designing for emerging AI interfaces.

• Platform Design Leadership: Contributing to the evolution and governance of a mature design system.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Deepening understanding of product strategy, engineering constraints, and research methodologies.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from and potentially mentor other designers.

• Industry Exposure: Engaging with the challenges and innovations within the restaurant technology sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the strategic and complex nature of the role, particularly the integration of AI and systems thinking. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing specialized expertise and leadership within the product design field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex workflow for a business audience. How did you approach simplification and what was the outcome?"

• "How do you incorporate AI capabilities into product design? Can you walk us through an example, ideally involving voice interaction?"

• "Discuss your experience with design systems. How have you contributed to them, and how do you balance platform consistency with product-specific needs?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Toast and the restaurant technology space?"

• "How do you approach collaboration with product managers and engineers, especially in a remote setting?"

• "Describe your understanding of Toast's mission and values, and how they might influence your design approach."

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, your solutions (with visuals), and the impact/outcomes.

• Highlight AI & Systems: Specifically call out projects demonstrating your experience with AI, voice interfaces, and systems thinking.

• Showcase Figma Skills: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow, component usage, auto-layout, and prototyping capabilities.

• Be Ready for Challenges: Anticipate hypothetical design challenges related to Toast's platform and be able to articulate your problem-solving approach.

• Ask Insightful Questions: Prepare thoughtful questions about the team, the product roadmap, design challenges, and company culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating experience with AI, systems thinking, and complex workflows, as these are core to the role. Portfolio presentation is key, so candidates should have well-rehearsed case studies that directly address these requirements.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Toast Careers portal, ensuring your resume and portfolio link are up-to-date.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your experience with AI, Voice AI, complex systems design, and design system contributions. Emphasize your process for simplifying user workflows.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience with Figma, user-centered design, and cross-functional collaboration, using keywords from the job description. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice discussing your portfolio case studies, focusing on your problem-solving approach, design decisions, and collaborative efforts. Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers.

• Company Research: Deeply research Toast's product, its mission, its customer base (restaurants), and its stated company values, especially the "hungry to build and learn" ethos and embrace of AI.

⚠️ 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.