Product Designer HMI / Automotive Focus: UI (m/f/x)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer HMI / Automotive Focus: UI (m/f/x)

Company: Appsfactory GmbH

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Job Type: Permanent employee

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-03

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and deliver intuitive, future-oriented Human-Machine Interface (HMI) solutions for automotive in-vehicle digital experiences.

• Create exceptional User Interface (UI) designs for complex in-vehicle displays, ensuring visual consistency across multiple surfaces and resolutions.

• Collaborate closely with UX designers, prototypers, motion designers, and engineering teams to translate requirements into production-ready visual concepts.

• Develop and maintain design system components, icons, and visual elements for scalable and efficient UI implementation in embedded automotive environments.

• Contribute to early R&D exploration and production-grade design delivery within a multi-year collaboration with a major vehicle manufacturer.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is highly specialized, focusing on the intersection of automotive HMI design and UI/visual design. The emphasis is on translating complex UX requirements into visually compelling and functional interfaces for in-vehicle displays, requiring a deep understanding of automotive constraints and user context.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design intuitive and future-oriented HMI interfaces for various in-vehicle displays, including infotainment, navigation, and driver assistance systems.

• Create high-quality UI designs for complex automotive screens, ensuring clarity, usability, and aesthetic appeal.

• Develop and maintain design system components, icons, visual elements, and screen layouts to ensure brand consistency and efficient development.

• Translate UX requirements and interaction flows into clear, production-ready visual concepts and detailed design specifications.

• Collaborate effectively with UX designers, prototypers, motion designers, and engineering teams throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Ensure visual consistency across multiple displays, resolutions, and themes (e.g., day/night modes) within the automotive environment.

• Prepare documentation, visual assets, and specifications for smooth handover to development teams, ensuring accurate implementation of designs.

• Understand and apply principles of driver context, cognitive load, and specific test conditions relevant to automotive HMI design.

• Maintain a strong quality, safety, and compliance mindset, recognizing the distinct requirements of automotive HMI compared to consumer applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a blend of creative UI design and technical execution within a highly regulated industry. The role requires not just visual design skills but also an understanding of how these designs function within the specific constraints of an automotive HMI.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design (e.g., Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Industrial Design), Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for such roles. Relevant professional experience can often substitute for formal education.

Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in UI/product design, with a significant focus on automotive HMI or complex embedded systems. Experience working within an agency, consultancy, or directly with an OEM/Tier1 supplier in the automotive sector is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in Automotive HMI design, including familiarity with systems like Android Automotive OS, infotainment, navigation, ADAS, connected services, or future mobility solutions.

• Demonstrated experience with complex, scaled product development or delivery programs, ideally within the automotive industry.

• Strong visual design skills evidenced by a comprehensive portfolio showcasing complex UI work.

• Excellent proficiency in Figma, including advanced use of components, variants, and design system management.

• Ability to create clean, scalable, and production-ready visual assets suitable for embedded or automotive environments.

• Deep understanding of typography, color theory, layout principles, contrast, and visual hierarchy in design.

• Experience in maintaining visual consistency across various platforms, resolutions, and display themes.

• Understanding of driver context, cognitive load, and the unique constraints of automotive environments (e.g., legibility, luminance, day/night modes).

• Quality, Safety, and Compliance Mindset, recognizing the differences between commercial vehicle HMI and consumer applications. Preferred Skills:

• Basic familiarity with ISO standards relevant to automotive design.

• Experience specifically with commercial vehicle HMI design.

• Ability to create custom iconography or illustrations tailored for HMI contexts.

• Familiarity with motion design principles for functional transitions in interfaces.

• Experience preparing assets for embedded systems or real-time rendering engines.

• Experience designing for Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Your profile" section is rich with specific industry experience and tool proficiency requirements. The emphasis on automotive HMI, driver context, and quality/safety indicates a need for a designer who understands the unique challenges and responsibilities of this sector. Figma proficiency is a hard requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio demonstrating a strong track record in visual UI design, specifically for complex interfaces.

• Case studies showcasing your involvement in automotive HMI projects, highlighting your design process from concept to final delivery.

• Examples of design system components, icon sets, and visual assets created for scalable UI implementation.

• Demonstrations of your ability to maintain visual consistency across different screens, resolutions, and themes within a product ecosystem.

• Evidence of understanding and applying design principles relevant to automotive constraints (e.g., legibility, contrast, driver distraction mitigation). Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you translate UX requirements and interaction flows into detailed visual design specifications for engineering teams.

• Documentation of your process for collaborating with UX designers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure design integrity.

• Showcase of how you prepare and hand over assets and documentation for development, ensuring a smooth implementation phase.

• If applicable, examples of your contribution to R&D exploration or early-stage concept development for new HMI features.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond typical UI design and demonstrate a specific understanding of automotive HMI challenges, including technical constraints and user safety. The ability to work within and contribute to a design system is also a key portfolio element.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the Stockholm, Sweden location, mid-level Product Designer roles with specialized automotive HMI experience typically range from €55,000 to €75,000 annually. This estimate considers the cost of living in Stockholm, the specialized nature of automotive design, and the company's offering of a permanent position with significant benefits.

Benefits:

• 30 days paid vacation annually.

• Hybrid work arrangement, offering flexibility between office and remote work.

• Access to meditation resources to promote work-life balance.

• In-house coaching and mentoring programs for professional development.

• Opportunity for a potential four-day work week if needed, supporting work-life integration.

• Participation in a dynamic design consultancy with direct partner, management, and colleague connections.

• Flat hierarchies encouraging idea contribution and implementation.

• Significant personal responsibility, creativity, and growth opportunities.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with the flexibility offered by the hybrid work arrangement and the potential for a four-day week to support work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for Stockholm, Sweden, for a mid-level Product Designer with specialized automotive HMI skills. Benefits are comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on work-life balance and professional development, aligning with typical offerings in European tech consultancies.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Automotive Design Consultancy. Appsfactory GmbH operates as a design consultancy specializing in digital product development, with a current significant focus on the automotive sector through a multi-year collaboration with a major vehicle manufacturer. This implies a culture that values innovation, user-centric design, and technical excellence within a professional, client-facing environment.

Company Size: Appsfactory GmbH is part of the Gisma University network, suggesting a medium-sized organization with access to a broader academic and research ecosystem. This size typically allows for agile operations, flat hierarchies, and direct impact for employees, while still having the resources to undertake large-scale projects.

Founded: While the exact founding date of Appsfactory GmbH isn't provided, its association with Gisma University implies a foundation rooted in academic excellence and applied technology. This background likely fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation.

Team Structure:

• The product design team likely consists of specialized roles such as UX Designers, UI Designers, Prototypers, and Motion Designers, working collaboratively.

• This role will be part of a dedicated team embedded within a multi-year project for a major vehicle manufacturer, working closely with the client's internal product and engineering teams.

• Reporting structure is likely flat, with opportunities for direct interaction with management and project leads, fostering autonomy and influence. Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-centered design principles, translating UX requirements into tangible UI solutions.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, involving close collaboration between design and engineering.

• Design system-driven approach for consistency and efficiency in UI development.

• Iterative design process with feedback loops from UX, prototyping, and client stakeholders.

• Focus on delivering production-grade design assets and documentation for embedded systems.

Company Website: https://www.appsfactory.de/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is likely a blend of a fast-paced design consultancy and a structured, client-driven automotive project environment. The association with Gisma University suggests a strong emphasis on learning, innovation, and high-quality output.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-level (2-5 years of experience). It requires a solid foundation in UI design principles and specific expertise in automotive HMI. The responsibilities involve not just execution but also contributing to design systems and collaborating across functions, indicating a step beyond junior designer roles.

Reporting Structure: The role involves close collaboration with UX designers, prototypers, motion designers, and engineering teams. Direct reporting is likely to a Design Lead or a Project Manager within Appsfactory, with significant interaction with client stakeholders at the vehicle manufacturer.

Operations Impact: The designer will have a direct impact on the user experience of advanced in-vehicle digital systems for a major automotive manufacturer. Success in this role means shaping how drivers interact with critical vehicle functions, influencing user satisfaction, safety, and brand perception. Contribution to design systems also impacts long-term development efficiency and consistency.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in automotive HMI design, potentially focusing on specific areas like infotainment, ADAS visualization, or future mobility interfaces.

• Leadership: Progress to a Senior Product Designer or HMI Lead role, taking on more complex projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to design strategy.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gain further experience in UX research, prototyping, motion design, or even technical aspects of embedded systems through collaboration and project exposure.

• Client Management: Develop skills in client communication, presentation, and stakeholder management within the automotive industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for specialization within a high-demand niche (automotive HMI). Growth opportunities are tied to deepening technical design skills, taking on project leadership, and expanding influence within client engagements.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work arrangement. This suggests a modern office space designed for collaboration, potentially with dedicated areas for design sprints, client meetings, and focused individual work, complemented by the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Stockholm, Sweden, at Grev Turegatan 30. This is a central location, likely offering good accessibility and proximity to other businesses and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and team structure emphasize collaboration, with opportunities for in-person brainstorming, design reviews, and knowledge sharing with UX designers, engineers, and other specialists.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools, particularly Figma, is essential. The environment likely supports the creation of high-fidelity prototypes and assets for automotive applications.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with a diverse team of design professionals and engineers, fostering a dynamic and intellectually stimulating work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is approximately 40 hours. The hybrid nature of the role and the emphasis on work-life balance, including the potential for a four-day week, offer flexibility in structuring the workday and week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment in a central Stockholm location offers a good balance of collaborative office presence and personal flexibility, which is attractive for design professionals. The emphasis on work-life balance is a significant perk.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of application and portfolio to assess relevant experience, skills, and alignment with the automotive HMI focus.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, focusing on automotive HMI projects, design process, problem-solving approaches, and the rationale behind their design decisions. Be prepared to discuss specific challenges, solutions, and outcomes.

• Technical/Skills Assessment: May involve a design challenge or a discussion about specific Figma techniques, design system implementation, and understanding of automotive constraints.

• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: Conversation with potential team members and management to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural alignment with Appsfactory's values and the client project demands.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Automotive HMI Projects: Prioritize projects that specifically showcase your work on in-vehicle displays, infotainment systems, navigation, ADAS, or similar automotive interfaces.

• Detail Your Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process undertaken (research, ideation, wireframing, UI design, prototyping, testing), your specific contributions, and the final outcomes. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Figma Proficiency: Showcase your mastery of Figma, including complex component structures, variants, auto layout, and how you've used it to build or contribute to design systems.

• Demonstrate Understanding of Constraints: Explicitly discuss how you addressed automotive-specific challenges such as driver distraction, legibility in varying light conditions, safety regulations, and the need for robust, scalable assets.

• Visual Consistency & Design Systems: Provide examples of how you've ensured visual consistency across different screens and resolutions, and how you've worked with or built design systems.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: If a design challenge is given, focus on understanding the brief thoroughly. Prioritize core HMI principles, driver context, and clear UI design. Think about how you would structure your approach and present your solution concisely.

• Process & Strategy: Be ready to discuss your design philosophy, how you approach complex problem-solving, and your strategies for collaborating with cross-functional teams, especially engineers.

• Company & Industry Research: Understand Appsfactory's work, their consultancy model, and the automotive industry's current trends and challenges in HMI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on the candidate's portfolio. Applicants should prepare to deeply explain their automotive HMI design process and demonstrate their Figma expertise and understanding of industry-specific constraints.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, component creation, and design system management. Advanced proficiency is a requirement.

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator): Likely used for asset creation, icon design, and detailed visual element preparation.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma offers prototyping, additional tools like Principle, After Effects, or specialized automotive HMI prototyping software might be used for more complex animations and interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a core focus for a UI Designer, an understanding of how user feedback and analytics inform design decisions is beneficial. Familiarity with tools that provide insights into user behavior in digital interfaces might be advantageous. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the core design tasks, but understanding how design handoff is managed within project management or CRM systems could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily skewed towards design and prototyping tools, with Figma being the absolute core requirement. Familiarity with asset preparation for embedded systems is also noted.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding the end-user, particularly the driver, and designing interfaces that are intuitive, safe, and enhance the driving experience.

• Quality & Precision: A commitment to high-quality design output, paying close attention to detail, visual consistency, and technical feasibility, especially critical in the automotive sector.

• Collaboration & Communication: Valuing teamwork, open communication, and effective collaboration with diverse teams (UX, engineering, client) to achieve project goals.

• Innovation & Future-Forward Thinking: A drive to explore new possibilities in digital experiences and contribute to shaping the future of automotive HMI.

• Professionalism & Client Focus: Delivering professional services and solutions that meet and exceed client expectations in a consultancy setting.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with UX designers to translate requirements into visual designs, and with engineers to ensure designs are implementable and optimized for embedded systems.

• Iterative Design: Engaging in a cyclical process of design, feedback, and refinement, involving stakeholders at various stages.

• Knowledge Sharing: Fostering an environment where team members share insights, best practices, and learn from each other's expertise, particularly in specialized areas like automotive HMI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture and values appear to be geared towards delivering high-quality, user-focused design solutions within a collaborative and innovative environment, with a strong emphasis on professionalism due to the consultancy model and automotive client focus.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Complexity and Simplicity: Designing intuitive interfaces for complex automotive systems (infotainment, ADAS, navigation) while minimizing driver distraction and cognitive load.

• Technical Constraints: Adapting designs to the specific limitations and requirements of embedded automotive hardware and software environments.

• Maintaining Consistency: Ensuring visual and functional consistency across multiple vehicle models, display types, resolutions, and software versions.

• Client Collaboration: Navigating the demands and feedback loops of a major automotive manufacturer as part of a consultancy engagement.

• Staying Ahead of Trends: Keeping pace with rapidly evolving automotive technology, user expectations, and HMI design trends.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Automotive HMI Specialization: Gaining unparalleled experience in a niche, high-demand field, potentially leading to expert status.

• Exposure to Cutting-Edge Technology: Working on next-generation automotive digital experiences, including potential involvement with ADAS, autonomous driving interfaces, and connected car services.

• Design System Mastery: Contributing to and refining sophisticated design systems used in large-scale automotive projects.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Learning from UX designers, prototypers, motion designers, and automotive engineers to broaden skill sets.

• Consultancy Skills: Developing client management, presentation, and strategic thinking skills valuable in any design career.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the specialized nature of automotive HMI design. The growth opportunities are significant, offering deep specialization and exposure to future automotive technologies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Walk me through a complex automotive HMI project from your portfolio. What was the primary challenge, your role, your design process, and the outcome?" (Focus on problem-solving, process, and impact.)

• "How do you approach designing for driver safety and minimizing cognitive load in an in-vehicle interface?" (Assess understanding of automotive context and user safety.)

• "Describe your experience with design systems. How have you used Figma components and variants to ensure consistency and efficiency in a large project?" (Evaluate Figma proficiency and design system methodology.)

• "How would you handle a situation where engineering has significant technical constraints that impact your design vision for an automotive display?" (Test problem-solving, collaboration, and negotiation skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Appsfactory and our work with major automotive manufacturers?" (Gauge genuine interest and research.)

• "How do you see your skills contributing to our team and the specific project requirements for this automotive HMI role?" (Assess fit and understanding of the role.)

• "Describe your ideal work environment and how you thrive in a hybrid setting." (Evaluate adaptability and collaboration style.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in automotive HMI design and UI?" (Check for continuous learning and industry awareness.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific contributions, the challenges faced (especially automotive-specific ones), your design decisions and rationale, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Emphasize Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, prototypes, and process visuals. Show the evolution of your designs.

• Highlight Figma Mastery: Demonstrate your understanding of Figma's advanced features relevant to design systems and production-ready assets.

• Speak to Automotive Context: Clearly articulate how your designs address driver safety, legibility, cognitive load, and other automotive constraints.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to be clear, confident, and within the allotted time. Be prepared for in-depth questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on showcasing practical experience in automotive HMI design, demonstrating deep Figma expertise, and articulating a clear understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of designing for the automotive sector.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this product designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the Personio platform.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature automotive HMI projects. Clearly articulate your role, design process, and the specific challenges and solutions related to in-vehicle displays and automotive constraints. Highlight your Figma expertise.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize relevant experience in automotive design, UI/HMI design, and proficiency with tools like Figma. Quantify achievements where possible, focusing on contributions to product development and user experience improvement.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling and addressing potential questions about automotive HMI design principles, driver safety, and technical implementation. Be ready to discuss your collaborative approach.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Appsfactory GmbH, their consultancy model, and their work in the automotive sector. Understand their values and the specific client project mentioned to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.

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