Product Designer I, Mobile App

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer I, Mobile App

Company: Warner Bros. Discovery

Location: Atlanta, GA; New York, NY; Washington, DC

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-05-11

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and develop industry-leading user experiences for CNN's native mobile applications, engaging millions of users globally.

• Collaborate closely with product, engineering, research, editorial, and analytics teams to shape product strategy and deliver innovative digital solutions.

• Contribute to the evolution of CNN's Design System, ensuring consistency and creating new, cross-platform compatible components.

• Participate in user research and testing initiatives to inform design decisions and validate user-centric solutions.

• Drive the future of CNN's mobile native experience, impacting both user engagement and the organization's bottom line within the digital news landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the core product design team for CNN's mobile applications, indicating a significant focus on user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design for native mobile platforms. The emphasis on "industry-leading user experiences" and "pushing boundaries" suggests a high bar for design quality and innovation. The mention of impacting "CNN's bottom line" highlights the strategic importance of this role in driving business outcomes through design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on features and user flows for CNN's native iOS and Android mobile applications, from concept to final implementation.

• Collaborate within cross-functional squads, participating in all team ceremonies and contributing to a cohesive product development process.

• Partner with senior product designers, product managers, and engineering teams to translate product requirements into detailed design specifications and build-ready assets.

• Actively participate in Quality Assurance (QA) and testing phases to ensure design fidelity and optimal user experience.

• Collaborate with User Research teams to define testing plans, conduct user studies, and integrate research insights into design iterations.

• Challenge existing design paradigms and technical limitations to propose innovative solutions that align with mobile technology capabilities and CNN's business objectives.

• Utilize, contribute to, and evolve the organization's Design System patterns to create new, reusable, and cross-platform compatible UI components.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on design role within agile product development squads. The inclusion of QA/testing and collaboration with user research points to a holistic approach to product design, ensuring that the final product is not only aesthetically sound but also functional and user-validated. The directive to "challenge the status quo" and "push boundaries" suggests an environment that encourages innovation and proactive problem-solving.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of professional work experience as a Product Designer.

• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering native mobile applications.

Required Skills:

• Visual Design: Strong understanding of typography, layout, color theory, and visual hierarchy to create aesthetically pleasing and effective interfaces.

• Native Mobile Design: Expertise in designing for iOS and Android platforms, adhering to platform-specific design guidelines and best practices.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and component creation.

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Familiarity and proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator) for asset creation and manipulation.

• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across products.

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

• User Research Collaboration: Experience partnering with user researchers to plan and incorporate user feedback into the design process.

• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication, with strong interpersonal skills to effectively present ideas and collaborate with stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Media/Content Experience: Interest in content creation, strategy, and communication, with prior experience in the media industry being a significant plus.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with agile development processes and working within cross-functional product teams.

• User Experience (UX) Principles: Deep understanding of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, and usability best practices.

• Information Architecture: Ability to structure complex information logically and intuitively for mobile environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills clearly point to a hands-on UI/UX designer role with a strong emphasis on native mobile platforms and proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma. The preferred skills suggest that an understanding of the media landscape and agile environments would be advantageous, indicating a dynamic and fast-paced work setting.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive design portfolio showcasing at least 2-3 significant native mobile app projects.

• Projects should demonstrate a clear understanding of the product design lifecycle, from ideation and user research to final UI design and handoff.

• Visualizations of user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes are essential.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of how you've collaborated with Product Managers and Engineers to define requirements and scope.

• Examples of how you've utilized user research findings to inform design decisions and iterations.

• Demonstrations of how you've applied or contributed to a Design System to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Documentation of your process for creating detailed design specifications and assets for engineering handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. The emphasis on native mobile projects, clear articulation of the design process, and demonstration of impact are critical. This suggests the hiring team will be evaluating not just the aesthetic quality of the work but also the strategic thinking and problem-solving skills demonstrated throughout the design journey.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $59,500 - $110,500 annually.

• Note: This range is provided as per the job posting and reflects typical compensation for a Product Designer I role in major US metropolitan areas, considering the experience level. Actual salaries can vary based on external market data, internal equity, specific location, skillset, experience, and performance.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance coverage.

• Employee Wellness Program.

• Life Insurance.

• Disability Insurance.

• Retirement Savings Plan.

• Paid Holidays.

• Sick Time.

• Vacation Time.

• Potential for Annual Bonuses.

Working Hours:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• Note: While a standard work week is outlined, the hybrid nature of the role suggests flexibility may be available, but specific details on flexible scheduling or remote work days should be confirmed with the hiring team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is broad, reflecting potential variations across the listed locations (Atlanta, New York, Washington D.C.) and the stated experience level. New York City typically commands higher salaries than Atlanta due to cost of living and market demand, which likely influences the upper end of this range. The extensive benefits package is typical for a large media and entertainment organization like Warner Bros. Discovery.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment, Digital News. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is a global leader in creating and distributing premium content and experiences across all platforms. CNN, as part of WBD, is a leading digital news source.

Company Size: Large enterprise, with WBD employing thousands globally. This means access to extensive resources, established processes, and diverse professional networks.

Founded: Warner Bros. Discovery was formed in 2022 through the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., building on decades of legacy in content creation and media. CNN itself has a long history dating back to 1980.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer I will be part of the CNN Digital Product Design Team.

• This team is described as "world-class" and responsible for industry-leading user experiences.

• The designer will be "embedded in a cross functional squad" (product, engineering, research, editorial, analytics), indicating a collaborative, team-oriented structure.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: A core principle is putting users at the center of the experiences being built.

• Agile Development: Participation in squad ceremonies suggests an agile or scrum-based development methodology.

• Data-Driven Insights: Collaboration with analytics teams implies that design decisions are informed by data and user behavior.

• Design System Utilization: Emphasis on using and evolving the Design System highlights a commitment to consistency, efficiency, and scalability.

Company Website: https://www.wbd.com/ and https://www.cnn.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working within a large, established media conglomerate like WBD, specifically on a high-profile brand like CNN, offers both immense opportunities and unique challenges. The culture likely values innovation within established frameworks, cross-functional collaboration, and a strong focus on delivering high-quality content and user experiences to a massive audience. The hybrid work model suggests a balance between in-office collaboration and individual flexibility.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Product Designer I. This is typically an entry-level to early-career professional role within product design. It signifies a need for foundational skills and the capacity to execute design tasks under guidance from senior designers, while also beginning to contribute to product strategy and feature development.

Reporting Structure: The designer will be embedded in a cross-functional squad and will likely report to a Lead Product Designer or Design Manager within the CNN Digital Product Design Team. This structure allows for direct mentorship and guidance.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on CNN's digital presence and revenue. By designing engaging and intuitive mobile experiences, the designer contributes to user retention, engagement metrics, and ultimately, the business objectives of CNN Digital. The ability to influence the "bottom line" through design is a key aspect of this role's impact.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in native mobile UX/UI design, potentially specializing in iOS or Android, or specific areas like interaction design or visual design for mobile.

• Design System Contribution: Grow by contributing to and potentially leading aspects of the design system, gaining experience in component architecture and governance.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop skills in influencing product strategy and collaborating with diverse teams, potentially leading design initiatives within squads.

• Mentorship: Benefit from mentorship from senior designers and potentially grow into a Senior Product Designer role, leading projects and mentoring junior designers.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience within the high-stakes, fast-paced digital news industry, a significant asset for future career moves.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer I" title suggests a role focused on execution and learning, with significant opportunities for growth under senior guidance. The emphasis on impacting the "bottom line" and the scale of CNN's audience means that successful designers can gain significant recognition and career advancement within WBD or the broader tech/media industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This indicates a mix of in-office work and remote work, requiring employees to be present at designated office locations for a portion of the work week.

Office Location(s): Atlanta, GA; New York, NY; Washington, DC. These are major hubs for media and technology, offering vibrant professional environments and access to industry events and networks.

• Atlanta: CNN Center is a well-known landmark, suggesting a central and integrated workspace.

• New York: A major media and tech hub, offering extensive networking and professional development opportunities.

• Washington D.C.: Proximity to news sources and government, potentially offering unique insights for news product design.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role emphasizes embedding within cross-functional squads and participating in team ceremonies, suggesting an open and collaborative workspace designed for teamwork.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud) and potentially other internal WBD/CNN platforms and software.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with fellow designers, product managers, engineers, and researchers, fostering knowledge sharing and continuous learning.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility, but specific in-office days and expectations should be clarified during the interview process. This model supports focused individual work and collaborative team sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model across three major cities implies a distributed team structure with opportunities for both in-person collaboration and remote flexibility. Candidates should consider which location best suits their work style and personal preferences, and be prepared to discuss their approach to hybrid work during interviews.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely conducted by HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A critical stage where candidates present their design portfolio. This may be followed by a design challenge or exercise, either take-home or live, to assess problem-solving skills, design thinking, and proficiency with design tools.

• Team Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and fellow Designers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical aptitude, and alignment with team workflows.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A final discussion with the hiring manager to assess overall fit, career aspirations, and address any remaining questions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies to tell a compelling story about the problem, your process, your contributions, and the impact.

• Focus on Native Mobile: Highlight your specific contributions and learnings from native mobile design projects. Emphasize UX challenges and solutions unique to mobile platforms.

• Show Your Process: Clearly illustrate your design thinking, from initial research and ideation through to iteration and final design. Include wireframes, user flows, and prototypes.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, reduced error rates, improved task completion).

• Tailor to CNN: Research CNN's current mobile apps, identify potential areas for improvement, and be prepared to discuss your insights thoughtfully.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully understand the product, target audience, and business goals.

• Prioritize: Focus on the most critical aspects of the challenge. It's better to solve one core problem well than to address many superficially.

• Think Aloud: Articulate your thought process clearly, explaining your assumptions, design decisions, and trade-offs.

• Consider Edge Cases: Demonstrate awareness of potential issues and edge cases, especially related to mobile usability and platform differences.

• Presentation: Be prepared to present your solution concisely and confidently, using visuals effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the cornerstone of evaluation for this role. Candidates should invest significant time in curating and presenting their work, ensuring it directly addresses the requirements for native mobile app design. The mention of QA and research collaboration suggests interviewers will probe into how candidates ensure quality and user-centricity throughout the development cycle.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool. Proficiency is essential for wireframing, UI design, creating interactive prototypes, and collaborating on design systems.

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Tools like Photoshop and Illustrator will likely be used for asset creation, image editing, and potentially more complex visual manipulations.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Design System Tools:

• Figma's component libraries and prototyping features are key for design system work. Understanding version control and collaboration features within Figma is important.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud indicates these are the primary tools of the trade for this role. Designers should be prepared to demonstrate their expertise in Figma, particularly its capabilities for design systems, collaboration, and prototyping.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value, emphasizing that all design decisions must prioritize the user's needs and experience.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working effectively within cross-functional teams, valuing diverse perspectives to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation: Encouragement to "push the boundaries" and "challenge the status quo" to create next-generation digital experiences.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on delivering designs that not only delight users but also contribute to CNN's business objectives and "bottom line."

• Quality & Craftsmanship: A commitment to producing high-quality, polished, and effective digital products.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded in Squads: Designers work directly within cross-functional product teams, fostering close collaboration with product managers, engineers, and researchers.

• Agile Cadence: Participation in daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives ensures continuous communication and iterative development.

• Design Critiques & Feedback: Expectation of constructive feedback loops within the design team and with stakeholders to refine designs.

• Knowledge Sharing: The "world-class" team structure implies an environment where best practices and learnings are shared openly.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be a blend of a large corporate environment (WBD) with the agility and collaborative spirit of a digital product team. The emphasis on user-centricity, innovation, and measurable impact aligns with modern product development practices. Candidates should highlight their ability to thrive in such a collaborative and results-oriented setting.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Effectively designing for millions of diverse users while meeting CNN's strategic and revenue objectives.

• Evolving Media Landscape: Adapting designs to new content formats, user behaviors, and technological advancements in digital news consumption.

• Design System Maintenance: Ensuring the Design System remains up-to-date, scalable, and adopted across all mobile products.

• Cross-Platform Consistency: Maintaining a cohesive brand experience across both iOS and Android platforms, which have distinct design conventions.

• Rapid Iteration: Working in a fast-paced news environment that requires quick turnarounds and frequent design updates.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX/UI Skills: Deepen expertise in mobile design patterns, interaction design, and accessibility standards.

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to contribute to and influence the direction of a large-scale design system.

• Product Strategy Involvement: Gain exposure to product strategy discussions and contribute to the long-term vision for CNN's mobile products.

• Industry Trends: Stay abreast of emerging trends in digital media, news consumption, and mobile technology through WBD's resources and industry engagement.

• Mentorship Programs: Benefit from guidance from senior designers and potential opportunities to mentor future junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for product designers in large media organizations. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for significant professional development, especially for those looking to specialize in mobile UX/UI or design systems within a major media brand.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for breaking news alerts on the CNN mobile app to ensure timely delivery and user engagement?"

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting feedback from Product, Engineering, and User Research. How did you resolve it?"

• "Walk us through your process for contributing to or evolving a design system. What are the key considerations?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about working for CNN and the media industry specifically?"

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in mobile design and digital news consumption?"

• "Describe your ideal team collaboration style. How do you integrate feedback from different disciplines?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly state the problem you were solving and the goals of the project.

• Showcase Your Role: Be specific about your individual contributions, especially if it was a team project.

• Detail Your Process: Explain your methodology, including research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and testing. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Key Decisions: Discuss the rationale behind critical design choices and any trade-offs you made.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify results whenever possible. If metrics aren't available, discuss the intended impact and how you would measure success.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, technical constraints, and how you handled challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of native mobile UX principles, a structured design process, and the ability to collaborate effectively. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process, justify their design decisions, and showcase how their work contributes to user satisfaction and business goals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer I position:

• Submit your application through the Warner Bros. Discovery careers portal.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features native mobile design projects. Clearly articulate your process, role, and the outcomes of your work for each project.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience with Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, native mobile design, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through 1-2 key portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling, design decisions, and impact. Be ready to discuss your approach to mobile UX challenges.

• Research CNN Digital: Familiarize yourself with the current CNN mobile apps (iOS and Android), their features, strengths, and potential areas for improvement. Understand CNN's role in the digital news landscape.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions tailored for a Product Design role. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.