Product Designer - Internal Startups

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer - Internal Startups

Company: Wix

Location: Vilnius, Vilnius County, Lithuania

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-21

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Own the end-to-end design cycle for internal Wix startups, operating in a 0-to-1 environment with a focus on finding product-market fit and driving experimentation.

• Manage product design from research, ideation, and validation through to crafting UI/UX for all product flow scenarios, with a significant emphasis on AI integration.

• Collaborate closely with internal startup project teams, including Entrepreneurs in Residence and Software Engineers, to bring innovative ideas to life.

• Deliver exceptional visual designs within a fast-paced, AI-driven ecosystem, contributing to the continuous improvement of product development methodologies at Wix.

• Drive brand updates, usability improvements, and explore new ways of working to ensure early-stage products are visually stunning and user-centric, aligning with Product-Led Growth (PLG) principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Wix's "Innovations Vilnius" group, focusing on building new, independent ventures. The "Internal Startups" designation implies a high degree of autonomy, rapid iteration, and a direct impact on product strategy and execution, heavily influenced by Product-Led Growth (PLG) principles. The emphasis on AI integration suggests a forward-thinking approach to design and development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the entire design lifecycle for multiple early-stage internal startups, from initial concept and user research to final UI/UX implementation and iterative improvements.

• Conduct user research, market analysis, and competitive benchmarking to inform product strategy and identify key user needs and pain points for new ventures.

• Develop wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and high-fidelity mockups that effectively communicate design concepts and user experiences to stakeholders and engineering teams.

• Translate complex product requirements and business goals into intuitive and visually compelling user interfaces, ensuring a seamless user journey.

• Collaborate with software engineers to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing detailed specifications, assets, and ongoing support throughout the development process.

• Integrate AI-powered tools and methodologies into the design process for enhanced efficiency, ideation, and user experience optimization.

• Contribute to defining and refining the Product-Led Growth (PLG) strategy for new products, focusing on user acquisition, engagement, and retention through design.

• Champion design best practices, usability testing, and A/B testing to validate design decisions and optimize product performance.

• Stay abreast of emerging design trends, technologies, and AI advancements to continuously innovate and elevate the design output for internal startups.

• Facilitate design critique sessions and incorporate feedback from cross-functional teams to iterate and improve design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description emphasizes "owning the design," "0-to-1 environment," and "experimentation/pivots," which are core to GTM and Product Operations roles focused on launching new initiatives. The direct involvement in "transferring ideas to Software Engineers" and delivering "great visual designs" highlights the blend of strategic design thinking and tactical execution expected.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 3+ years of professional experience in product design, with a strong preference for experience in environments focused on building products from scratch or in a startup setting.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in the full spectrum of user experience design, including user research, usability testing, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design.

• Proven ability to manage the entire design cycle of a product, from ideation and validation to UI/UX implementation and iteration.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to dissect complex problems and propose effective design solutions.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the capacity to articulate design rationale clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Proficiency in design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision).

• Comfort and adaptability in ambiguous environments, with a willingness to embrace experimentation, rapid iteration, and fast-paced workflows.

• Curiosity and proficiency in leveraging AI tools and technologies to enhance design processes and outcomes.

• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a dynamic setting. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Product-Led Growth (PLG) strategies and designing for user retention and engagement.

• Familiarity with front-end development principles and the ability to collaborate effectively with engineers.

• Experience in conducting A/B testing and leveraging data analytics to inform design decisions.

• A portfolio showcasing successful product launches and impactful design solutions, particularly in early-stage ventures.

• Understanding of agile development methodologies and experience working within cross-functional, agile teams.

• Experience with design systems and contributing to their development or maintenance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "3+ years of work experience" combined with "building products from scratch" and "comfort with ambiguity, experimentation, and fast iteration" strongly suggests a mid-level to senior individual contributor role. The explicit mention of AI tools indicates a requirement for candidates who are either already proficient or highly motivated to learn and apply these technologies in their design workflow.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least two significant product design projects, ideally from 0-to-1 or startup environments, demonstrating ownership and end-to-end execution.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process followed, key decisions made, and the measurable outcomes or impact of your work.

• Include examples of user research, ideation artifacts, wireframes, prototypes, and final UI designs, with a focus on explaining the rationale behind each.

• Demonstrate experience with AI integration in design or a strong understanding of its potential applications in product development.

• Highlight your ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, particularly software engineers, and how you translated concepts into functional products. Process Documentation:

• Provide case studies that detail your approach to user research, validation, and iterative design based on feedback and data.

• Illustrate how you manage ambiguity and pivot strategies based on new information or market feedback within the design cycle.

• Explain your methods for translating design concepts into actionable specifications for engineering teams, ensuring clarity and efficiency.

• Showcase examples of how you’ve contributed to or leveraged design systems for consistency and scalability in product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on "internal startups" and "0-to-1 environments," a portfolio that highlights adaptability, rapid prototyping, and demonstrable impact on early-stage product success is crucial. The emphasis on AI and experimentation means candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to these areas specifically.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: 3000 - 5500 Eur GROSS / month (Total compensation, including RSU package)

Benefits:

• Discount stock purchasing plans (ESPP)

• Health and personal accident insurance

• Daily lunch and snacks provided at the office

• Commuting allowance

• Discounted phone operator services and compensation for a new phone

• Free exercise classes and wellness activities

• Online courses and professional development opportunities

• Regular team events and social activities

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with an on-site work model requiring 5 days a week in the office. Flexibility is considered at the team level.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Product Designer role in Vilnius, Lithuania, with 3-5 years of experience, especially considering it includes an RSU package, which is common in tech companies and startups. The listed benefits are comprehensive and align with typical offerings for full-time employees in the tech industry, focusing on employee well-being, professional growth, and convenience. The "5 days a week from our office" commitment is a key aspect of the work arrangement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (SaaS, Web Development Platforms)

Company Size: Large (Wix has over 5,000 employees globally)

Founded: 2006 (Wix.com)

Team Structure:

• The "Innovations Vilnius" group operates as an internal incubator, housing multiple "stealth" startup projects.

• Each internal startup team is typically small and cross-functional, consisting of dedicated Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs), Software Engineers, and Product Designers.

• This structure fosters an agile, collaborative, and autonomous environment, allowing teams to operate with significant freedom akin to external startups.

• The Product Designer will be an integral part of one or more of these early-stage project teams. Methodology:

• Product development heavily influenced by Product-Led Growth (PLG) principles, emphasizing user experience, retention, and organic growth.

• Agile and iterative development processes, with a strong focus on experimentation, rapid prototyping, and pivoting based on market feedback and data.

• Integration of AI tools and technologies is a key differentiator and a core part of the operational methodology.

• A culture that encourages innovation, ownership, and exploration of new methodologies and tools to shape future product development.

Company Website: https://www.wix.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Wix's established presence and resources provide a stable foundation for its internal innovation initiatives. The "Innovations Vilnius" group is designed to leverage this stability while adopting the agility and risk-taking of a startup. The PLG focus means design decisions are directly tied to user behavior and business growth metrics.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer with significant ownership and autonomy, akin to a Senior Designer in a traditional product team, but within an early-stage startup context. The scope involves end-to-end product design and direct impact on product strategy.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report within the "Innovations Vilnius" group structure, likely to a lead within the innovation team or a designated product lead for the internal startups they are assigned to. They will work closely with EIRs and Engineering leads on a day-to-day basis.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's contributions are critical to the success of internal startups. Their ability to translate concepts into compelling user experiences directly influences product-market fit, user acquisition, engagement, retention, and ultimately, the potential for these ventures to become successful "unicorns." The role demands a strategic approach to design that aligns with business objectives and growth targets.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in Product-Led Growth (PLG) design, AI-driven design, or specific product verticals emerging from internal startups.

• Leadership: Potential to lead design for multiple internal startups, mentor junior designers, or influence design strategy within the innovation group.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning in cutting-edge design tools, AI technologies, and new product development methodologies through online courses, workshops, and hands-on experience.

• Entrepreneurial Exposure: Gain invaluable experience in the entire startup lifecycle, from ideation to potential GTM, offering a unique perspective on building and scaling businesses.

• Career Advancement: Opportunities to transition into lead design roles, product management, or even entrepreneurial roles within Wix or beyond, leveraging the startup experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique blend of established company resources and startup agility. Growth opportunities are tied to both deepening design craft and gaining broader entrepreneurial and strategic product experience, making it attractive for designers looking for more than just UI/UX execution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully in-person, 5 days a week in the Wix office located in Vilnius.

Office Location(s): Vilnius, Lithuania. Specific office address details would be provided upon inquiry or during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is designed to foster collaboration and innovation, with dedicated spaces for team work and ideation sessions.

• Access to modern design tools, software, and potentially AI-specific hardware or platforms to support the design workflow.

• Opportunities for spontaneous collaboration with a diverse group of engineers, entrepreneurs, and fellow designers within the "Innovations Vilnius" team.

• A dynamic and fast-paced atmosphere that mimics a startup environment, encouraging quick decision-making and agile execution.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week. While the model is fully in-person, Wix emphasizes flexibility at the team level, suggesting that occasional adjustments or understanding of personal needs may be possible, though the primary expectation is on-site presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a fully in-person, 5-day-a-week model is a significant aspect of the work environment. This suggests a preference for high-touch collaboration, spontaneous idea generation, and a strong team cohesion that the company believes is best achieved through physical presence.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements, particularly in early-stage product design and AI interest.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A conversation to delve deeper into your background, design philosophy, experience with 0-to-1 products, and understanding of PLG.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or present a detailed case study from your portfolio, focusing on a project where you owned the design process from concept to execution in an ambiguous environment. This will likely involve discussing your approach to research, ideation, UI/UX, and collaboration with engineers.

• Cross-functional Team Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential colleagues (e.g., EIRs, Engineers) to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit within a startup team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership within the innovation group to discuss strategic vision and long-term impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the problem you solved, your specific contributions, the design decisions you made, and the measurable results or learnings from your projects. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, user retention metrics).

• Showcase the Process: Detail your end-to-end design process, including research methodologies, ideation techniques, user testing, and iterative improvements. Highlight how you navigated ambiguity and pivoted.

• Demonstrate AI Integration: If applicable, showcase how you've used AI tools or considered AI's role in your design solutions. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts on AI's future in product design.

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentation as a narrative, guiding the interviewer through the journey of each project.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with building products from scratch, working in fast-paced environments, and understanding PLG principles.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the 0-to-1 Context: Be ready to discuss how you approach designing for products with no established product-market fit.

• Embrace Ambiguity: Prepare to discuss how you handle uncertainty, incomplete information, and the need for rapid experimentation.

• AI Integration: Think about how you would leverage AI tools within the design process for this specific role.

• Collaboration: Be ready to discuss how you would work with EIRs and engineers to achieve product goals efficiently.

• PLG Principles: Understand how to design for user-led acquisition, activation, and retention.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only design skills but also the candidate's ability to thrive in a startup-like environment, embrace new technologies like AI, and contribute to a Product-Led Growth strategy. A strong, well-articulated portfolio is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), InVision, Axure RP.

• AI Tools: Candidates are expected to be proficient or highly curious about AI-powered design assistants, content generation tools, and potentially AI for user research analysis or code generation assistance. Specific tools may vary but familiarity with the landscape is key.

• Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Miro, Asana.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics, or similar platforms for tracking user behavior, engagement, and conversion funnels.

• A/B Testing: Experience with A/B testing frameworks and analysis tools.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding CRM principles and how product design impacts user journeys within a CRM context is beneficial. Familiarity with marketing automation concepts or tools might be a plus for understanding broader GTM implications.

• Integration Tools: Awareness of how design decisions translate into API integrations or data flows between different systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-heavy environment" suggests that proficiency or a strong willingness to learn and apply AI tools in the design workflow is a critical technical requirement. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience or interest in tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, ChatGPT for design ideation, or AI-powered UX analysis platforms.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Experimentation: A core value is to constantly explore new ideas, technologies (especially AI), and methodologies without fear of failure, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

• Ownership & Accountability: Team members are expected to take full ownership of their work, from conception to execution, and be accountable for the outcomes, mirroring startup entrepreneurial spirit.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and strong collaboration are vital, especially in cross-functional teams, ensuring that ideas are shared freely and decisions are made collectively.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving users, with design decisions directly driven by user needs, feedback, and behavior, aligning with PLG principles.

• Agility & Speed: The ability to adapt quickly, iterate rapidly, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment is highly valued.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work hand-in-hand with Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) and Software Engineers, forming tight-knit teams that share common goals and responsibilities.

• Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages constructive feedback, design critiques, and open dialogue to refine ideas and ensure the highest quality output.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement to share learnings, best practices, and insights across the innovation group and wider Wix organization, fostering collective growth.

• Proactive Communication: Emphasis on proactive updates, clear articulation of challenges, and seeking input early and often to maintain project momentum.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is a blend of a large, established tech company's structure and resources with the dynamic, risk-taking ethos of an internal startup incubator. The values emphasize innovation, ownership, and user focus, critical for the success of new ventures.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Operating in a 0-to-1 environment means dealing with undefined problems, evolving requirements, and the inherent uncertainty of finding product-market fit.

• Rapid Iteration & Pivots: The need to quickly test hypotheses, gather feedback, and potentially pivot product direction requires adaptability and resilience.

• AI Integration Complexity: Effectively leveraging new and rapidly evolving AI tools to enhance design processes and product features can present technical and strategic challenges.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering "stunning" designs in a "very fast paced" environment requires efficient workflows and strong prioritization skills.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment between design, entrepreneurship, and engineering teams to drive towards common goals.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into PLG: Gain hands-on experience and advanced understanding of Product-Led Growth strategies and how design directly impacts business metrics.

• AI in Design Mastery: Become a pioneer in applying AI tools and methodologies to product design, developing expertise in a rapidly growing field.

• Entrepreneurial Skillset: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the startup lifecycle, from ideation and validation to GTM and scaling, under the guidance of experienced EIRs.

• Cross-disciplinary Exposure: Work closely with individuals from diverse backgrounds (entrepreneurship, engineering) to broaden perspective and skill sets.

• Innovation Leadership: Opportunities to influence the direction of new products and potentially lead design efforts for future ventures within Wix's innovation pipeline.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges related to uncertainty and rapid change, but these are directly tied to substantial growth opportunities in specialized areas like PLG, AI design, and startup development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a product from scratch when there's no clear product-market fit. How do you approach research, validation, and iteration?"

• "How have you leveraged AI tools in your design process, or how do you envision using them to enhance product development for early-stage startups?"

• "Explain your approach to collaborating with non-designers (e.g., engineers, entrepreneurs) to ensure successful product launches in a fast-paced environment."

• "How do you prioritize design efforts when faced with multiple experimental ideas or potential pivots?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about working on internal startups within a larger organization like Wix?"

• "How do you stay updated on the latest design trends, AI advancements, and Product-Led Growth strategies?"

• "Describe a time you had to adapt your design approach significantly due to changing project requirements or market feedback."

• "How do you see your role contributing to Wix's innovation goals and the success of its internal ventures?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure your narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the process, your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the outcomes/learnings.

• Highlight 0-to-1 experience: Emphasize projects where you had significant ownership from inception.

• Showcase AI integration: If you have examples, be ready to discuss them in detail. If not, discuss your thoughts and potential applications.

• Demonstrate collaboration: Explain how you worked with engineers and other stakeholders, including any handoff processes or challenges.

• Focus on impact and metrics: Quantify results whenever possible. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss qualitative feedback and key learnings.

• Be prepared for live critiques or whiteboarding: Practice sketching out ideas or flows quickly.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating adaptability, strategic thinking, a user-centric approach, and a keen interest in leveraging new technologies like AI within a Product-Led Growth framework.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on smartrecruiters.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your experience in building products from scratch, working in ambiguous environments, and any exposure to AI tools or Product-Led Growth. Prioritize projects that showcase end-to-end ownership.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 3+ years of product design experience, emphasizing skills relevant to UX/UI, research, collaboration, and problem-solving. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, your approach to ambiguity, and your understanding of AI's role in design. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Wix's product offerings, its innovation initiatives, and its commitment to Product-Led Growth. Understand the company's culture and values to articulate your fit.

⚠️ 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.