Product Designer, MENA

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer, MENA

Company: Brain Co.

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-18

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead comprehensive end-to-end product design initiatives, encompassing UX research, interaction design, visual design, and prototyping for complex AI-driven software.

• Innovate and experiment with emerging AI design tools to redefine the future of product design within product teams.

• Foster close collaboration with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to translate intricate user requirements into intuitive and elegant software solutions.

• Craft sophisticated user experiences for enterprise and governmental clients, prioritizing usability, scalability, and aesthetic appeal.

• Establish and evolve a robust design system and comprehensive guidelines to ensure consistency, quality, and efficiency across the entire product suite.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior-level Product Designer, indicated by the 10+ years of experience requirement and the expectation to "lead end-to-end design efforts" and "establish and evolve the design system." The focus on AI-driven software and enterprise/governmental environments suggests a need for deep expertise in complex problem-solving and stakeholder management within B2B or B2G contexts.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the entire design lifecycle for AI-driven software applications, from initial user research and concept development through to final visual design and iterative prototyping.

• Actively explore and integrate novel AI design tools (e.g., Lovable, v0) to enhance the design process and explore new paradigms in product development.

• Engage collaboratively with product management, engineering, and key stakeholders to deeply understand user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints, translating these into actionable design specifications.

• Develop high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and detailed user flows that clearly communicate design intent and user journeys for sophisticated enterprise and governmental software.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a scalable design system, ensuring brand consistency, component reusability, and efficient design workflows across multiple product initiatives.

• Champion user-centric design principles by conducting user interviews, usability testing, and analyzing user feedback to drive continuous product improvement and innovation.

• Present design concepts, user flows, and final designs to stakeholders, effectively articulating design rationale, trade-offs, and expected user impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on design role with significant strategic input. The emphasis on "experimenting with new AI design tools" and "defining how Product Design’s function on product teams is changing" suggests the company is at the forefront of AI integration and values designers who can shape evolving methodologies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles of this seniority, demonstrating a foundational understanding of design principles and technology.

Experience: 10+ years of professional software product design experience, with a proven track record of delivering elegant and effective solutions for complex enterprise software.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in leading end-to-end design processes, including UX research, interaction design, visual design, and prototyping.

• Proficient in industry-standard design tools such as Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite.

• Experience with prototyping tools like Rive and Framer for creating interactive and dynamic user experiences.

• Strong understanding of core UX principles, design thinking methodologies, and WCAG accessibility standards.

• Proven ability to design visually appealing, workflow-oriented products that demonstrably improve user productivity and efficiency.

• Experience working effectively within fast-paced, agile, and multidisciplinary team environments.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, capable of clearly articulating design decisions and influencing stakeholders. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience designing for AI-driven or data-intensive software solutions.

• Familiarity with emerging AI design tools and platforms (e.g., Lovable, v0).

• Experience in establishing and scaling design systems for complex product ecosystems.

• Understanding of enterprise and governmental software design constraints and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "10+ years of professional experience" points to a senior or lead designer position. The emphasis on specific tools like Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Rive, and Framer indicates a need for hands-on proficiency, while the mention of AI design tools suggests a forward-thinking approach to design technology.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant projects, with a strong emphasis on complex enterprise or governmental software solutions.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end design ownership, from initial problem definition and user research through to final solution and impact measurement.

• Clear articulation of design challenges, the rationale behind design decisions, and the iterative process undertaken.

• Visual examples of user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes that highlight interaction design and visual polish.

• Evidence of collaboration with cross-functional teams (product managers, engineers) and how their input was integrated. Process Documentation:

• Showcase of how user research was conducted and synthesized to inform design decisions (e.g., personas, journey maps, usability testing reports).

• Examples of how design systems or style guides were developed, documented, and implemented to ensure consistency and scalability.

• Demonstrations of prototyping methodologies used to test and validate design concepts before development.

• Documentation illustrating the iterative design process, including how feedback was incorporated to refine solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. The emphasis on "complex enterprise software" and "AI-driven solutions" means candidates should curate projects that specifically highlight their ability to handle intricate user needs, data visualization, and sophisticated workflows within these domains.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Product Designer with 10+ years of experience in a high-growth tech startup, and considering the location in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the estimated annual salary range is likely between AED 350,000 - AED 550,000 (approximately $95,000 - $150,000 USD). This estimate considers the cost of living and typical compensation structures in the UAE's tech sector, benchmarked against global tech hubs.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Offering a strong base salary reflecting the senior level of expertise.

• Meaningful Equity: Significant stock options or equity grants in a well-backed, high-growth startup.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical coverage for employees and potentially dependents.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days and public holidays.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning, workshops, and conferences.

• Relocation Assistance: If applicable, support for international candidates moving to Abu Dhabi.

• Visa Sponsorship: Potential sponsorship for eligible candidates to work in the UAE.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work hours are typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, Brain Co. may offer some flexibility in daily schedules to accommodate project needs and team collaboration, common in fast-paced tech environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided text explicitly mentions "competitive compensation + meaningful equity" and "transparent, data-driven compensation that attracts and retains top talent." The salary estimate is derived from global tech salary benchmarks for senior product designers, adjusted for the Abu Dhabi market, and factoring in the company's Series A funding and prominent investor backing, suggesting a competitive compensation package.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Applied AI Startup. Brain Co. operates at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, developing practical AI applications for large-scale institutional problems across sectors like government, energy, and healthcare. This implies a culture focused on innovation, rapid development, and tangible real-world impact. The company's success in securing significant funding and attracting top talent from elite tech firms underscores its ambitious trajectory.

Company Size: 40+ employees. This indicates a relatively lean, agile startup environment where individual contributions have a significant impact. Team members are likely to wear multiple hats and have direct access to leadership.

Founded: Recently founded, with a Series A funding round. This suggests a dynamic, fast-paced environment with a strong focus on growth, product-market fit, and scaling operations.

Team Structure:

• The design team, while not explicitly detailed in size, is expected to be integrated within cross-functional product teams.

• Reporting structure likely involves a Head of Product or CTO, with the Product Designer working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core tenet, with designers expected to partner closely with engineers, product managers, and potentially AI researchers. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is paramount, leveraging AI and user data to inform product development and design.

• Rapid iteration and deployment are key, with a focus on delivering value quickly and continuously improving based on real-world usage.

• Ownership and autonomy are encouraged, with individuals taking responsibility for their areas from day one.

Company Website: https://www.brain.co

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights significant achievements and backing from prominent figures in the tech industry. This suggests a culture that values high performance, innovation, and impact. The "40+ employees" size points to a collaborative, hands-on environment where each role is critical.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is for a Senior Product Designer. With 10+ years of experience and the expectation to "lead end-to-end design efforts," "experiment with new AI design tools," and "establish and evolve the design system," the individual will operate at a strategic and execution level. They are expected to not only execute high-quality design but also to influence design processes and standards within the company.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, VP of Product, or potentially the CTO, given the company's startup nature. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads within specific product teams, fostering a highly collaborative, matrixed environment common in fast-paced tech organizations.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact will be direct and significant on the company's trajectory. By shaping the user experience of complex AI-driven products for major institutions, they will directly influence customer adoption, satisfaction, and the perceived value of Brain Co.'s solutions. Successful UX and UI design are critical for translating advanced AI capabilities into usable, impactful tools, thereby driving revenue and market penetration.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Track: Potential to grow into a Lead Product Designer or Design Manager role as the company scales, overseeing a growing design team and shaping the overall design strategy.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-specific design challenges, becoming a go-to expert in this emerging field.

• Cross-Functional Development: Gain broader exposure to product strategy, AI technology, and business operations through close collaboration with other departments.

• Impactful Projects: Work on high-stakes, large-scale projects with tangible real-world impact, offering unparalleled opportunities for professional development and portfolio building.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is clearly senior, with expectations of leadership in design execution and process. The growth opportunities are framed within a startup context, emphasizing rapid career progression based on impact and ownership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. The role is based in Abu Dhabi, indicating a physical presence within the company's office. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed for in-person interaction and team synergy.

Office Location(s): Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This location places the employee within a growing tech hub in the MENA region.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect an open, dynamic office space designed to foster collaboration among product, engineering, and design teams. Proximity to colleagues will facilitate real-time feedback and brainstorming.

• Technology Focus: Access to cutting-edge design tools and potentially internal AI tools developed by Brain Co. will be standard. The environment will likely encourage experimentation with new technologies.

• Team Interaction: Regular team meetings, stand-ups, and design critiques will be part of the daily routine, promoting a strong sense of team cohesion and shared purpose.

Work Schedule: While typically 40 hours per week, the fast-paced startup environment may require flexibility to meet project deadlines and ensure timely delivery of critical features. This is common in organizations focused on rapid iteration and deployment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" requirement in Abu Dhabi implies a need for candidates willing to relocate or already based in the UAE. The description of the workspace suggests a modern, tech-centric office designed for collaboration, typical of successful startups.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by the recruiting team to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's core requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager (likely Head of Product or CTO) to discuss your experience, design philosophy, and suitability for the team and company culture.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: A dedicated session where you will present your portfolio, discussing key projects and design decisions. This may be accompanied by a take-home design challenge or an in-person whiteboard exercise focused on problem-solving and design thinking.

• Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with potential peers (engineers, product managers) to assess collaboration skills and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: Potentially with founders or senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit for the company's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your experience with complex enterprise software, AI-driven products, and end-to-end design ownership.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, challenges faced, and the quantifiable impact of your solution. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your points.

• Highlight AI/Enterprise Experience: Emphasize any projects involving AI, data-intensive applications, or complex B2B/B2G software. Detail how you navigated user needs, data visualization, and workflow optimization in these contexts.

• Demonstrate Process: Show your thinking process, including user research methods, iteration cycles, and how you’ve leveraged design systems or created new ones.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design rationale, trade-offs, collaboration methods, and how you handle ambiguous problems.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly research Brain Co. and its mission. Understand the nature of their AI applications and target users.

• Focus on Process: For design challenges, emphasize your problem-solving approach, how you gather requirements, ideate solutions, and iterate based on potential feedback. It's often more about how you think than the final pixel-perfect output.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be ready to discuss the pros and cons of different design choices and how you would prioritize features or solutions in a resource-constrained environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to evaluate both design craft and strategic thinking. The portfolio review is highlighted as a critical component, emphasizing the need for detailed case studies that demonstrate experience with complex, AI-focused enterprise solutions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Expect extensive use for creating user interfaces and interactive prototypes.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Likely used for more specialized graphic design tasks, image editing, or asset creation where its capabilities exceed Figma's.

• Prototyping Tools (Rive, Framer): Used for creating more advanced, interactive, and potentially animated prototypes that can better simulate complex user interactions or micro-interactions.

• AI Design Tools (Lovable, v0, etc.): The company is actively exploring and encouraging the use of emerging AI tools to enhance the design process. Proficiency or willingness to learn these is a significant plus.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly designers' primary tools, understanding how design impacts product analytics is crucial. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, or Mixpanel would be beneficial for interpreting user behavior data and measuring design effectiveness. CRM & Automation:

• Designers may interact with CRM data or marketing automation platforms indirectly through product requirements or user research, but direct tool proficiency is less critical than understanding the user journeys and data flows these systems manage.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on specific design tools like Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Rive, and Framer indicates a need for advanced hands-on proficiency. The explicit mention of "new AI design tools like Lovable, v0" signals that Brain Co. is at the forefront of design technology adoption and seeks designers who are curious and adaptable in this space.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on delivering tangible, real-world impact for clients and users, moving beyond theoretical applications to practical solutions.

• Speed & Agility: Operating at a rapid pace, with a culture that values quick iteration, fast decision-making, and efficient deployment of solutions.

• Curiosity & Innovation: A commitment to exploring new technologies, particularly in AI, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in product design.

• Ownership & Autonomy: Empowering individuals to take full responsibility for their work, make decisions, and drive projects forward from inception to completion.

• Collaboration: Fostering a highly collaborative environment where cross-functional teams work closely together to achieve shared goals.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work hand-in-hand with product managers and engineers throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring design is integrated early and often.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback and open dialogue within design critiques and team discussions to continuously improve solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across teams to elevate the collective understanding and capabilities within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of "speed, curiosity, and impact" are central to its culture. This suggests a dynamic, results-oriented environment where individuals are empowered to innovate and contribute significantly.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Tackling the inherent complexity of AI-driven systems and translating sophisticated technical capabilities into intuitive user experiences for enterprise and governmental clients.

• Rapid Iteration & Deployment: Adapting to a fast-paced environment that demands quick turnaround times and continuous iteration based on real-world usage and evolving AI capabilities.

• Defining New Design Paradigms: Contributing to the evolving field of AI-assisted design and user experience, which requires experimentation and a willingness to embrace new tools and methodologies.

• Balancing Innovation with Usability: Ensuring that cutting-edge AI features are not only innovative but also highly usable, accessible, and provide clear value to users.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI products, a rapidly growing and in-demand field.

• Exposure to World-Class Talent: Learn from and collaborate with a team composed of experts from leading tech companies like Tesla, Google DeepMind, NVIDIA, and Databricks.

• High-Impact Projects: Gain experience working on significant, real-world problems with global-scale deployment, offering unparalleled professional growth and portfolio building.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the future design direction and processes of a well-funded, rapidly scaling AI startup.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the innovative nature of Brain Co.'s work in applied AI and their fast-paced startup environment. The growth opportunities highlight the unique chance to pioneer design in a cutting-edge field with significant mentorship and impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design of a complex enterprise software product from concept to launch. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on end-to-end ownership, problem-solving, and stakeholder management.)

• "How would you approach designing a user interface for an AI system that needs to explain its reasoning to a non-technical user? What are the core principles you'd consider?" (Assess understanding of AI explainability, user trust, and simplification.)

• "Walk us through your process for establishing or evolving a design system. What are the critical components, and how do you ensure adoption across teams?" (Demonstrate systematic thinking, collaboration, and focus on efficiency.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Brain Co.'s mission to build applied AI solutions for major institutions?" (Showcase genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose.)

• "How do you stay current with emerging design tools and technologies, especially in the AI space?" (Highlight curiosity, continuous learning, and adaptability.)

• "Describe your ideal collaborative relationship with Product Managers and Engineers. How do you ensure alignment and effective communication?" (Assess teamwork and cross-functional collaboration skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your specific role and responsibilities, the design process you followed (research, ideation, iteration, testing), key decisions made, and the measurable impact or outcomes.

• Highlight Complexity: Emphasize projects that demonstrate your ability to handle complex data, intricate workflows, and demanding user requirements, particularly within enterprise or AI contexts.

• Showcase Your Tools: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and any prototyping tools you used. If you have experience with emerging AI design tools, be prepared to discuss it.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased user adoption, improved task completion rates, reduced error rates, cost savings).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design craft but also strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in designing AI-driven enterprise solutions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to specifically highlight projects demonstrating your experience with complex enterprise software, AI-driven products, and end-to-end design ownership. Clearly articulate your process and impact for each case study.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 10+ years of relevant experience, emphasizing key skills such as UX research, interaction design, visual design, prototyping, and proficiency with tools like Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Rive, and Framer. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare for Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of design decisions, and demonstrating your problem-solving approach. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI design tools and complex user requirements.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Brain Co.'s mission, funded projects, and the investors backing the company. Understand their focus on applied AI and their impact in various sectors. This will help you articulate your interest and align your responses with their strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.