Product Designer (m/f/x)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (m/f/x)

Company: UP42 GmbH

Location: Berlin, Germany

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-23

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product design for complex, data-rich interfaces within a dedicated product team, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Take ownership of design projects from ideation through to delivery, proactively identifying and solving design challenges.

• Contribute to and maintain a robust design system, proposing and building new components to enhance its functionality and consistency.

• Utilize user research, product data, and user feedback to inform design decisions and ensure a user-centered approach.

• Design for intricate data sets, long-running processes, and complex workflows, ensuring edge cases are as well-handled as primary user paths.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes ownership and deep engagement within a specific product area rather than broad platform design, indicating a focus on specialized expertise and impact within a complex, data-intensive domain. The company's domain in geospatial data processing suggests a need for designers adept at handling dense information and scientific/technical workflows.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with Product Managers and Engineers to conceptualize, design, and deliver innovative product features.

• Lead the design process for assigned product areas, from initial problem definition and user research to high-fidelity mockups and final implementation.

• Conduct user research, including customer conversations, usability testing, and analysis of support tickets and product data, to gather insights and validate design decisions.

• Develop and refine user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs for complex data-driven applications.

• Actively contribute to the company's design system by proposing, designing, and implementing new components and patterns.

• Scope design features, break down complex tasks into manageable pieces, and provide realistic time estimations, proactively flagging potential delays with alternative plans.

• Collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams, sharing work, soliciting feedback, and iterating on designs to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Identify and act upon opportunities for improvement within your product area, demonstrating initiative and a proactive approach to design evolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for proactive problem-solving and ownership, moving beyond just reporting issues to proposing solutions and taking initiative in scoping and planning. The emphasis on "design for complexity" and "data-rich interfaces" suggests a deep dive into technical and data-heavy B2B product design challenges.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant experience and skills is paramount. A background in Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Computer Science, or a related field is often beneficial for understanding complex technical domains.

Experience: Minimum of 2-5 years of experience in product design, with a proven track record of delivering end-to-end design work within cross-functional teams.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in end-to-end product design delivery within cross-functional teams.

• Strong interaction (IxD) and visual/UI design skills, with a demonstrated ability to simplify complex data and workflows.

• Advanced proficiency in Figma and a solid understanding of how to build and maintain design systems, including component structure, behavior, and rules.

• Experience leveraging research and product evidence (usability tests, customer conversations, support tickets, product data) to inform design decisions.

• Ability to differentiate between known facts and assumptions, clearly articulating both.

• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to make progress in incomplete information scenarios, adapting designs based on new learnings.

• Skill in scoping personal work, estimating timelines, and communicating honestly about progress and potential delays.

• Collaborative, feedback-driven, and proactive in identifying and addressing problems.

• Fluent in English. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for geospatial, enterprise, or data-heavy B2B products.

• Background in UX research, data visualization, or complex workflow design.

• Knowledge of accessibility (WCAG) and inclusive design principles.

• Experience with interactive prototyping tools and techniques.

• Awareness of current AI tools and their potential application in UX processes to enhance user outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical application and a proactive, self-managing approach. The specific mention of contributing to the design system, rather than just using it, indicates a need for a designer who understands the underlying principles of component design and system architecture.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design projects that demonstrate your involvement from initial concept to final delivery.

• Include case studies that detail your process for tackling complex, data-rich interfaces and intricate workflows.

• Highlight your contributions to design systems, including examples of components you designed or helped implement.

• Present clear evidence of how you used user research, data analysis, and feedback to drive design decisions and iterations.

• Demonstrate your ability to scope projects, manage timelines, and communicate design progress and challenges effectively.

• Provide examples of how you've handled ambiguity and adapted your designs based on new information. Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate the research methodologies used (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, data analysis) and the insights gained.

• Detail the design process, including wireframing, prototyping, and visual design stages, with rationale for key decisions.

• Explain how you collaborated with product managers and engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Illustrate the contribution to or interaction with a design system, showcasing component design and adherence to system guidelines.

• Document the impact of your design solutions, ideally with quantitative metrics demonstrating improvements in user experience or business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on data-rich interfaces and complex workflows, the portfolio should heavily feature examples that illustrate the designer's ability to bring order and clarity to dense information and multi-step processes. Contributions to design systems are also a key requirement, suggesting a need to showcase understanding of scalability and maintainability in design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a mid-level Product Designer in Berlin, Germany, with 2-5 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is €55,000 - €75,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the final negotiation.

Benefits:

• Hybrid working model, offering flexibility between remote and office work.

• Wellbeing initiatives to support employee health and mental wellness.

• Sponsored fitness subscriptions to encourage an active lifestyle.

• Educational budget for personal development, training, and skill enhancement.

• Public transportation discount for commuting.

• Regular team events to foster camaraderie and team building.

• Global company parties held twice a year for broader employee engagement.

• Opportunity to work remotely from a global location of choice for up to 90 days per year.

Working Hours: Full-time, with a hybrid work model that allows for flexibility. The standard working hours are likely around 40 hours per week, common in Germany.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical compensation for similar roles in Berlin, Germany, considering the specified experience level and the nature of the company (tech startup/scale-up). The benefits package is comprehensive, with a notable emphasis on flexibility (hybrid work, global remote days) and professional development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Geospatial Data / Software as a Service (SaaS). UP42 operates in the rapidly evolving field of Earth observation data, providing a platform for accessing, processing, and analyzing this data. This industry demands innovation, precision, and a deep understanding of complex data relationships.

Company Size: UP42, as part of Neo Space Group, likely operates as a significant entity within a larger corporate structure. The specific size of the UP42 team itself would be smaller, fostering a dynamic startup-like environment within a more established framework. This blend can offer both agility and stability.

Founded: Founded in 2019, UP42 is a relatively young company, meaning its culture is likely still evolving and adaptable, with a strong emphasis on innovation and disruption. Its recent integration into Neo Space Group (July 2025) suggests a phase of growth and strategic expansion.

Team Structure:

• The Design Team is likely structured to support multiple product teams, with designers embedded within these cross-functional units.

• Designers will report to a Design Lead or Head of Design, who oversees the design system and overall design strategy.

• Collaboration will be high with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially User Researchers and Data Scientists. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using evidence from user research, product analytics, and customer feedback to inform design decisions.

• Iterative Development: A continuous cycle of designing, testing, and refining based on feedback and new insights.

• Design System Centric: Commitment to building and maintaining a cohesive design system for consistency and efficiency across the platform.

• Agile Workflows: Likely operating within agile or similar iterative development frameworks, requiring designers to be adaptable and responsive.

Company Website: [UP42 Company Website URL - to be inserted if available, otherwise assume up42.com]

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of startup agility and a structured approach, driven by innovation in a complex technical domain. The emphasis on data and evidence in decision-making is a hallmark of effective operations and product development in tech.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer, requiring independent contribution and ownership within a specific product area. It's a step beyond junior roles, demanding proactive problem-solving, system contribution, and strong collaboration skills.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will be part of a cross-functional product team and will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Design, who provides guidance on design strategy, system standards, and career development.

Operations Impact: Product Designers at UP42 have a direct impact on the usability and effectiveness of a sophisticated platform for Earth observation data. Their work influences how users access, process, and analyze critical geospatial information, directly affecting customer satisfaction, data adoption rates, and the company's ability to disrupt the industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for complex data, geospatial domains, or enterprise B2B products.

• Design System Leadership: Progress to a more senior role in managing and evolving the design system, potentially becoming a Design System Lead.

• Cross-functional Influence: Develop skills in influencing product strategy and roadmap through strong design advocacy and data-driven insights.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers as the team grows.

• Broader Impact: Potentially move into Product Management or UX Research roles with demonstrated success and interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for this role emphasizes specialization in a niche but high-impact field, along with opportunities to contribute to the foundational elements of the product's design infrastructure (the design system). This positions the role for significant career development within a specialized tech domain.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Berlin, Germany, with a hybrid working model. This implies a modern office space designed for collaboration, potentially featuring open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and quiet zones. The office is likely situated in a vibrant area like Kreuzberg, known for its creative and tech scene.

Office Location(s): Berlin, Germany. The office is described as being in the "heart of Kreuzberg," a well-connected and desirable location.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment is designed to facilitate interaction and collaboration between product teams, including designers, PMs, and engineers.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary design tools (Figma), collaboration platforms, and potentially high-performance workstations.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for spontaneous discussions, design critiques, and team-building activities, balancing focused individual work with collective problem-solving.

Work Schedule: Full-time with a hybrid arrangement, allowing for flexibility. Employees can choose to work from home or in the office. The company also allows up to 90 days of remote work from a global location per year, offering significant flexibility for those who value location independence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and global remote work option are significant aspects of the work environment, catering to a modern workforce that values flexibility. The emphasis on collaboration within the office suggests that in-person time will be used strategically for team-based activities and problem-solving.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit resume and portfolio link.

• Initial Screening: Review of application and portfolio for relevant experience and skills.

• Hiring Manager/Design Lead Interview: Discussion about your background, design philosophy, and approach to complex problems. This is where you'll present your portfolio and discuss specific case studies.

• Cross-functional Team Interview: Conversation with a Product Manager and/or Engineer to assess collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and understanding of technical constraints.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: Potentially a take-home assignment or a live exercise focusing on a specific design problem relevant to UP42's domain.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership or a broader team discussion to assess cultural fit and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Showcase 2-4 of your strongest projects that best align with the job description, particularly those involving complex data, workflows, or B2B products.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Design System Contributions: If applicable, demonstrate your understanding and contribution to design systems. Show how you ensured consistency and scalability.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics or evidence of how your designs improved user experience, efficiency, or business goals.

• Address Complexity: Explicitly demonstrate how you approach designing for complex, data-rich interfaces and intricate workflows.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to answer in-depth questions about your design decisions, trade-offs, and your approach to user research and collaboration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research UP42's business, its users, and the geospatial data industry. Think about the unique challenges of designing for this space.

• Focus on Process: For any challenge, emphasize your thought process, how you'd gather information, and how you'd approach problem-solving, rather than just presenting a polished final solution immediately.

• Simulate Collaboration: If it's a live exercise, think about how you would interact with hypothetical stakeholders (PM, Engineer).

• Time Management: Practice completing design exercises within a set timeframe, focusing on delivering a well-reasoned approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess not only design skills but also problem-solving abilities, collaborative potential, and domain understanding. The portfolio review is a critical step, requiring candidates to demonstrate their capacity for handling complex, data-intensive design challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Strong proficiency is a must, including mastery of components, variants, auto layout, and collaborative features.

• Design System Tools: Proficiency with tools and methodologies for building, maintaining, and contributing to design systems. This includes understanding component libraries and style guides.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Experience with tools like Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics, or similar platforms to understand user behavior and product usage data. This informs design decisions and post-launch analysis.

• Data Visualization Libraries/Tools: Familiarity with how data is visualized and potentially experience with tools or libraries that facilitate this (e.g., D3.js concepts, Tableau, Power BI for understanding).

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Experience with tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for tracking design tasks, bug reporting, and workflow management within agile teams.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting usability testing, surveys, and user interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary focus is on Figma and design system expertise. Beyond that, familiarity with analytics and research tools is crucial for a data-driven design approach. The mention of AI tools as a bonus suggests an openness to integrating newer technologies into the workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong emphasis on using evidence, research, and analytics to guide design choices, ensuring solutions are user-validated and effective.

• Ownership and Proactivity: Encouraging team members to take initiative, propose solutions to problems, and drive projects forward without constant oversight.

• Collaboration and Transparency: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work closely together, share feedback openly, and communicate progress and challenges transparently.

• Quality and Craftsmanship: A commitment to high standards in design execution, from interaction details to visual polish, with a particular focus on handling complexity gracefully.

• Continuous Learning: Encouraging curiosity and a proactive approach to learning new tools, methodologies, and understanding the evolving geospatial domain.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded Design: Designers are integrated into product teams, working daily alongside PMs and engineers.

• Feedback Loops: Short, iterative feedback loops are encouraged, with regular design reviews and open communication channels.

• Shared Ownership: A culture where product success is a shared responsibility across all functions, with designers playing a key role in shaping the product strategy.

• Knowledge Sharing: Team members are expected to share insights, best practices, and learnings to elevate the collective skill set.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture values a proactive, data-informed, and collaborative approach to product development. The emphasis on "ownership" and "proactivity" aligns well with the operational needs of a growing tech company, where individuals are expected to contribute beyond their immediate task list.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Effectively visualizing and interacting with dense geospatial data, complex analytical processes, and long-running workflows requires innovative