Senior Product Designer (6-month Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer (6-month Contract)

Company: Bounce

Location: Portugal / European Union (Remote)

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-03

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (6+ years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote within Portugal/EU

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end product design lifecycle for Bounce's consumer-facing web and mobile applications, from initial discovery and ideation through to final UI delivery.

• Drive user-centric design solutions by conducting in-depth user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to identify pain points and opportunities.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers and Engineers, to translate business requirements and technical constraints into intuitive and effective user experiences.

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of Bounce's design system, ensuring brand consistency and scalability across all product surfaces.

• Utilize advanced design tools, including Figma and emerging AI technologies, to prototype, communicate, and validate design decisions effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 6-month contract position with the possibility of extension, requiring significant overlap with Lisbon hours. The focus is on contributing to the consumer product side, emphasizing UX thinking and rapid iteration within a fast-paced startup environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Design Ownership: Take ownership of the full design process for new features and product improvements, from user research and concept development to high-fidelity prototyping and final UI specifications.

• User Experience Enhancement: Deeply understand user needs and behaviors through qualitative and quantitative research methods, translating insights into intuitive and engaging user flows for both web and mobile platforms.

• Design System Contribution: Actively participate in extending and maintaining the established design system, ensuring adherence to style guides, component libraries, and accessibility standards to promote consistency and efficiency.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with Product Managers to define product strategy, scope, and success metrics, and collaborate closely with Engineers to ensure design feasibility and seamless implementation.

• Design Communication & Validation: Clearly articulate design rationale, present work to stakeholders, and participate in design critiques to gather feedback and iterate rapidly on design solutions.

• Tool Proficiency & Innovation: Leverage Figma for all design tasks, and explore the integration of AI tools to enhance design workflows, accelerate ideation, and improve design outcomes.

• Competitive Analysis & Market Awareness: Conduct ongoing competitive research to identify industry best practices and innovative design solutions that can be applied to Bounce's product offerings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can operate autonomously within a pod structure, taking initiative in research, design, and collaboration. The emphasis on "asking questions, challenging assumptions" suggests a proactive and critical approach is valued over simple task execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific degree mentioned, but a strong portfolio demonstrating practical application of design principles is paramount.

Experience: 6+ years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of designing and shipping consumer-facing digital products.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of the product design lifecycle, from discovery and user research to UI design and final delivery.

• UX/UI Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to create intuitive user experiences and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces across web and mobile platforms.

• Figma Mastery: Solid working knowledge and extensive experience using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.

• User Research & Testing: Experience conducting user interviews, usability testing, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to inform design decisions.

• Design System Acumen: Ability to contribute to, maintain, and extend design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Effective Communication: Clear, concise, and jargon-free communication skills, capable of articulating design decisions and rationale to diverse audiences.

• Feedback Agility: Proven ability to receive, interpret, and act on feedback constructively and efficiently.

• User-Centered Design Philosophy: A deep-seated commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user throughout the design process.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to design, ensuring pixel-perfect execution and a high standard of quality.

Preferred Skills:

• AI Tool Integration: Familiarity with or experience using AI tools to augment design workflows.

• Consumer Marketplace Experience: Prior experience designing for marketplace platforms or travel-related technology.

• Agile Development Environment: Experience working within agile or cross-functional pods.

• Prototyping Skills: Advanced prototyping capabilities beyond basic Figma functionality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio demonstrating "UX thinking - not just polished visuals" is a critical requirement. Candidates should be prepared to showcase their problem-solving process, research methodologies, and how they translated user needs into tangible design solutions. This suggests a higher value placed on strategic thinking and problem-solving than just visual execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• UX Problem-Solving: Showcase case studies that clearly articulate a design problem, the research undertaken, the proposed solution, and the impact of that solution.

• Design Process Documentation: Detail your design process, including user research methodologies, ideation techniques, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.

• Visual Design Execution: Present high-fidelity mockups and UI designs that demonstrate strong aesthetic sensibility, attention to detail, and brand consistency.

• Figma Proficiency: Include examples of work created in Figma, highlighting complex layouts, interactive prototypes, or design system components.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: If possible, illustrate instances where you collaborated with product managers and engineers, explaining how you navigated constraints and feedback.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey Mapping: Examples of user journey maps or flow diagrams that illustrate user interactions and identify key touchpoints and pain points.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Clear examples of wireframes and interactive prototypes that demonstrate the evolution of a design concept.

• Usability Testing Reports: Summaries or key findings from usability tests, demonstrating how user feedback influenced design iterations.

• Design System Contributions: If applicable, examples of components or guidelines contributed to a design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio that "demonstrates UX thinking - not just polished visuals" means candidates must go beyond showcasing final screens. They need to present their strategic approach to problem-solving, the research that informed their decisions, and the measurable impact of their designs. This requires a narrative that details the "why" behind the design choices.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a contract role for a 6-month engagement, specific salary ranges are typically negotiated based on experience, skill set, and market rates for contract positions in Portugal/EU. Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers with 6+ years of experience in a remote European setting, a competitive hourly or daily rate would be expected. For estimation purposes, a gross hourly rate in the range of €40-€70 (or equivalent in USD for remote candidates outside the EU if applicable for specific tax/payment structures) might be considered, translating to an approximate annual equivalent of €80,000 - €140,000 if extended.

Benefits:

• Contract Engagement Flexibility: Opportunity to work on a defined project with clear deliverables.

• Remote Work: Fully remote position within Portugal or the EU, offering flexibility and work-life balance.

• Impactful Work: Contribute to a fast-growing travel tech company with a significant user base and global presence.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Work within a dynamic, cross-functional pod structure.

• Potential for Extension: Possibility of extending the contract based on project evolution and performance.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with a requirement for significant overlap with Lisbon hours (GMT/WET, GMT+1 during BST). This typically means aligning with core business hours, likely from 9 AM to 5 PM or 10 AM to 6 PM Lisbon time, to facilitate real-time collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on typical contract rates for senior-level design roles in Western Europe, factoring in remote work and the specific duration of the contract. Actual compensation will be determined by Bounce based on the candidate's qualifications and negotiation. The "significant overlap with our Lisbon hours" is a critical constraint for remote candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Travel Technology / Marketplace. Bounce operates in the burgeoning travel tech sector, leveraging a marketplace model to connect travelers with local businesses for luggage storage. This industry demands innovation, scalability, and a focus on user convenience.

Company Size: Bounce is a fast-paced, scrappy startup that has experienced significant growth, indicated by its Inc5000 ranking and Series B funding. This implies a dynamic environment where individuals can make a tangible impact.

Founded: Founded with a vision to make the world lighter and more accessible, Bounce has rapidly scaled its operations globally. Its founding principles likely revolve around innovation, user-centricity, and efficient global expansion.

Team Structure:

• Cross-Functional Pods: Designers are embedded within cross-functional pods, working alongside Product Managers and Engineers. This structure promotes close collaboration and agile development.

• Mentorship: Senior designers provide mentorship, offering guidance and support to designers on the team.

• Design Team: Designers collaborate within a dedicated design team, fostering a community of practice for sharing knowledge and feedback.

Methodology:

• Experimentation-Driven: Bounce emphasizes "experimentation fuels innovation," suggesting a culture of rapid testing, iteration, and data-informed decision-making.

• Agile Development: The pod structure and emphasis on quick adaptation point towards agile methodologies being central to the development process.

• Data-Informed Design: The role requires understanding quantitative and qualitative data to identify user pain points and measure design impact, indicating a data-driven approach.

Company Website: https://bounce.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as "fast-paced and scrappy," valuing "experimentation," "moving quickly," and "adapting in real time." This means candidates should be comfortable with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and a high level of autonomy within their roles. The focus on "making an impact" is central to their ethos.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior Product Designer level, requiring significant experience (6+ years) and the ability to lead design initiatives independently within a pod. It's a contract role, so direct career progression within Bounce might be limited to contract extensions or potential full-time opportunities if they arise, rather than a traditional linear career path.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will be embedded in a cross-functional pod, reporting functionally to design leadership (likely a Head of Design or Lead Designer for mentorship and design standards) and operationally within their pod to a Product Manager.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct impact on the user experience of Bounce's consumer-facing products, influencing user acquisition, engagement, and satisfaction. Their work will contribute to the overall growth and success of the platform, particularly in enhancing the core luggage storage marketplace functionality.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development in Fast-Paced Environment: Gain experience in a high-growth startup, honing rapid iteration and problem-solving skills.

• Exposure to Emerging Technologies: Opportunity to work with Figma and explore AI tools within a practical product context.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop strong collaboration and communication skills by working closely with Product and Engineering teams.

• Design System Enhancement: Contribute to the growth and refinement of a scalable design system.

• Potential for Future Opportunities: Successful contractors may be considered for future contract extensions or full-time roles if openings arise and performance is exceptional.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given this is a contract role, "growth" is more about skill acquisition, portfolio enhancement, and gaining experience in a specific industry/company type rather than traditional internal advancement. The emphasis is on the immediate impact and the learning opportunities within the 6-month engagement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote position, allowing designers to work from their preferred location within Portugal or the European Union.

Office Location(s): While remote, significant overlap with Lisbon hours (GMT/WET) is required. This suggests a distributed team with a strong emphasis on synchronous communication during core European business hours.

Workspace Context:

• Distributed Collaboration: The work environment is primarily digital, relying on collaboration tools like Figma, Slack, and video conferencing for communication and teamwork.

• Agile Pod Structure: Designers will work closely with small, dedicated cross-functional teams (pods), fostering a sense of shared ownership and rapid iteration.

• Autonomous Work: While collaboration is key, the role requires a high degree of self-management and the ability to work independently on design tasks.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma) and potentially AI design tools is expected.

Work Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week, with a requirement for significant overlap with Lisbon business hours. This ensures effective real-time collaboration with team members across different time zones within Europe.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "significant overlap with our Lisbon hours" is a critical detail for remote candidates. It implies a need for availability during a specific window of the European workday to facilitate meetings, design critiques, and real-time problem-solving with the core team.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess fit for the role requirements.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: A session with a senior designer or design lead to discuss your portfolio, focusing on your UX thinking, design process, and problem-solving skills. Expect to walk through case studies.

• Cross-Functional Interview: A conversation with a Product Manager and/or Engineer from your potential pod to assess collaboration style, communication, and understanding of technical constraints.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A final discussion, potentially with the Head of Design or a key stakeholder, to evaluate overall fit, cultural alignment, and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on UX Thinking: Clearly articulate the problem you were solving, the research conducted, your design rationale, and the outcome/impact of your work. Use data where possible.

• Showcase Your Process: Detail your methodology – how you approach user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing. Visual aids like flow diagrams and user journey maps are helpful.

• Highlight Figma Proficiency: Demonstrate your skills with Figma, including complex layouts, interactive prototypes, and potentially design system contributions.

• Be Concise and Clear: Present your work without jargon. Explain your decisions logically and efficiently.

• Tailor to Bounce: Briefly explain why you're interested in Bounce and how your skills align with their mission and product.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise focused on a specific product problem relevant to Bounce's business. This will likely test your ability to apply UX principles, ideate quickly, and articulate your solutions.

• Problem Framing: Practice identifying the core problem and defining success metrics for a given design brief.

• Solution Articulation: Be ready to present your proposed solution, justifying your design choices based on user needs and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio for evidence of strategic UX thinking and a robust design process, not just aesthetic execution. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design decisions with data and user insights, and demonstrate their ability to collaborate effectively within a fast-paced, agile environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.

• AI Tools: Mentioned as a tool to "communicate and validate design decisions," suggesting an openness to integrating AI into workflows for ideation, asset generation, or analysis. Specific tools are not named but exploration is encouraged.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Quantitative and Qualitative Data: The role requires understanding and using data to grasp user behavior and pain points. This implies familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, Hotjar) used to track user interactions and gather feedback.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how designs integrate with the backend and user management systems (potentially involving CRM data or automated workflows) can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma as a requirement and AI tools as an area for exploration indicates the company's commitment to modern design practices. Candidates should be comfortable with these tools and eager to experiment with new technologies that enhance design productivity and effectiveness.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on making a tangible impact on users and the business, as evidenced by the company's growth and mission.

• Experimentation & Innovation: A culture that encourages trying new things, learning from failures, and adapting quickly.

• User-Centricity: Prioritizing the needs and experiences of the end-user in all design and product decisions.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Working closely within cross-functional pods and sharing work openly for feedback.

• Speed & Agility: Moving fast, testing ideas, and adapting in real-time to market dynamics.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Pods: Designers work intimately with Product Managers and Engineers, fostering a highly integrated and collaborative approach to product development.

• Design Jam Sessions: Opportunities to present work and receive constructive feedback from peers and leadership.

• Open Communication: Encouragement to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and articulate design rationale clearly.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that values constructive criticism and uses it to rapidly improve designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core values revolve around rapid iteration, user focus, and a proactive, experimental approach. Candidates who thrive in dynamic, collaborative environments and are comfortable challenging the status quo while respecting team dynamics will be well-suited.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Fast-Paced Environment: The need to move quickly, iterate rapidly, and adapt to changing priorities can be demanding.

• Contract Duration: Working on a 6-month contract requires delivering impactful results within a defined timeframe.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Effectively translating user desires into feasible solutions within engineering limitations.

• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive user experience across web and mobile platforms while contributing to a growing design system.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Accelerated Learning Curve: Rapidly gain experience in a high-growth startup, enhancing skills in product strategy, user research, and rapid prototyping.

• Exposure to AI in Design: Opportunity to explore and integrate AI tools into practical design workflows.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Deepen collaboration skills and understanding of product development processes by working closely with Product and Engineering.

• Portfolio Enhancement: The contract provides a significant project to add to your professional portfolio, showcasing impact and diverse design challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is adapting to the startup's pace and delivering significant value within the contract period. Growth opportunities are geared towards practical skill enhancement and portfolio building in a dynamic tech environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach understanding the core user needs for a travel luggage storage app?" (Focus on research methods, user segmentation).

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting feedback from Product and Engineering. How did you resolve it?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, problem-solving).

• "If you were tasked with designing a new feature for Bounce, what would be your first steps and how would you validate your design?" (Focus on process, validation, user-centricity). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working for Bounce, and what excites you about our mission?" (Research Bounce's mission, market position, and growth).

• "How do you approach receiving and giving feedback within a design team?" (Align with Bounce's collaborative and feedback-oriented culture).

• "Describe a challenging UX problem you solved and the impact it had." (Prepare a concise case study demonstrating problem-solving and results). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solution, and the outcome/impact.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them back to user needs and business goals.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your process and final designs.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Expect questions about specific design choices, technical constraints, and alternative solutions you considered.

• Highlight Figma & AI: Be prepared to discuss your proficiency with Figma and any experience or interest in using AI tools in your workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of UX principles, a structured and iterative design process, excellent communication skills, and adaptability to a fast-paced startup environment. Candidates must be ready to articulate their thought process and the impact of their work.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the application link provided on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio clearly highlights 2-3 robust case studies demonstrating your UX thinking, design process, and proficiency with Figma. Tailor the presentation to emphasize your experience with consumer products and your ability to work within a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly showcase your 6+ years of product design experience, focusing on achievements and quantifiable results where possible. Use keywords like "Product Design," "UX/UI," "Figma," "User Research," "Design Systems," and "Cross-functional Collaboration."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and decisions concisely. Be ready to discuss your approach to user research, problem-solving, and collaboration, referencing specific examples from your portfolio.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Bounce's mission, product, and recent news (e.g., funding rounds, expansion). Understand their market position and target users to demonstrate genuine interest and alignment with their 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.