Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: EF Education First / Hult

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-08T16:59:10

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design within a cross-functional pod, integrating AI tools into the workflow from problem framing to shipping.

• Develop exceptional digital experiences for travelers across EF World Journeys brands (Go Ahead Tours, Ultimate Break, Adventures) by reconciling user needs with business objectives.

• Drive the full product development cycle, including user research, interaction design, visual design, prototyping, data analysis, and A/B testing.

• Contribute to and extend the company's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer, indicating a need for significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to mentor junior team members. The emphasis on AI integration suggests a forward-thinking approach to design and development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Embed within a cross-functional pod (Product Manager, Software Engineers) to collaboratively design and deliver digital product features, with AI as a core component of the workflow.

• Take ownership of product design from initial problem definition through user research, solution design, prototyping (Figma, AI-assisted code), and post-launch iteration.

• Design comprehensive user experiences that cater to both user needs and business goals, ensuring measurability for business impact.

• Create inclusive and accessible designs adhering to WCAG 2.2 AA standards across all user states, including happy paths, edge cases, errors, and recovery scenarios.

• Thoughtfully apply AI tools for tasks such as research synthesis, ideation, rapid prototyping, and exploring design variations, demonstrating sound judgment on AI's role versus human-led thinking.

• Design AI-powered features that build user trust through transparency, clear communication of uncertainty, and robust error handling.

• Actively participate in the full product development lifecycle, including data analysis, writing user stories, defining success criteria, and executing A/B tests.

• Contribute to the evolution and expansion of the company's design system.

• Mentor junior designers and coach Product Managers and Engineers on user-centered design principles and methodologies.

• Effectively present design work, rationale, and outcomes to diverse audiences, from pod members to executive leadership, crafting compelling narratives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a "generalist" approach to product design, requiring proficiency across research, interaction, and visual design, rather than specialization in a single area. The expectation to "lead product design end-to-end within your pod" emphasizes a high degree of ownership and initiative.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Interaction Design, Communication Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is preferred.

Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in a Product Design or UI/UX Design role with a proven track record of end-to-end product development.

Required Skills:

• A strong portfolio showcasing shipped work with demonstrated strength across User Research, Interaction Design, and Visual Design.

• Expertise in user-centered design methodology and strong design judgment, with the ability to articulate the "why" behind design decisions.

• Demonstrated fluency in leveraging AI tools within the design workflow (e.g., for prototyping, research, ideation, code generation), coupled with a thoughtful perspective on AI's application.

• Proficiency in managing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high-quality output.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of tailoring presentations to engineering, product, and leadership audiences.

• Experience with e-commerce or transactional digital product design.

• A proactive and problem-solving attitude ("I'll figure it out" mentality).

• Familiarity with core design tools such as Figma and Miro. Preferred Skills:

• Hands-on experience conducting various research methodologies, including user interviews, A/B testing, usability testing, and other qualitative methods.

• Prior experience designing AI features specifically for end-users, beyond just using AI as a workflow tool.

• Experience working within cross-functional pods.

• Experience in the travel, hospitality, or other high-consideration purchase categories.

• Familiarity with project management and documentation tools like Jira and Confluence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio of "shipped work" indicates a preference for candidates who can demonstrate tangible impact and successful product launches. The requirement for "5+ years of professional experience" clearly defines this as a senior-level role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, demonstrating impact from problem framing to shipped solutions.

• Projects should highlight strengths across user research, interaction design, and visual design, with clear articulation of design decisions and rationale.

• Include case studies that detail the problem, your approach, the solutions, and the outcomes, preferably with quantifiable results.

• Demonstrate experience integrating AI thoughtfully into the design workflow and/or designing AI-powered features. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your process for conducting user research, including methodologies used and how insights informed design decisions.

• Provide examples of how you've translated user needs and business requirements into functional and visually appealing designs.

• Illustrate your prototyping process, including tools used and how prototypes were iterated upon.

• Detail your collaboration process with product managers and engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Include examples of how you've contributed to or extended design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description strongly emphasizes the need for a portfolio that demonstrates the candidate's ability to handle the entire product design lifecycle and their thoughtful integration of AI. This is a critical component for evaluation.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Senior Product Designer: $115,000 - $140,000 per year, based on experience.

• Product Designer (if hired at that level): $90,000 - $120,000 per year, based on experience.

Benefits:

• Commitment to professional growth with a robust monthly calendar of trainings and workshops.

• Four weeks of paid vacation in the first year, ten paid holidays, and two floating holidays.

• Exciting business travel opportunities.

• 25% company match on 401(k) contributions.

• Market-leading medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Options for life and disability insurance, accident and hospital insurance, legal and pet insurance.

• Dependent care, healthcare, and commuter Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).

• Access to fertility care and family-building support.

• Wellness benefits, including a yearly fitness reimbursement.

• Frequent social and learning events, including access to employee-run resource groups.

• Robust Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Tenure-based sabbatical eligibility.

• EF Product Discounts (travel, language schools, Au Pair program, etc.).

• Discounts at local venues and businesses.

• High-quality office spaces with the flexibility of working from home one day per week.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with a hybrid work arrangement requiring at least two days per week in the Cambridge, MA office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of two salary ranges indicates flexibility in hiring for either a Senior Product Designer or a standard Product Designer role, depending on candidate qualifications. The extensive list of benefits highlights a strong employee value proposition.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education & Travel (specifically digital product development within travel brands). EF Education First is a global leader in educational travel and cultural exchange.

Company Size: EF Education First is a large, global organization. While the specific size of the UX team or the Hult division isn't detailed, the company's overall presence suggests ample resources and opportunities.

Founded: EF Education First was founded in 1965. This long history implies stability and experience in its educational and travel offerings.

Team Structure:

• The role is embedded within a "cross-functional pod," consisting of 1 Product Designer (this role), 1 Product Manager, and 2 Software Engineers.

• This pod structure emphasizes agile development and close collaboration.

• The UX team includes this Senior Product Designer role, with expectations to mentor junior designers and collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Collaboration extends to broader teams like brand and marketing. Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-centered design, with a strong focus on understanding traveler needs, frustrations, and desires.

• Agile development practices are implied through the pod structure and participation in the full product development cycle.

• Iterative design is valued, with user research, A/B testing, and data analysis integral to the process.

• Thoughtful integration and application of AI tools within the design and development workflow.

• Commitment to accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 AA).

Company Website: https://www.ef.com/ (General EF Education First site, specific brand sites are Go Ahead Tours, Ultimate Break, Adventures)

📝 Enhancement Note: EF Education First's global presence and long history suggest a stable yet dynamic work environment. The focus on "people" as a key differentiator in their culture points to a collaborative and supportive atmosphere.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level implies significant autonomy, end-to-end ownership of design initiatives, and the expectation to mentor others. The role is critical in shaping the user experience of key digital travel products.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will work within a cross-functional pod, reporting to a design lead or manager within the UX team. Collaboration is expected with Product Managers and Engineering leads within the pod, and potentially with broader leadership for presentations.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts user satisfaction, conversion rates, and customer retention for EF's travel brands by designing intuitive and engaging digital experiences. The integration of AI aims to enhance efficiency and potentially introduce new functionalities that drive business growth and customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, user research methodologies, and contributing to/extending design systems. Opportunity to work on diverse travel products.

• Leadership Development: Mentoring junior designers, coaching PMs and engineers, and presenting to leadership offer opportunities to hone leadership and communication skills.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to Lead Product Designer, Design Manager, or specialize in UX strategy within the travel/education sector. Exposure to a large, global organization can open doors to various roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of mentoring junior designers and the senior title suggest a clear path for leadership development within the design function. The role's impact on customer experience and business metrics is a key aspect for career growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers high-quality office spaces designed to foster collaboration and productivity, with a hybrid work model.

Office Location(s): Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The role requires at least two days per week in this office.

Workspace Context:

• A hybrid work model allows for flexibility, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work.

• The office environment is described as "amazing" and designed to match the caliber of employees, suggesting a modern and engaging workspace.

• Close collaboration is expected within the cross-functional pod and with the broader UX team.

• Access to essential design tools (Figma, Miro) and an evolving AI toolset is provided.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with a hybrid arrangement requiring specific days in the office. The culture emphasizes continuous learning and innovation, suggesting a dynamic work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with specified in-office days is a key detail for candidates considering their work-life balance and preferred work settings. The emphasis on a high-quality office environment indicates investment in employee workspace.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely involves a review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you present your work, detailing your process, rationale, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your experience with AI in design, user research, and end-to-end product development.

• Pod/Team Interviews: Meetings with potential pod members (PM, Engineers) and other UX team members to assess collaborative fit and design thinking.

• Hiring Manager/Leadership Interview: A final discussion to evaluate overall fit, leadership potential, and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 strong projects that best showcase your end-to-end design capabilities, user-centered approach, and any experience with AI integration.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions (and why), challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your research methodologies, problem-solving approaches, and how you collaborated with cross-functional teams.

• Showcase AI Integration: If applicable, detail how you used AI tools in your workflow or designed AI features, explaining the benefits and any learnings.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how you approach complex problems.

• Prepare to talk about your experience with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 AA).

• Anticipate questions about how you handle ambiguity, feedback, and disagreements within a team.

• Review common design challenges in e-commerce and travel booking platforms.

• Understand how you measure the success of your designs and your experience with A/B testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description explicitly asks for a cover letter and portfolio link, making these crucial for the initial application stage. The interview process is likely to heavily scrutinize the portfolio and your ability to articulate your design process and impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: For UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

• Miro: For brainstorming, user journey mapping, and collaborative ideation.

• AI-Assisted Design & Coding Tools: Mentioned specifically, including examples like Claude and Cursor, indicating a focus on leveraging AI for research synthesis, ideation, rapid prototyping, and potentially code generation.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma is mentioned, but candidates should be prepared to discuss other prototyping methods and tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis: Candidates will be expected to access and analyze data to inform design decisions.

• A/B Testing: Experience with running and analyzing A/B tests is required for product optimization.

CRM & Automation:

• Jira: For project management and tracking user stories.

• Confluence: For documentation and knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI tools like Claude and Cursor, alongside traditional design software, highlights the company's commitment to modernizing its design workflow. Proficiency in these areas will be a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-First Approach: Prioritizing real people's needs, frustrations, and desires in the design process.

• Fearless Innovation: Embracing new technologies like AI and pushing creative boundaries.

• Continuous Learning: A commitment to professional development through trainings and workshops.

• Collaboration: Working effectively within cross-functional pods and across teams.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking initiative, owning ideas, and seeing projects through.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using data and A/B testing to validate designs and measure impact.

• Humor & Resilience: Maintaining a positive attitude and sense of humor, especially when facing complex challenges.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Pods: Working closely with Product Managers and Engineers as a cohesive unit.

• Cross-Functional Partnerships: Engaging with brand, marketing, and leadership to ensure alignment and gather diverse perspectives.

• Mentorship & Coaching: A culture that supports knowledge sharing and professional development through mentorship.

• Open Communication: Presenting design work and rationale clearly and effectively to various stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes a blend of innovation, collaboration, and a strong focus on user needs, all within a global educational context. The "people" are highlighted as a key aspect of their culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Complex Needs: Reconciling diverse user needs with intricate business requirements in a competitive travel market.

• Integrating AI Thoughtfully: Effectively leveraging AI as a tool without compromising user trust or the core thinking behind design. Designing AI features that are transparent and reliable.

• End-to-End Ownership: Managing the entire design process from conception to launch, including research, design, and iteration, often within tight timelines.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent vision and execution across product, engineering, and other departments.

• Design System Evolution: Contributing to and maintaining a scalable design system across multiple brands.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design: Gaining hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI tools and their application in product design and development.

• Travel Industry Insights: Deepening understanding of the travel and hospitality sector, customer journeys, and high-consideration purchase behaviors.

• Leadership Skills: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and influence product strategy through presentations and collaboration.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Working closely with Product Managers and Engineers to gain a holistic understanding of product development.

• Accessibility Standards: Developing expertise in WCAG 2.2 AA compliance and inclusive design practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior design roles in fast-paced tech environments, with a particular emphasis on the novel aspect of AI integration. The growth opportunities are well-aligned with advancing a career in product design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for tackling a vague problem and turning it into a sharp design solution. How would you involve AI in this process?" (Focus on problem framing, research, AI's role in ideation/synthesis.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives? Provide an example from your portfolio where you had to reconcile competing priorities." (Highlight your user-centered methodology and ability to justify decisions.)

• "Walk us through a project where you designed an AI-powered feature or integrated AI into your design workflow. What were the challenges, and how did you address them, especially regarding user trust?" (Demonstrate practical AI experience and thoughtful consideration of its implications.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about EF Education First and the travel industry? How does your design philosophy align with our focus on user experience and innovation?" (Research EF's mission, brands, and values.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within a cross-functional pod? Describe your experience working with Product Managers and Engineers." (Emphasize your communication skills and team-player attitude.)

• "How do you ensure your designs are accessible (WCAG 2.2 AA)? Can you give an example of how you've incorporated accessibility from the start?" (Showcase your commitment to inclusive design.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically: introduction to the problem, your role, the design process (research, ideation, iteration), key solutions, and impact/outcomes.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story for each case study. Focus on your decision-making process and the "why" behind your choices.

• AI Integration: Clearly articulate where and how AI was used in your workflow, what the benefits were, and what you learned. If you designed AI features, explain the user benefits and trust considerations.

• Metrics: Quantify your impact whenever possible (e.g., conversion rate improvements, user satisfaction scores, task completion times).

• Engagement: Be prepared for in-depth questions from the interviewers and engage in a collaborative discussion.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation points directly address the key requirements and responsibilities outlined in the job description, especially the emphasis on AI integration, end-to-end ownership, and a strong portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Oracle Cloud platform.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of end-to-end product design experience, specific achievements in user research, interaction design, visual design, and any AI integration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Clearly state your interest in EF Education First and the Senior Product Designer role. Briefly touch upon your relevant experience, particularly your approach to AI in design and your passion for user-centered experiences in the travel sector.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is polished, showcases relevant projects with detailed case studies, and is easily accessible via the provided link. Pay close attention to demonstrating your end-to-end process and AI proficiency.

• Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with EF Education First, its various travel brands (Go Ahead Tours, Ultimate Break, Adventures), and its mission. Understand their digital presence and target audience.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions based on the provided information. Details regarding salary, benefits, and specific interview processes should be verified directly with EF Education First.