Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Podium

Location: Lehi, Utah, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-18

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design innovative AI-powered products that empower local businesses to automate conversations and drive revenue growth.

• Define and establish new interaction paradigms for human-AI collaboration in enterprise software.

• Lead customer research initiatives to deeply understand user needs and translate insights into product strategy and design solutions.

• Drive product vision and execution through close collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, and Go-To-Market teams.

• Uphold and elevate design craft and standards across the product surface, ensuring deeply complex systems feel simple to users.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is focused on pioneering the next generation of user experiences for AI Employees in the local business sector. The emphasis on creating new interaction patterns and the requirement for coding-based prototyping suggest a highly technical and innovative design environment. The role requires a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution, with a strong emphasis on customer-centric problem-solving within the enterprise AI space.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and prototype user interfaces and interaction flows for complex AI-driven enterprise software, focusing on simplicity and intuitiveness for end-users.

• Conduct and lead user research, including on-site visits and observational studies, to gather actionable insights that inform product strategy and design decisions.

• Define and document new interaction paradigms and design patterns for human-AI collaboration, setting the standard for future product development.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineers to translate user needs and business requirements into elegant, scalable design solutions.

• Champion design best practices and elevate the overall design quality across the product suite, acting as a design leader and mentor.

• Utilize code-based prototyping (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code) as a primary method for testing and validating design concepts.

• Design across multiple product surfaces and mediums, ensuring a consistent and cohesive user experience.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of AI product development by identifying unmet user needs and market opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a proactive approach to design leadership, emphasizing the creation of novel interaction models and direct customer engagement. The expectation to prototype in code and design across various surfaces indicates a need for a versatile and technically adept designer.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 6+ years of professional experience designing complex software products, particularly those involving powerful underlying technology that must present a simple user experience, with a strong focus on enterprise or B2B SaaS environments.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: Proven ability to design end-to-end user experiences for complex software applications.

• UX Design & Interaction Design: Expertise in creating intuitive and effective user interfaces and interaction models, with a focus on simplifying complex systems.

• User Research: Demonstrated ability to conduct independent user research, analyze findings, and translate them into product strategy and design direction.

• Prototyping (Code-Based): Proficiency in creating functional prototypes using code (e.g., familiarity with tools like Cursor, Claude Code, or similar development environments).

• System Design Thinking: Ability to understand and design for complex, interconnected systems and their user implications.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong experience partnering effectively with Product Management, Engineering, and Go-To-Market teams to drive product initiatives.

• Customer Empathy: Deep commitment to understanding and advocating for customer needs and workflows.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for AI-powered products or complex enterprise software.

• Familiarity with SaaS platforms and the challenges of scaling user experiences.

• A portfolio showcasing the invention of new interaction paradigms or design patterns.

• Experience designing across multiple platforms and device types.

• Understanding of software development principles and ability to communicate effectively with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on coding prototypes and inventing interaction paradigms suggests a preference for candidates who are not only skilled designers but also possess a builder mentality and a deep understanding of technical feasibility. The "CS degree or equivalent builder experience" points to a pragmatic approach to design that values practical application and technical grounding.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least 2-3 complex design projects that demonstrate end-to-end product design ownership, from initial research to shipped product.

• Highlight projects where you defined or significantly influenced interaction paradigms, especially for novel or complex systems.

• Include case studies with a clear problem statement, your design process, user research insights, and the measurable impact of your solutions.

• Demonstrate your ability to simplify complex enterprise software for diverse user groups.

• Include examples of code-based prototypes or a clear explanation of your approach to prototyping in code. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to conducting user research, including methodologies, participant recruitment, and synthesis of findings.

• Explain your process for ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing, emphasizing how you iterate based on feedback.

• Illustrate how you collaborate with cross-functional teams (PM, Engineering) throughout the design lifecycle.

• Provide examples of how you have driven product strategy and direction based on customer insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio should strongly emphasize the candidate's ability to innovate in design, particularly in creating new interaction patterns for complex systems. The requirement for code-based prototyping and direct customer research findings will be critical components to showcase.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Senior Product Designer title, 6+ years of experience, and location in Lehi, Utah, a competitive salary range is estimated between $130,000 - $180,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in tech companies, considering the cost of living in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area and the specialized skills required for AI product design.

Benefits:

• Open and transparent company culture.

• Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits.

• Financial security: Life insurance, Long-term Disability Coverage, Short-term Disability Coverage, and a 401k Plan.

• Family support: Paid Maternity Leave, Paid Paternity Leave, and Fertility Benefits.

• Work-life balance: Generous vacation time, complemented by three 4-day summer holiday weekends.

• Employee perks: Bi-annual swag drops with Podium merchandise, a well-equipped HQ gym with professional coaching, and a subsidized onsite HQ childcare center.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate project needs and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on publicly available data for similar roles in the specified region and experience level. Actual compensation may vary based on individual qualifications, interview performance, and the company's compensation structure. The benefits package is extensive, reflecting a company that invests in employee well-being and work-life integration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Artificial Intelligence / SaaS for Local Businesses. Podium operates at the intersection of AI, customer communication, and local business operations, aiming to revolutionize how small and medium-sized businesses engage with their customers. The company's focus on AI Employees and driving revenue for local businesses positions it as a leader in a rapidly evolving market.

Company Size: Podium is a high-growth tech company, evidenced by its rapid ARR growth and deployment of AI employees. While not explicitly stated in the provided text, companies experiencing such rapid scaling often range from several hundred to over a thousand employees. This size suggests a dynamic, fast-paced environment with significant opportunities for impact and career progression.

Founded: Podium was founded to bring AI-powered solutions to local businesses. Its rapid growth and recognition by publications like Inc. Magazine and G2 highlight its success and innovation in the AI and SaaS space. The company's operating principles are a core part of its culture, guiding daily behavior and hiring decisions.

Team Structure:

• The design team is part of a product development organization that includes Product Management and Engineering.

• This specific role is a design lead position, implying a senior individual contributor who may mentor junior designers or set direction for a pod.

• Collaboration is highly cross-functional, with direct partnerships between design, PM, and engineering on complex problems.

• The emphasis on "driving alignment without needing a defined process" suggests a culture that values initiative, clear communication, and proactive problem-solving. Methodology:

• AI-Driven Innovation: Podium is at the forefront of developing and deploying AI Employees, focusing on tangible business outcomes like revenue generation and customer conversion.

• Customer-Centric Design: A strong emphasis on "leading with customers" means design decisions are heavily informed by direct user research, on-site observations, and a deep understanding of user workflows.

• Agile Development: While not explicitly stated, the rapid iteration and cross-functional collaboration patterns are typical of agile software development environments.

• High Standards & Impact: The company culture emphasizes hiring exceptional people, holding them to high standards, and expecting them to make a significant impact.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Podium's focus on AI for local businesses is a key differentiator. The culture appears to be driven by rapid growth, high performance expectations, and a strong emphasis on innovation and customer impact. The "operating principles" are likely a critical aspect of understanding the company's values and how decisions are made.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior Product Designer level, indicating a significant level of experience (6+ years) and a strong track record in complex software design. It suggests the individual will be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, lead design initiatives, and potentially mentor others. The focus on defining new interaction paradigms for AI places this role at the cutting edge of product design, offering opportunities to shape the future of human-AI interaction in enterprise solutions.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will report into a design leadership role (e.g., Head of Design, Design Director) within the product organization. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads as peers, forming a core product team for their specific area of focus. This structure facilitates direct collaboration and shared ownership of product outcomes.

Operations Impact: The primary impact of this role is on the user experience of Podium's AI Employees, directly influencing their adoption, effectiveness, and ability to drive revenue for local businesses. By making complex AI systems feel simple and intuitive, the designer will enhance customer satisfaction, increase efficiency for users, and ultimately contribute to Podium's market leadership and revenue growth. The role's focus on creating new interaction paradigms also has a broader impact on the industry's approach to human-AI collaboration.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to grow into a Lead Product Designer or Design Manager role, taking on more strategic responsibilities and managing a team.

• Specialization in AI UX: Deepen expertise in designing for cutting-edge AI products, becoming a sought-after specialist in this rapidly expanding field.

• Cross-functional Advancement: Develop strong leadership and strategic thinking skills that can lead to opportunities in product management or other strategic roles within the company.

• Industry Influence: Contribute to the evolving field of human-AI interaction design, potentially through speaking engagements, publications, or thought leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, coupled with the responsibility for defining new paradigms and direct collaboration with PM/Eng, suggests a high-impact role. Growth opportunities are likely tied to both deepening design expertise in AI and expanding into broader leadership or strategic product roles within a fast-growing tech company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Podium offers an on-site work environment at its headquarters in Lehi, Utah. This suggests a traditional office setting designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and a strong company culture. The presence of an onsite gym and childcare center indicates a commitment to supporting employee well-being and work-life integration within the office.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is in Lehi, Utah. This location is known for its growing tech scene, often referred to as "Silicon Slopes." The office environment is likely modern and equipped with the tools and amenities necessary for productive work, including collaborative spaces and potentially dedicated areas for design work.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office is designed to encourage interaction, team meetings, and brainstorming sessions, crucial for design work involving cross-functional teams.

• Tools & Technology: Expect access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized hardware or software required for design and prototyping. The emphasis on code-based prototyping suggests that development environments and necessary tools will be readily available.

• Team Interaction: The on-site nature facilitates spontaneous discussions, design critiques, and team-building activities, fostering a strong sense of community and shared purpose among designers, PMs, and engineers.

Work Schedule: While typically a standard 40-hour work week, the environment likely supports a degree of flexibility to ensure project deadlines are met and to accommodate collaborative sessions across different time zones or schedules. The emphasis on results and impact over strict adherence to hours may be a cultural aspect.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement, coupled with significant employee benefits like onsite childcare and a gym, points to a company culture that values in-person collaboration and employee well-being. This setup is typical for growth-stage tech companies aiming to build a strong, cohesive team culture.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial call to assess your background, experience, and cultural fit with Podium's operating principles.

• Portfolio Review: You will present your portfolio to a group of designers, PMs, and/or engineers. This is a critical stage where you'll walk through your design process, research insights, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss your code-based prototyping approach.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: A take-home assignment or an in-person/virtual design challenge may be given to assess your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to work within constraints. This might involve designing a solution for a complex AI interaction scenario.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to evaluate your collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to drive alignment.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A final interview with the hiring manager to discuss role expectations, career growth, and ensure alignment on strategic vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Innovation: Highlight projects where you invented new interaction patterns or solved novel UX challenges, especially those involving complex systems or AI.

• Show Your Process: Clearly articulate your design process, emphasizing how user research directly informed your decisions and led to impactful outcomes.

• Demonstrate Code Prototyping: Be ready to discuss and potentially demo your code-based prototypes. Explain why you chose this method and its benefits for validating your designs.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success and business impact of your design solutions.

• Address AI Curiosity: Be prepared to discuss your interest in AI and how you approach designing for AI-powered products.

• Tailor to Podium: Research Podium's products and target audience to tailor your presentation and highlight relevant experience.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand AI Interactions: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and opportunities in designing for AI, particularly in enterprise or business contexts.

• Focus on Simplicity: Practice breaking down complex problems into simple, user-friendly solutions.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Prepare to discuss how you would collaborate with PM and Engineering to define requirements and iterate on a solution.

• Think Systemically: Consider the broader system implications of your design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes practical design skills, particularly in complex systems and AI. The portfolio review is a key gate, and candidates must be prepared to showcase their code-prototyping abilities and their research-driven approach to solving novel UX problems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (for asset creation if needed). Crucially, proficiency with code-based prototyping tools such as Cursor, Claude Code, or similar environments is highly valued.

• Collaboration: Slack, Jira, Confluence for team communication and project management.

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, or similar tools for remote usability testing and research.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, or similar platforms to track user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, or internal dashboarding tools for presenting research findings and product metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, understanding how CRM systems (like Salesforce) and automation platforms integrate with the user experience can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of "Cursor, Claude Code, or similar" for code-based prototyping is a critical requirement. This suggests the company is looking for designers who can bridge the gap between design and development, rapidly iterating on functional prototypes. Proficiency in standard design tools like Figma is assumed, but the emphasis on code sets this role apart.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Standards & Impact: A core value is hiring exceptional people, holding them to high standards, and empowering them to make a significant impact on the business and customers.

• Hunger for Growth: The company seeks individuals who are driven by learning, development, and career acceleration.

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of local businesses is paramount.

• Collaboration & Alignment: While valuing initiative, there's an expectation that individuals can drive alignment across teams, even without pre-defined processes.

• Innovation & AI Forward: A strong curiosity and drive to build and leverage AI technologies to solve real-world business problems.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Design, PM, and Engineering work very closely, often forming integrated product teams.

• Direct Communication: Emphasis on clear, direct communication to drive alignment and resolve issues efficiently.

• Proactive Problem-Solving: Individuals are expected to identify challenges and propose solutions without waiting for formal directives.

• Research-Driven: Design discussions are grounded in user research insights and data, fostering a culture of evidence-based decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: Podium's "operating principles" are central to its culture. Candidates should research these principles thoroughly, as they guide behavior and decision-making. The culture appears to be high-performance, collaborative, and focused on innovation, particularly in the AI space for local businesses.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining New Interaction Paradigms: The primary challenge is creating entirely new ways for humans to interact with increasingly capable AI, a frontier that requires significant innovation and user empathy.

• Simplifying Extreme Complexity: Making powerful, complex AI systems feel effortless and intuitive for users who may not be technically sophisticated.

• Balancing User Needs with AI Capabilities: Navigating the space between what users want and what AI can realistically deliver, while managing user expectations.

• Driving Alignment in a Fast-Paced Environment: Ensuring consistent vision and execution across cross-functional teams in a rapidly scaling company.

• Designing for Diverse Local Business Needs: Catering to a wide range of local business types, each with unique operational workflows and customer interaction patterns.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Expertise in AI UX: Become a leader in the specialized field of designing user experiences for AI-driven business applications.

• Influence Product Strategy: Play a key role in shaping the direction of Podium's AI product roadmap through research and design leadership.

• Career Advancement: Opportunities for growth into senior leadership positions, management roles, or specialization within advanced AI design.

• Industry Exposure: Work with cutting-edge AI technologies and contribute to the development of best practices in human-AI collaboration design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges due to its pioneering nature in AI UX. These challenges, however, translate into substantial growth opportunities for designers eager to shape the future of technology and advance their careers in a high-demand specialization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex system where the underlying technology was powerful but the user experience had to feel simple. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, research, and simplification strategies.)

• "How would you approach defining new interaction paradigms for AI Employees that handle customer conversations autonomously? What research methods would you use, and how would you validate your designs?" (Emphasize your innovative thinking, research approach, and understanding of AI interaction.)

• "Walk us through a project where you led design initiatives by directly engaging with customers. What challenges did you face, and how did your research influence the final product direction?" (Highlight your customer-centricity, research skills, and ability to translate insights into action.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Podium's mission to bring AI Employees to local businesses?" (Show genuine interest in the company's impact and market.)

• "How do you see yourself contributing to Podium's operating principles?" (Research and articulate how your values and work style align with theirs.)

• "How do you drive alignment with Product Managers and Engineers, especially when there isn't a defined process?" (Demonstrate your collaborative and proactive communication skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Prioritize Innovation: Lead with projects where you invented new interaction patterns or significantly pushed design boundaries.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, prototypes (especially code-based!), and user flows effectively. Explain your thought process behind each decision.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, use qualitative feedback or projected impact.

• Explain Your "Why": Clearly articulate the problem, your approach, and the rationale behind your design choices, particularly for code-based prototypes.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Expect questions about your research methodology, technical considerations, and how you handle design trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on showcasing your ability to innovate in design, particularly for complex systems and AI. Be ready to discuss your process, your research methodology, and your experience with code-based prototyping. Demonstrating an understanding of Podium's mission and operating principles will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your experience in designing complex software, inventing interaction paradigms, and conducting user research. Ensure at least one project highlights your ability to prototype in code or discusses your approach to it.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience with enterprise software, AI products, user research, and code-based prototyping. Use keywords from the job description, such as "interaction paradigms," "complex systems," and "customer research."

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on your design process, research insights, and the measurable impact of your work. Be ready to articulate your rationale for design decisions and your interest in AI.

• Research Podium: Understand Podium's AI Employee offerings, its target market (local businesses), and its stated operating principles. Be prepared to discuss why you are excited about this specific opportunity and how you align with their culture.

⚠️ 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.