Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: RBC

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI)

Date Posted: May 1, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design strategy and execution for cutting-edge AI-powered products, translating complex AI capabilities into intuitive user experiences.

• Establish and champion design standards, focusing on accessibility, usability, explainability, trust, and responsible AI visualization across the organization.

• Collaborate closely with AI researchers, engineers, and product managers to bridge the gap between technical innovation and user needs.

• Conduct rigorous user research and usability testing to drive iterative improvements and ensure user-centered design principles are at the forefront.

• Mentor junior designers, fostering a culture of design excellence and user advocacy within technical teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within RBC Borealis, RBC's AI and data innovation hub, indicating a focus on advanced AI research and its application in financial services. The emphasis on "cutting-edge AI products" suggests a need for designers comfortable with ambiguity and rapid iteration in a research-intensive environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and continuously iterate on user interfaces and end-to-end user experiences for AI-driven products, ensuring seamless accessibility and high usability.

• Translate intricate AI concepts, model outputs, and algorithmic logic into clear, intuitive user interactions and robust visual design systems.

• Define, document, and implement organizational design standards and best practices specifically for AI-driven products, including guidelines for responsible AI visualization and explainability.

• Partner with AI researchers, engineers, product managers, and other key stakeholders to deeply understand technical constraints, business objectives, and user needs, synthesizing these into compelling product strategies.

• Execute qualitative and quantitative user research, including usability testing and data analysis, to validate design hypotheses and inform iterative product enhancements.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior product designers, fostering their growth and promoting user-centered design principles within cross-functional technical teams.

• Maintain a pulse on emerging design patterns, tools, and industry best practices, particularly those relevant to AI and complex data visualization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "responsible AI visualization" and "explainability" suggests a need for designers who can tackle complex ethical and communication challenges inherent in AI product design within a regulated industry like finance.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Product Designer role.

Experience: 2-5 years of dedicated experience in product design, interface design, or UX design, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products.

Required Skills:

• Deep proficiency in core interface design principles and user experience (UX) design methodologies.

• Demonstrated expertise in establishing and utilizing design systems for consistency and scalability.

• Advanced skills with modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, or similar industry-standard software.

• Proven experience designing user experiences for complex, data-intensive, or technically sophisticated products.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive user research, plan and execute usability tests, and leverage data-driven insights to inform design decisions.

• Strong business acumen and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including technical developers, product managers, and business stakeholders.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong ability to articulate and advocate for design decisions in diverse environments.

• Solid understanding of design accessibility standards, such as WCAG, and a commitment to inclusive and equitable design practices.

• Experience with rapid prototyping and iterative design processes within fast-paced, often ambiguous, project environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing specifically for AI/ML-powered products or complex data visualization.

• Knowledge of emerging AI research areas such as reinforcement learning, unsupervised learning, or computer vision.

• Experience with content strategy development and its integration into product design.

• Familiarity with commercial acumen and how design impacts business objectives.

• Experience in mentoring junior designers or leading design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of "2-5 years" suggests this role is for an emerging senior designer, capable of independent work and some mentorship, but perhaps not yet a lead designer managing a full team. The "AI-powered products" and "data-intensive" experience is a critical differentiator.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 impactful projects that demonstrate end-to-end product design capabilities, from concept to launch.

• Projects should clearly illustrate your role, the design process followed, key challenges encountered, and the resulting user experience and business impact.

• Emphasis on projects involving complex data, AI/ML integrations, or sophisticated technical products, highlighting your ability to simplify complexity.

• Visual documentation of your proficiency with design systems, prototyping tools (Figma, Sketch), and user research methodologies.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed case studies within your portfolio that articulate your user research findings, iterative design process, and usability testing outcomes.

• Examples of how you have translated technical constraints and business requirements into user-centric design solutions.

• Documentation of your experience with rapid prototyping and the ability to demonstrate quick iteration based on feedback.

• Clear articulation of your design-to-development handoff process and collaboration with engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, particularly in an AI-focused environment, the portfolio should go beyond showcasing visual aesthetics. It must demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, user empathy, and the ability to navigate technical complexities and drive tangible business outcomes through design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers with 2-5 years of experience in Toronto, Canada, and considering RBC's standing as a major financial institution, the estimated salary range is CAD $95,000 - $130,000 annually. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skill set, and performance during the interview process.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Total Rewards Program: Includes bonuses, flexible benefits, competitive compensation structure, and, where applicable, commissions and stock options.

• Health and Wellness: Access to health, dental, and vision coverage.

• Retirement Savings: Opportunities for retirement savings plans, such as RRSPs.

• Professional Development: Support for continuous learning, including training, certifications, and conferences.

• Work-Life Balance: While this is an on-site role, RBC typically offers programs supporting work-life integration.

• Employee Assistance Programs: Confidential support services for personal and professional challenges.

Working Hours: Full-time employment with a standard work week of 37.5 hours. The specific daily schedule may vary but generally aligns with business needs, requiring presence during core operational hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on publicly available data for similar roles in Toronto, Canada, from sources like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and Payscale, adjusted for the specified experience level and the employer's industry. The provided benefits are directly extracted from the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services, with a strong focus on Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Innovation. RBC is Canada's largest financial institution, operating globally. RBC Borealis represents its advanced AI research and development arm.

Company Size: RBC is a large, multinational corporation. RBC Borealis, as a specialized division, likely operates with the agility of a tech startup within the broader structure of a global bank.

Founded: Royal Bank of Canada was founded in 1864. RBC Borealis is a more recent initiative focused on AI and data innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Product Designer will be part of the RBC Borealis team, working within a product development pod or squad.

• This team typically includes AI researchers, data scientists, engineers, product managers, and UX/UI designers.

• The role likely reports to a Design Lead, Product Lead, or Head of Product within RBC Borealis, with close collaboration across engineering and research functions.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making and iterative development are core.

• Agile methodologies are likely employed for product development and research sprints.

• Emphasis on translating cutting-edge AI research into practical, scalable solutions for the financial industry.

• A strong focus on user-centered design principles, research, and testing to validate product concepts and features.

Company Website: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/ and https://rbcborealis.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: RBC Borealis's mission to revolutionize finance through AI implies a culture that values innovation, research excellence, and practical application. The team structure suggests a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environment where designers play a critical role in making advanced technology accessible.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a "Senior Product Designer," indicating an individual contributor role with significant responsibility. It requires a strong foundation in design principles and methodologies, the ability to work independently on complex problems, and the capacity to mentor junior colleagues. The focus on AI and complex data suggests a specialized track within product design.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or a Product Lead within the RBC Borealis AI innovation group. They will collaborate closely with AI researchers, engineers, and product managers, forming a core product team.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct impact on the usability, adoption, and effectiveness of RBC's AI-powered financial products. By translating complex AI capabilities into intuitive experiences, they will influence client engagement, operational efficiency, and the overall perception of RBC as an innovator in financial technology. Their work contributes to shaping the future of finance through AI.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI/ML, complex data visualization, and responsible AI, becoming a subject matter expert within RBC.

• Leadership: Progress into a Lead Product Designer role, managing design initiatives, mentoring a larger team, and influencing design strategy at a higher level.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management roles or specialized UX research positions, leveraging their deep understanding of user needs and product development.

• Learning & Development: Access to RBC's extensive training programs, industry conferences, and opportunities to work with leading AI researchers and engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, combined with the AI focus, offers a strong growth trajectory. The opportunity to work at the intersection of finance and cutting-edge AI provides unique career development pathways not commonly found in other industries.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, requiring the Senior Product Designer to work from the RBC Waterpark Place office in Toronto. The environment is likely a modern corporate office setting designed for collaboration and innovation.

Office Location(s): RBC Waterpark Place, 88 Queens Quay W, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is a prime location in Toronto's waterfront district, offering access to public transportation and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office is designed to foster collaboration, with shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and common areas conducive to team interaction and brainstorming.

• Tools & Technology: Access to state-of-the-art design tools (Figma, Sketch), collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized software for AI research and development.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular face-to-face interaction with AI researchers, engineers, product managers, and other design professionals, promoting knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 37.5 hours per week, full-time. While the core hours will be during RBC's business operations, there may be some flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and collaboration needs, especially with global research teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests RBC values in-person collaboration for complex problem-solving, particularly in a fast-paced, innovative environment like RBC Borealis. The location in a major business hub provides excellent connectivity and access to city amenities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience against the role requirements.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: Candidates will likely be asked to present a portfolio review or complete a design challenge. This may involve discussing a past project in depth, focusing on your process, decision-making, and impact, or tackling a hypothetical design problem relevant to AI products.

• Technical/Team Interviews: Interviews with hiring managers, potential peers (other designers, engineers, researchers), and product managers to evaluate design skills, technical understanding, collaboration style, and cultural fit. Expect questions about your approach to complex problems, AI design, and user research.

• Final Interview: Potentially an interview with a senior leader to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure and Storytelling: Organize your portfolio logically, telling a compelling story for each project. Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, your contributions, the challenges, and the measurable outcomes.

• Focus on AI/Complexity: Highlight projects that demonstrate your ability to design for complex, data-intensive, or AI-driven products. Explain how you translated abstract concepts into tangible user experiences.

• Process Over Polish: While visuals are important, emphasize your design process, your problem-solving approach, and how you used research to inform decisions. Showcase iterative steps and learning.

• Metrics and Impact: Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your design solutions on user behavior, engagement, or business goals.

• Explainability & Responsibility: Be prepared to discuss your approach to designing for explainability, trust, and responsible AI, especially if you have relevant project examples.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with RBC Borealis's work in AI research (reinforcement learning, unsupervised learning, computer vision) and the financial services industry.

• Practice Design Thinking: Be ready to walk through your design thinking process for a given problem, including user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

• Technical Acumen: Brush up on concepts related to AI, data visualization, and common design-to-development workflows.

• Communication: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, concisely, and persuasively. Be ready to defend your design choices with solid reasoning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI and complex data means candidates should prepare to specifically address how they handle ambiguity, translate technical concepts, and ensure responsible AI design principles are integrated. A strong portfolio demonstrating these capabilities is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch (proficiency expected in at least one).

• Collaboration & Communication: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence.

• User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, or internal RBC platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation workflows is not a primary requirement for this design role but provides context for how user data is managed and utilized.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Sketch is essential. While direct experience with AI/ML platforms or specific data science tools isn't required for the designer, an understanding of their outputs and how to visualize them effectively is critical.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client First: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of RBC's clients through innovative solutions.

• Integrity: Upholding the highest ethical standards, particularly crucial when dealing with sensitive financial data and AI applications.

• Collaboration: Working effectively as "One RBC," fostering a team-oriented environment where diverse perspectives are valued and leveraged.

• Respect: Valuing individuals, their contributions, and fostering an inclusive workplace.

• Excellence: Striving for the highest quality in research, development, and execution, pushing the boundaries of AI in finance.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close partnerships with AI researchers, engineers, and product managers are fundamental. Designers are expected to be active participants in technical discussions.

• Iterative Feedback Culture: Embracing a culture of continuous feedback, where designs are shared early and often, and constructive criticism is welcomed to refine solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across teams, particularly regarding the unique challenges and opportunities in AI product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The RBC values are foundational. For this role, translating these values into practice means designing AI products that are trustworthy, user-centric, and contribute positively to the client experience and the broader financial ecosystem, aligning with RBC's global reputation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Ambiguity: Translating complex, often opaque, AI model behaviors and outputs into clear, understandable, and trustworthy user experiences.

• Balancing Innovation with Regulation: Navigating the highly regulated financial industry while pushing the boundaries of AI innovation.

• Responsible AI Implementation: Ensuring ethical considerations, bias mitigation, and explainability are integrated into the design of AI products.

• Pace of AI Evolution: Keeping pace with the rapid advancements in AI research and development and their implications for product design.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & Data Science Exposure: Direct exposure to leading AI research and data science practices, offering unparalleled learning opportunities in this domain.

• Financial Services Domain Expertise: Deepening understanding of the financial industry's complexities, regulations, and client needs.

• Advanced Design Tools & Methodologies: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge design tools and user research techniques specific to AI and complex data.

• Mentorship: Learning from experienced AI researchers, engineers, and senior designers within RBC Borealis and the broader RBC technology organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in bridging the gap between advanced AI research and practical, user-friendly financial products, requiring a designer who is both technically curious and deeply user-focused.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a user experience for a highly technical or data-intensive product. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on process, user research, and problem-solving).

• "How would you approach designing an interface for an AI model that provides predictive financial advice? What are the critical considerations for trust and explainability?" (Assess understanding of AI design principles and responsible AI).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working at RBC Borealis specifically, and how do your skills align with our mission to revolutionize finance through AI?" (Gauge motivation and understanding of the company's strategic direction).

• "How do you typically collaborate with engineers and product managers? Describe a situation where you had to influence technical stakeholders to adopt a user-centered design approach." (Assess collaboration style and influence skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Relevant Projects: Choose 3-4 projects that best showcase your skills for this specific role, emphasizing AI, data-intensive, or complex technical products.

• Tell a Story: Frame each project as a narrative. Clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process, key decisions, challenges, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Your Process: Be prepared to discuss your user research methods, ideation techniques, prototyping iterations, and how you used feedback to refine your designs.

• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss the intended impact and how it was measured or validated.

• Address AI/Explainability: If possible, showcase projects or discuss your approach to designing for AI, explainability, trustworthiness, and responsible technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be ready to demonstrate not just design execution but also strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of the unique challenges associated with designing AI-powered products in a regulated industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the RBC Careers portal via the provided URL.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features projects that highlight your experience with complex, data-intensive, or AI-driven products. Tailor your project selection to align with RBC Borealis's focus areas.

• Optimize Your Resume: Clearly articulate your 2-5 years of experience, emphasizing your proficiency in UX/UI design, design systems, user research, and relevant tools (Figma, Sketch). Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through 1-2 key portfolio projects in detail, focusing on your process, decision-making, and impact. Be ready to discuss your approach to AI design and responsible technology.

• Research RBC Borealis: Understand their mission, research areas (reinforcement learning, computer vision, etc.), and the broader context of RBC in the financial industry. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.